Weight loss is never easy. Sure, it can be boiled down to uncomplicated advice: Eat less, move more. Simple on the face of it, yes. The execution is where things can — and often do — get tricky. That may well be why a recent study found eating prepackaged meals helped folks lose more weight than receiving diet tips alone.

With January 1 just around the corner, it's time to resolve to get into better shape in the New Year.Diet-to-Go makes the weight losss part of the equation a no-brainer, but what about the shaping up part?Luckily for me -- and you -- I have an in with the doctor who co-wrote From Belly Fat to Belly Flat (HCI). And Dr. CW Randolph Jr. was happy to answer a few questions and give us the insights we need to look trimmer and feel better after age 30!7 Questions with Dr. CW RandolphDiet-to-Go: My resolution for January is to eat better...

Tara M. Corey-Englert of Latham, New York recently enjoyed a free week of Diet-to-Go food. Tara just happened to be the Diet-to-Go Facebook fan chosen entirely at random once we reached the 2,000-fan mark.We are now at 2,130 fans (fans are people who clicked the "Like" button on our Facebook page). We will pick our next lucky winner when that number reaches 2,500.And we'll continue to repeat this process every 500 fans until further notice. So be sure to click the Like button on our Facebook page -- and get your friends to do so too!Meanwhile, Tara was gracious...

Ever catch yourself wishing for more energy? Stop wishing and start working towards extra energy with help from America's favorite fitness queen, Denise Austin.As part of our ongoing "7 Questions with..." series of insightful interviews, Diet-to-Go chief editor John McGran sits down with Austin to get her secrets to increased energy and better health.Austin, who remains fit and fabulous at age 50, has a great new book, GET ENERGY: Empower Your Body, Love Your Life (Center Street).In the book which will be released January 7, 2011, Austin shows readers how to super-charge their lives, using her innovative lifestyle plan. Diet-to-Go:...

When you get to a point with your diet where you feel like screaming, "Gimme a break!"... well, that's exactly what you may need to do: Stop your diet and take a break.The experts will tell you that stopping and restarting your diet is sometimes the best way to bust through a weight plateau or to simply recharge your motivation.No one is telling you that a diet break is a free pass to start eating anything and everything you want.A diet break is more a chance to relax a little and stop counting points or calories. You should still eat...

Diet-to-Go chief editor John McGran recently sat down with the fun and very informed Nutrition Twins, Tammy Lakatos Shames and Elysse ("Lyssie") Lakatos, to discuss "the secret to skinny" and getting healthier for the holidays and beyond.DIET-TO-GO: Since your book, The Secret to Skinny (HCI), came out there has been a lot of talk about sodium in our food and drinks -- has the situation improved?NUTRITION TWINS: Yes, in many ways they have! People are starting to pay more attention to salt. Many consumers have now heard that at the beginning of 2011, the new Dietary Guidelines are going to...

Three weeks ago I set out on a mission to drop 15 pounds by today. At that time I weighed 237.2 pounds -- way too much for a guy my height. This morning I stepped on my handy dandy Weight Watchers scale and let out a yelp of joy as the numbers came up 221.8.I am down 15.4 pounds and I owe it all to Diet-to-Go. I am heading off to Florida tomorrow with a smile on my face and a little extra breathing room around the waistband of my shorts and jeans.I feel way more energetic and the thought...

Those of you who have been following my blog posts for any length of time are probably tired of me raving about Diet-to-Go food -- and the weight loss I enjoy when I seriously follow the 1,600-calorie low-fat meal plan.Well, get ready because I am here again today to tell you after two weeks on this plan I am down a nifty 11.4 pounds. At my weekly weigh-in this morning, I saw my trusty Weight Watchers scale roll back another 3.6 pounds from last week's total.I am still overweight but I am feeling lighter and more energetic... and my pants...

As soon as I booked my Nov. 26 family trip to Florida I set my mind to going on a three-week diet that could help me drop 15 pounds so I'd feel better and less bloated when I hit the Orlando-area theme parks.I didn't need to research any trendy or fad diets. I have been using the Diet-to-Go meal plan on and off since 2001. Whether I've opted for the Balance or Carb30 plans, it has never failed to work for me. My cooler of low-fat meals arrived last Tuesday and I got serious Wednesday morning. Other than some sugar-free...

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending an early Halloween party. Today I have the displeasure of trying to shake the cobwebs accompanying my first hangover of the holiday season.As I reminisce about the food and drinks I consumed during the down-the-street soiree, all I can say is... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!I was barely in the door when I found a cup of vodka-based punch in my hand. I followed that up with plenty of conversation and a few cups of a second punch... this one rum-based.I can now see that I made a fatal error by avoiding the healthier...

