“You want to feel good about yourself, but it's hard not to compare yourself to others. Here's how to measure up.”

No matter what you do you'll never be Angelina Jolie, Oprah, or Christy Brinkley. You'll also never be Willard Scott. And, guess what? No one else gets to be you. There was probably a time when all of those famous people we envy envied someone else, and they probably still look in the mirror and think, "...if only..." It's your job to be the best YOU you can be. You'll have to decide if it's going to be a good gig or not.

“You just can't stick to a diet. Here's how to battle that four-letter word:”

You're on a diet, you're off a diet. On. Off. On. Off. Almost everyone who has lost weight for the long haul has discovered an important fact about trendy diets: they usually don't work. If you're on a "diet" that has you eating by your blood type, consuming only liquids, or a very lopsided pyramid of food choices, you might as well save yourself the agony. You may be able to lose weight by suffering through the program, but how do you think you're going to maintain it? You have to realize that this isn't a diet plan, it's the rest of your life. A real "diet" should arm you with the tools to learn which foods are healthy, which foods need to be limited, and maybe most critical, portion control. Once you uncover a menu of foods that will both aid in your weight loss and that you like, you'll be on the road to eating healthier and never thinking of it as a diet at all.

Hi there,

I think your worries are important.  That's why it is so important to get your support systems set up.  You ask what are these supports?  I think a nutritionist would be good to help you make healthy food choices, learn portion control and gain other tools.  Possibly a Life Coach.  Someone who can provide you with tools to over come the obstacles that pop up on your journey such as past hurts, hangups and bad habits you have and used food as a coping mechanism.  A good support group is always helpful so that you can learn from others and others can learn from you.  You don't have to do this journey alone.

“You try to eat right but old habits die hard. Here's how to stop worrying about the starving people in (enter the third world nation of your choice here:”

We've all heard the standard lines from our parents as we were growing up: Sit up straight, don't sit so close to the television, you'll go blind if you kiss a boy, etc., etc. As we grow up, we realize what was good advice and what was bad, or do we? Do we still think that cleaning our plates will somehow save a starving person in a third world country? Do we clean our plates because, "waste not, want not," echoes in our memories? Maybe we go back for seconds or thirds at the buffet because "you want to get your monies' worth!"
How can we change these ingrained thoughts? Let's find a way around them. If you feel bad because you have so much food while others in the world are starving, eating more is not going to save them. How about buying less food? Tally up what you saved on chips, cookies, and fast food and send it to starving children somewhere. There. Starving children actually benefited from your abundance. If you feel wasteful, stop buying food you're not going to eat and stop dishing up more than you can eat in one sitting. Cut back on your portions so you don't waste food. Problem solved. If you feel you won't get enough value from the buffets, stop going to them. Most places offer a regular menu as well. Order just what you want so you get what you pay for. Many times you'll find you get more than you can (or should) eat at once. Ask for a take home container right away and divide half into it before you begin. This way, you'll feel like you've gotten twice as much for the same price.

“The people around you don't understand or don't support you. Here's how to stop letting others rain on your health parade:”

First of all, you have to realize that it's truly not them, it's you. When you have dinner at your mother-in-law's and you know she'll feel insulted if you don't eat the feed-a-family-of-four serving she just put in front of you, do you eat it? When your kids roll their eyes and complain (incessantly) every time you say you're trying a new healthy recipe, do you cave and make chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese? When your husband wants a plate of nachos or some pizza rolls, does he expect you to share when he's made too many? People around us may seem to be deliberately trying to sabotage us, and maybe to some extent they are. They may like things the way they are. You can't change them, you can only change you. Instead of letting your mother-in-law dish up the food, you may want to take on the duty. If your kids are just not giving in to new menu choices, make a deal with them. Make certain nights of the week their night. They may get hot dogs, but insist that they always have a piece of fruit or some veggies on the side. Plus, they need to agree to try your new dishes at least a couple times a week. If your husband's snacks are hard for you to resist, make yourself something healthier, or head out the door for a walk when he wants a treat. While you're waiting for the people around you to get on board with healthier eating, you'll need to work around them. It may seem a bit like a workout on its own, but it's well worth the effort.