From Zumba to yoga to ditching
junk food, these simple lifestyle changes will help you lose 10, 30, even 50
pounds!
Tweak your lifestyle
It's a familiar story: You pledge to honor a
daily elliptical routine and count every last calorie. But soon, you're eating
cupcakes at the office and grabbing happy hour mojitos, thinking, Oops, diet
over.
There is a better way: Swap the all-or-nothing approach for one or two healthy switch-ups in your daily routine. "Doing this can lead to more weight loss than you ever imagined," says Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater's Diet.
In fact, we talked to readers who knocked off 10, 25, even 60 pounds with some easy tweaks. Borrow their slim-down secrets to transform your body the real-world way.
There is a better way: Swap the all-or-nothing approach for one or two healthy switch-ups in your daily routine. "Doing this can lead to more weight loss than you ever imagined," says Marissa Lippert, RD, author of The Cheater's Diet.
In fact, we talked to readers who knocked off 10, 25, even 60 pounds with some easy tweaks. Borrow their slim-down secrets to transform your body the real-world way.
Swap your go-to order
"I used to eat out at restaurants up to nine
times a week! By cutting back to just once a week and ordering a grilled
chicken salad instead of a large bowl of pasta, I've lost 20 pounds in one
month." —Kerri Butler, Joplin,
MO
Skip the salty aisle
"I reached my goal weight after I stopped
routinely buying snacks at the grocery store. If I wanted a bag of chips or a
candy bar, I had to walk to the store to get it. That inconvenience usually
made me ignore my cravings." —Heather Del Baso, Worcester, MA
Have a 300-calorie breakfast
"I used to
skip breakfast, but now I never go without. I always eat about 300 calories of
a healthy mix of protein and whole grains. My go-to meal: a sandwich with
natural peanut butter and apple butter. It keeps my hunger down so I snack less
throughout the day. In a little over a year, I've shed 65 pounds." —Bo
Hale, Tulsa, OK
Get fit in five
"I try to
fit in small bouts of exercise whenever possible, like doing jumping jacks or
crunches during television commercials or dancing while washing dishes. This
burns extra calories and keeps me from mindlessly munching in front of the TV.
Now my clothes fit way better, and I’m more toned than ever." —Megan
Tiscareno, Hammond, IN
Kick the habit
"I quit smoking, and right away joined a gym
and started working out with a personal trainer. There was no way I could
exercise and feel healthy if I kept lighting up. I've already dropped 37 pounds
in three months!" —Leila Fathi, Memphis,
TN
Do a purge
"I totally cleaned out my pantry. Once I
replaced the foods I used to overindulge in, like ice cream, with lower-cal
snacks, such as roasted sunflower seeds or Special K Chocolaty Delight cereal,
I began making better choices automatically. Now, I'm slimmer than I was before
I had my two kids!" —Lori Feldman, Coconut Creek, FL
Healthy up your happy hour
"After work,
my colleagues and I always grabbed dinner—and it was usually deep-fried. Then
we changed things up. Instead of nights out, we started walking and running
around a local track. A year later, I’m down 40 pounds." —Ellen Setzer,
Cleveland, OH
Get fired up
"I loaded my iPod with jams that make me
look forward to going to the gym. They energize me, allowing me to pick up
speed on the elliptical—and because I want to hear my entire playlist, my
workouts are longer now. Two months later, I'm down 13 pounds and have killer
legs." —Kara Marshall, York,
ME
Pile on the veggies
"By adding
vegetables to the foods I love—like eating pizza topped with arugula and green
peppers instead of pepperoni—I became so full so quickly that I no longer had
room to eat things like chips or super-rich desserts. I said good-bye to four
dress sizes!" —Janessa
Mondestin, New York
City, NY
Run your butt off
"When I wanted to fit into my skinny jeans
again, I started running 20 minutes a day during my lunch hour. In two months,
I've lost 20 pounds, have tons of energy, and just finished my first 5K. Those
jeans? They're too big now!" —Lauren Castor, Anniston, AL
Downward dog it
"Yoga has become the best thing for my
relationship with food and my body. From practicing it several times a week,
I'm now more in touch with my hunger cues—so I eat intuitively and stop when
I'm full. I've gone down a jeans size, and my cellulite has disappeared!" —Jessica
Nicklos, Morgantown, WV
Don’t supersize it
"When going out for fast food, I used to get
the large-size value meal. Now, I satisfy a craving by ordering just one item:
a small order of fries or a six-piece box of chicken nuggets. So far, I've
shaved off 16 pounds in seven weeks, and I'm on track to being thinner than my
high school self for my 10-year reunion later this year." —Miranda
Jarrell, Birmingham, AL
Save room for your dessert
"I budget for the treats I love. By eating
healthy snacks like carrots and hummus, I have calories to splurge on a piece
of chocolate and glass of wine each night. And I've still managed to lose 20
pounds in three months." —Elaine Higginbotham, Fort Worth, TX
Brave a new class
"Two months ago, I started going to Zumba
twice a week. The crazy dance routines really tone your muscles—especially legs
and abs—and give you a heart-pounding cardio workout. Eleven pounds later, I've
almost reached my goal weight." —Morgan Howe, Rochester, NY
Nix nighttime eating
"Each time I needed to lose the baby weight,
I stopped eating after 6:30 p.m. five nights a week. The other two evenings
were reserved for nights out. Most of what I'd eat at night was junk food
anyway, so it took only two months to get my pre-baby body back." —Deborah
Gilboa, Pittsburgh, PA
Walk with Spot
"My dog and I go for a walk every day, even
if it's for just 10 minutes around the block. When the weather is horrible, her
enthusiasm gives me the incentive to get out when I wouldn't dare lace up my
sneakers otherwise. All the walking adds up: I've lost more than 50 pounds this
past year." —Jamie Altholz, Denver, CO
Love a good burger or ice cream
sundae this time of year? Here’s how to enjoy all your seasonal favorites and
still drop a swimsuit size.