It's not as if you're fat. Just a little plump. Take these steps to a toned body...

Keep two days of the week as fried-food-free days . It's a toughie, but when you see the results you'll find it has been worth it!

Yes, we've said this before but that's how important this is: Walk to places you need to get to, take the stairs instead of the lift.

Eat slowly. You do know it takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it's full? Well, in 20 minutes of wolfing down chow, you can do major damage to your weight loss programme.

Take up tai chi, salsa dancing, kickboxing lessons... you lose weight and you have so much fun doing it.

Add good fats to your food: Fish, nuts and the like.

Volunteer to walk the dog.

Eat six small meals a day instead of three large ones. But eat healthy... and we mean no French fries, burgers or samosas.

Breakfast like a queen, lunch like an aristo but dine like a pauper. And don't hit the sack immediately after you eat dinner.

Don't fill up your stomach completely when you eat. Even if you feel like gorging on the last 'paratha' or one more roti when you're just about full, don't.

Do mini workouts whenever you can - stretches, leg lunges, tummy hold-ins and the like.

Keep steamed carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and sprouts at hand for that emergency snack. After a while, you'll find yourself wanting to eat this kind of food rather than reach for that packet of potato wafers.

Avoid the packaged food section in your supermarket . Head for the fresh fruits and veggies section instead.

Indulge your food fetishes - chocolates, doughnuts, 'sandesh' or 'jalebis'. Just keep these indulgences for once a week and eat a measured portion. That way, you don't feel deprived and you don't do much damage to your innards either.

Put away all cooking oils, buy a large bottle of olive oil and start to grill all meats and veggies in this oil .

Don't stock fatty, fried and heart-clogging snacks . You don't miss what you don't have.

Eat two different veggies at lunch every day .

Just give up on carbonated drinks . They're not good for your system too.