(well, maybe not that soon). Dieting is a very simple concept- eat fewer

calories than you burn, or flip that over and say burn more calories than

you eat. How do you eat fewer calories? Eat less food....how do you eat

fewer calories and lose weight SUCCESSFULLY...that's not so simple. Face it,

food tastes good, its comforting, it's something for your mouth to do when

you aren't doing anything else. So what we need to do is continue to make

food taste good. Now we have all heard about cutting out fat, and fat makes

food taste good. It is a flavor carrier and your tastebuds respond to fat- I

won't go into the whole molecular process thing, but if you doubt me- eat a

plain boiled potato with salt, then eat some french fries with salt. See

what I mean? Greasy juicy burgers, fried chicken, fried fish and fried pork

chops in gravy all taste better than boiled meat. The trick to cutting out

the fat successfully, and not feeling flavor deprived is to use herbs and

spices. Strongly flavored spices like peppers, cumin, garlic, onion, and the

like can give your meats (white meat chicken, trimmed pork, lean beef, fish)

exotic and tasty flavors, that, when mixed in with other fun things like

barley, couscous,millet,quinoa, give you a hearty, filling and low fat dish.

Check out the recipes below for a couple of ideas. To find high quality,

fresh, CHEAP herbs and spices, check around town for a Whole Foods co-op,

give them a call and ask if they sell herbs and spices in bulk. You can pick

up enough whole cumin to fill one of those $10 Spice Island jars in the

grocery store for MUCH less...I pay about $2.50 for 1/4 cup, and that goes a

long way. The price on the containers will say things like $22.00 per pound

for parsley- but a pound of dried parsely will fill your bathtub- so don't

let the prices scare you. Other ways to cut out fat would be to replace fat

laden ingredients with something else. Next time you make mashed potatoes

(Instant or homemade), use chicken broth (canned or homemade) instead of

milk and butter. When you make rice, use broth-beef or chicken, and some

herbs instead of butter. Steam your veggies, and top them with some chopped

fresh herbs, or use ButterBuds. While you are doing the diet stuff-

EXERCISE!! The reason a person gains weight when they start on the meds is

because your metabolism slows down! You aren't having the rockin' manias and

burning calories like jet fuel. My pdoc put it this way..."Now you're fat

like the rest of us normal slobs, and if you wanna lose weight you'll have

to work at it like the rest of us normal slobs" That wasn't what I wanted to

hear, but I think he was right. Exercise and diet need to go together.

You'll burn more calories, and you'll feel better to boot. I know there is

some endorphin story out there about why you feel good exercising- but it

escapes me at the moment. So work out, walk, do aerobics with Cindy Crawford

on the VCR, Go to The Ship Shape Club and learn cool things with Roni and