3. Use lowfat cooking techniques. Avoid frying and sautéing with butter and use slimmer techniques like steaming, baking, grilling (the barbecue is ideal for this) or stir-frying.

4. Do at least 20 minutes of cardio four times a week. A short duration of high-intensity activity will elevate the heart rate for two to four hours, says Kevin Lewis, a certified personal trainer and owner of State of the Art Fitness in Woodland Hills, Calif. An hour of moderate hiking burns about 300 calories; an hour of moderate cycling, about 380. Or try a new sport (in-line skating, surfing) to break out and work muscles you don't normally target.

5. "Weight" it out. Just two 30-minute total-body weight-training sessions a week will strengthen and build the muscles you're working and increase your metabolism, Lewis says. "The goal is to build lean muscle mass, which will result in a bigger calorie burn," he says.