How to Lose Belly Fat and Get a Flat Stomach

In this article we provide you with the our diet rules for losing weight and getting a flat stomach; specific advice for men, women, teens and seniors; exercise and lifestyle factors and exercises which are needed to maintain a healthy weight. We also review the weight loss advice given by major publications over the last decade. At the end of the article you will find links to several of our fitness workouts that will help you to lose weight. There are also over 1000 questions and answers (on the full PC version) which provide a lot of extra advice.

Knowing how to lose belly fat is the first step in gaining that flat stomach that so many people aspire to. Once the fat is lost you are only one step away from attaining the ultimate dream, six pack abs. However, even a thin layer of loose belly fat can be hard to shift.

If you are looking for advice on how to lose stomach fat then following these tips and tricks will help you to lose that gut quickly. Combined with a fitness plan, these tips to lose belly fat will speed up weight loss and get you in shape in no time. Not everyone wants a washboard abs, but if you just want to trim down some inches around the waist and get a flatter stomach, these tips can really help you.

Remember that central obesity is bad for your health and that losing belly fat reduces risks of developing more serious health issues in the future such as diabetes and heart disease.

Flat Belly Diet Rules

1. Throw Out The Junk Food – Reduce Sugar and Saturated Fat

To lose stomach fat you have to throw out the junk food. You are what you eat, so don’t eat junk. Do not keep junk food like cookies, chips, sweets and other similar products in your house. Junk food and addiction to sugar is considered to be the greatest cause of belly fat today. There are some foods that burn belly fat which will help you, but you still have to control calories.

If you do not have these bad foods lying around, you will not think about them and after sometime, you will break the bad eating habits. Most weight loss plans provide great nutrition advice and motivational tips to help you keep your healthy diet on track and this is essential for losing belly fat.

But, why is junk food so bad? Mostly it is due to the high sugar content of junk food. Most junk food consists of refined carbs and sugar, which when eaten quickly raise blood sugar levels, leading to reduction in fat burning and increase in appetite.

2. Carbohydrates and Losing Belly Fat – Low GI Carbs are Best

Consumption of carbohydrate is essential for losing belly fat, but there are good carbs and bad carbs. Refined flours and the foods that they create, such as white bread, pasta, donuts, cakes and biscuits (yes, biscuits cause weight gain) should be avoided. They can cause bloating, poor digestion, and lead to accumulation of fat, which is the opposite of how to lose belly fat!

“Good carbs”, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, should be eaten instead. Slow release carbohydrates are also beneficial, such as oats, brown rice, some pulses and sweet potato. A diet that takes most of its carbs from fruits and vegetables, as opposed to refined flours, is healthier. Read our Low GI Diet eBook to learn how the glycemic index help you to lose weight in the stomach area.

Ideally granary or wholemeal bread should be eaten instead of white bread, and biscuits / cookies and cakes should be avoided. Consuming too much carbohydrate can bump up your insulin level, which can slow down your metabolism (insulin stops the body breaking fat down). Your body cannot metabolize too much carbohydrate at once because the body does not need so much energy at once. The excess sugar from the carbohydrates will just turn into stomach fat. For a more complete explanation of this process read our page, What Is Fat?

Much research has shown that adopting the Atkins Nutritional Approach, i.e. a high fat/protein diet, is the way ahead to lose weight fast. Avoiding carbs increases the fat burning metabolism (lipolysis), which helps to reduce belly fat to get a flat stomach, and this is a key element to your flat belly diet plan.

Combine your meals with a good mixture of protein, carbohydrates and vegetables. Your source of protein should be in the size of a deck of cards; the carbohydrates in the size of your palm and the major bulk of your meals should come from vegetables, ideally low GI vegetables.

3. The Natural Way to Lose Belly Fat – Eat Like a Cave Man

Following a natural food idea is a great way to lose belly fat as if combines the rules above, that is you avoid all junk food and all processed food, sugar and saturated fats. Following a Caveman Diet or a Low GI diet are two ways to lose belly fat the natural way.

It is important that you avoid gimmicks and pills when try to lose weight. You need to make a lifestyle change and carry on eating a healthy diet and exercise after you lose weight. Systems such as the HCG Diet and Lemonade Cleanse / Maple Syrup Diet may aid fast weight loss initially but in the long-term there is a much greater risk of putting the weight back on again.

4. No More Late Night Snacks – Stop Comfort Eating

Try not to have late night snacks. The main problem with late night snacking is that there is not much activity done afterwards. People go straight to bed right after the late night meal because they are tired. So, this will cause high sugar levels in the blood stream and no energy spent after that. The excess sugar will just turn into belly fat very quickly.

You can reduce you hunger and food cravings by following a low glycemic diet. Fluctuations in blood sugar causes increases in appetite. Losing stomach fat requires a strict diet so avoiding hunger is essential. Late night snacking is often emotional eating and not eating to nourish.

5. Drink Less Alcohol To Lose Weight

Decrease alcohol consumption. If you drink a lot, you will accumulate fat around your waist. Excess alcohol consumption can really give you a belly. Have you seen people who are slim all over but have a beer belly sticking out? Well, that is the effect of excess alcohol consumption.

Alcohol does not contain any nutrients at all. So, all the energy consumed through alcohol will be stored as belly fat! If you want to lose weight fast then you need to stop drinking for a while.

You do not need to give up alcohol completely, but just drink in moderation. Do not drink everyday and limit yourself to just one glass of wine or one bottle of beer.

Lifestyle Changes To Help Lose Weight

1. Turn Out The Lights Before Bed

Sleep research has shown that sleeping with a light on, even just a dim night light, is enough to cause changed to appetite. Researchers found that subjects that sleep with a light on gain more weight.

2. Exercise for Weight Loss – Burn Fat With Cardio and Weights

Exercise is vital for weight loss and long-term health. Exercising has an immediate effect on weight, in that as you exercise you burn energy (mostly glycogen stored in muscle tissue). The body replaces the lost energy by breaking down sugar reserves in fat cells. This is why we lose weight (fat) when we exercise. Exercise also helps build muscle and this means that your metabolism is raised permanently. Finally, the more exercise you do, the fitter you get. The fitter you are, the more you can exercise and the more calories you burn.

If you do not know how to get started, find a fitness class, hire a personal trainer or learn from or guides. If you want to exercise by yourself then books exercise can help (there are some old but free books on gymnastic exercises here). We have a growing selection of advice and articles to help you get fit here at MotleyHealth.com.

Do Crunches Really Work?

In short – no, they do not. Crunches are done to develop the abdominal muscles. This will not cause your abdominal fat to melt away. For that you need cardio and full body workouts, not just crunches. However, crunches are an important part of your overall fitness – a strong mid-section makes you more athletic, more stable and will help in many aspects of life in general.

3. What is the Best Exercise to Lose Belly Fat?

The question that is so often asked has finally been answered by sports scientists. Researchers from the Duke Uni Medical Center have found that aerobic exercise is more effective at burning visceral (belly) fat than weight training.

