By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief - Posted on Tue, Oct 13, 2009, 5:30 pm PDTToss the tarot cards. Step away from the crystal ball and the family photos of Mom, aunts, sisters and others whose bodies look like yours. When it comes to predicting your future physique, all you need to rely on is a new version of ESP. As in Effective Slimming Pointers. Yes, simple tweaks to your everyday habits will not only help you determine your shape, but they can also help you stay lean for life. Incorporate these easy fixes into your life and you can pretty much guarantee your fitness forecast will be light, bright and healthy. Take the 14-question quiz for even more clues as to how you can win the battle of the bulge now and long-term.
Take it slow
People who eat quickly until they're full are three times more likely to be overweight than others, a study from Osaka University in Japan indicates. Satiety signals take 30 minutes to set in, so speedy eaters can get overly full before their tummy has time to say "stop!" Just as you would during a 10K, pace yourself! Unless you're still in junior high, you're probably not racing your tablemates to see who can clean her plate fastest. Quit the speed demon routine at meals so your mind has time to register fullness before you go for round two.
Press snooze
Permission to pack in more pillow time! Sleep deprivation increases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and also cuts levels of the fullness hormone leptin. A lack of shut-eye may even trigger cravings for carbs such as chips and candy. Skip the late-night cookie fest and hit the sheets for at least eight hours.
Cook at home
No one is saying you have to be Nigella Lawson, but preparing meals in your own kitchen--even simple ones--reduces the chance you will carry excess weight, research suggests. Food from the drive-thru tends to have more fat and sugar than your made-from-scratch dishes, and nibbles from sit-down spots--even the fancy schmancy ones--have oversized portions that are a recipe for piling on pounds. To guarantee you consume more veggies and less fat, whip up at least half of your meals at home. Find dozens of easy, delicious dishes at Self.com.
Stride right
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to walk, bike or take public transportation to work, but those who can should. One reason: Fifty-one percent of people who drive to their job are obese or overweight, compared with 43 percent of people who use other means, a study in the International Journal of Obesity indicates. Can't change your commute from car to foot? Achieve a similar effect by swinging by coworkers' desks rather than sticking strictly to email.
Switch off the tube
For each two-hour increase in television viewing per week, your risk for obesity jumps 23 percent, according to a study from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You don't have to give up your favorites, but it's smarter to swap reruns for sleep. (Haven't you see that episode of Friends three times already?) Replace half an hour of television watching with additional shut-eye daily and you'll wake up with lower levels of hunger hormones. Plus, it's easier to make healthy choices when you're rested and energized.
Eat early
People who get more of their calories at breakfast gain less weight than people who skip it or eat less. A.M. eaters have more stable blood-glucose levels during the day, so they resist snacks better. Aim for about 500 calories in the morning to rev metabolism. I also try to squeeze in a little workout before work, since that's when I know I'll get it done. Later, everything seems to get in the way--even my lack of energy for anything except watching mindless TV.
Cool out
Chronic stress could cause fat buildup, especially around your abs, an animal study in Nature Medicine notes; it may cause your body to secrete a hormone that triggers the growth of fat cells. Taking a time-out every day can lower the stress hormones that encourage pig-outs, a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston finds. Pencil in 20 minutes each day to take a walk in a park or garden: Regular visits to areas with trees reduce stress.
People who eat quickly until they're full are three times more likely to be overweight than others, a study from Osaka University in Japan indicates. Satiety signals take 30 minutes to set in, so speedy eaters can get overly full before their tummy has time to say "stop!" Just as you would during a 10K, pace yourself! Unless you're still in junior high, you're probably not racing your tablemates to see who can clean her plate fastest. Quit the speed demon routine at meals so your mind has time to register fullness before you go for round two.
Press snooze
Permission to pack in more pillow time! Sleep deprivation increases levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and also cuts levels of the fullness hormone leptin. A lack of shut-eye may even trigger cravings for carbs such as chips and candy. Skip the late-night cookie fest and hit the sheets for at least eight hours.
Cook at home
No one is saying you have to be Nigella Lawson, but preparing meals in your own kitchen--even simple ones--reduces the chance you will carry excess weight, research suggests. Food from the drive-thru tends to have more fat and sugar than your made-from-scratch dishes, and nibbles from sit-down spots--even the fancy schmancy ones--have oversized portions that are a recipe for piling on pounds. To guarantee you consume more veggies and less fat, whip up at least half of your meals at home. Find dozens of easy, delicious dishes at Self.com.
Stride right
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to walk, bike or take public transportation to work, but those who can should. One reason: Fifty-one percent of people who drive to their job are obese or overweight, compared with 43 percent of people who use other means, a study in the International Journal of Obesity indicates. Can't change your commute from car to foot? Achieve a similar effect by swinging by coworkers' desks rather than sticking strictly to email.
Switch off the tube
For each two-hour increase in television viewing per week, your risk for obesity jumps 23 percent, according to a study from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. You don't have to give up your favorites, but it's smarter to swap reruns for sleep. (Haven't you see that episode of Friends three times already?) Replace half an hour of television watching with additional shut-eye daily and you'll wake up with lower levels of hunger hormones. Plus, it's easier to make healthy choices when you're rested and energized.
Eat early
People who get more of their calories at breakfast gain less weight than people who skip it or eat less. A.M. eaters have more stable blood-glucose levels during the day, so they resist snacks better. Aim for about 500 calories in the morning to rev metabolism. I also try to squeeze in a little workout before work, since that's when I know I'll get it done. Later, everything seems to get in the way--even my lack of energy for anything except watching mindless TV.
Cool out
Chronic stress could cause fat buildup, especially around your abs, an animal study in Nature Medicine notes; it may cause your body to secrete a hormone that triggers the growth of fat cells. Taking a time-out every day can lower the stress hormones that encourage pig-outs, a study from Harvard Medical School in Boston finds. Pencil in 20 minutes each day to take a walk in a park or garden: Regular visits to areas with trees reduce stress.
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