4. Your weight depends on your genes. If you and your family have problems with obesity, you're not destined to be fat. While a "fat gene" does exist, its influence on your size is actually pretty small. Smart eating and exercise have a much greater impact than your genes. Only 25 percent of your weight is controlled by genes, the rest is up to you!
5. Say "no" to junk food - no exceptions. Many people think that the key to losing weight is cutting out all bad food. But the more restrictive your diet is, the more likely you are to break it - and in a big way. To lose weight and keep it off, eat great 80 percent of the time, but in indulge in a treat or two the other 20 percent.