Losing weight is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions made in the United States, where approximately 68 percent of the population in considered overweight or obese. So it’s no surprise that each January fitness centers are packed with people, diet books fly off the shelves, and weight-loss programs see surges in their memberships.

With all of the options and information out there, it’s hard to figure out the best way to drop pounds and improve your health. And unfortunately many popular diets and weight-loss programs are not based on the facts – which may explain why only 5 percent of people who diet are able to lose weight and keep it off.

Believe it or not, there are scientific facts (not fads or opinions) to help you be successful in 2012. Here are 3 science based tips.

1. Get your butt off of the couch! Peer-reviewed health journals over and over prove that exercise combined with diet changes resulted in a greater weight reduction than diet changes alone. The take-home message: It’s not enough just to cut out the cake. You have to get moving as well!

2. Try a “low glycemic index” diet. Glycemic index is a measure of the effects a specific food has on blood sugar levels. Foods that break down more slowly and release glucose (a type of sugar the body uses for energy) more gradually have a low glycemic index. These include fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, milk, whole grains and nuts. Foods that break down quickly during digestion and release glucose rapidly have a high glycemic index. They include refined sugar, white bread and rices, and most processed starches. The faster your food breaks down, the faster and more insulin is released. Insulin stimulates your 30 billion fat cell receptors and deposits carbohydrate energy directly into their interiors, making you fatter and fatter. The take-home message: low glycemic foods = leaner you!

3. Put away the extra-large bowls, take out the smaller plates. Several studies have found that people eat more out of larger containers without even realizing it. One study by Cornell psychologist Brain Wansink found that movie-goers ate 30 to 40 percent more popcorn out of large containers compared to those who were served popcorn in medium-sized containers. Another study by Wansink found that food served in larger bowls at a party led to 56 percent greater food intake compared with food served in smaller-sized serving bowls. Both studies lead to the conclusion that serving size provides us implicit clues on much is appropriate to eat. The take-home message: the larger the plate, the more you will eat!