By Myron Mielke

1. Stop drinking regular soda and switch to diet soda.

2. Dab off the grease on the top of a pizza slice with a napkin.

3. Drain browned hamburger on a paper towel.

4. Instead of a jelly donut for breakfast, eat a slice of whole-wheat toast with jam.

5. Hold the croutons on salads.

6. On Sunday night, boil a dozen eggs to use for quick snacks during the week.

7. When making scrambled eggs or omelets, use only half of the yolks.

8. Eat only veggies and lean meat for one meal during the day.

9. Eat turkey bacon instead of regular bacon.

10. Order only plain hamburgers, no cheese, mayo, special sauce, or bacon.

11. Order grilled chicken sandwiches instead of crispy and again no cheese, mayo, special sauce, or bacon.

12. Grill up extra pieces of chicken for dinner and use the leftovers to use as lunches for the next two days.

13. Drink one glass of water immediately upon rising each day.

14. If you have dessert at lunch and dinner, only have dessert at dinner.

15. Once a week for lunch, eat a grilled-chicken salad with low-calorie dressing and a glass of sugar-free iced tea.

16. Eat sundaes only on Sundays.

17. Hold the cheese on salads.

18. Use dressings made with olive oil and vinegar instead of using ranch.

19. Don’t order French fries.

20. Order water instead of soda.

21. Eliminate one fast-food meal per week.

22. Drink one less soda per day.

23. Switch from whole milk to reduced-fat milk.

24. Switch from reduced-fat milk to fat-free milk.

25. Use non-stick cooking spray instead of oil or margarine to fry foods.

26. Eat an apple with natural peanut butter instead of chips for a snack before bed.

27. Buy leaner hamburger.

28. Wait for boneless/skinless chicken breasts to go on sale and stock your freezer.

29. Make the majority of your food purchases ones that do not come in a box or can.

30. Only eat candy on the weekends.

31. Set your alarm 20 minutes early and go for a 15-min. brisk walk before you do anything else in the morning.

32. Start drinking fresh-brewed green tea.

33. Make a sandwich with only one slice of bread instead of two (or three!).

34. Pack a lunch and go eat it at a park instead of eating out a restaurant.

35. Eat green veggies at lunch and dinner.

36. Stop counting calories and concentrate on smaller portion sizes.

37. Eat most of your carbohydrates earlier on in the day.

38. Go for a walk with a spouse or friend after dinner.

39. Use olive oil or macadamia nut oil to cook with.

40. Go for an hour walk on Saturday or Sunday.

41. If your clothes get tight from gaining weight, lose weight, do not buy a larger size.

42. Do not order an appetizer.

43. Invest in a very good pair of walking shoes.

44. Listen to your favorite music during your workout.

45. Get involved in a hobby after dinner to help stave off the

evening “munchies.”

46. Lift weights at least twice per week.

47. Do cardio exercise for 30 minutes at least three days per week.

48. Play ball with your kids or grandkids.

49. Eat salmon once or twice per week.

50. Mow your own lawn.

51. Clean the garage.

52. Buy a pedometer and walk 500 miles in one year.