While moving more and eating less will always be crucial to slimming down, scientists are constantly uncovering new ways to support your weight-loss efforts. In addition to cutting calories and sticking to a workout regimen that combines cardio with strength training, consider taking these steps toward a trimmer you in 2012:
• Make over your morning meal. Women dieters who snack between breakfast and lunch lose less weight than those who skip the mid-morning snack, a 2011 study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center suggests. What’s more, a 2011 study from Cornell University shows that eating a light lunch may be key to weight-loss success. Try starting your day with a hunger-taming breakfast that pairs protein with fiber (such as eggs and whole-grain toast or yogurt with whole-grain cereal).
• Get some guidance. Dieters who join up with a commercial weight-loss program (such as Weight Watchers) tend to lose more weight than those who try to trim down on their own, according to a 2001 study from the British Medical Journal.
• Put the kettle on. Preliminary research from Penn State indicates that drinking green tea may help reduce your body’s ability to absorb fat.
• Snooze more, stress less. In a 2011 Kaiser Permanente study, scientists discovered that dieters are more likely to reach their weight-loss goals when they have low stress levels and sleep more than six hours nightly.
For help in adopting each strategy—and maybe dropping a jeans size or two—add these essentials to your daily routine:
