Jenn's Losing It

Of course nights are great for going on dates, binge-watching Netflix, doing work, chatting on the phone—you name it. But you know what  else  they're great for? Setting yourself up for bigger and better weight-loss results. Just follow these tips to get yourself that much closer to your goal weight. Have a Low-Sodium Dinner "If you want to wake up feeling less bloated, definitely skip the Chinese dinner," says Keri Gans, R.D., author of  The Small Change Diet . What happens is the salt stays in your system overnight, so you wake up puffier than you normally would. The best option is to cook a healthy meal of steamed veggies and a lean protein—neither of which should be loaded with salt. Do a Nighttime Workout You know that sweating can help you drop pounds, but you may think that exercising too close to bedtime can keep you up at night. Luckily, that's not true; a 2013 survey from the National Sleep Foundation found that active people are 56 to 67 percent more likel...

SHUTTERSTOCK If you're used to working out before or after the daily grind, here's a suggestion: start incorporating fitness into  your workday. Some recent cool research shows that a sweat session can have a positive effect on your job performance. Here are the details: It Fuels Your Creative Juices Ever notice how desk jockeying all day can leave you feeling so uninspired? Then this is for you: A new study published in the  Journal of Experimental Psychology demonstrates that simply taking a walk during office hours can score you a creativity surge. Study authors conducted four separate experiments, asking subjects to take part in a series of creative exercises while doing some combination of sitting, walking, being rolled in a wheelchair, and/or walking on a treadmill. The results demonstrated that walking indoors and outdoors triggered a burst in creative thinking, with the average creative output rising 60 percent (!) when a person was walking.  MORE: ...

iStock/Thinkstock You may have read in the past that eating mini meals throughout the day is a smart way to  lose weight . The thinking there is that by grazing every couple hours, you never get to that point where you're starving—meaning you're less likely to wolf down way too many calories in one sitting. But a new multi-university study, published in journal  Appetite  this month, claims that  all of the research thus far on eating small meals throughout the day is inconclusive —and as a result, mini meals should not be touted as a smart weight-loss strategy at this point. So how'd the researchers come to this conclusion? They analyzed all of the previous studies done about meal frequency and found that the majority of them used self-reported data—which, in the dieting world, is considered pretty unreliable. So we asked Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet , for her take on the results. "Most people don't understand what a small meal is—so the people...

Shutterstock What’s the cost of one workout? If you hire a personal trainer, it’s not just  sore muscles : The average trainer charges $26 an hour, according to an American Council on Exercise survey—which means just three  workouts  a week could set you back more than $4,000 a year!   Not in your budget? No worries: You can borrow some trainer-approved techniques. The IDEA Health & Fitness Association recently  surveyed  2,818 personal trainers and revealed the five types of exercise equipment the pros are most likely to use with their clients. Lucky for you, we have  workouts  to help you put these handy tools to use! 92% use resistance tubing or bands Try this:   The 15-Minute Exercise Bands Workout 91% use stability balls Try this:   The Stability Ball Workout for Flat Abs 89% use barbells or dumbbells Try this:   The Power Pairs Dumbbell Workout 84% use foam rollers and small balls Try this:   Roll Your Way to a Fit Bo...

iStock/Thinkstock A new Gallup survey found that a full 51 percent of adults are hoping to drop pounds—yet only about half of them say they are truly doing something to downsize. We get it: Embarking on a weight-loss plan feels so daunting. But it doesn't have to be; all it takes to get started is a few tiny lifestyle tweaks that get you on your way to reaching your goal. Here, five beyond-simple weight-loss strategies to get you started: Start your day with oatmeal: Research shows  it can help keep hunger at bay better than other cereals   Ditch the guilt:  Recent research shows  beating yourself up about eating something indulgent can sabotage your weight-loss efforts . Instead, look at treating yourself as a celebratory—not shame-inducing—event.  Ignore the scale:  Numbers go up and down and stall in a plateau all the time, which can do a number on your motivation. A better idea: Focus on healthy habits rather than weigh-ins—it's likely to result in more...

