Dear World’s Fittest Man,

I really pigged out over the holidays. This year I was invited to so many parties I just couldn’t say "no" to all those festive desserts. What's the quickest way to take off that extra holiday fat? I don't want to commit to anything longterm, I just need a quick fix.

Dear Quick Fix,

You’re not alone in putting on weight over the holidays. Everyone lets their guard down at all of those holiday parties and festivities. I get tempted every year. My mother makes the best brown sugar baked beans and pumpkin pie around. Even I generally pack on a couple extra pounds during the holiday season.

You hear about quick fixes all the time. There are so many fad diets out there it’s hard to keep them straight. There’s the Hollywood Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet, juice diets, protein diets. If you can name it, it’s out there. Now there’s even a Cookie Diet, Ice Cream Diet, and Peanut Butter Diet. The American Dietetic Association warns that any diet based on a single food is an immediate red flag for a quick fix and I couldn’t agree more.

The problem with these types of quick fixes is just that…they’re a quick fix. Here’s how they work: They severely restrict and limit what you can eat so of course you may lose weight. Anytime you restrict your calorie intake you’re probably going to knock off some pounds. The bad news is that once you get off these "quick fix" diets, the experts and I agree the pounds come right back.

* If you want to take off those pounds, even if it’s just a few extra holiday pounds, you have to do it sensibly. I call it the Power of Positive Eating and it means eating healthy by making simple substitutions in what you eat and increasing your physical activity. This may not give you that "quick fix" you want, but over time, it will help keep the pounds from quickly coming back.

Here are some of my favorite substitutions. Try:

* Skim milk instead of whole milk. The benefit: you’ll cut saturated fat and calories.
* Bran cereal instead of sugar filled cereal. The benefit: you’ll add fiber and cut out refined sugar.
* Whole grain or multi-grain bread instead of white bread. The benefit: you’ll add fiber and cut out white flour.
* A banana or apple instead of a candy bar. The benefit: you’ll cut out empty calories and fat.

This stuff isn’t rocket science. Read the labels on the foods you eat and hold yourself accountable for what you put in your mouth.

For more information on quick fix diets visits the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org

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