They say that a picture is worth a thousand words and nobody knows this fact better than Dr. Howard Shapiro. The physician has created a healthy eating program that implements Food Awareness Training. Using color photos of a variety of foods, Dr. Shapiro offers an eye-opening perspective of where you get the most bang for your buck when choosing food. He compares small portions of calorie-dense foods with larger servings of low-calorie alternatives. It basically all boils down to the choices you make.

You can actually get more for less - with proof coming from the pictures. On the left page, there sits an ice cream sundae with chocolate syrup, whipped cream and nuts. On the right page, there are four sundaes made of frozen yogurt, topped with chocolate syrup and whipped cream. Both selections total 1,360 calories. You can actually eat four for the price of one... not something that Dr. Shapiro necessarily wants you to do. The point is that you can enjoy one healthy sundae with a fourth of the calories.

Dr. Shapiro is adamant that calories do count when you are trying to shed some weight, although he does not want his patients counting calories. Doing so will discourage dieters. Instead work on choosing foods with less calories.

Using imagery is an effective approach for many dieters motivated by aesthetics. Dr. Shapiro avoids the usual sound bites that other diets advocate. He doesn't endorse eating at a specific time, portion control or swearing off any foods. Instead he puts forth the cold-hard facts using thought-provoking images.

After you complete his 30-day plan, Dr. Shapiro says the images will be fresh in your mind and a constant reminder for always making smart choices. With Picture Perfect Weight Loss, you will implement changes meal by meal, week by week. Swap out the Pop Tarts and indulge in low-fat waffles, 1 tablespoon of light syrup and fresh blueberries for almost half the calories. For dinner, forget the chicken quesadilla and instead go for shrimp with salsa, 1 cup of rice and beans and 1 cup of baby squash.