You know the drill when it comes to losing weight-take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But youalso know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician's campaign pledges. You're better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis-along with following the cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should send the scale numbers in the right direction: down.

1. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.

2. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger.

3. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we're suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary (久坐的) people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you're eating.

4. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue; Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.

5. Clean your closet of the "fat" clothes. Once you've reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn't fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.

1. The passage aims to _____.

A. advertise weight-loss products

B. give advice on losing weight

C. persuade you to go on a diet

D. talk you into giving away clothing that doesn't fit

2. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A. ice cream can be made into the jewel.

B. the color blue encourages eating.

C. many fast-food restaurants are decorated in blue.

D. Eating five or six small meals helps reduce weight.

3. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. cheese is high in calories

B. a big meal helps control hunger

C. a 45-minute walk a day discourages your appetite for food

D. buying new clothes can reduce weight

4. The author agrees _____.

A. quick weight-loss plans work well

B. people should cat more fruit to lose weight

C. going on a diet is they only way to lose weight

D. restaurants should serve food with blue plates