How to Look Thinner Right Away

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There are times when you want to look thinner but you don't have weeks to go on a diet or spend hours at the gym. Perhaps you have a dinner date, a business meeting or an upcoming party where you want to look your best.  Or maybe you just want to look thinner in pictures.  So how do get a better body instantly?  The answer is easier than you think.  You simply improve your posture.

I know it sounds too simple to be effective, but think about it.

  When is the last time you saw a Hollywood actress slumping on the red carpet?  How often have you seen a supermodel slouching through an interview? Do you think that their radiant confidence comes naturally? It probably doesn't. If you want to look good, you need to learn how to stand tall and project your best self.

Benefits of Better Posture

When you stand up tall, you smooth out the bumps and lumps in your midsection and you look thinner, taller and more elegant.  Good posture is like wearing an invisible pair of Spanx.  But scientists have discovered more significant benefits to maintaining proper alignment.

Researchers recently found that good posture can affect your self image. In one study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology researchers found that when people practiced good posture, they felt more confident. When they slumped, they felt more doubtful.

Those feelings of confidence can change the way you look. In a recent interview about New York Fashion Week, beauty expert Bobbi Brown commented on female military veterans who strutted with ease down the catwalk.

  Since the women were not professional models, spectators were surprised at how elegant they looked.  But Bobbi explained that "so much about how you look is how you feel and so much about how you feel is how you look."

3 Ways Look Thinner Instantly

If you are ready to look and feel better about your body, use one of these methods to stand up tall, maintain good posture and look thinner.

If you take a few minutes each day to stand at a mirror and practice good posture, you'll be more likely to remember those body cues during the day.  Use simple methods to test your posture and learn how to stand up straight. You can even ask your spouse or your coworkers to give you a gentle nudge if you begin to slouch.

1. Alexander Technique.  Athletes, musicians and dancers have used Alexander Technique for years to correct postural issues that may affect their performance.  But regular folks like you and I can use this body awareness technique to stand taller and move with confidence. I've tried Alexander Technique and was surprised to find that even a single session can make big difference.  You can find a credentialed Alexander Technique practitioner by visiting the organization's website.   
    
2. Lumo Lift.  This new activity monitor not only tracks your daily steps and the number of calories burned, but it also supervises your posture.  Simply wear the stylish device on your upper body and it gives you a gentle buzz when it detects poor posture. I used Lumo Lift during my workday and found that I sat taller in front of my computer. I also noticed that I was more social during the day when I walked with better posture.
    
3. Awareness. The easiest and cheapest way to look thinner instantly is simply to be aware of your posture all day long.  We often slump out of habit when we sit in a chair too long or when we have to stand for a while.  We also slouch when we find ourselves in awkward or intimidating social situations.
   If you take a few minutes each day to stand at a mirror and practice good posture, you'll be more likely to remember those body cues during the day.  Use simple methods to test your posture and learn how to stand up straight. You can even ask your spouse or your coworkers to give you a gentle nudge if you begin to slouch.

Of course, there are also beauty secrets that can help you look thinner in pictures.  And if want a leaner body in the long run, you should eat a balanced diet and exercise on a regular basis.  But good posture is a healthy quick fix that you can use right away to feel better about your body and project a radiant and strong self image.

Proper Food Portion Sizes for Weight Loss

What Is Metabolism and How Do I Change It?

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Metabolism is a combination of biochemical processes that your body uses to convert food into energy. These metabolic processes include breathing, eating and digesting food, the delivery of nutrients to your cells through the blood, the use of energy by your muscles, nerves and cells, and finally the elimination of waste products from your body. 

The Definition of Metabolism

When dieters talk about metabolism, they usually aren't talking about a long list of physical and chemical processes.

We often use the word "metabolism" to describe the rate at which our bodies burn calories. This is the rate at which your body converts food into energy (calories) and then uses the energy to perform essential and non-essential daily functions. The rate at which we burn calories or burn energy is called metabolic rate. 

Your metabolic rate might change from day to day depending on your activity level, but your basal metabolic rate stays fairly steady. Your basal metabolic rate is the number of calories needed to fuel your body's essential functions, like breathing and circulating blood. Basal metabolic rate is the most significant component of your total metabolic rate. 

What Is My Basal Metabolic Rate?

There are several different ways to determine your basal metabolic rate. The most accurate way to measure BMR is to have it tested in a lab. Some health clubs also do metabolic testing for a fee. But you can calculate your metabolic rate using an online calculator. 

If you like to do math, you can also use the Harris-Benedict Equation to calculate your basal metabolic rate:

Men:  BMR = 88.362 + (13.397 x weight in kg) + (4.799 x height in cm) - (5.677 x age in years)

Women: BMR = 447.593 + (9.247 x weight in kg) + (3.098 x height in cm) - (4.330 x age in years)

Your total metabolism or metabolic rate is a combination of your BMR and other variable metabolic processes like eating, exercise and other daily movement.

 

Why Is My Metabolism Slow?

