Ever met one of those people who repeatedly and proudly say: "I haven’t eaten anything all day. I skipped breakfast and lunch!" They probably think this translates to great self-control and slimmer thighs.

The short of it: It’s a proven fact that people who eat a nutritious breakfast are better off in terms of health and weight than those who skip out. Erratic eating habits disrupt normal metabolic functions. When you don't eat for a long period (this can be hours, not days) your body thinks it’s starving and begins to slow down to conserve energy (calories) for future use. Your body is taken by surprise when you suddenly overload it, because it’s still in storage mode and can’t metabolize efficiently. The end result is that you become a fat-storing machine. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you need to be a fat-burning machine.

Prove your self-control and help yourself to slimness by preparing a healthy breakfast every day of the week, instead of skipping it.

This is a popular phrase when it comes to foods like spare ribs, cheesecake, chocolate-covered macadamias, or any other calorie-dense food that you think “just a little of” won't hurt.

The short of it: Although portion size is a very important consideration when dieting, you have to remember that what’s in the portion also makes a difference. Just because it’s a small amount doesn’t mean it doesn’t count. Spare ribs are still fatty and high in calories, and if they’re drenched in a rich sauce you might want to steer yourself over to the salad bar instead. Also keep in mind that “just a sliver” of cheesecake or a “mouthful” of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts could cost you 500 calories each.

Another trap that “just a little” leads to is “just a little bit more.” You need to keep counting calories to stay aware of what you’re eating and successfully control your weight.