Get Healthy
A 10-step slimdown guide for fall.
There’s no denying it: The transition from summer to fall can be stressful. Between losing daylight and adjusting routines, your motivation to eat well and exercise can take a beating. But it doesn’t have to! Arm yourself with these 10 smart, star-inspired strategies, and you’ll fall into a slimdown regimen that can carry you through the season.
1AIM ◀ HIGH
Choose high- quality foods and eat them strategically throughout the day. Have topquality whole-grain bread in the morning, combine produce and protein for snacks, and choose lean protein for dinner, advises Chicago registered dietitian nutritionist Dawn Jackson Blatner. Star inspiration: Strategies like these helped Grammy winner Shakira drop the baby weight in record time in 2015.
2USE THE 5 X 3 FORMULA
To facilitate fat loss and muscle growth, choose from among five foods from each macronutrient category for each meal: fish, turkey, chicken, lean beef or protein powder (for protein); oats, quinoa, rice, sweet potato or Ezekiel bread (for carbs); and nuts, olive oil, coconut oil, avocado or eggs (for fat), advises La-based celebrity trainer Phil Catudal. Star inspiration: After having twins in 2015, Person of Interest actress Sarah Shahi lost the baby weight in 10 weeks with this approach.
3EAT SEA VEGETABLES
Besides being low in calories, sea vegetables — including seaweeds — like wakame, hijiki, dulse and kelp are packed with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. What’s more, seaweeds contain four major bioactive compounds that have anti-obesity properties. Star inspiration: To lose 20 pounds, Tia Mowry-hardrict relied on whole plant foods, high-quality protein, sea veget ables and fermented foods.
◀ 4PACK SOME POUCHES
To stay hydrated and energized when you’re on the go, take along pouches of puréed produce. That way you won’t resort to “grabbing a bag of chips or pretzels when you’re famished,” says registered dietitian Leslie ◀ Bonci. Star inspiration: Brazilian model Camila Alves consumes baby food pouches for one meal and one snack and eats balanced meals the rest of the day.
5 COMMIT TO 10
Exercising doesn’t always have to be about doing more or going longer. A focused 10- minute workout every day can actually yield big results. Star inspiration: Singersongwriter Ed Sheeran lost 50 pounds with the help of hard- core interval workouts for just 10 minutes a day.
6TRY A NEW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
To broaden your sporting life and burn more calories, make a point to try a new workout for 20 minutes each week. Give new activities a few road tests, then rotate the ones you enjoy to keep your exercise life fresh. Star inspiration: Skier Lindsey Vonn used this strategy to slim down and gain body pride.
7KICK STRESS TO THE CURB
If you have a habit of eating for emotional comfort, take a 10-minute walk — a short bout of movement can reduce stress and your urge to nosh, suggests Wendy Bazilian, a doctor of public health and a dietitian in San Diego. Star inspiration: Singer Sam Smith lost 50 pounds, partly by learning to relieve stress without eating.
◀ 8RENAME CHEATS
Instead of giving yourself a cheat day, allow yourself conscious treats on a regular basis. “Food is nourishment, but it should also be enjoyed as part of life,” says NYC nutrition consultant Elisa Zied. Star inspiration: After splitting from her second husband, Jennie Garth shed 30 pounds by eating mostly veggies and protein but making room for occasional indulgences like cupcakes.
◀ 9DELAY; DON’T DENY
While you’re retraining your taste buds to prefer healthier foods, if you have an intense craving for something you’re trying to avoid, “don’t tell yourself you can’t have it,” Blatner says. “Instead, promise yourself you’ll wait it out for a while.” Then, if you truly want it later, let yourself enjoy a square of dark chocolate. Savor. Every. Bite. Star inspiration: Eating healthy foods and reducing her portion sizes helped Shonda Rhimes lose nearly 150 pounds without forbidding any particular foods.
10GET COZY WITH A TAPE MEASURE
Instead of relying on the scale to monitor your progress, use a tape measure to track changes on your chest, waist, hips and thighs. The tape is a better gauge of true weight loss because “the scale ref lects how much fluid and fiber you’re holding on to,” Bonci says. Star inspiration: After giving birth in January, supermodel Molly Sims used a tape measure to track her slimdown results.