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When you think of shaving calories from your day, a strict diet and exercise regime may come to mind. But it doesn’t have to be that hard! The following simple changes to your daily routine could help you stop snacking, get your body to burn extra calories and more. It's the little things, right? 1. Exercise at night. Evening sweat sessions can curb cravings that watching TV can't. According to an April 2013 study in the journal Obesity, our circadian system makes us hungriest a few hours before bedtime. But you may feel fuller after working out: A different study in the journal Metabolism found that perceived fullness was higher among participants after 12 weeks of aerobic training than before they were exercising. So a brisk walk after dinner each night may make you less likely to snack before bed. 2. Break up your regular meals. Here's what we mean: If you usually top your breakfast oatmeal with blueberries and walnuts, eat the oatmeal plain when you wake up, and save the blueberries and nuts for a snack later, suggests registered dietitian Jen Brewer, author of Stop Dieting and Start Losing Weight. Likewise, have soup or salad as a snack before supper rather than as your dinner starter. Brewer explains that it’s the same amount of calories divided throughout the day, so you're able to snack healthfully and still feel satiated—without adding more calories to your "three" meals a day. 3. Get a dog. Researchers at Michigan State University discovered that having a pooch is linked with burning 200 extra calories per week. Registered dietitian Keeley Mezzancello, who’s also a certified strength and conditioning specialist, says people who own and walk their dogs are 34% more likely than people who don’t to meet the American Heart Association's recommended 150 minutes of physical activity a week. Dog-walkers generally strolled about an hour longer per week than non-dog-walkers, which translates to an additional 230 calories burned a week. 4. Use social media. But maybe not in the way you think. "If you have to post that you ate M&M's, you're less likely to actually eat them," says Tara DelloIacono Thies, a registered dietitian and nutritional strategist at Clif Bar & Company. "That social aspect makes you more accountable." Using social media apps to track calories and workouts—and share those results—also can help you consume fewer calories, according to a study by LUNA and Institute for the Future. Click here for more ways to cut calories from Woman's Day. More from Woman's Day: How do you shave caloires off your day? |
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