BMI is body mass index, a method of looking at your weight in terms of risk of developing chronic illness such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer that are related to obesity. If your BMI is over 25 (over 162 pounds for a 5'5" tall person), then your risk of disease increases. Lose weight, lower your BMI, and decrease your risk of disease.

Sounds simple, right? If you've ever been on a diet, you know just how difficult losing weight can be. Instead of a diet, look at simple swaps you can make in your food choices that over time will result in a gradual decrease in your BMI - and an increase in your health:

• Use diet bread for sandwiches, and consume only half the calories from bread.
• Replace any beverage that contains calories (regular soda, fruit juice, sweetened energy drinks) with water. A 20-ounce bottle of regular soda has 250 calories. Cut out 2 per day, and you save 500 calories per day.
• Always order one size smaller when it comes to food. For example, order a regular size burger instead of a quarterpounder. A small order of fries instead of medium. A medium-size ice cream cone instead of the large. A small candy bar instead of the king size.
• Choose low-fat foods whenever possible. Get half the calories when you choose low-fat salad dressing, low-fat milk, reduced-fat cheese.
• Eat half your entree when you eat out. Either split the entree with a friend (and each get your own salad), or take half home for another meal.
• Alternate a glass of sparkling water with every alcoholic beverage. You'll drink 50% as much - and save that many calories.
• Stop watching TV while you eat. If the show is interesting enough, you'll skip the snack entirely!