DIETS are evil tools plied upon the obese and people with low self-esteem.
Simply put, one must eat sensibly and exersise regularly. How many of us do that? Not many.
I stopped eating meat some years ago -and I gained weight for the first time in my life. Yikes. My once epic metabolism has slowed down and if I overeat, it goes straight to my belly :x .

As some have pointed out, Fruits and Vegetables are paramount to health. Americans as a whole don't eat enough fresh F/V. Fact is you CANNOT overeat fruits or vegetables. Want 5 apples? Eat them. 'course I'll be doubled up with pain like Daniel...

These are some of the things I've done to enable a more healthy life:
1. don't eat fast food
-it's not obligatory to eat McCrap. In the past, most car trips included a fast food meal for us. Not now. The solution: I call it Pop-Tarts and Plums. We pack a bit of healthy food with us for car rides, both short and long.
2. sushiSushi is God's gift to humanity.
3. salads/vegetables
The potential for variation is endless. Any number of green vegetables, peppers, nuts, herbs, etc. can be made into a tremendous feast. I am the Pope of Salad making.
4. salad dressings HOMEMADE
I quit eating 99% of store bought salad dressing ages ago. It is so easy to make your own and SO much healthier. Easy favorites include Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar drizzled over the salad. Top with cracked black pepper and devour.
Prepared vegetables don't have to have butter, bacon, salt, and beef hearts added to taste good.
5. cut back on dairyMilk is made for baby animals and people to survive on. It is not intended to be guzzled by humans their whole lives. I still eat cheese and whipped cream, but milk as a beverage is out of the question. Cutting out milk will show immediate changes. Your dulap (that space between the edge of your chin and neck) will not be so ...noticeable once you cut back on dairy. There are lots of reasons to not drink milk however.
6. carbohydrates = evil
You body metabolises carbs as sugar (worthless calories and fat-inducing). Protein is a much better source of energy.
7. proteinMeat is a good source of protein. So is SOY. Have a veggie burger instead of a .5 lb burger.
A small bowl of Miso soup has more protein than an 8 oz. steak. Miso is easy to make:
mix 1.5 tablespoons of Miso to each cup of water, boil, eat ....top with diced scallions if you like or add cubed tofu for interest and more protein
8. TofuSee the protein section for the ONLY good use for tofu. I will sooner drink the blood of the dead before I eat tofu EVER AGAIN. Its only viable uses are its inclusion in Miso and hot/sour soup.
9. Know when you're done eatingIf you've eaten a sensible meal and you're contemplating a second helping, pause. Typically, humans are full before they realise it. Might be a survival instinct passed down from our ancestors.
Usually waiting 5 minutes will reveal to you whether you are really hungry or full.
10. water
Drink lots of it. Pure or filtered water is prefered. Heather tells me that people often feel they're hungry when they're actually dehydrated. Remember, your brain needs to be properly hydrated.
11. SEXSex burns lots of calories. Even when you do it by yourself. Naturally, the longer you engage in it, the more calories you'll burn.

There are scads of other things to consider.
Vitamins and Minerals, for example. We don't and cannot get the V/M we need from our food anymore. Adding a colloidal V/M supplement is a great thing to do. There are health benefits to dark chocolate, dark beer, and red wine. Enjoy.
Meditteranean and Japanese foods are tremedously healthy -in general. Eat up.
More later.
Cheers, Noel
no method, no guru, no teacher