Everyone's metabolic rate is different. You might wonder why other people seem to have a fast metabolism and you have a slow metabolism.  There many be several reasons why. There are many different factors that affect metabolism

• Age. Metabolism slows as we age.
• Gender. Men generally have a higher metabolism than women.
• Body size. Bigger bodies burn more calories.
• Body temperature. Metabolism increases when the body is exposed to extreme temperatures.
• Caffeine or stimulant intake. Your metabolism may increase if you consume a stimulant like caffeine.
• Hormones. If thyroid hormones are not produced properly by your body, your metabolism may increase or decrease depending on the hormone level.
• Pregnancy. Women who are pregnant have a faster metabolism.
• Food intake. If you don't eat enough food, your metabolism slows.
• Body composition. Lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat even when your body is at rest.
• Activity level. When you move more during the day, either through exercise or routine daily movements (like walking or standing) your body burns more calories.

How Can I Change My Metabolism to Lose Weight?

There are some things that you can change about your metabolism and some things that you can't. For example, you can't change your age or your gender. But there are some things that you can change to boost your metabolism and lose weight. These include:

• Exercise. You burn more calories when you exercise. Even an easy workout increases your metabolism. Harder workouts, however, burn more calories.
• Daily movement. No time to exercise? Then move more during the day. Simple daily tasks like walking, climbing stairs, gardening and housework require your body to work harder and boost your metabolism.
• Build muscle. You can improve your body composition to burn more calories. Do strength training exercises to build muscle and burn more calories even when your body is resting. 
• Eat the right number of calories. Eating too many calories can cause weight gain. But eating too few calories can cause your metabolism to slow down. Make sure you're eating enough calories to maintain a healthy metabolism.

Your metabolism will change slightly from day to day. But if you can learn how to manage and maintain a healthy metabolism on a regular basis, weight loss and weight maintenance will be easier.

Sources:

_{Medline Plus. Metabolic Disorders. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Accessed: October 31, 2015. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/metabolicdisorders.html}

_{Medline Plus. Metabolism. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Accessed: October 31, 2015. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002257.htm}

_{What Is Metabolic Syndrome. National Institutes of Health. Accessed: October 31, 2015. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/ms}

The Best Sweet Snacks for Dieters

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The Best Sweet Treats for You

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Everyone loves to grab piece of candy or chocolate now and then. But if you're trying to lose weight or eat a healthier diet, the kind of treat you grab makes a big difference - even if it's a low-calorie sweet snack. It's critical that you satisfy your sweet tooth according to your "sweet treat style" so that you don't eat too much and ruin your diet.

So how do you determine your sweet treat style?

Almost everyone falls into one of these three categories:

• Portion control pro: Most of us want to be a portion control pro. This is the dieter who can eat just a few bites of any dessert and then stop. The key, however, is knowing how much to nibble so you don't eat too many calories.
   
• Distracted dieter. Do you crave sweet snacks when you're bored, tired, or upset? Then you're probably eating because you need a distraction. These eaters need sweet snacks that are lowest in calories and take longer to eat.
   
• Sugar junkie. If you're a sugar junkie, you crave sugar all the time. You have a hard time eating just a small amount of any sweet treat and you usually consume more calories and sugar than you need. These eaters need portion-controlled, low calorie sweets that are also high in protein or fiber to control hunger.

Now that you know what kind of sweet eater you are, check this list of low-calorie sweet snacks to find the treat that works best for you.

How Many Calories Do I Burn Running a 5K?

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One of the best ways to enjoy a healthy Thanksgiving is to start your day with a turkey trot. The fun runs are usually 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles. If you gather friends and family to walk or run the event you'll burn calories and improve your level of fitness.  But many exercisers assume that the exercise session allows them to eat more during their holiday meal. Is that really possible? 

Calories Burned During a 5K Run or Walk

The calories you burn when you walk or run a 5k will depend on your pace, your body size, and your gender.

  A 150-pound person will burn about 228 calories during the event if he runs a 10-minute per mile pace. A faster runner will burn more. A runner maintaining an 8:30/mile pace will burn 262 calories and a speedy 7:30/mile runner will burn 308 calories.  If you choose to walk a 5K course, you'll burn approximately 186 calories, according the American Council on Exercise.

Can 5K Calories Burn Off Thanksgiving Dinner?

So is running a 5K enough activity to burn off the calories in a typical Thanksgiving dinner?  Probably not, although the answer depends in part on the number of calories you eat during your meal. But in most cases, you'd have to run several consecutive turkey trots to burn off the entire feast.

For example, many experts estimate that you consume between 2500 and 4100 calories during a typical Thanksgiving meal. That meal would probably include high-calorie turkey with skin, full-fat mashed potatoes and gravy, several butter-drenched side dishes and, of course, one or two slices of pie with whipped cream. Even if you're able to burn 300 calories during a 5K run, you'd have to run 8 or more races to burn off those calories.

But you don't have to eat that much.

Eat Less to Balance 5K Calories

If you want to balance the calories in your Thanksgiving meal with the calories you burn during a 5K run or walk, you'll need to be mindful of portion sizes and food choices during the feast. You can cut calories in your Thanksgiving meal by using a few diet-friendly tricks during the holiday.