Thinkstock How do you choose your foods? If you're a healthy eater, you probably flip over the box and peruse the nutrition panel. That's a good start—but you may need to scan smarter.  Women tend to ignore sugar content in protein- and fiber-rich foods , a new University of Iowa study shows. MORE :  "My Week Without Sugar" The researchers asked 263 women to rate the healthiness of 104 foods, such as baked tilapia, fried cheese sticks, gummy worms, and cinnamon rolls, on a scale of 1 to 100, with higher numbers indicating better-for-you foods. On average, the females placed most foods squarely in the middle of the scale. However, certain nutritional qualities seemed to strongly sway their view of the foods. For example, the women tended to rely heavily on sugar content as an indicator of healthfulness (smart ladies!)—but they made a few critical, and worrisome, exceptions to this rule. MORE:   Curb Your Sweet Tooth When foods were low in protein, the study participant...

THINKSTOCK.COM If you're hitting the slopes this winter, you might want to pick up skis instead of a snowboard.  Skiers report more pleasure and engagement than snowboarders, even if they're just casual participants , according to a new study in the journal  Applied Research in Quality of Life .  Researchers surveyed 279 visitors at three ski resorts in South Korea to look at their level of pleasure, flow (when you lose yourself in an activity), and sense of involvement after participating in either winter sport. The result: Ski bunnies came out on top. The skiers reported more pleasure and involvement in their sport than the snowboarders, which seemed to be mediated by their level of flow or engagement. And luckily, even one or very few outings had a positive effect on their mood—so there's no need to blow your bank account on a cabin for the whole season just to reap these benefits.   Women's Health Magazine PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 9, 2013  |  BY...

Want an extra challenge. . .and an even sleeker stomach? Add these calorie-torching "afterburner" ab moves to your workout. And then check out Brooke Siler's incredible book,  The Women's Health Big Book of Pilates , for even more toning and whittling Pilates  workouts.   MOVE  1 Kneeling Butterfly Beth Bischoff Kneel on the mat facing away from the anchor, knees hip-width apart. Raise your arms out to shoulder height and lean forward slightly, keeping your body in a straight line from head to knees  (a) . Inhale and twist your torso to the left, pulling the right handle overhead and the left just behind your hip, maintaining equal tension in the bands as you twist (b) . Exhale and slowly return to start. Repeat, twisting to the other side. That's one rep. Do four. Quick Tip:  Brace your core and squeeze your glutes before you start. MOVE  2 Side-Bend Arm Circles Beth Bischoff Holding both ends of the bands, walk your knees farther away from the anchor...

Viktor Neimanis/Hemera/Thinkstock.com Yesterday, we reported on a  study that found eating mini meals throughout the day may not be the best weight-loss strategy . And today we've got even more  evidence to support the finding that snacking may not help you keep off pounds. A new study from Drexel University, published in the journal Appetite , found that  people who skip snacks before a meal eat roughly the same amount at the meal as those who eat something beforehand . For the study, researchers divided participants into two groups: The first group had a protein shake, and the second group didn't eat anything. Then, researchers told both groups to eat a regular meal roughly four hours later. Guess what? Those who'd fasted didn't eat any more than those who'd had the shake. Now, to be clear, the study was self-reported, which isn't the most reliable survey method in the science world. That said, researchers believe the results still may check out—because hunger...

Isometric exercises, in which you hold a position perfectly still for a few seconds, trigger a ton of activity in your muscles—a real boon to boosting strength and endurance. (Just think how quickly you feel it in your biceps when carrying a bunch of grocery bags.) Do these exercises up to three times through as a circuit, medium dumbbells optional. Hold each one for at least 10 seconds, then rest for a moment before moving on to the next exercise. You can also use them in supersets to compliment their moving-exercise counterparts (i.e., do a set of 10 squats and then move #1, a wall seat; do a set of 10 close-arm pushups and then move #2, low plank, etc.). Or, just sneak one in here and there for a little tone-up throughout the day. (Skip ‘em entirely, though, if you’re pregnant or have high blood pressure—isometric action can elevate BP levels.) —Amy Roberts, NASM-CPT MOVE  1 Wall Seat JENNIFER WEAVER Get your thigh muscles firing (and burning). Place your feet about 18 inches fr...

ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK.COM Sure, eating three helpings of pie won’t do your waistline any favors—but neither will eating three helpings of broccoli. Here’s why: Certain foods are known bloat offenders, which means they’ll increase puffiness and make you appear heavier than you are, says Stephanie Middleberg, R.D., of Stephanie Middleberg Nutrition in New York City. These are the four food items to watch out for the most: Cruciferous Vegetables Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale—this season’s trendiest greens are also the biggest stomach puffers, thanks to their high fiber content. Enjoy a small serving since they’re so healthy and filling—but stop after that, particularly if you’re trying to fit into a tiny holiday party dress later. Salty Processed Products A handful of chips, a serving of canned soup, cold cuts…if you got it from a bag or a box, it’s probably loaded with salt, which causes you to retain water and resemble a blowfish. Steer clear of these offenders as much as po...

FUSE/THINKSTOCK.COM I’ve been practicing yoga for years, but even I know that yoga can be especially daunting for the uninitiated. Being new in a yoga class is like entering a new dimension—to boldly go where no non-yogi has ever gone before. But here’s where you’re in luck: I’ve come up with a guide of how to handle yoga class like a certified yogi. Or, rather, how NOT to—the mistakes that lots of newbies make that you should decidedly avoid. Consider this mishmash a list of pet peeves and also general life pointers. And for those of you who do yoga regularly—definitely let me know if I’ve missed anything in the comments! Mistake: Keeping Your Shoes On I’m a self-professed shoe addict, so I totally get that the perfect pair of sneaks can pull a whole gym look together… but that stops at the door of your yoga class. There’s a strict ‘no shoes’ rule in all yoga classes. You’ll have your hands, feet and entire body on and off the mat at some point throughout the class, and you don’t want...

The question:  I went to the gym yesterday and now I have  sore muscles . That means I had a great workout, right? T he expert:  Josh Feldman, a certified personal trainer and fitness manager at Crunch Fitness in New York City The answer:  Not really. While working your muscles until they’re achy means you technically did tax your muscles, which helps them get stronger, it’s actually not  beneficial  work in the long run. The reason? Pushing it to the max one day means you’re going to be too sore to hit the gym the next day, or the day after that. And that’s a serious issue, because  consistency  is the ultimate goal here. “It’s way more important to be able to exercise every day or every other day than to just kill it one day and not be able to move for four or five days after that,” explains Feldman. In other words, it all comes down to the basic fact that moving more often is better for you than going all gung-ho for a bit, and then procee...

There's no getting around this fundamental truth: You can't have  weight-loss success  unless your  calories burned  are more than your calories in. Leslie Bonci, M.P.H., R.D., a sports nutritionist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, recommends these formulas for figuring out how many calories your  nutrition plan  should include. Everyone is different, but it will give you a basic idea. Lazy-Day Calorie Goal (use on days when you're taking it easy/not exercising):  A.  Your weight, in pounds: ____ B.  A x 15 = _____ C.  B - 500 = _____ Busy-Day Calorie Goal (use on days when you're active/exercising): A.  Your weight, in pounds: ____ B.  A x 18 = ____ C.  B - 500 = ____ PUBLISHED: DECEMBER 14, 2007 Women's Health Magazine

Need another reason to love your body? It burns calories all by itself—as long as you don't get in the way. See, every cell in your body plays a role in energy metabolism—the process of turning the food you eat into energy that keeps your heart beating, lungs pumping, and muscles moving. The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn. And just like there are ways to speed it up—by working out, for instance—certain habits can hit the brakes on your natural calorie-churning engine. Here are 10 things to avoid in order to keep your metabolism humming. A Weird Eating Schedule In a 2012 Hebrew University study, mice fed high fat foods sporadically gained more weight than mice that ate a similar diet on a regular schedule. Researchers suspect that eating at the same times every day trains the body to burn more calories between meals. The fix:  Learn the  best times to eat —and stick with them. Pesticide in Produce Organochlorines (chemicals in pesticides) can interfere with ...