Get a healthy attitude for a successful diet

With only four weeks until the unofficial start of summer, we're going to help you shed any leftover “winter weight” you're carrying around and get your body ready for bikini season once and for all. Each week, nutritionist Joy Bauer will give you a step-by-step game plan for achieving your goals. We're kicking off this special series, the “Today” show’s Summer Slim-Down Guide, with her program to jump-start your diet. Bauer was invited on “Today” to go over the first two steps of her healthy, no-fuss weight-loss plan. Here's her first step:

Step One
Joy’s 6 golden rules for weight loss

1. Make the personal commitment. Successful weight loss is 50 percent attitude. Decide you’re going to follow along with our Summer Slim-Down Guide … and just do it!
2. Eat consistently throughout the day. Within 90 minutes of waking, start the day with a smart breakfast. Then, continue to eat every four to five hours throughout the remainder of your day. You’ll keep your blood sugar levels stabilized, which, in turn, helps control hunger and cravings.
3. Avoid trigger foods. Stay away from your personal problematic foods. These are the foods that once you start eating … you can’t stop. (Some common trigger foods include ice cream in a pint container, a large bag of chips, dry cereal, and peanut butter.)
4. Lose liquid calories. Liquids can often amount to a lot of extra calories that won't fill you up. Pass on soda, fruit drinks, fruit juice, smoothies, and coffee loaded with milk and sugar. Instead, drink lots of water and, on occasion, diet beverages. For coffee, use skim or 1 percent reduced-fat milk — and limit the sugar to one packet.
5. Plan your menus. Take 10 minutes in the evening to plan out your food for the next day. This way, when you become overwhelmed with life during the day, you’ll have a road map.
6. Move it and lose it! Commit to 30 minutes of daily exercise — anything goes. Take a walk, join an exercise class, follow along with a workout video, or ride your bike.

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