Visceral fat is the least healthy of fat too. It causes diabetes, heart disease and some forms of cancer.

“Resistance training is great for improving strength and increasing lean body mass. But if you are overweight, which two-thirds of the population is, and you want to lose belly fat, aerobic exercise is the better choice because it burns more calories.” – Dr. Cris Slentz, Duke University Medical Center, 2011.

How to Lose Belly Fat with Exercise

The key to losing belly fat is to exercise often. We suggest exercising at least 7 times per week. If you can fit in 2 workouts a day all the better. Although sports research has indicated that intensive exercise is most effective, this new research suggests that really it is just a matter of burning more calories. So whether you spring or walk makes no difference, so long as you do the work. Sprinting obviously burns calories quicker than walking but if you can only walk that just means is that you have to exercise for longer each day.

There are many exercise routines that will help you to get a 6 pack once you have lost all your belly fat. However, the most important thing is to combine different workouts. Weight training is essential, as building muscle speeds metabolism. Intensive exercise, such as interval training and circuit training burns fat fast. Keep it varied, and you will lose weight. Remember that although stomach exercises will not help you to lose belly fat, they will help to tone the mid-section and develop your abdominals.

If exercise is simply not an option for you then you should read the section on How to Lose Weight which explains the role of food, hormones and fat loss.

Although diet plays the most important role in losing weight and belly fat, exercise really is essential. Fortunately there are some fitness and weight loss plans that are tailored to help people lose belly fat.

We have many workouts in our fitness section. There is really no single “best exercise” to lose belly fat, what is important is that you do exercise on a regular basis and burn as many extra calories as you can.

5 Simple Ways In Which Almonds Help To Lose Weight

Almonds for weight loss:

We often read about strict diet plans, regular workouts and exercises when it comes to Weight loss. And you often must have read about certain food items which help in losing weight like carrots, banana, chillies etc. But do you know that nuts can help you lose those extra pounds? We always think nuts are rich in fatty acids, thus we tend to stay away from them. But now you have a reason to rejoice, as studies have proved that almonds are a great stimulant which helps to reduce weight. Many celebrities including Kajol have turned to the almond for weight loss.

How to eat almonds for weight loss:

1. Contains Good Fats:

The first and foremost of the benefits of Almond is that it is rich in fatty acids like the omega 9, omega 6 and omega 3. They are all healthy fats that are required and are useful for our body. Unlike saturated fats and Trans fats, which are found in junk and processed food and lead to the various cardio vascular diseases like heart blockage and stroke, almonds contain unsaturated fats. These fats help in prevention of these cardio vascular diseases. It stabilises our blood sugar levels and bad cholesterol build up in the arteries.

2. Contains Fibre:

The skin of the almonds contain high amount of dietary fibre, which helps in proper digestion of the food and healthy bowel movement. If the food is not properly digested, it leads to acidity, bloating etc. This in turn coverts all of our food into fats, which gets deposited in our body, thus leading to excessive weight gain. Thus in order to get the best results, you must consume whole almonds with the skin intact.

3. Best Snacks:

One of the Almonds benefits is that it is the best snack to be taken in between the meals. They contain high amount of monounsaturated fats, protein and fibre which contribute to the feeling being full. Make sure that you always go in for raw and whole almonds, instead of the salted or processed ones, as they contain excessive salts which increase the sodium level in the blood.

4. Reduces Belly Fat:

Want to reduce belly fat, switch over to almond diet. Almond benefits include a high protein content that helps in the development of Lean muscle mass. The mono-saturated fats maintain and reduce our body mass index (BMI). It targets the fat stored in the abdominal region, thus reducing belly fat.

5. Full Of Nutrients:

Almonds are full of nutrients like magnesium and vitamin E, an anti oxidant. Magnesium helps to maintain our blood sugar levels and reduces food cravings by keeping us full. This in turn helps to maintain our body weight. While you workout, you build up your muscle mass. Magnesium is an excellent source of energy and helps build the muscle mass during the workouts. Vitamin E, which is an antioxidant, increases the blood flow, which lets muscles contract more easily.

Here are a few interesting ways to include almonds in your regular diet:

1. Keep a packet of roasted almonds in your office or college bag, and have them whenever you feel hungry. Eat a handful of them; it is the best snack for weight loss.
2. Add almonds to your breakfast, which will keep you full till lunch time. Sprinkle chopped almonds on your oats or cereal.
3. Make almond raita and have it during lunch time. Mix chopped almonds with yoghurt and sprinkle your favourite spices. Almond raita is full of protein and good bacteria, which keeps your digestive system healthy and also helps in weight loss.
4. You can add chopped almonds in your pasta or salad. They will make it heavy, so that you can eat less and still satisfy your hunger.
5. Add almonds in your favourite ice cream or chocolate and enjoy the twist in taste.

Including almonds in your daily diet along with proper exercising makes weight loss a possible dream.

Till then take care and keep it stylish!!!!!!

4 Healthy Tips to Lose Weight Fast

Easy ways to cut calories and lose weight fast.

To lose weight, you need to cut calories. To lose weight fast, you need to cut more calories. For every 3,500 calories you cut, you lose 1 pound. (So minus 500 calories a day equals a loss of one pound a week).

How low can you go? Generally, not lower than 1,200 calories per day, say weight-loss experts, including Jean Harvey-Berino, Ph.D., chair of the University of Vermont’s Nutrition & Food Sciences Department and co-author of The EatingWell Diet. But for a quick fix, you could shave off a few more—going absolutely no lower than 800 calories—for up to three days (no longer), Harvey-Berino told nutritionist and EatingWell advisor Rachel Johnson, Ph.D., R.D. Harvey-Berino also suggests creating rules that add structure—essentially creating your own diet plan.

At a loss for where to start creating your diet plan? Here are some of my personal tricks for slimming down in a hurry.

Trick 1. Nix Alcohol

A 5-ounce glass of wine or light beer generally packs about 100 calories. Consumed every day for one year, 100 extra calories adds up to a 10-pound weight gain.

Trick 2. Cut Your Carb Servings in Half

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying that everyone should follow a low-carb, high-protein Atkins-like diet—or the currently trendy Dukan Diet. What I’m suggesting is to eat half of the bread, or the rice or the pasta, you’d normally have, plus extra veggies on the side to fill you up! (Choosing whole grains, which generally contain more fiber, will also help you feel fuller for longer.) To lose the extra weight I gained while pregnant with each of my boys, I started having one slice of bakery bread spread with peanut butter instead of two for breakfast.

Trick 3. Have a Salad Every Day for Lunch

I’m talking a big salad with loads of fiber-rich vegetables, topped with a little lean protein: chicken, salmon or baked tofu. Research suggests that both fiber and protein are particularly satisfying.

