Capsaicin, or hot peppers, can slim you

Here's one of our favorite diet tips: To lose a few pounds and look even sexier than we're sure you already do, just think hot when you're in the kitchen.

We're talking about adding spice to your foods. Hot red pepper can curb your appetite, so you'll eat less -- and not only while you're at the table. You'll stay satisfied for hours.

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in such hotties as jalapeños, cayenne, red pepper flakes and hot sauces, works in several ways. It seems to keep "I'm hungry!" messages from reaching your brain. It also activates about 20 different fat-burning proteins, which boost your metabolism so your body burns calories faster.

And we're only getting warmed up about capsaicin's health powers: It also can smack down cancer cells, ease pain, prevent heart attacks, wipe out bacteria that cause stomach ulcers and more.

So you've got lots to gain and nothing to lose but your belly fat. It takes the equivalent of several bites of hot peppers to get the full fat-burning effect. If you're game, start your get-hot diet with a wake-up breakfast by, say, adding jalapeños to a frittata. At lunchtime, spice up ordinary soup with hot pepper flakes. And have a spicy curry or turkey chili for dinner.