Slim for Life (27 page)

This chapter will tell you about extremely novel ways to eat, move, and even dress to get and look slimmer! Most of what you’ll find here are obscure ideas, and some may even sound absurd, but all of them are safe, and all of them work. I promise! (You’ll also find a few more general tips that didn’t fall neatly into the other chapters. I put them here so you’ll have even more tools in your slim arsenal.)

The point of this chapter is to give you an edge—period. My whole life I’ve looked for ways to beat the status quo: not because I’m a rebel trying to reinvent the wheel, but because I’d rather think of myself as a visionary (aka extremely impatient individual) who is looking for faster, more effective ways to work and transform the human body. While it’s true that new research comes out every day, I feel confident that I’ve covered every cutting-edge, off-the-radar, supercharged, slimming shortcut imaginable in this book, with this chapter as a grand finale.

We’ll start with some basics and then travel off the beaten path into the newer, rarer, cutting-edge info. Enjoy
supercharging.

Seriously. Grow up and leave it at the frat house. Drugs, cigarettes, and excessive drinking—none are hot. Tragic is more like it. And on top of that, heavy partying wreaks absolute havoc on your health and your metabolism. Just say no. Get high on life.

The scale can be most folks’ worst nightmare, rightfully so. It’s often abused or misused, and it’s capable of delivering really crappy news. That said, when used correctly, the scale can be one of your most valuable weight-loss tools. Think of it as a compass. It simply lets you know when you’re on track and doing things right, or off track and in need of a course correction.

Here’s what not to do: do
not
get on the scale every day. Your weight is going to shift not only from day to day but at different times during a single day, due to body fluid fluctuations. You might have a pickle one night and be up a pound on the scale the next day because of all the sodium it contains. Remember, salt makes you hold water. Or maybe you haven’t gone to the bathroom yet (gross, I know, but it had to be said), and that’s literally weighing you down a bit.

The problem with obsessive scale
abusers is that when the numbers on the scale fluctuate daily, it freaks them out and they get easily discouraged as well as overly anxious. The best way to use the scale is once a week, same scale, same day of the week, same time of day. If you choose Friday at nine a.m., then that’s your weigh-in day and time each week. This consistency gives you a far more accurate read; by waiting a week, you’ll allow time for the scale to actually show weight loss. If you follow this guideline and the scale goes up or doesn’t budge from the previous week, you’ll know you need to make some adjustments to your eating regimen or exercise routine. It’s that simple.

Stand whenever and wherever you can, as an alternative to sitting. Standing burns 1.5 times more calories than sitting. Stand when you’re at the doctor’s office, stand when you work at your computer (I put mine on the kitchen counter), and stand when you watch TV. Just stand. In addition, some research suggests that sitting may actually speed up your body’s production of fat. The theory is that when we lounge on a sofa or chair, we exert force on our fat cells, causing them to stretch out and generate even more fat. Not sure I buy that one fully, but I know that the increased calorie burn that comes from standing is a sure thing. Be sure to stay on your feet as often as possible.

James Levine, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, has spent years studying the effect daily
movement has on metabolism. His findings may surprise you. Though they’re annoying to be around, individuals who can’t stop moving, who constantly fidget, tap their feet, swing their arms, and pace burn up to 350 more calories per day than sedentary people. This difference in calorie burn can add up to nearly 37 pounds a year! The message is clear; even if
you have a desk job, find a way to keep moving. When I had a desk job, I used to play with drumsticks on a drum pad. Give that one a try. It’s superfun, and it made me feel cool.

Keep
TV viewing time to no more than 14 hours a week (no more than 2 hours per day). You might be thinking “duh,” but just hold on for a beat and give me a little credit—there’s more to it than you think. It’s true that TV keeps you sedentary, but it can make you fat for another reason: as Harvard researchers report, being a couch potato boosts the effects of obesity-promoting genes. They tracked 32 genetic variants that were known to have genetic associations with BMI (body mass index) in study participants who watched 40-plus hours of TV a week. These fat-promoting variants ended up being three times more potent than those in genetically similar individuals who logged much less tube time
independent
of their physical exercise. TV rots your brain anyway; didn’t your mother ever tell you that? I don’t know about yours, but my mom is never wrong. Find something else to do that stimulates your body and your mind the majority of the time.

