17 Tiny Weight-Loss Resolutions You Can Actually Keep

Instead of setting vague goals like losing 20 pounds, make your hopes a reality with these subtle diet tweaks.

Eating at your desk or in front of the TV is distracting, and because your brain doesn’t fully realize what you’re eating, you could end up unsatisfied, even with big portions, says Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, CDN, CSCS, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “People look down after their meal and have no memory of what was on their plate,” she says. “They don’t feel satisfied and are hungry again in an hour.” Ideally, you should spend the full 20 or 30 minutes it takes to eat focusing on your meal. If it’s unrealistic to leave your desk that long during lunch, take at least the first five to ten minutes chowing down without distractions, she says. Find out more about what healthy people do on their lunch breaks.

Pick the smallest container

Whether you’re at a salad bar or frozen yogurt shop, always grab the smallest dish offered. You’ll be surprised by how much you can pack inside, but you'll have less risk of going overboard like you would with an oversized container, says Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Real Nutrition NYC. “You can still fit a pound of food in the smallest container,” says Shapiro. “People go for the large plate so they don’t get hungry later, but you can always eat again later.”

Drink water before your coffee

A little bit of dehydration can mask as hunger,” says Rumsey. “You might not feel thirsty but are a little dehydrated and can feel hungry, even if you just ate.” But if you stay hydrated, it will be easier to recognize if your body actually needs the calories. Drink 16 ounces of water as soon as you wake up to replenish the water your body lost when you were sleeping, suggests Rumsey. Are you showing signs of dehydration?

Read More

Can’t Take 10,000 Steps a Day? Do This Instead

For days when it's not feasible to cram in the recommended 10,000 daily steps, this shorter routine has got you covered.

Taking 10,000 steps per day is a great way to get your daily dose of physical activity, but only 15 percent of American men and women regularly hit that healthy target, according to a brand-new study from Oregon State University. Lack of time is the most commonly cited obstacle, but fortunately, there’s an alternative that may be easier to fit into a tight schedule.

In the year-long study, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, Oregon State researchers found that although people who took more steps each day were typically healthier than those who took fewer steps, speed made a difference. Those who took 5,000 to 7,000 steps at a faster pace scored similar health benefits, including things like smaller waist circumference, lower blood pressure, and reduced BMI and cholesterol levels.

Based on these findings, study co-author John Schuna, Jr., PhD, assistant professor of kinesiology at OSU’s College of Public Health and Human Sciences, recommends aiming to take 3,000 steps each day at a brisk pace, which may be 100 or more steps per minute for two and a half hours, or 150 minutes, each week.

This healthy target fits with the guidelines of both the CDC and the Department of Health and Human Services, which advise that healthy adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity each week. Examples of moderate intensity workouts include brisk walking, yoga, pushing a lawn mower, gardening, or riding a bike under 10 mph; examples of vigorous intensity activity include jumping rope, running, jogging, biking over 10 mph, and hiking uphill.

“Running or jogging two and a half miles is equivalent to walking 10,000 steps,” says Chauncey Graham, CSCS, an ACE Fitness Professional at Gold’s Gym in Washington, D.C. Higher-intensity workouts also come with added benefits, including improvements to your cardiorespiratory system. “A heightened level of exercise will prevent and lower your risk of many common diseases as well as obesity,” Graham says.

Most experts agree that a mix of high intensity and moderate intensity workouts yield the best results, however, if you’re dedicated to reaching your 10,000 steps each day via walking, try to take 3,000 of those steps at a faster pace. But some exercise is certainly better than none, so if you can spare only 60 seconds to sweat, try these exercises that will transform your body.

Read More