Every day people talk with me about my book, The Tortoise Diet, and about their own experiences with weight loss. Lately I've noticed a common thread in these conversations. What I hear over and over again is that people feel so overwhelmed and overloaded by the daily demands on their time and energy that they become immobilized. They want to improve their health and lose weight, but tell me they just don't know how to get started.

Whenever people tell me they just don't know how to begin, I encourage them to focus their energies on learning to practice two new habits: 1) eating small, frequent meals containing healthy food choices and 2) drinking water on a regular basis throughout the day. Let's discuss how to best approach both of these new habits.

Don't worry at this time about following a calorie-specific menu plan; just select a healthy breakfast that is something you really like from one of the suggested menu plans found in Appendix A of The Tortoise Diet - Win the Race to Lose! Get that breakfast ready the evening before so it is ready to grab in the morning to either eat before leaving home or take in the car.

Also the evening before, prepare two simple snacks to have in the mid-morning and the mid-afternoon the next day:

Suggestion #1: an apple plus some almonds
Suggestion #2: a part-skim mozzarella cheese stick plus an orange
Suggestion #3: no-sugar / non-fat pudding plus some chopped fruit
Suggestion #4: 2 wedges low-fat ?Laughing Cow? cheese plus Ak Mak or WASA crackers
Suggestion #5: 1 slice whole-grain bread plus 1 TBS peanut butter
Suggestion #6: Make a quick quesadilla with 1 whole-wheat tortilla topped with 1 oz low-fat cheddar. Melt the cheese a little and top with salsa, chopped onion and a spoonful of non- fat sour cream
Suggestion #7: a bowl of Minestrone, Split Pea, White Bean or Lentil soup Suggestion #8: 7-10 reduced-fat Triscuits plus 2 low-fat cheddar slices

Also select a healthy lunch from the menu plans that is something you really like to eat. Get this ready the evening before so it is ready to grab to take with you in the morning.

In the morning, take a bottle of water in the car and begin to sip on it as you commute to work. If you work from home, fill a big bottle with water and put it in the refrigerator or on the counter. Make it a habit to try to drink at least 8 oz of water about an hour prior to each meal throughout the day.

For now, after dinner each evening drink only water or herbal tea.

Remember to include foods you really enjoy - there is no need to feel deprived all of the time! Try to eat a meal or snack approximately every three hours throughout the day, so you won't ever feel experience ravenous hunger. Drink a big glass of water about an hour before each meal and whenever you begin to feel a little twinge of hunger.

Learning to practice these two simple, yet very important, new and healthy habits is a fairly manageable way to get started on your journey toward improved health and permanent weight loss.