We often say that PGX helps any diet work better, and we’ve even got a free weight loss program by best-selling weight loss author Julia Griggs Havey that’s guaranteed to help you lose 20 pounds or more if you follow her guidelines. But the question still comes up: is there a ‘perfect diet’?

Every day we all hear and see ads for the latest and greatest diet plan devised by someone who claims to have uncovered the real secret to weight loss. It usually involves buying a book, special food, a DVD …

Guess what? You don’t need cash to lose weight. But if you are tempted to try a new diet, here are some rules that you should never be asked to break:

Rule #1: Never skip breakfast. Your mother wasn’t lying when she said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a long night's sleep, your body needs the fuel to get your metabolism going and give you energy for the rest of the day. People who skip breakfast tend to overeat on morning snacks, or eat a super-sized lunch with high calories. Eating a breakfast high in protein and fiber can help reduce hunger cravings later in the day.

Rule #2: Eat at least three meals a day. Whether it’s the basic breakfast, lunch and dinner, or four to five mini-meals throughout the day, it’s important to eat every couple hours. Regular meals keep your metabolism going and also help keep you feeling full. So if you’re thinking of skipping lunch in order to save room for a big dinner, don’t. You’re more likely to overeat at night, the time of day when you are likely winding down and need less fuel to function.

Rule #3: Try and eat foods from every food group at each meal. Proteins, carbs, fruits and vegetables; you need them all. This also includes some fats and oils too. Your body needs fats to function properly. Just remember to eat the right kinds of fats, which are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats.

And if you need help getting past your cravings for a specific food (for example, ice cream), you can always turn to Julia, who has maintained a 130-pound weight loss (without surgery) and who over the last 10+ years has helped people lose an estimated 1.5 million pounds.

Does that plate of pasta look tempting in the kitchen, but not in the dining room? The color of the walls may be the culprit. Studies have shown a strong connection between color and appetite. Some shades trigger hunger, while others suppress it. The following colors have all been generally accepted to have a big effect on your appetite.

Red

Warm colors such as red and yellow stimulate the appetite, because they are associated with feelings of happiness and excitement. It’s not hard to find restaurants with red walls, not only because it increases appetite but because red has also been shown to increase the speed with which people eat. (The folks at McDonald’s have been doing their research!)

Blue

This is an appetite suppressant. Foods with blue, purple, or black hues are often thought of as bad or rotten. This could be because aside from blueberries, there are very few foods that are naturally blue in color. In many studies, blue constantly wins the least-appetizing color award. Some experts recommend putting a blue light in your refrigerator if you are dieting, because it will put you off eating.

Green

Green symbolizes nature and health. People like to think of green foods as safe, such as lettuce, apples or celery. Many companies use the green to show product safety.

Summer is prime time for strawberry picking. The fresh berries will taste great on top of this rich Strawberry Pie Cheesecake from my book The Vice Busting Diet. The ingredients include PGX, which will help you feel full without overeating. Julia’s Favorite Strawberry Pie Cheesecake 1 cheesecake/pie, serves 6 Crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup ground flax seeds
• ¼ cup oat bran
• 1/3 cup water
• 5 grams PGX unflavored granules (1 scoop)

Filling:

• 2 cups 1% cottage cheese
• 5 grams PGX unflavored granules (1 scoop)
• 3 ounces fat-free cream cheese
• 3 scoops strawberry or vanilla whey protein powder

Topping:

• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 4 tablespoons sugar-free strawberry jam

Directions:

1. TO MAKE THE CRUST: Coat a 9” pie pan with cooking spray
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the crust ingredients. Stir this mixture until it’s all the same consistency.
3. Press the crumb mixture into the pie pan, easing the crust up the sides of the pan.
4. TO MAKE THE FILLING: In a blender, combine all of the filling ingredients. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour the filling into the crust. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
6. TO MAKE THE TOPPING: In a small bowl, mix together the strawberries and jam.
7. Spread the topping over the chilled pie.

Not all of us are blessed with naturally fast metabolism. Add other uncontrollable factors like the fact that men tend to burn more calories than women, and that our metabolism slows down after we hit 40, and it can all seem like a cruel joke. The good news is there are ways to speed up the rate at which your body burns calories. The better news is that it can take less effort than you think.

Here are some new ideas to get your metabolism moving without trying too hard:

Stand up more at work

It’s time to start poking your head over that cubicle wall a little more. Studies have found that long periods of inactivity, such as sitting at a desk, can basically shut down an enzyme that controls your metabolism. To try and prevent this, try standing up every time you make a phone call, or walk over to a nearby co-worker to ask a question instead of emailing them.

Add some ice to your water bottle

Your body needs water to process calories, but did you know that drinking cold water can actually raise your metabolism so that you burn about 50 more calories a day? Researchers believe the increase comes from the work it takes your body to heat the water once in your system. If you drink at least six cups of cold water daily, that can equal up to five pounds lost in a year.

Fill up on more fiber

Fiber can increase your metabolism by as much as 30 percent. Recommendations vary, but aim for getting around 25 grams of fiber each day. PGX is a great source of soluble fiber that you can add to any snack or meal throughout the day. Beans, raspberries and artichokes also have high fiber content.

Now if you are willing to put in the extra effort, activities such as weight lifting and cardio workouts can also help boost your metabolism. The key is to keep increasing your intensity level so your body doesn’t get stuck in a workout rut.

Looking for some new ammo to help shed those pounds to fit into that itty-bitty bikini by the end of the summer? Check out these three easy tips.

Ban clear food containers from your kitchen. 

In this case, that old saying “out of sight, out of mind” may be true.  Cornell University researchers found that people ate 70 percent fewer sweets when the food was stored in jars that they couldn’t see through versus clear plastic or glass. So instead of keeping that clear candy dish on your desk or coffee table, store your goodies in a solid container where you can’t see them.

Exercise before work.

After an exhausting day at the office, usually the last thing you want to do is spend a couple hours in a hot gym. Studies have shown that the brainpower we use during the workday makes us lose the will to do much of anything else afterwards. Another incentive to working out in the morning is that you will free up your afternoon for any last-minute errands or appointments.

Crank up the air conditioning.

This trick should be very easy to do these hot summer days. According to research reported on the New York Times, turning down the heat can actually help you shed pounds. That’s because when we are exposed to chilly temperatures, our bodies go through something called non-shivering thermogenesis. The process may cause us to burn an extra 100 to 200 calories a day.

While these tricks can give you that extra little boost to help you slim down, remember that a healthy diet is still key in any weight loss journey. Adding PGX to your meals can also help by making you feel fuller while eating less.