Diet Pros Dish Their Secrets

What do nutritionists and other slim-down experts do to keep their own bodies lean and mean? Most of them eat only what they need — and limit their indulgences. by Kristyn Kusek

Time-limit your sweets.
"I love ice cream and sweets, but I know that if I start eating them in the afternoon, I'll eat them all day. To limit my intake, I allow myself to have sweets only after dinner."
— Barbara Gollman, R.D., author of "The Phytopia Cookbook"

Leave leftovers.

"I leave three or four bites on my plate at every meal, which, for a day's worth of food, saves about 300 calories. If you're an average-size woman and you eat this way for a year, you can lose as many as 15 pounds."
— Jackie Berning, Ph.D., R.D., spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Eat more meals.

"I've had to modify my calorie intake over the years to match the natural slowing of my metabolism, but I've never deprived myself of the foods I love — I've just learned to eat smaller portions. Eating frequent, smaller meals throughout the day actually helps you burn more calories, as it keeps your metabolism revved up and running around the clock. Instead of skipping breakfast and sitting down to an old-fashioned meat-and-potatoes dinner that might be fine for a 20-year-old or a marathon runner, you should aim to eat three small balanced meals and two snacks daily."
— Denise Austin, host of Lifetime Television's "Denise Austin's Fit & Lite" and "Denise Austin's Daily Workout," from Fit and Fabulous After 40"