Losing weight doesn't have to involve whole, big, elaborate, diet plans. All it takes is a little common sense.

1. Don't eat any refined sugar or "sweets", and don't drink sugary beverages.

2. Limit starches (potato, noodles, pasta, bread, crackers) to one modest portion a day at the most. Eliminate starches when possible.

3. Eat protein. Protein is important, and it fends off hunger best.

4. Don't completely eliminate all fat from the diet. When fat is completely eliminated some people (particularly those with stress) can have fierce, vague, cravings and feel that if they don't eat they won't be able to function. A small serving of cheese or a small serving of whole milk can serve the purpose.

5. Don't add extra calories to meals and beverages. Dressings, mayonnaise, cream in coffee, and other add-ons add hidden calories and fat.

6. If you must cheat plan to cheat on a weekend day. That makes it easier to get through the work week without cheating. Having a couple of slices of pizza on Friday night but eating correctly the rest of the week is usually not what causes people to have a weight problem.

In my common-sense (but admittedly non-expert) opinion, the same applies to holiday eating. The US has five or six holidays that are known for indulging in food and sweets. That's five or six days out of three hundred sixty five days. Weight problems result from day-to-day eating habits, and even binging on those few holidays is generally not the cause of anyone's weight problem.

7. Pay particular attention to the calories in beverages. Drink plain water or other beverages that add close to no calories.

8. Exercise as much as possible. If you can't do any other exercises at least get out and walk several (if not all) of the days in each week. A little walking is better than none. More walking is better still. Slow walking is better than no walking, but brisk-paced walking is even better.

9. Get enough sleep. Being tired throws off a person's system and can contribute to feeling the need to eat in order to get energy.

10. Find ways to relax. Stress causes physiological changes that result in cravings. It is Nature's way of trying to return the body to a non-stress-response state, since living with a chronic stress response is dangerous. The trouble is that Nature has designed our stress response to be alleviated by high-energy foods. Under certain levels of stress the mind and body can sometimes barely function without the "medication" of hormone-altering, high-energy, foods. Finding ways to relax can return the body to a non-stress-response state without the help of high-energy foods.