Trick 4. Eat Every 3 or 4 Hours

When you’re cutting calories, it’s important to spread them out so that you don’t get too hungry. I find that having a meal or snack every few hours keeps my hunger in check. Keep in mind, though: the more frequently you eat, the lower in calories your snack should be. Good choices: an apple and a few almonds or some raw veggies with a few tablespoons of hummus.

12 Simple Exercises To Reduce Belly Fat

Flab around the belly! This is one thing that can be source of constant embarrassment no matter what your age. Nobody wants their tummy protruding out and making their clothes fit them weird. And it’s the hardest part of the body to lose weight from! Here is how you can get rid of it. But before we tell you how, let us tell you why.

Why do you get belly fat?

There are a number of reasons for belly fat in teenage girls:

• Your genes may be responsible for your tummy pouch.
• Weak metabolism is yet another reason. You must have noticed that some of your friends eat a lot of sugary foods, fried foods or cold drinks and still manage to keep a flat stomach. The reason being these girls have a very good metabolism. If your metabolism is not good, you may have a bloated stomach.
• If the muscles around your abdominal area are saggy, they may lead to fat belly.
• Learn to sit straight from your very childhood. Sitting with a curved back, may result in all the fat to accumulate in your stomach area.

Exercise to reduce tummy:

Dieting and exercise go hand in hand. If you had thought that only dieting will burn your belly fat, then you are wrong. Working out can be quite painful so many of you think of giving it a skip. If you want to really lose weight then you need to include an hour of exercise to reduce belly fat in your daily routine. Here are few exercises to reduce tummy for you!

1. Crunches:

Crunches take no.1 position when it comes to fat burning exercises. You have read in magazines and seen all over television that crunches are just magical when it comes to cutting down belly fat. Its time you start doing this ab crunching exercise.

1. Lie down flat on a mat with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Alternatively you can also lift your legs off the floor at 90 degrees angle. (See picture).
2. Now lift your hands and place them behind your head or keep them crossed on your chest. 
3. Inhale deeply and as you lift your upper torso off the floor, exhale.
4. Again inhale as you get back down and exhale as you come up. 
5. Do this for 10 times as a beginner.
6. Repeat another 2-3 sets.

One small tip is as you lift your torso; do not just sit up straight. You should be at 30-40 degrees angle off the ground. You’ll feel pressure on your abdominal muscles.

2. Twist crunches:

Once you get used to the regular crunches, modify the basic crunch to get a even more effect tummy exercise!

1. Lie down on the floor with your hands behind your head.
2. Now bend your knees as you would do in crunches keeping your feet on the floor.
3. As in a crunch you would have lifted your upper torso; in side crunches you just have to lift your right shoulder towards left keeping your left torso on the ground.
4. Again alternatively, lift your left shoulder towards right keeping your right torso on the ground. 
5. Repeat for another 10 times.

3. Side Crunch:

Same as twist crunch, only that you have to tilt your legs to the same side simultaneously with your shoulders.

4. Reverse crunches:

Time to do reverse crunches.

1. Lie flat on the floor with your hands by your side palms facing the ground.
2. Lift your legs bent at knees and keep them suspended in the air at 90 degrees angle.
3. Now lift your hips so as to bring your legs close to your chest. (See picture)
4. You have to lift your hips applying pressure on your abdomen.
5. Loosen your legs and again bring it to your chest.

5. Vertical leg crunch:

Lie flat on the floor with your legs extended upwards and one knee crossed over the other.

Now that you have positioned your body perfectly, do the same as you would have done crunches.

Do 12-16 crunches upto 3 sets together.

6. Bicycle exercise:

No, you don’t need a bicycle for this. Thinking how? We’ll tell you.

1. Lie on the floor and keep your hands either by your side or behind your head as in crunches.
2. Now lift both your legs off the ground bent at the knees.
3. Bring your right knee close to your chest keeping your left leg out.
4. Now take your right leg out and bring your left leg close to your chest.
5. Alternate bending your knees this way as if you are paddling a bicycle.

7. Lunge Twist:

This is a beginner workout for starters who want to reduce belly fat fast.

• Stand with your legs hip width apart. Keep knees slightly bent.
• Lift both your hands in front of you keeping them straight with your shoulders.
• Lunge forward as shown in the picture. Take a big step forward with your right leg and sit yourself down as if on a chair so that your knees are at 90 degrees angle from the floor. The left leg should be backwards supported by the toes.
• The spine should be kept straight. Don’t bend your spine forward. That is a very wrong way of performing lunge.
• First twist your torso to the right and then to the left. Twist just the torso, not your legs.
• Continue repeating this for 16 times.

8. Rolling Plank:

• Position yourself on the floor with your knees and elbows.
• Keep your neck aligned with your spine. Look forwards.
• Lift the knees upwards and support your legs on the toes.
• Contract knees and keep breathing normal. This is the plank pose. Stay in this posture for 30 seconds.
• Now start moving to and fro for the next 30 seconds. This is the rolling plank.

9. Side Plank:

• Lie down on the floor sideways.
• Support yourself on your right elbow and right leg. Your elbow should be perpendicular to the shoulder and the left leg should be above the right leg keeping them together.
• Keep your knees straight and your hips shouldn’t be touching the ground.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds. Once you get comfortable, you may hold this for 1-2 minutes.
• Repeat with your other side too.

While in this position you may also lift the leg placed on top and bring it back again. This makes the exercise more effective. Then it works not only for your abs but also thighs and hips.

10. The Vacuum:

• Come down on the ground to sit on all fours, supporting yourself on hands and knees.
• Now inhaling deeply loosen your abdomen.
• As you exhale the breath, tighten the abdomen muscles.
• Hold the abdomen contraction for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat again.

11. Captain’s chair:

• Sit on a chair with straight spine.
• Keep both hands beside you with palms by the side of your hips facing downwards.
• Inhale deeply.
• Now as you exhale bring both your legs upwards such that your knees are close to your chest. Hold for 5 seconds. Don’t bend forward and arch your back.
• Bring down your leg and repeat again.

12. Bending side to side:

This is the best workout to slim down your waist.

• Stand erect with your feet together. Raise your hands above your head in a namaste.
• Now keeping your legs grounded, bend your body to the right as much as possible till you feel a strain on your left waist. Stay for 15 seconds.
• Return back to the original position.
• Now bend left. Retain this position for another 15 seconds.
• Slowly you may increase the holding time to 30 seconds.

These are the five simple and effective abs toning exercises. You can do these exercises at home easily without any machinery. You just need a mat and a lot of stamina.

One Great Answer: What Is The Best Way To Determine How Many Calories I Should Eat?

A simple formula anyone can use to balance their diet

"One GREAT Answer" series takes your health and fitness questions to the world’s smartest experts.

“Is it better to gauge a diet by percentages (e.g., 40% carbs, 30% fat, 30% protein) or to gauge by the amount of each item I intake (e.g., 51g fat, 234g carbs, 39g protein)?”

The Answer

If you’re overconsuming calories, it doesn’t matter if you’re following a magic ratio — you’re probably going to put on weight. (On the flip side, if you’re undereating, it is very difficult to put on muscle.) Either method is effective if the numbers are customized specifically for you, but my preference is to make recommendations in grams since they are simple to track (1 gram of protein or carbs = 4 calories, 1 gram of fat = 9 calories). If I instead tell you to eat 30 percent protein, for example, how much protein you end up consuming can vary dramatically based on the total calories you consume per day. 

Here is a simple starting point to get you moving in the right direction. Keep in mind, that this isn’t necessarily a gold standard, fool-proof approach. But it is a simple plan that can help you improve your diet if you’re eating the right foods. I call it “The Rule of 75.”

Protein

A major point of metabolic leverage for fat loss or muscle gain is to set protein at a minimum of 0.75 grams per pound of body weight to start. I don’t put a cap this number, so if you want to enjoy another chicken breast, go for it. Just remember, if you eat significantly more protein, you’re going to want to make sure you eat even fewer carbohydrates (see below). Focus on hitting that number about 90 percent of the time and reevaluate your progress in two to four weeks.

Carbohydrates

Most people looking to melt their muffin top do better reducing carbohydrates. Maximum is 0.75 grams per pound of bodyweight, so less is better in this case. Carbs that aren’t loaded with sugar are even better. Consume half of your carbs 30 to 90 minutes prior to your workout, and spread the rest throughout the day. Readjust these two numbers (protein minimum and carb maximum) as needed.

Fats

Set your fats to 0.75 of your bodyweight. The catch is that fat has 9 calories per gram, so the caloric amount will be different than it was for carbs and protein. 

For example, a 200-pound person would break down as follows: 

• 200 x .75 = 150 grams protein at 4 calories/gram = 600 calories 
• 200 x .75 = 150 grams carbs at 4 calories/gram = 600 calories 
• 200 x .75 = 150 grams fat at 9 calories/gram = 1,350 calories 

Total: 2,550 calories 

This might seem like a lot of fat for most, but remember that eating fat doesn’t necessarily make you fat. And eating a higher percentage of fat can increase satiety, making you feel fuller longer – and less likely to consume too many calories overall.

How to Lose Belly Fat

There are many dangerous and inneffective gimmicks about how to lose belly fat. While there's no "magic bullet" that will target abdominal fat in particular, this article will explain what causes an expanding waistline and how you can make that spare tire go away.

Steps

Part One: Jump-Starting Your Metabolism

1) Eat breakfast. It might seem counterproductive to eat if you're trying to lose weight, but studies show that eating breakfast within an hour of waking up keeps your insulin levels steadier and your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) levels lower.

• Eat breakfast around the same time each day. If you tend to sleep in on weekends, eat as soon as you wake up.
• Consider including protein and high-fiber foods (eggs, peanut butter, fresh fruit and vegetables) for breakfast — they take longer to process than refined sugars and complex carbs so you'll feel full throughout the morning. Try #*Avoid making sugary cereals, waffles, pancakes, French toast, breakfast pastries or instant oatmeal the sole focus of your breakfast. If you must splurge and eat something with refined sugars, balance it with protein or fiber.

2) Decompress. Research indicates that the secretion of cortisol (a hormone your body produces during times of stress) is correlated with an increase in belly fat. Some strategies for combating everyday stress:

• Enough sleep. Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every night to function properly.
• Set aside time to relax. Even if it's only 15 minutes on your lunch break, find time to simply close your eyes, breathe deeply, and forget your worries.
• Keep your stressors away from your sleeping area. If possible, don't work or do anything stressful in the bedroom. That the area should be reserved for rest/relaxation, and resolve to leave your worries behind as soon as you step into that room.

3) Aim to take 10,000 steps a day. In one study where men reduced their daily steps from about 10,000 to less than 1,500 (without changing their diet), their visceral (belly) fat increased by 7% after just 2 weeks.

• Get a pedometer and try to increase the number of daily steps you take.
• Take stairs instead of elevators; walk instead of driving.
• Stand up and walk for 30 steps every 30 minutes. If you have a sedentary job, consider getting a treadmill desk.

4) Switch out refined grains for whole grains. In a scientific study, people who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more belly fat than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains. 

• Grains melt fat. A diet rich in whole grains changes the glucose and insulin response in your body to hasten the melting of fat, and visceral fat, that deep layer of fat, is easier for your body to burn than the subcutaneous fat under your skin (the fat that can be seen and grabbed).
• Avoid white grains. For instance, eat brown wheat bread instead of over-processed white bread, and favor wild brown rice over white rice.

5) Drink plenty of water. Studies suggest that consistently drinking water throughout the day can lead to a more active metabolism, regardless of dieting. Drinking more water also helps your body flush out waste/toxins and improves your overall health.

• Aim to drink an 8-oz. glass of water 8 times per day, or 64 ounces total.
• Carry a water bottle so that you can drink whenever you feel thirsty.
• Know how to tell when you're sufficiently hydrated. You'll know you're drinking enough water when your urine runs almost clear. If it's still yellow, drink up.

Part Two: Exercising for Fat Loss

1) Exercise in small bursts. Research shows that interval training, or alternating short bursts of energy with brief resting periods, can improve muscle and build endurance more quickly than traditional exercise.

 

Sprint. Run as fast and as far as you can for 20 seconds, then slow to a walk until you catch your breath. Repeat for 10 minutes.

Set a treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike for interval training. Most modern exercise equipment can be set to an interval training mode, which significantly increases the difficulty of the exercise for short periods of time.

Take quick walks. Fit some exercise into your work day and take 5-minute power walks. Take long strides and keep a brisk pace, or try going up and down stairs.

2) Skip the crunches — for now. Abdominal crunches and sit-ups should build strong muscles, but you might not see them under belly fat. In fact, crunches might actually make your stomach look bigger as you build up thicker abs. Try these exercises to focus on your core muscles instead:

• Do the bridge. Get into the position for doing a push up/press up. Rest on your elbows and always keep your eyes to the floor. Pull your stomach muscles in tight, imagining them going to your backbone. As you do this, your bottom should be down and your back straight. Hold this position for as long as it feels comfortable. During the holding period, don't arch your back but keep it as straight as possible. If it feels too hard at first, allow your knees to form a resting platform. Aim to hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times.
• Do squats. Stand with your feet 8-9 inches apart, extend your arms in front of you and squat your hips backward. Do four sets of 15 to 20 squats, working several minutes at a time.
• Stretch the sides of your waist. Stand up straight, with your feet hip-width apart. Put your right hand on your right hip, and lift your left arm straight up, so that your palm faces to the right. Keeping your legs centered, lean to the right and "reach" over with your left arm, stretching your left side. Do 3 to 5 times on each side.

