Losing pounds doesn’t have to be torture. These tips are simple to integrate into your day-to-day routine, and all are enthusiastically backed by nutritionists and you’ll be thinner and healthier in days. Next time your mind gets stuck on a certain food, call a friend and redirect your brain by asking how her day’s going. Research shows that cravings only last about 5 minutes, so by the time you hang up, the urge to devour junk will have subsided. An a.m. meal made up mostly of carbs and protein with some fat keeps blood-sugar levels steady and hunger pangs away so you’re not susceptible to pigging out come lunch, studies show. Opt for something satisfying for your stomach and taste buds, like egg whites and turkey bacon with whole-wheat toast. One innocent-looking margarita or cosmopolitan can rack up hundreds of calories that do nothing to quench your appetite. Treat yourself just on the weekends and cut back somewhere else or stick to a glass of wine, light beer, or vodka and soda, three drinks that each have about 100 calories per serving.