Start Losing Weight It takes burning 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound of body weight. Walking an extra 2000 to 3000 steps daily (equivalent of about 1 - 1.5 miles) will help you burn more energy. Eating 5 – 9 servings of fruits/vegetables per day can help you increase fiber intake, decrease intake of fat and sugar to as low as possible without dieting or counting calories! You start to lose weight without feeling the pressure of dieting and the fear of failing. Studies show that American food portions served have more than doubled over the last twenty years. We have to eat appropriate servings not just any portion served. Appropriate Serving A simple guide to help determine appropriate food portion is: Consider that each serving should be approximately the size of the palm of a hand or half a measuring cup, (4 ounces). Every meal should comprise of at least three different colors of food from the fruit and vegetable group like orange-fresh orange; purple-egg plant; white-banana; green- broccoli; red-strawberries, etc, This does not refer to food color added which is usually non-nutritive. Studies show that only one out of five Americans consumes the recommended 5 minimum servings of fruits/vegetables per day. Can you imagine what this one small change can do? Imagine the New You We want you to know that there is a new you waiting to emerge, the only thing holding you back is your lack of imagination. It will not happen over night, it will take self control and discipline but as long as you envision it and believe it, you can live it. So take five minutes right now and be still, close your eyes and imagine the new you, do you like what you see? Then go after it and claim it, it is all yours to have. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t, because you can. Once you claim it, call a friend, sister, brother, mother, father, husband, wife, neighbor and tell them what you are doing and ask them to support you.