10 Painless Ways to Lose Weight

4. Add, Don't Subtract

Try adding foods to your diet instead of subtracting them. Go for healthy goodies like summer-fresh fruit and garden-crisp veggies. And be sure to select things you love, like deep-red cherries or crunchy snow peas.

Then slip those favorite fruits into your bag lunch, your breakfast cereal, and your afternoon snack; add the veggies into stews and sauces, and as a complement to lean meals.

Focus on these delicious additions and you just may find yourself subtracting a junk food standby simply because you're enjoying your new, healthier favorites.

5. Go Walk-About

Writer Carol Schmidt says healthier meals, the support of her partner, and walking were all key factors in her 150-pound weight loss.

Of course "living in a city designed for walking is a great help," says the resident of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. "When we lived in Phoenix ... we put 40,000 miles a year on the car."

Now instead of driving everywhere, the pair does their shopping on foot, getting in two to seven miles a day. And the car? It's lucky to see a few thousand miles a year.

Even if your city isn't as convenient as San Miguel, try these tips for slipping in more steps:

• Do your shopping locally.
• Trade your power mower for a push version.
• Park your car at the back of the lot.
• Sweep the drive instead of using a leaf-blower.
• Get off the bus a few stops earlier.
• Hike the mall, being sure to hit all the levels.
• Take the stairs every chance you get.
• Enjoy a post-dinner stroll.

6. Tune In, Tone Up

As part of its Go Red for Women campaign, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends toning up while you tune in to your favorite TV shows.

There are lots of ways to do this, says Nieca Goldberg, MD, AHA spokesperson and chief of women's cardiac care at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

"Dance to the music" when you tune in to programs "like American Idol or your favorite music show," says Goldberg, Or get fired (up!) practicing "your cardio boxing while watching The Apprentice."

Slip in a little strength training by lifting sodas instead of drinking them. "Use those cans or bottles as hand weights for bicep curls," says Goldberg. Or do triceps dips from the edge of the couch.

It doesn't matter exactly what you do, so long as you're up and active. Aim for at least 15 minutes, says the AHA. But who knows? If you get really engrossed, you just might outlast the last survivor.