Most medical weight-loss programs first try to help you make the long-term behavioral changes necessary to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. This includes exercising regularly and eating healthy food. If you still remain seriously overweight, you and your doctor might discuss these options.

Keeping extra weight off requires effort and commitment, just as losing weight does.

Which is more important to you -- being able to wear the jeans you wore five years ago, or being able to move better, have more energy and improve your health?

Many nutrition experts say that having a healthy snack midmorning or midafternoon can help you maintain your energy and prevent you from eating too much at lunch or dinner.

Children whose parents are overweight or obese are at higher risk for becoming obese themselves, studies have shown. One study, in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that for a child under 10, having an obese parent more than doubled the child's risk for becoming an obese adult.

Experts say the long-term success at weight loss requires a balance between diet and physical activity.

Out of the millions Americans who are overweight and go on a diet each year, many regain all or a part of the weight they lose within five years.

Many people hunger for sweets, salty snacks, and other processed foods when they are stressed. One solution: Reach for healthy high-fiber snacks with a bit of the tastes you crave.

Emotional eating affects most everyone from time to time, but regularly letting your feelings guide your food intake can affect your health.