3) Ramp up the cardio. Aerobic exercises, which get your heart pumping, burn calories quickly and facilitates fat loss all over, including your belly. You can't "spot-burn" belly fat, but it's usually the first to burn off when you exercise, regardless of body shape or size.

• Time your miles. Track your progress by timing how long it takes to run a mile. As cardiovascular stamina improves, you'll notice the time going down.
• Correct shin splints. If you get painful shin splints whenever you run, you're probably over-pronating (that is, putting the majority of your weight on the outer side of your foot when it comes down). There are shoes designed specifically to help alleviate this.
• Don't overdo it. When first getting into cardio, aim to workout 3 days a week, then build up to 4 when you're able. Pushing yourself hard every day doesn't allow your body enough time to recover and build up muscle, and could lead to injury.

4) Add resistance training. A 2006 study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism suggests that combining cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise with resistance training is more effective than cardiovascular training alone in getting rid of abdominal fat You can do resistance training with free weights, exercise machines or resistance bands.

Part Three: Dieting for Fat Loss

1) Reduce calorie consumption. Unless you restrict calorie intake, you won't lose belly fat. Try these tips:

• Remember that it takes a 3700-calorie deficit to lose one pound of fat. That is, you have to either burn off 3700 calories through exercise or eat 3700 calories less than you burn in a week.
• Aim to lose a maximum of two pounds per week. Losing any more than that can be unhealthy and leads to a cycle of "crash" dieting, in which you rapidly gain back any lost weight.
• Keep a food diary. Most people tend to underestimate how much they eat. Get an honest assessment of your eating habits by writing down everything you consume for a week. Utilize an online calorie calculator, and figure out roughly how many calories you're consuming in a day. From there, see what you can afford to cut.
• Try a diet in which you consume 2200 calories (men) or 2000 calories (women) per day. This should cause a deficit sufficient for you to lose one or two pounds per week, depending on your activity level.

2) Eat good fats. Studies suggest that a diet with a higher ratio of monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) — such as avocados, nuts, seeds, soybeans, and chocolate — can prevent the accumulation of belly fat.

 

• Trans fats (in margarines, crackers, cookies, or anything made with partially hydrogenated oils) seem to result in more fat being deposited in the abdomen. Avoid these as much as possible.

3) Get more fiber in your diet. Soluble fiber (such as that found in apples, oats, and cherries) lowers insulin levels which can speed up the burning of visceral belly fat.

• Add fiber to your diet slowly. If you are currently getting 10 grams of fiber a day, don't jump to 35 grams of fiber the next day. The natural bacteria in your digestive system requires time to adapt to your new fiber intake.
• Eat the skin on your fruits and vegetables. Incorporating more fruits and vegetables into your diet adds fiber, but only if you eat the skin, as that's where all the fiber is. Don't peel those apples before you eat them. With potatoes, leave the skin on (with baked or mashed potatoes) or if you peel them, make snacks of them, such as baked garlic Parmesan peels. Keeping the skin on potatoes when cooking them helps keep more vitamins/minerals in the flesh. (Just don't eat any parts of skin that are green.)
• Eat more split pea soup. Split peas are a fiber "power food". Just one cup of them contains 16.3 grams of protein.

Part Four: Measuring Progress

1) Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio. Your waist-to-hip ratio — or the circumference of your waist divided by the circumference of your hips — can be a good indicator of whether you need to lose belly fat. Here's how to get it:

• Wrap a soft tape measure around the thinnest part of your waist at the level of your navel. Note the measurement.
• Wrap the tape measure around the widest part of your hips, where you can feel a bony protrusion about 1/3 of the way from the top of the hipbone. Note the measurement.
• Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement.
• Know what's healthy. Women should have a ratio of 0.8 or below; men should be at 0.9 or lower.

2) Continue taking your measurements as you progress. After incorporating some of the above strategies, keep measuring so you can see your progress.

 

3) Weigh yourself at the same time each day. Because body weight fluctuates depending on the time of day, when you last ate or when you last had a bowel movement, standardize the process by weighing yourself at the same time each day. Many people choose to do this the first thing in the morning, before breakfast.

Part Five: Staying Motivated

1) Join forces with a friend. Trying to lose weight with a partner can help you stay accountable for your actions, as well as giving you an extra incentive to keep exercise appointments. Share your victories together, and discuss solutions to whatever roadblocks you encounter.

2)Understand risks associated with belly fat. Losing belly fat doesn't have to be solely a cosmetic goal; understanding the health issues linked with belly fat can help motivate you.

• Belly fat is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Specifically it's the deepest layer of belly fat —the fat you can't see or grab — that poses health risks. That's because these "visceral" fat cells actually produce hormones and other substances that can affect your health (e.g. increased insulin resistance and/or breast cancer risk).
• The fact that "visceral" fat cells are located right next to and in between organs in your abdominal cavity doesn't help. For example, fat next to the liver drains into it, causing a fatty liver, which is a risk factor for insulin resistance, setting the stage for Type 2 diabetes.

21 Ways to Burn Fat Faster

some medically proven moves that'll make it happen — and help you drop some pounds.

Stock up on green tea

Green tea isn't known only for its cancer-fighting benefits: It may help boost your metabolism, too. People who took green-tea extract three times a day saw their metabolic rate increase by about 4 percent, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. (Translation: You could burn an extra 60 calories a day, which equals about six pounds a year!) It may be because green tea contains catechins, which increase levels of the metabolism-speeding brain chemical norepinephrine.

Pump iron

Weight training is the ultimate way to burn calories fast. "A pound of muscle burns up to nine times the calories of a pound of fat," explains Richard Cotton, M.A., chief exercise physiologist for myexerciseplan.com. Weight training increases your resting metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you burn while sitting on your butt. What's more, it gives your metabolism an added boost after you exercise: It remains in overdrive for up to two hours after the last bench press, according to a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. Strapped for time? Try these quick moves: squats, bench step-ups, lunges, push-ups, pull-ups and crunches. In a pinch, just do single sets of 10 for each exercise — you'll get optimal results for the time invested.

Eat iron

Yeah, we just told you to pump iron, but you also need to eat it. "If you don't have enough of this mineral, your body can't get enough oxygen to your cells, which slows down your metabolism," explains Samantha Heller, R.D., a nutritionist at the New York University Medical Center. Most multivitamins contain around 18 mg (the RDA for adults); you can also get your fill by eating three to four daily servings of foods rich in iron, such as lean red meat, chicken, fortified cereal and soy nuts. If you are feeling symptoms such as fatigue and weakness, ask your doctor to test you for anemia (it's a simple blood test) at your next physical.

Order water — and ask for a refill

A new German study found that when you drink 17 ounces of water (about two glasses) within a certain time frame, your metabolic rate shoots up by about 30 percent. Using these results, they estimate that by increasing your current water intake by 1.5 liters a day, a person would burn an extra 17,400 calories a year, resulting in about a five-pound weight loss.

