Mainly, find something that you enjoy doing. Are you inclined to practice a particular sport? Tai Chi is an excellent form of martial art that is low impact but definitely works you out.

What about yoga? Or joining a gym? The options are truly endless. But you are the one that has to make the commitment to do it. Procrastination is a real killer of dreams and goals.

But, be warned: whatever you choose to do as an activity has to be enjoyable. If it becomes a chore, you are not likely to stick to it. I would suggest you draft a list of activities you enjoy taking part of, and make it a point to do them as often as possible.

Starch Sabotage

The other thing you can do is to take a food inventory and remove as much refined starches and sugars from your diet as you can. There is good reason to do this. In the US, there are more stomach diseases than in any other country in the world. The reason? Abuse of starches and sugars - to a great extent.

In Asian countries, for the most part, they do not have problems with obesity or the barrage of gastrointestinal problems we see in the West.

Stomach cancer, diverticulitis, colitis - all of these diseases are rare. In my more than 20 years as a nurse, I have not seen a single Asian patient needing a gastric bypass surgery. Maybe one or two have been overweight. Most are lean.

During the 16 days I spent in China, the only overweight people I saw were present only in the large cities of Hong Kong and Beijing. Guess what? That is where the fast food restaurants are! Coincidence? I don't think so. They just do not eat the same way as in the west.

Food Combinations

Thirty years ago, the concept of food combinations came up for the first time. It centers on the premise that, for example, starch and protein should not be eaten together.

Refined starches such as bread or potatoes should be eaten with a salad or a vegetable - not meat as it is done customarily.

Why? Because the combination of refined starch and meat often end up becoming an indigestible lump in your stomach. This puts significant strain in your digestive system.

In the US, the combination of fat and starch represents the main staple of the diet. What is a hamburger? Fat from the meat, starch from the bread. What is pizza? Fat from the cheese, starch from the dough. What is a hot dog? What is a submarine sandwich?

Same fat/starch combination with a different disguise.

First Tip to Escape the Starch and Fat Trap

What is your diet mostly made up of? How do you combine foods and which are the ones that make up the largest portion of your daily consumption?

For many overweight persons, it is almost certain that fat and starch are combined in almost every meal. This is a very harmful practice that, over years, can seriously affect your health and cut your life short.

Here is the first tip I want to share with you that can help start cleansing your system and inducing substantial weight loss.

Remove all “white” starches from your diet or, at the very least, only eat them once a day. - Foods like white rice, white bread, enriched pasta, most breakfast cereals, crackers cookies, cakes and chips, should be seriously curtailed or - better yet - eradicated.

And remember: fasting even once a week can be a very powerful practice toward weight loss and better health. Or, at the least, try skipping one meal every three days. Do what you can. But do it! It works, it really does!