• Drink water instead of wine during the meal
• Skip the bread and butter to save room for your favorite savory foods
• Fill up on fiber rich veggies first so that you feel full sooner and eat less overall
• Choose white turkey meat and remove the skin before eating
• Fill your plate once and don't go back for seconds
• For dessert, choose plain pumpkin pie. It's lower in calories than most other dessert choices.

Keep in mind that even with these healthy choices, you will probably still eat more calories than you burn during a 5K run or walk. But that doesn't mean there isn't value in participating in the Turkey Trot.  Running is a great way to improve strength in your lower body, improve your level of fitness and bond with friends and family. Participate in the run on Thanksgiving Day and then add a few extra walking sessions or short runs to your weekly workout schedule to keep your diet on track.

The Exercise Cost of Your Halloween Candy

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Do you know how many calories you consume from Halloween candy? I recently wrote an article on the number of calories you consume on Halloween night and the numbers aren't pretty.  But of course, we often continue to raid the candy bowl well after the holiday is over.  So, the total damage can be even more substantial. 

Halloween Candy Workouts

So how do you burn off all of those Halloween calories?

I've listed the exercise cost of the most popular treats below. The Halloween candy workouts don't seem too bad, but keep in mind, that if you eat extra candy, then you need to do extra workouts to maintain your weight.  So these activities have to be performed in addition to your regular workouts if you are adding candy to your typical diet.

The number of calories that you burn may be slightly different than the calorie counts listed.  But they are good estimates of the Halloween candy workouts you need to do to keep your body weight stable after you indulge. The exercise estimates are based on the number of calories that a 150 pound exerciser would burn as indicated on the American Council on Exercise activity calculator.

• Kit Kat Bar (3 pieces/210 calories):  Run for 20 minutes or walk at a moderate pace for one hour.
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (1 cup/105 calories): Cycling workout for 25 minutes or swim laps for 15 minutes.
• Almond Joy (1 bar/80 calories): 15 minutes of intense aerobics class or 30 minutes of yoga.
• Snickers (2 fun size bars/160 calories): Weight training for 45 minutes.

• M&Ms (3 Fun size packs/180 calories) Cross country hiking for 30 minutes
• Hershey's Chocolate Bar (1 fun size bar/77 calories) 10 minutes of raquetball

Not a fan of exercise?  Here are some household tasks that will burn extra calories. Do each activity separately or do a complete housecleaning workout to burn fat and calories.

• Vacuum for 30 minutes - 100 calories
• Wash the car - 100 calories
• Grocery shopping - 80 calories
• Walk to the grocery store - 115 calories
• Scrub the floor - 200 calories

The Best Way to Burn Off Halloween Candy

It's not a good idea to try to burn off your Halloween candy calories with a single workout or even in a single day.  If you overindulged, add a few minutes to each of your regularly scheduled workouts for a week or two to get back on track.  You're more likely to stick to the program and you may be able to improve your fitness level to lose more weight while you're at it.

The Calorie Cost of Your Halloween Night

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Have you ever wondered how many calories you consume on Halloween night?  Some news sources have estimated that children consume between 3500 and 7000 calories from Halloween candy each year.  But what about the adults who hand out the candy? How many calories do we consume when we hand out Halloween candy to trick or treaters?

Halloween Candy Calories

To get an estimate of your total calorie consumption on Halloween night, consider the calorie counts of the most popular Halloween candies.

Most fun size treats provide 60-100 calories.

• Snickers Fun Size: 80 calories per bar
• Sweet Tarts: 60 calories in 6 candies
• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: 105 calories per cup
• Almond Joy: 80 calories per bar
• Milky Way: 80 calories per bar
• Tootsie Roll: 140 calories in 6 minis
• M&Ms: 180 calories per 3-pack serving

• Hershey's Chocolate Bar: 77 calories per fun size bar

Calories Consumed on Halloween Night

The actual calorie counts for the most popular Halloween candies don't seem very high. In fact, some dieters might not worry about the calories in these mini treats. But we usually don't eat just one. 

To get the real calorie count of your Halloween night you need to think about how much candy you eat between visits from ghosts and goblins.  Do you eat two treats each hour?  Or do you grab three or four candies? 

This pattern of mindless eating could add up to between 640 – 1,280 calories if you hand out candy for 4 hours.  And that doesn't even include the candy you grab from your kids' stash when they come home at the end of the night.

How to Eat Less on Halloween Night

The calorie count of each piece of Halloween candy is not very high.  But the practice of mindless eating can ruin your diet.  Your best strategy to eat less on Halloween night is to put aside 3 or 4 treats for yourself to enjoy.  Pace yourself and eat one treat per hour.

 

In addition, prepare a few filling high protein snacks to keep yourself feeling full and satisfied so you don't raid the candy bowl.  If you love the peanuty taste of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, try celery stalks with peanut butter, instead.  If you love fruity sweet treats like Starburst, freeze fresh berries to munch on throughout the night.

But, if you still overindulge, don't panic.  Figure out the exercise cost of your Halloween treats and spend a few extra minutes at the gym in the weeks after the holiday.

Got a strategy to eat less on Halloween night? Visit my Facebook page and let me know or follow me on Twitter and tweet me the tip.