Get your thyroid checked

Suspect you have a sluggish metabolism? You might have hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid gland, which afflicts about 25 percent of American women — many of whom don't know they have the condition, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. "The thyroid gland controls your body's metabolism, so one of the first signs that it may be off is an inability to lose weight," explains Pamela Peeke, M.D., professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and author of Fight Fat After Forty. Your doctor can determine if you're suffering from hypothyroidism by running a blood test. If you do have an underactive thyroid, you'll be treated with a synthetic thyroid supplement, which you will need to take for the rest of your life (it will return your metabolism to normal, so it should be easier to lose weight).

Avoid alcohol

Want to keep your favorite meals from going straight to your hips (thighs, belly)? Wash them down with water, not wine. Alcohol slows your metabolism by depressing the central nervous system. A British study found that when alcohol was added to a high-fat, high-calorie meal, less dietary fat was burned off and more was stored as body fat.

Rev up workouts

Interval training — in which you add bursts of high-intensity moves into your workout — is a surefire metabolism booster, says Glenn Gaesser, Ph.D., director of the Kinesiology Program at the University of Virginia and author of The Spark. Researchers at Laval University in Quebec found that high-intensity interval training burns more fat than regular, consistent aerobic exercise. If you usually jog at a 10-minute-mile pace, for example, add a 30-second sprint every five minutes. Or add a one-minute incline to your treadmill workout every five minutes. "Even if you just have 10 minutes for a quick workout, you can walk at a normal pace and then add in a 30-second bout of speed-walking every three minutes," recommends Gaesser.

Do more dairy

Women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat cheese, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters, according to a study published in the journal Obesity Research. "Calcium serves as a switch that tells your body to burn excess fat faster," explains study author Michael Zemel, M.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Sorry, but you won't reap the same benefits from calcium-fortified O.J. Research shows that you get the best results from dairy products themselves, not fortified foods. Aim for 1,200 mg, which includes about three servings of dairy a day.

Take up a new sport

Are you like Old Faithful when it comes to your morning walk or evening jog? Know this: The more you do an activity, the more your body adapts to it, so you burn fewer calories. If you want to light a fire under your metabolism, consider cross-training. For example, if you normally walk, try biking instead. "Since you're not used to working all those different muscles, it's a more intense workout, which can translate into a greater metabolic after-burn because your body is working harder to recover and get oxygen to all your tissues," says Carol Espel, M.S., an exercise physiologist for Equinox Fitness Clubs in New York City.

Go fish

Break out the lemon wedges: Regular fish eaters tend to have lower levels of the hormone leptin — good because high levels of leptin have been linked to low metabolism and obesity, says Louis Aronne, M.D., an obesity specialist at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center. Try to consume three to four servings of a fatty fish, such as salmon, tuna or mackerel, each week.

Say "ommm"

Stress may contribute to abdominal fat, according to several studies, including a recent one at the University of California, San Francisco. "When you're stressed, hormones like cortisol stimulate your appetite, slow your metabolism down and encourage fat storage inside your abdomen," explains Shawn Talbott, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Clinic at the University of Utah. So what's a frazzled girl to do? "Find an activity that reduces stress for you, whether it's listening to soothing music or taking yoga, and do it daily," advises Talbott.

Have a PB&J

Think peanut butter is only for pint-sized palates? Think again. PB is rich in magnesium, a mineral that motors up your metabolism by giving your cells energy. Aim for 320 mg a day of magnesium: Good food sources include a peanut butter sandwich made with whole-wheat bread (100 mg) or spinach (1/2 cup has 80 mg). 

Exercise off that PMS

You could lose more weight exercising during the later phase of your menstrual cycle than at any other time in your cycle, according to a recent study from the University of Adelaide in Australia. Hormones estrogen and progesterone fire up your fat-burning furnace: They promote your body's use of fat as an energy supply, so more is burned off when you exercise. "Women burned about 30 percent more fat for the two weeks following ovulation to about two days before menstruation," explains study author Leanne Redman.

Don't blow off breakfast

Studies show that eating breakfast plays a part in successful weight loss — almost 80 percent of people who successfully keep weight off chow down on this meal, according to a study published in Obesity Research. "Your metabolism slows as you sleep, and the process of digesting food revs it up again," explains Heller. Aim for a 300- to 400-calorie breakfast, such as a high-fiber cereal (another metabolism booster) with skim milk and fruit.

Pump up protein

Not in an extreme, Atkins sort of way, but having a little protein at every meal fires up your metabolism. "Your digestive system uses more energy to break it down, so you burn more calories," explains Lisa Dorfman, R.D. However, keep protein levels to between 20 and 35 percent of your diet; eating too much of it can cause kidney strain and may cause your body to store too much fat.

Snack away during the day

Grazing is a surprisingly good idea because it helps you avoid metabolic slowdown. "Your body will be tricked into thinking it's constantly eating, so it will never slow your metabolism down," explains Bauer. Aim for five small meals (200 to 500 calories) a day rather than three large ones. Also try not to go more than four hours without eating — if you eat breakfast at 7am, for example, have a snack at 10am, lunch at noon, another snack at 3pm and dinner at 7pm.

Skip the starch

Carb crazy? Consider this: Refined carbohydrates, such as bread, potatoes and rice, create a surge in insulin that in turn drives down your resting metabolic rate, explains Aronne. "It's important to keep carbohydrates in your diet, but really focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which have less of an effect on insulin levels," he explains. And when buying whole-grain breads and cereals, make sure the first ingredient listed is whole wheat, whole oat or cracked wheat.

Break up your workouts

Try dividing your workouts into two shorter 20-minute sessions. You'll rev up your metabolism for an hour or two after each workout, which means you'll burn more calories than if you did one longer session. Don't have time? Even small bursts of activity will get your metabolism chugging again, according to a study in Nature. "Just a five-minute walk around the house every hour translates into an extra 200 to 300 calories burned every day," says Peeke.

Pace while you're on the phone

People who are constantly in motion — crossing and uncrossing their legs, stretching and pacing — burn more calories. When researchers at the Mayo Clinic asked subjects to eat an additional 1,000 calories a day for eight weeks, they found that only the nonfidgeters stored the calories as fat.

Eat more bananas

They're full of potassium, which revs up your metabolism by regulating your body's water balance, says vitamin expert Susan Lark, M.D., author of The Lark Letter. If you're dehydrated, you'll burn fewer calories. Make sure you're getting at least 2,000 mg: a banana has 450 mg, a cup of milk has 370 mg and an orange has 250 mg.

Get enough z's

Yeah, Gosling may be on Letterman, but it's way more important for your waistline to head to bed. A study at the University of Chicago Medical Center found that people who got only four hours of sleep had much more difficulty processing carbs. The culprit? Increased levels of insulin and the stress hormone cortisol. "When you're exhausted, your body lacks the energy to do its normal day-to-day functions, which includes burning calories efficiently," says Talbott. So the best way to make sure your metabolism runs smoothly is to get six to eight hours of shut-eye each night.

Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas

You know the drill when it comes to losing weight -- take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician's campaign pledges. Here are more than 50 easy ways for you to finally lose the weight.

If you’re trying to drop a few pounds, don’t start off by trying to overhaul all your eating and exercise habits. You’re better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis—along with following the cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should send the scale numbers in the right direction: down.

1. Indulge in fat releasing foods. They should help keep you from feeling deprived and binging on higher-calorie foods. For instance:

• Honey. Just 64 fat releasing calories in one tablespoon. Drizzle on fresh fruit.
• Eggs. Just 70 calories in one hard-boiled egg, loaded with fat releasing protein. Sprinkle with chives for an even more elegant treat.
• Part-skim ricotta cheese. Just 39 calories in one ounce of this food, packed with fat releasing calcium. Dollop over a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
• Dark chocolate. About 168 calories in a one-ounce square, but it’s packed with fat releasing fiber.
• Shrimp. Just 60 calories in 12 large.

2. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl of fruit the crown. Cut down on the chips by pairing each bite with lots of chunky, filling fresh salsa, suggests Jeff Novick, director of nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa in Florida. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.

3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That’s nearly 90,000 calories a year — or 25 pounds! And research shows that despite the calories, sugary drinks don’t trigger a sense of fullness the way that food does.

4. Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips—even water. Studies have found that people who maintain food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t.

5. Buy a pedometer, clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day. On average, sedentary people take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you maintain your current weight and stop gaining weight; adding more than that will help you lose weight.

6. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.

7. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger.

8. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we’re suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating.

9. Find an online weight-loss buddy. A University of Vermont study found that online weight-loss buddies help you keep the weight off. The researchers followed volunteers for 18 months. Those assigned to an Internet-based weight maintenance program sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face in a support group.

10. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There’s a good reason you won’t see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.

11. Clean your closet of the “fat” clothes. Once you’ve reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn’t fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.

12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you’ll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you’ll eat — regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they’re not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide). The same goes for liquids. Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.

13. Serve your dinner restaurant style (food on the plates) rather than family style (food served in bowls and on platters on the table). When your plate is empty, you’re finished; there’s no reaching for seconds.

14. Hang a mirror opposite your seat at the table. One study found that eating in front of mirrors slashed the amount people ate by nearly one-third. Seems having to look yourself in the eye reflects back some of your own inner standards and goals, and reminds you of why you’re trying to lose weight in the first place.

15. Put out a vegetable platter. A body of research out of Pennsylvania State University finds that eating water-rich foods such as zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers during meals reduces your overall calorie consumption. Other water-rich foods include soups and salads. You won’t get the same benefits by just drinking your water, though. Because the body processes hunger and thirst through different mechanisms, it simply doesn’t register a sense of fullness with water (or soda, tea, coffee, or juice).

16. Use vegetables to bulk up meals. You can eat twice as much pasta salad loaded with veggies like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes for the same calories as a pasta salad sporting just mayonnaise. Same goes for stir-fries. And add vegetables to make a fluffier, more satisfying omelet without having to up the number of eggs.

17. Eat one less cookie a day. Or consume one less can of regular soda, or one less glass of orange juice, or three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger. Doing any of these saves you about 100 calories a day, according to weight-loss researcher James O. Hill, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado. And that alone is enough to prevent you from gaining the 1.8 to 2 pounds most people pack on each year.

18. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today’s lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn’t toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white stuff.

19. Switch to ordinary coffee. Fancy coffee drinks from trendy coffee joints often pack several hundred calories, thanks to whole milk, whipped cream, sugar, and sugary syrups. A cup of regular coffee with skim milk has just a small fraction of those calories. And when brewed with good beans, it tastes just as great.

20. Use nonfat powdered milk in coffee. You get the nutritional benefits of skim milk, which is high in calcium and low in calories. And, because the water has been removed, powdered milk doesn’t dilute the coffee the way skim milk does

21. Eat cereal for breakfast five days a week. Studies find that people who eat cereal for breakfast every day are significantly less likely to be obese and have diabetes than those who don’t. They also consume more fiber and calcium—and less fat—than those who eat other breakfast foods. Of course, that doesn’t mean reaching for the Cap’n Crunch. Instead, pour out a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal like Total or Grape Nuts.

22. Pare your portions. Whether you eat at home or in a restaurant, immediately remove one-third of the food on your plate. Arguably the worst food trend of the past few decades has been the explosion in portion sizes on America’s dinner plates (and breakfast and lunch plates). We eat far, far more today than our bodies need. Studies find that if you serve people more food, they’ll eat more food, regardless of their hunger level. The converse is also true: Serve

yourself less and you’ll eat less.

23. Eat 90 percent of your meals at home. You’re more likely to eat more—and eat more high-fat, high-calorie foods—when you eat out than when you eat at home. Restaurants today serve such large portions that many have switched to larger plates and tables to accommodate them!

24. Avoid any prepared food that lists sugar, fructose, or corn syrup among the first four ingredients on the label. You should be able to find a lower-sugar version of the same type of food. If you can’t, grab a piece of fruit instead! Look for sugar-free varieties of foods such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and salad dressing.

25. Eat slowly and calmly. Put your fork or spoon down between every bite. Sip water frequently. Intersperse your eating with stories for your dining partner of the amusing things that happened during your day. Your brain lags your stomach by about 20 minutes when it comes to satiety (fullness) signals. If you eat slowly enough, your brain will catch up to tell you that you are no longer in need of food.

26. Eat only when you hear your stomach growling. It’s stunning how often we eat out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or frustration—so often, in fact, that many of us have actually forgotten what physical hunger feels like. Next time, wait until your stomach is growling before you reach for food. If you’re hankering for a specific food, it’s probably a craving, not hunger. If you’d eat anything you could get your hands on, chances are you’re truly hungry.

27. Find ways other than eating to express love, tame stress, and relieve boredom. For instance, you might make your family a photo album of special events instead of a rich dessert, sign up for a stress-management course at the local hospital or take up an active hobby, like bowling.

28. State the positive. You’ve heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Well, if you keep focusing on things you can’t do, like resisting junk food or getting out the door for a daily walk, chances are you won’t do them. Instead (whether you believe it or not) repeat positive thoughts to yourself. “I can lose weight.” “I will get out for my walk today.” “I know I can resist the pastry cart after dinner.” Repeat these phrases like a mantra all day long. Before too long, they will become their own self-fulfilling prophecy.

29. Discover your dietary point of preference. If you work hard to control your weight, you may get pleasure from your appearance, but you may also feel sorry for yourself each time you forgo a favorite food. There is a balance to be struck between the immediate gratification of indulgent foods and the long-term pleasure of maintaining a desirable weight and good health. When you have that balance worked out, you have identified your own personal dietary pleasure “point of preference.” This is where you want to stay.

