6. The No Bag Rule. I've made a rule for myself and that is to NEVER eat out of any bag something was purchased in. On the off chance that I would actually have potato chips in my pantry (it happens occasionally), I will transfer some of those chips into small, zipper-topped snack-size bags and only two of them. That will take care of my need to eat crunchy, salty food without sending me to the confessional to own up to a chip binge.

5. Plate Proportions. I make sure my plate is one-third salad, one-third veggies (at least two different non-starchy kinds) and about 5 ounces lean protein (doesn't quite make up a third of the plate, but you get the idea). This visual helps me anywhere — at home, a restaurant and at a buffet.

4. Don't Slack on Snacks. Your mom told you not to snack between meals — I'm going to tell you to do just that. When you're watching your portions, you are going to get hungrier. Not to worry! Having snacks means never having to say, "I'm hungry." It's a good thing as long as they're healthy and portion-controlled.

3. Thirst is First. One thing that was absolutely essential to my weight loss was the consumption of a lot of water. I constantly have a water bottle with me and I am now to the point that if I don't drink enough water, I get really thirsty. Water helps slake not just thirst, though; it helps to calm a rambunctious appetite as well.

2. Smaller Sizes. If I found a pair of pants I liked, I buy them and in one size smaller. I hang them on the back of my bathroom door and look at them everyday. I tell myself I would be in them in X amount of time as I laced up my running shoes. I kept those pants in my head as I ran — made a huge difference in how much cardio got accomplished!

1. Use White Out. In other words, get the white out of your food. White flour, white sugar both spell disaster. There are much healthier alternatives, like whole wheat flour and xylitol (www.xylitol.org) out there!

That's it — pretty basic, you're probably saying. But put these principles into action and they'll change your life (and your pants size). I'm living proof!

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Leanne Ely, a k a Dinner Diva, is the author of the best-selling "Saving Dinner" and "Saving Dinner the Low Carb Way" (Ballantine). What's for dinner? Go to www.savingdinner.com and find the solution!