Eat, shrink and be merry!

(NC)—Living well and losing weight are two things that constantly seem to appear on the "to do" list. This time around achieve your goals with a little help from Food Network along with Janet and Greta Podleski, hosts of the new Canadian television series, Eat, Shrink And Be Merry.

Authors of the hugely popular cookbooks, Looneyspoons , Crazy Plates and Eat, Shrink And Me Merry, Janet and Greta pursue a healthier way of life by making nutritious yet tasty versions of classic dishes. In each episode they then take their dishes to the street to have them judged in a side-by-side taste test. The Podleski's make nutrition fun and believe that losing weight and staying healthy does not mean cutting out all of your favourite dishes. To get started on your new healthier lifestyle, begin with Janet and Greta's five tips and then tune into Eat, Shrink And Be Merry, Tuesdays at 7 p.m. ET for more hints, recipes, and a good dose of laugher to help you stay motivated:

1. Eat smaller meals more often to keep hunger in check, your metabolism up and your mind sharp all day long. Eat a balanced blend of lean protein (turkey or chicken breast), good carbohydrates (veggies, fruits, and whole grains) and healthy fats (olive oil or nuts). If you eat smaller portions more often you'll avoid blood sugar spikes and uncontrollable urges to binge.

2. Do you enjoy dining out? If so, take notice. Many restaurant entrees have 1,000 to 1,500 calories not including the bread, appetizer, beverage, or dessert. If you're a frequent diner, try sharing your meal, ordering an appetizer as the main course, or asking for a doggie bag that you can take to work for lunch. If your still craving dessert, halve your cake and eat it too!

3. Has losing 5 lbs. been on your list of things to do for a while now? Then plan for a whiteout! Despite their saintly colour, refined sugar and flour can be dietary devils that encourage overeating and weight gain. They cause a quick rise in blood sugar, followed by a rise in blood insulin (a hormone that leads to weight gain) levels. Try avoiding refined sugar and white flour for at least two weeks. Instead, choose whole, unprocessed, nutritious foods, including veggies, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, and lean meats.

4. People often ask, "What's the one relatively simple thing I can do to help me lose weight?" The answer is: cut back on nighttime snacking. Put a "closed" sign on the refrigerator door at about 7:30 p.m. Not only will this kitchen curfew give your liver a much-deserved break from digestion duties, freeing it to concentrate on its lengthy 'to-do' list while you're sleeping, but you'll also cut out a ton of calories.

5. In the healthy eating game, we all know that vegetables win the Most Valuable Player Award hands down, helping us to control weight and feel great. However, they also have a very high water content, and that means they're also high in oxygen. In order for your lean muscle tissue to burn fat, it needs oxygen to help convert that fat into energy.

- News Canada