Corporate America battles the bulge.

• Position: Exercise

Currently, 64% of adults in the U.S. are overweight, including many high-powered, educated professionals. "Busy executives often lose sight of their own health--especially keeping their nutrition and weight in control," says Nancy Boccuzzi, senior vice president of medical affairs at Executive Health Exams International, New York. "Long work days, frequent business travel, and dining out often lead to dangerous combinations of substandard nutrition and inadequate exercise."

Following are easy tips to help the motivated executive keep his or her weight and nutrition in control.

* Understand hunger and food triggers--75% of overeating is due to emotions. Moreover, it takes 15 minutes for your brain to realize you are full, so eat slowly.

* Keep your desk stocked with low-calorie, low-fat snacks. Nibble as needed to prevent serious hunger that leads to overeating.

* Eat what you like--just eat less of it. Ingesting small amounts and drinking water throughout the day will prevent overeating at mealtimes.

* Read labels to avoid saturated fats (especially beware of hydrogenated fats and trans fatty acids). Choose breads that are 100% whole wheat or have at least three grams of fiber per slice. Also, avoid sugars and refined starches.

* Learn how different types of carbohydrates create energy or fat in your body. If you are not sure about required daily amounts of food substances, look them up, or invest in a session with a certified nutritionist or dietician. One or two servings of many foods provide more sodium, etc. than your body needs all day.

* Drink water, which is one of the best tools in healthy weight loss; it suppresses appetite and helps metabolize stored fat.

Herbert Insel, senior cardiologist of...