I took my mother-in-law and the kids to Grand Luxe Cafe this weekend. I never know what to get here; the menu is so vast and varied. Do I want breakfast, or a sandwich, or perhaps I should just get an appetizer or a salad or…

I decided to go with something different, something I used to have monthly at Roscoe’s in Los Angeles. I ordered the fried chicken and waffles. Yes, it’s an odd choice, but the saltiness from the chicken and the sweetness from the syrup and waffles is a surprising combination (and I had eaten very healthy during the week — I deserved a treat). Of course, I over ate. Why didn’t I just eat something at home?

As we were leaving, I caught a glimpse of myself in the window. Oh wow. I should not have worn this red, patterned dress — it was accentuating all the wrong things. We had shopping to do, but I drove home first to change into a black dress. I looked at myself in the mirror — much better. It was as if I’d just lost 5 pounds.

There are quite a lot of things you can do to transform your body into a sleeker and slimmer one in minutes.

Wear black. It’s instantly slimming because black does not absorb light.

Dress your age. If you’re in your 30’s or 40’s and trying to pull off an outfit that a 21-year-old would wear, 99.9% of the time it will not be successful. You don’t need to pull your hair back in a tight bun and throw on a calf-length skirt and a cardigan sweater. Be smart about your clothing. Pink is usually reserved for 8-year old girls in pigtails.

Use heels. This will give you the appearance of a longer leg and elongate your body.

Avoid pleats. Pleats make you look thicker in the middle and brings attention to your waist.

Avoid shoes with ankle straps. The ankle straps make your legs look shorter, and therefore, your entire body looks more squat.

Use A-line dresses and skirts. This helps you to minimize your hips, since the dress or skirt flares out at the hips instead of hugging them.

Avoid tweeds and bulky knits. This will only add weight to your face and body.

Be balanced. If you’re wearing a flowing top, avoid wearing a boxy skirt or baggy pants, since this will only make your body look bigger. Instead, wear boot-cut jeans which will elongate your legs.

Most importantly, wear the right size! If you’re a size 10, but desperately stuffing yourself into a size 8 or even a 6, your look will fail. Wearing clothing that is too small for you magnifies everything and people will be looking at the parts you don’t want exaggerated. On the flip side, wearing clothing that is too big for you hides your natural curves and ultimately drowns your body.

It’s difficult for women to maintain their weight. We can’t all have an 18-year-old’s body at the age of 34. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but as a mother of two working from home, maintaining the house and being a chauffeur for the kids, I don’t have a lot of time to work out. When I do have time, I’d rather sit down with a book or take a nap instead of going for an hour walk. Call me lazy, but I call it reality. Yes, I try to eat healthy, but I don’t condone yo-yo dieting or starving yourself — I did this when I was younger and I was not a happy camper. When you’re confident about your body (no matter what size you are) and wear body appropriate clothing, you will look fantastic.