This is not a diet—or a rigorous exercise program. (Nobody can stick to those for long.) Instead, it’s a simple way to make weight loss a natural part of the life you already live. And guess what? It’s fun! You don’t have to give up the foods you love or join a gym. It’s about balancing calories in tiny ways that add up to big benefits. You just adopt some tricks naturally lean people do. Pick the ones you like, stick with them, and you’ll slim down and tone up—for good!
Decide how much you want to lose and see how many calories a day it will take to make it happen by year’s end. Then, work into your routines however many of these eating tweaks and exercises (it’s important to do both) you need to achieve your goal:
Slash a total of 100 calories each day to lose about 10 pounds in a year.
• Slash 250 calories a day to lose about 25 pounds.
• Slash 500 calories a day to lose about 50 pounds.
This is based on a 150-pound person; you may need to cut more or fewer calories, depending on your weight, age and gender. It also assumes your normal calorie intake essentially stays the same (you’re not overeating today, running a marathon tomorrow) and your weight is stable.
For instance, a 140-pound woman eats about 2,100 calories a day to maintain her current weight; a 210-pound man needs 3,150 daily to keep the scale steady. Now read on and start losing!
