5. MULTI-TASKING WHILE EATING

The easiest way to inhale calories without noticing is to multitask while eating. In an unusually interesting study to me, since I belong to the Mystery Writers of America, was noting that people ate 300 more calories while listening to a detective story than when they ate in silence. The fix is to give yourself 10 minutes to eat without focusing on commercials or reading material, which is about how long it takes your brain to register the message that you're full.

6. AGING

Uh...it's the truth. As we age we start to lose muscle and gain fat, making it tougher to maintain our weight. As our muscle mass shrinks, so does our need for calories. But that doesn't translate to our stomachs! So you need to do something to build muscle, such as resistance training or lifting light weights. For women, that means using a 3-5 pound weight and doing a series of 10 reps at a time for each muscle group.

7. EATING OUT OFTEN

Restaurant calories add up fast, particularly since they don't focus on calorie/carb restriction that matches up to your plan. Portion size is another issue. The fix is to select restaurants that cater to your diet plan, or choose appetizers instead of main courses for your meal.

No matter what diet you choose, make your behavior consistent, repeatable and take into account what is MOST important to you when eating out.