Tips and tricks to try today

Drop 5 lbs
Tips and tricks to try today

Size matters

Keeping portions in check is key to sliming down, but who wants to carry around a set of measuring cups? Instead, learn to eyeball diet-friendly sizes with these visual cues.
• 1 ounce of cheese: 4 dice
• 3 ounce of meat, poultry or fish: deck of cards
• 2 tablespoon salad dressing: shot glass
• 1 teaspoon butter or margarine: postage stamp
• ½ cup rice or pasta: half a baseball
• ¼ cup nuts: golf ball


Sit down to slim down

Before you eat, take a seat it may help you shed pounds. Researchers at the University of Toronto fed two groups a meal with the same number of calories. The first had lunch at the table, the second ate while standing at a kitchen counter. Surprisingly, the standers ate 75 percent more at their next meal.

Calm down, shed pounds

Research suggests that during times of high stress, the body deposits fat into the abdominal area. The harried and hurried state also increase levels of cortisol, a chemical than can spur emotional eating. Worse, rampant stress can wreak havoc on your sleep, which may cause weight gain. Stress management tips below:

• Breathe slowly, it is physiologically impossible not to calm down when you do this, because it lowers your heart rate.
• Tense up, loosen up, tighten every part of your body, then relax each muscle group, starting with your head down to our feet. This stress-relief technique also helps focus your attention.
• Tune in tune out, listening to soothing music can help lower stress levels.
• Grab pen and paper, studies show that people better understand and learn from their emotions when they write about them.
• Stay in the moment, Immerse yourself in a relaxing activity, such as baking, gardening or walking, and think of nothing but the sensations surrounding what you’re doing at that moment.