1. The more frequently you eat, the more often you'll give your metabolism a boost. You might think that you're doing yourself a favor by skipping meals. You might even feel as though you're doing yourself a favor by not eating until dinner. But physiology dictates that eating -- and eating often -- is actually a better strategy. Eating has a stimulating effect on the metabolism, increasing the rate at which you burn calories for some time after a meal. Eat often, and your metabolism will operate at its maximum speed all day long.

2. Calories eaten earlier in the day boost the metabolism more than calories eaten later in the day. When you eat, you increase the rate at which you burn calories, but your metabolism still has a natural arc to it and it declines as it gets closer to bedtime. For that reason, it may be that the food you eat in the evening doesn't increase your calorie-burning ability as much as the food you eat earlier in the day. Once it's settled into its resting mode, your body is resistant to being revved up at night.

3. Eating makes you feel more energetic during the day but not, typically, at night. Have you ever finished dinner and thought to yourself, "I feel as if I could run a few miles! " I didn't think so. Most people feel fairly lethargic after dinner. One reason is that they've usually eaten too much and their bodies are hard at work digesting the food, leaving little energy for anything else. (This is especially true when the meal is high in fat and protein, which take more energy to digest than carbohydrates.) Another is that the body begins to wind down in the evening, preparing you for sleep.

4. Eating the majority of your calories at one meal can create an insulin spike, causing the body to store fat. When you take in a large number of calories -- and, in particular, carbohydrate calories -- a signal is sent to your brain, which then sends a message to your pancreas to pump out more insulin. That big dose of insulin is going to cause your body to store many of those calories as fat (insulin, you'll remember, is responsible for taking glucose out of the bloodstream and depositing it into fat storage). The majority of people eat their biggest meal at dinner time, but having an oversized meal any time of day can cause an insulin spike. If, however, you spread out the calories over many hours, your insulin level will stay steady and your body will be less likely to hoard fat.

Keep the following tips in mind:

• Set realistic weight loss goals, such as a 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week. Those who lose weight slowly, by eating less and exercising more, tend to keep their lost weight off.
• Eat fewer calories by cutting down on portions and/or decreasing the total amount of fat you eat to 30% or less of your total daily calories.
• Do not skip meals.
• Keep low calorie, low-fat snacks on hand, such as pretzels, raw vegetables with low calorie dips or fruit. Keep in mind that there is no difference between calories in low-fat foods than those found in fatty foods.
• Choose foods high in fiber such as whole-grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables.
• To ensure you are eating healthy, keep an accurate food journal. Write down everything you eat or drink. Be honest and accurate, otherwise the journal is not as helpful. The food journal will help you learn about your eating habits and help you assess the food choices you are making.
• Eat a variety of foods to get all the nutrients you need.

Once you have achieved a desired weight, a positive attitude is very important in your efforts to successfully manage it. To lose weight permanently, you must make a commitment to gradually adopt a healthier way of life.

Controlling your weight is not an impossible task. It simply means eating less food or burning up more calories than you need. Eating smaller portions and choosing foods that are low in total fat (as fat is a major contributor to calories), are essential to maintaining your desired weight. Establishing a regular exercise routine is equally important.

Whether you are overweight or obese, you are not alone – in fact you are with approximately 127 million other U.S. adults. Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death and is closely linked to conditions such as Heart Disease, Cancer, Diabetes, Arthritis, Asthma, and Gum Disease. WebMD has created a special weight loss clinic to addresses this public health epidemic.

Doctors generally agree that the more obese a person is, the more likely he or she is to have health problems. People who are 20% or more overweight can gain significant health benefits from losing weight. Many obesity experts believe that people who are less than 20% above their healthy weight should still try to lose weight if they have any of the following risk factors.