Happy New Year to everyone reading this (and those who aren’t too!).  January seems like the month people put a lot of pressure on themselves.  It’s the start of a new year and, especially after the holidays, THE WEIGHT MUST COME OFF!  Unfortunately, thinking of weight loss in terms of urgency usually is short-lived.  I suggest that you be reasonable with yourself and make some better choices.  I remember giving someone the following advice: simply — think before you eat.  Diets are restrictive but if you use your head before making decisions then you will realize how much you know and how much you need to do.  Take breakfast for example.  You can eat some bread with butter or cream cheese and some eggs and bacon or you can THINK FIRST and decide to smear the butter or cream cheese and skip the artery-clogging bacon and replace with ham or nothing and eat the eggs or use egg whites or egg beaters.  If you are in a really creative mood you might even consider adding slices of tomato – or be even more radical and make a veggie omelet!  Vegetables are my savior.  They bulk up everything I eat and are high in nutrients and low in calories.  Spice them up and make them enticing!  This week I made freshly sliced Brussels sprouts with garlic and a bit of olive oil (remember that each tablespoon is 120 calories! And ¼ cup is 4 tablespoons) and I dug in!  Very filling to eat with my piece of salmon – and few calories – AND many nutrients.  Enjoy your food but try not to let it hurt your body….