30. Use flavorings such as hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings instead of relying on butter and creamy or sugary sauces. Besides providing lots of flavor with no fat and few calories, many of these seasonings—the spicy ones—turn up your digestive fires, causing your body to temporarily burn more calories.

31. Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. For the calories in one kid-size box of apple juice, you can enjoy an apple, orange, and a slice of watermelon. These whole foods will keep you satisfied much longer than that box of apple juice, so you’ll eat less overall.

32. Spend 10 minutes a day walking up and down stairs. The Centers for Disease Control says that’s all it takes to help you shed as much as 10 pounds a year (assuming you don’t start eating more).

33. Eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinner. A cup of cooked rice or pasta has about 200 calories, whereas a cup of cooked veggies doles out a mere 50 calories, on average, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University’s Sargent College. To avoid a grain calorie overload, eat a 1:1 ratio of grains to veggies. The high-fiber veggies will help satisfy your hunger before you overeat the grains.

34. Get up and walk around the office or your home for five minutes at least every two hours. Stuck at a desk all day? A brisk five-minute walk every two hours will parlay into an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day. And getting a break will make you less likely to reach for snacks out of antsiness.

35. Wash something thoroughly once a week—a floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tile, or your car. A 150-pound person who dons rubber gloves and exerts some elbow grease will burn about four calories for every minute spent cleaning, says Blake. Scrub for 30 minutes and you could work off approximately 120 calories, the same number in a half-cup of vanilla frozen yogurt. And your surroundings will sparkle!

36. Make one social outing this week an active one. Pass on the movie tickets and screen the views of a local park instead. Not only will you sit less, but you’ll be saving calories because you won’t chow down on that bucket of popcorn. Other active date ideas: Plan a tennis match, sign up for a guided nature or city walk (check your local newspaper), go cycling on a bike path, or join a volleyball league or bowling team.

37. Order the smallest portion of everything. If you’re ordering a sub, get the 6-inch sandwich. Buy a small popcorn, a small salad, a small hamburger. Studies find we tend to eat what’s in front of us, even though we’d feel just as full on less.

38. Switch from regular milk to 2%. If you already drink 2%, go down another notch to 1% or skim milk. Each step downward cuts the calories by about 20 percent. Once you train your taste buds to enjoy skim milk, you’ll have cut the calories in the whole milk by about half and trimmed the fat by more than 95 percent.

39. Take a walk before dinner. You’ll do more than burn calories — you’ll cut your appetite. In a study of 10 obese women conducted at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, 20 minutes of walking reduced appetite and increased sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal.

40. Substitute a handful of almonds in place of a sugary snack. A study from the City of Hope National Medical Center found that overweight people who ate a moderate-fat diet containing almonds lost more weight than a control group that didn’t eat nuts. Really, any nut will do.

41. Eat a frozen dinner. Not just any frozen dinner, but one designed for weight loss. Most of us tend to eat an average of 150 percent more calories in the evening than in the morning. An easy way to keep dinner calories under control is to buy a pre-portioned meal. Just make sure that it contains only one serving. If it contains two, make sure you share.

42. Don’t eat with a large group. A study published in the Journal of Physiological Behavior found that we tend to eat more when we eat with other people, most likely because we spend more time at the table. But eating with your significant other or your family, and using table time for talking in between chewing, can help cut down on calories — and help with bonding in the bargain.

43. Watch one less hour of TV. A study of 76 undergraduate students found the more they watched television, the more often they ate and the more they ate overall. Sacrifice one program (there’s probably one you don’t really want to watch anyway) and go for a walk instead. You’ll have time left over to finish a chore or gaze at the stars.

44. Get most of your calories before noon. Studies find that the more you eat in the morning, the less you’ll eat in the evening. And you have more opportunities to burn off those early-day calories than you do to burn off dinner calories.

45. Close out the kitchen after dinner. Wash all the dishes, wipe down the counters, turn out the light, and, if necessary, tape closed the cabinets and refrigerator. Late-evening eating significantly increases the overall number of calories you eat, a University of Texas study found. Stopping late-night snacking can save 300 or more calories a day, or 31 pounds a year.

46. Sniff a banana, an apple, or a peppermint when you feel hungry. You might feel silly, but it works. When Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, tried this with 3,000 volunteers, he found that the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lost — an average of 30 pounds each. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you’re actually eating it.

47. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle. That way you’ll be more aware of how much alcohol you’re downing. Moderate drinking can be good for your health, but alcohol is high in calories. And because drinking turns off our inhibitions, it can drown our best intentions to keep portions in check.

48. Watch every morsel you put in your mouth on weekends. A University of North Carolina study found people tend to consume an extra 115 calories per weekend day, primarily from alcohol and fat.

49. Stock your refrigerator with low-fat yogurt. A University of Tennessee study found that people who cut 500 calories a day and ate yogurt three times a day for 12 weeks lost more weight and body fat than a group that only cut the calories. The researchers concluded that the calcium in low-fat dairy foods triggers a hormonal response that inhibits the body’s production of fat cells and boosts the breakdown of fat.

50. Order your dressing on the side and then stick a fork in it — not your salad. The small amount of dressing that clings to the tines of the fork are plenty for the forkful of salad you then pick up.

51. Brush your teeth after every meal, especially after dinner. That clean, minty freshness will serve as a cue to your body and brain that mealtime is over.

52. Serve individual courses rather than piling everything on one plate. Make the first two courses soup or vegetables (such as a green salad). By the time you get to the more calorie-dense foods, like meat and dessert, you’ll be eating less or may already be full (leftovers are a good thing).

53. Passionately kiss your partner 10 times a day. According to the 1991 Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex, a passionate kiss burns 6.4 calories per minute. Ten minutes a day of kissing equates to about 23,000 calories—or eight pounds—a year!

54. Add hot peppers to your pasta sauce. Capsaicin, the ingredient in hot peppers that makes them hot, also helps reduce your appetite.

55. Pack nutritious snacks. Snacking once or twice a day helps stave off hunger and keeps your metabolism stoked, but healthy snacks can be pretty darn hard to come by when you’re on the go. Pack up baby carrots or your own trail mix made with nuts, raisins, seeds, and dried fruit.

56. When you shop, choose nutritious foods based on these four simple rules:

1. Avoid partially hydrogenated.

2. Avoid high fructose corn syrup.

3. Choose a short ingredient list over long; there will be fewer flavor enhancers and empty calories.

4. Look for more than two grams of fiber per 100 calories in all grain products (cereal, bread, crackers, and chips)

57. Weed out calories you’ve been overlooking: spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks. These calories count, whether or not you’ve been counting them, and could make the difference between weight gain and loss.

58. When you’re eating out with friends or family, dress up in your most flattering outfit. You’ll get loads of compliments, says Susie Galvez, author of Weight Loss Wisdom, which will be a great reminder to watch what you eat.