Drink Mainly Water
A sports or energy drink, fruit smoothie, or light beer — each
serving contains about 100 calories. Yet these beverages don't satisfy
you the way 100 calories of food does, so they're a waste. Other liquids
may be high in sodium and carbohydrates, which trick your body into
retaining water, puffing you out.
Water, on the other hand, has zero calories and carbs and little to
no sodium, making it the perfect slim-down drink. And strangely, it
actually helps flush out excess water weight as well as jump-starts your
metabolism. If it's just too boring, add lemon wedges or mint leaves.
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Ban White Bread and Pasta
Cutting out all white grain products — such as white rice, spaghetti,
sandwich rolls — will instantly slim you down because the simple carbs
in these foods cause bloating, especially around your belly. "Simple
carbohydrates wreak havoc on your weight because they're digested very
quickly, leaving you hungry and more likely to overeat later," says Jana
Klauer, MD, author of The Park Avenue Nutritionist's Plan.
To go a step further, instead of replacing them with healthier yet
still bloat-triggering whole-grain bread products, substitute vegetables
for the week. This way, a chicken sandwich becomes chicken salad, and
chips and dip turn into carrots and dip. The complex carbs from
vegetables are digested more slowly, so you remain full longer. And
because veggies are mostly water, they also help flush out excess water
weight.
Do Cardio 30 Minutes a Day
Any workout that gets your heart rate up will burn calories. But
you'll use more calories if you pick a cardio routine that engages
multiple muscles simultaneously, says Wendy Larkin, personal-training
manager at Crunch's Polk Street gym, in San Francisco.
Three to consider: spinning, cardio kickboxing, and boot-camp
workouts. Half an hour of each torches 200 to 300 calories while toning
up your arms, legs, and core so everything appears sleeker and tighter.
You'll burn even more calories per session if your workout
incorporates interval training: alternating short bursts of intense
cardio with slower activity. Experts aren't sure why it works, but
trainers swear by it.
Drink Coffee an Hour Before Working Out
This is the one exception to the stick-to-water-only rule: Just as a
coffee run makes your morning at work more productive, a pre-exercise
cup of java with a splash of skim milk (about 11 calories) or black
(just 5 calories) will energize your workout, explains Dr. Klauer. "You'll burn more calories without realizing you're pushing yourself harder."
Have Nightly You-on-Top Sex
Not that you needed an excuse to hook up with your guy every night,
but the fact is, this position is a fat blaster. Being on top means you
do the rocking, and the more active you are, the more calories you burn —
up to 144 for 30 minutes.
Sex also pumps levels of feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins,
helping you ride out food cravings. Get on top in reverse-cowgirl (i.e.,
facing away from your guy) to give your thigh and butt muscles an extra
push.
Do 36 Push-Ups and Lunges Every Other Day
These gym-class
staples will help sculpt muscle, so you'll sport a more streamlined
appearance. Do three sets of 12 of each exercise every other day.
"Push-ups target your upper body, while lunges work your butt, hips, and
thighs," says Larkin. Quick tip: Make sure your back and legs remain in
a straight line during your push-ups; it'll improve muscle tone. Also,
you can build even more muscle with the lunges if you hold free weights
in each hand while doing them.
Sleep 30 Minutes More a Night
That extra half an hour, whether you sleep 5 hours or 8, can refresh
you enough that you will make better food choices (in other words, no
quick sugar fix for breakfast in search of energy) and won't feel
lethargic and skip the gym, says registered dietician Esther Blum,
author of Eat, Drink, and Be Gorgeous. More restful sleep (7 to 8
hours is best) also boosts your metabolism. And since your body builds
muscle while you snooze, getting zzz's equals better muscle tone.
Make One Food Sacrifice
Cutting out one indulgence — such as the chips you have with lunch or
the chocolate dessert you eat after dinner — can subtract a few hundred
calories from your diet, which translates into less flab, says Blum.
"Your body won't even notice their absence."
Don't Let the Camera Add Pounds
Push your chin forward, hold
your arms away from your body, and turn slightly sideways from the
camera with one foot in front of the other.
GET THINNER IN HOURS
Really. These slenderizing effects may not
be permanent, but they'll help you look hotter in your skinniest jeans
on very short notice.
Eat Salmon for Lunch
It's packed with nutrients that build
muscle tone and give your skin a healthy glow. Some nutritionists claim
that consuming a portion (doesn't matter how it's cooked) may
immediately make your face look a bit more contoured.
Stand Up Straight
Keeping your spine rigid and your shoulders
back while sucking in your belly toward your spine gives you a slimmer,
more streamlined middle.
Do Squats and Sit-Ups
Bodybuilders use this technique before
competitions because it adds definition to muscle. Do three sets of 12
of each exercise to tighten your abs, butt, and legs temporarily.
Pop an Antigas Pill
Take one of these chewable tablets, sold over-the-counter at drugstores,
to relieve bloating in your abdomen and break up gas bubbles in your
digestive track, leaving you with a flatter tummy.