Now that we are in our third month of 2011, you may be asking yourself how that resolution to lose weight is going. Are you still on that diet? Working out very often? Hopefully your decision to lose weight is coinciding with the scale's interpretation of shedding a few pounds. If you are having some difficulty, however, consider how much easier weight loss would be if you included manners and etiquette in your desire to drop that Holiday weight.

First, slow down. Converse. Turn off the TV and get to know the people you are with. Do you know your kids’ favorite color? Book? Do they know yours? What was the last book you read for that matter? Multi-tasking might be the buzz word of the day but it doesn’t work if you chose to be watching television when eating and having a meaningful conversation. Turn off the TV, eat dinner and visit instead.

Consider this: be polite by saying “please” and “thank you”. Be considerate by chewing with your mouth closed. Don’t talk when food is in your mouth. Lose weight by following the above AND savor, rather than just swallow, your food. That's a right and positive way to lose weight while eating.

It’s a well-know fact among nutritionists that it takes 20 minutes from the start of eating before one begins to feel full. Twenty minutes can fly by with good food and conversation. For that matter, even bad food coupled with good conversation can make 20 minutes fly by.

Make the decision that manners and conversation are most important. Food is secondary. Then remember to be polite before you eat, drink or speak.

When sitting down to eat, begin first by dishing and passing. Make sure everyone has had the opportunity to dish up before you begin to eat. For the record, this is such a hugely polite thing to do; I hope it’s observed all the time.

Once everyone has made their food choices let the conversation and eating begin. While you eat, remember to not interrupt others who are talking. Be leisurely as you consume and converse. If you want to say something, make sure you don’t have a mouthful of food. Finish chewing. Swallow. Take a sip of what you are drinking. Now speak.

While you are conversing, make sure to set your fork down. This is a tough one to remember but it’s the best thing to do. You don’t want to be cutting meat or fiddling with your food when you are talking and you won’t be ready to chow down on your next bite the second you are done speaking. You may be tempted to put your full fork of food in your mouth while you are talking. Setting your folk down while speaking will cut your calories and keep the conversation enjoyable.

So implement a manners plan and start losing weight in the process.