Turn your air conditioner and your heater down or, better yet, off, if you can stand it. I don’t want you to freeze to death in the winter or get heat stroke in the summer, but I do want you to force your body to regulate its own temperature as much as possible. It burns more calories. When your
body temperature changes, your heart rate increases because it’s working harder trying to prevent overheating or overcooling. As a result, you burn slightly more calories. According to a 2000 study published in
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise,
BMR will change by 7 percent for each temperature change of 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit. The other good news is that you’ll save on your electric bill!

By “getting it together,” I don’t necessarily mean becoming neater, cleaner, or more punctual, although those things certainly don’t suck. Rather, I mean arranging the things in your life so that you open your time and space to all the great opportunities life has to offer.

Dis
organization hampers you by creating chaos in your life and obstacles that make it difficult for you to jump at opportunities when they come along. Keeping your environment organized, at home and at work, can benefit your mental and physical health in any number of ways. Getting control of the clutter will allow you to do and accomplish more in your day. Honestly, how much time do you waste being scattered? Think of
all
the things you could do with that time! You could hit the gym, squeeze in some extra sleep, or spend quality time playing with your kid.

Organization also enhances self-esteem. How you maintain your living environment is a direct reflection of your relationship with yourself. If your office is a mess, you’ll be distracted and unproductive at work. A messy kitchen may mean you’re not giving proper attention to your own nourishment. A messy bathroom may indicate that you’re neglecting your hygiene. Ultimately, the more organized, clean, and tidy you keep your life, the more you can achieve. Don’t believe me? A study from Indiana University showed that people with the cleanest homes have
far
higher levels of physical activity in all aspects of their lives than those whose homes are messy and unkempt. By keeping your life and your surroundings organized and well looked after, you’re buying yourself more precious time to fit in your slim agenda. And you’re making a statement that you value yourself and deserve a good quality of life.

Start a healthy initiative on a Saturday or Sunday. Mondays are typically chaotic for everyone. You’re usually being pulled in a million directions, from work obligations to family commitments. In fact,
studies show that exerting energy and self-control in one area can make it hard to exert it in another. This is why I tell you that willpower is like a muscle—the more you use it, the more fatigued it can get. So make Saturday or Sunday your set-up-for-success day. Get your hard-core workouts in on these days. Plan your workouts for the week, do your healthy grocery shopping, and prepare a week’s worth of healthy food so you can grab and go when time is scarce on Monday through Friday.

This one is cool, literally. A study conducted at Wheeling Jesuit University found that the smell of peppermint can help you work out harder and faster, upping your calorie burn by as much as 15 percent. Athletes who sniffed mint gripped harder, ran faster, and pushed more weight. I dab a couple drops of essential peppermint oil on my neck or wrists before my workout, and then I go to town.

The key to a longer workout may be right in the palm of your hand. A recent study from Stanford University found that women who cooled off their hands while on the treadmill outlasted their hot-handed counterparts by more than 8 minutes. Another study revealed that women who wore a cooling glove during exercise for 12 weeks increased their walking speed, decreased their blood pressure, and lost 3 more inches from their waistline than those who didn’t. Chilling your hands sends colder blood back to your heart,
helping to cool your core temperature, which decreases fatigue while boosting endurance. You can try the Cool Point Hand Cooler for approximately $20 at
www.amazon.com
. Another option is to simply bring an ice-cold water bottle with you to the gym and hold it in your hands. Taking icy swigs every 10 minutes can also help to douse your body heat. Last, consider walking or jogging in cold weather without your gloves.