When it comes to healthy weight loss, your philosophy should be water, water everywhere - as in having water on hand at home, on the road, at work and at the gym.There's an oceanful of health benefits involving water but we'll concentrate solely on how water can help you lose more weight.Then you can drink in our 10 great tips for working water into your daily routine.We've all heard the famous bit of dieting advice that says you should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. In recent years, some folks have disputed the need for so much water,...

My mood matches today's weather nicely -- it's dreary and rainy here in Northeastern Pennsylvania. And I'm sitting here all sad and misty over my derailed diet plan.I got off to a great start several months ago, but I've allowed life to push me off the path to a healthier body and a lighter weight.On the bright side, I am down around 20 pounds, but I know I need to jump start my stalled diet and get the scale needle moving south another 20 pounds or so. I also need to head off regaining the weight I lost.So what went...

Having a snack attack? Do you still find yourself snacking between meals? We recommend fruits and vegetables, but if you feel the need for a little more - maybe something to satisfy that sweet tooth - then try one of our deliciously healthy between-meal snacks.Snacking has gotten a bad rap for far too long.According to the medical experts at WebMD.com, "One of the biggest myths about snacking is that it's a bad thing. The truth is that it's not snacking itself that's bad for us. It's all the junk food people like to snack on that gives snacking a bad...

After graduating from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Aaron Tabor devoted his career to helping people live a life they love.Dr. Tabor, who educates other doctors about diet and lifestyle research as the Diet & Alternative Medicine section editor for The Journal of Medicine, is here today to educate us about leading a healthy lifestyle. Last week, Dr. Tabor took time out from his super busy schedule -- and from preparing for a September 12th appearance on QVC -- to answer a few questions about weight loss and to discuss where America has gone wrong healthwise.7 Questions...

Meet Beth Aldrich, a healthy lifestyle/green living expert, spokesperson and author. Beth says being the mother of three boys has inspired her to eat, cook and encourage healthy lifestyles and nutrition... to anyone who will listen! I first met Beth a few years back. When I saw her nifty new website, RealMomsLovetoEat.com, I knew I had to put her on the hot seat for a round of "7 Questions with..."So, grab yourself a healthy snack and get ready to dig into this insightful installment of... 7 Questions with Beth Aldrich Diet-to-Go: So real moms love to eat, huh? But isn't...

When it comes to slimming down, there are countless diet plans out there, so how does a consumer decide what's a great diet for weight loss?Well, you don't jump into the latest, greatest trendy fad diet. Baby food anyone? Or how about a system-scrubbing master cleanse?You also don't opt for a weight loss plan that isn't sustainable. Yo-yo dieting (the loss, then regain of weight) is extremely prevalent for a good reason. We try to totally change our eating habits, but end up right back where we started -- overweight and unhappy.Sure there are millions of diet plans available but...

Meet Raegan, a 30-year-old payroll clerk for a California electrical contractor. Raegan is the random winner of the free week of Diet-to-Go food we gave away after reaching the 1,500 "fans" milestone on our Facebook page.Before we attained our 1,500th fan, I chose the number 373 as the lucky slot for our winner. When we passed 1,500, I opened our "See All fans" page and started counting from one to 373... when I stopped counting, there was Raegan looking back at me!I contacted Raegan through her Facebook account and her initial trepidation and doubt soon gave way to excitement and...

What's the best way to lose weight? After 11 years in the field of diet, fitness and nutrition, I've heard many definitions and plans of action.So, what is the best way to lose weight?It's the healthy eating plan that not only creates a caloric deficit but also feeds you the variety of healthy, delicious foods that keep you engaged and feeling satisfied!Sounds simple, right? It can be.But there's more to this "weight loss miracle" -- you also need regular activity to keep your calorie-burning metabolism in high gear and to keep your muscles working and toning.Toned muscles burn calories even...

You eat right. You exercise. But still your scale won't budge.Despite your good intentions and all the stomach crunches you can stand, you could be unknowingly be sabotaging your efforts every day by eating one ingredient that is guaranteed to plug you up, bloat you out, and pack on the pounds.That dreaded diet saboteur is salt.Salt is everywhere-especially in the very diet foods we eat to lose weight-and it's devastating to our health and our waistlines.In fact, as the Nutrition Twins explain in The Secret to Skinny (HCI), if you drop the salt you will drop at least one size...

Summer. For the dieter, it is the best of times... and it is the worst of times.So, what do you want first - the good news or the bad news?The bad news is you need to be fearful of these five summer treats (and a bonus) that are just waiting to melt your weight loss resolve.Don't despair: We follow up with a six-pack of the best summer treats for the health-minded dieter.Bad to the BoneSummer is grillin' season and backyard barbecues. Barbecue means meat... and lots of it. A 20-ounce T-bone can wreck your day with 1,540 calories and 124...