As reported in the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations recently published Calories Count - Report of the Working Group on Obesity, people who are overweight is a serious public health problem in the United States. Since the late 1980s, adult obesity has steadily and substantially increased in the United States. Today, 64 percent of all Americans weigh too much and over 30 percent are obese; in 1988 through 1992, fewer than 56 percent were overweight and fewer than 23 percent of American adults were obese.

The trends for children are even more worrisome. Recent research by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 15 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 are overweight double the rate of two decades ago. As Americans get heavier, their health suffers. Overweight and obesity increase the risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. According to some estimates, at least 400,000 deaths each year may be attributed to obesity.

What people must know is that you can improve your health quickly with just a small amount of weight loss. "We know that physical activity along with reduced calorie consumption can lead to the 5 to 10 percent weight loss necessary to achieve remission of the obesity-associated complications," says William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to Ken Black, founder of www.weight-loss-discovery.com, "losing one to two pounds a week is safe and recommended by most doctors for most people. This breaks down to 250 to 1,000 calories per day. You can achieve this easily if you follow some or all of the following guidelines" :

1. Use skim milk instead of whole milk or cream in your coffee.
   
2. Eat low fat yogurt instead of ice cream.
   
3. Eat more bright colored (green, yellow, orange, red) fruits and vegetables.
   
4. Eat more lean fish, chicken, or turkey and cut down on red meats.
   
5. Eat whole wheat or multigrain bread, instead of white bread.
   
6. Use a sugar replacement instead of sugar (avoid Aspartame).
   
7. Drink water instead of soft drinks.
   
8. When you eat out, avoid fried foods.
   
9. Walk or do similar exercises (e.g. Golf, Tennis) at least 20 minutes a day.
   

And if you are concerned about getting hungry all the time, or losing your energy, try taking a safe appetite suppressant, like Herbal Phentermine. This supplement is not to be confused with the drug Phentermine, which has side effects like stomach upset, dry mouth and sleeplessness. The herbal variety is a non-prescription medication and has been tested for years to be safe for most people. It contains ingredients like green tea, acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, biotin and others, that control your appetite, yet increase your metabolism and energy.

However, do not take any herbal supplement without checking with your Doctor first, if you are on any prescription medications, due to possible interactions between the two, or if you have a special medical condition.

If you follow these simple steps, you will surely reach your weight loss goals and become a much happier, healthier, and oh yes, lighter person.