Why? Because the answer in invariably, YES. Of course, the answer is yes. Everyone looks fat in their clothes because practically everyone is fat. We are a nation of overweight people (apologies to those very few who are not overweight. This chapter is probably not for you in any case!) I have become convinced that makers of clothes have “re-sized” their clothes so that people can believe they are not getting bigger because they wear the “same” size they’ve worn for years.

Mind you, we all know that we’re overweight. That’s why diet books sell so incredibly well. That’s why so many people use diet pills, fad diets, miracle weight loss pills, etc. etc. etc.

There are few better things we can do for ourselves to maintain our good health and wellness than to keep our weight under control. This is, I hasten to point out, a very different thing than being “skinny.”  While the Body Mass Index (BMI) is not a perfect measure of healthy weight, it is a reasonable one that is a useful, objective guide for knowing when too much – or too little – is too much.

The secret to losing weight is no secret at all. Take in fewer calories than you expend. That’s it. Burn more than you eat.

Simple.

Simpler said than done, actually, for most people. Too many people have yet to meet a donut that doesn’t call their name, or a super-sized order of fries that can be left unfinished. A jog around the park might just as well be a walk off the plank…for too many people. However, if you are thinking that it is time to make peace with your bathroom scale, there are common sense methods that can help you achieve your healthy weight goals.