Compliments of

[Link]

Lose
it Fast,
Make
it Last
p

Lose
it Fast,
Make
it Last

from the editors of Prevention magazine

© 2004 by Rodale Inc.

L
contents
3 Three Keys for Keeping Weight Off
Three Keys
at Well and Outsmart Fat
E for Keeping Weight Off
4 The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan
Experts have long known that the key to successful—
12 Overcome Your Most Troublesome Diet Pitfalls
and long-term—weight loss is to burn off more calories
alk (and Pump) Your Way to Weight Loss
W than you take in. Sounds easy enough. Why, then, do
16 Walk It Off: Blast Fat, Get Fit,
most people continue to ride the weight loss roller
And Have Energy to Burn
22 Why Weight? Finally, A Routine that coaster, losing weight and gaining it back time and time
Simplifies Your Life again? It could be that eating well and exercising just
aren’t enough.
in the Fat War!
W
26 Lose Up to 100 Pounds, One Habit at a Time That’s why, in addition to providing you with a
28 Invest in Fitness healthy, great tasting diet and specific exercises to help
30 Go Online to Take Pounds Off you lose inches as you shed pounds, Lose It Fast, Make It
Last includes an essential third component: Inspiration!
In these pages, you’ll find lots of inspiration from people
just like you who have lost weight and kept it off—for
good.
The information here is designed to help you make informed decisions about We think you’ll find Lose It Fast, Make It Last the per-
your health. It is not intended as a substitute for any treatment prescribed by your
doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, please seek competent fect companion on your weight loss journey. Here’s to
medical care.
Before you undertake a new health program or fitness regimen, we encourage staying a healthy, slimmer you!
you to discuss your plans with your health-care professional, especially if you
have not exercised for several years, are over 35, or are overweight.

Project editors: Diane Gilroy and Linda Rao

Copy editor: Joanne LeGar
Designer: Judy Ross

[Link] 
 Eatand
Well
keep off weight, and it brings you every top nutrition strategy known to
promote good health.
The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan will help make los-
ing weight easy and healthy. This isn’t a crazy, fad diet: The plan relies on

Outsmart
fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and maximizes wholesome,
pure foods instead of overly processed foods. It delivers 1,500 calories
a day, a gradual weight loss diet for most women. The Ultimate Lose-

Fat
Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan also asks you to eat six minimeals a day of
about 250 calories each. Eating more, smaller minimeals throughout the
day helps prevent dips in energy
and allows you to burn more calo- What’s a Serving?
ries as you grow older. For women Vegetables and Fruits
over 50, this diet could prevent a 1 serving =
weight gain of up to 6 lb a year. (If 1 med piece of fruit
1⁄2 c chopped fruit
you need more than 1,500 calories
1⁄2 c cooked or raw veggie
a day, double the portions for one
or more minimeals.) 1 c raw green leaves
The Ultimate Lose-Weight, What makes this diet even bet-
3⁄4 c vegetable or fruit juice

Feel-Great Eating Plan ter is that studies show that it also

should lower your risk of heart
Whole Grains
1 serving =
Lose weight, detoxify your body, attack, osteoporosis, high blood 1 slice whole wheat bread
and prevent everything from PMS to heart disease pressure, cancer, stroke, diabetes,
1⁄2 c brown rice or bulgur
1⁄2 c whole wheat pasta
cataracts, diverticulosis, obesity,

E
very day you hear about the “new” eating plan you need: There’s depression, and even PMS. So not High-Calcium Foods
one for weight loss, another for heart disease. Want to beat can- only will you lose weight, you’ll 1 serving =
cer? There’s a diet for that too. Need to eliminate toxins and rid also enjoy better health. 1 c fat-free or 1% milk
1 c fat-free or low-fat yogurt
your diet of sugars, preservatives, and unnecessary chemicals? This eating plan is everything
1 c calcium-fortified orange juice
Step right up and try this new way of feeding yourself. you need: It’s easy, it helps you lose 1 oz reduced-fat cheese
With so many plans for so many conditions, weight, it’s all-protective, and—
there’s no way you could do it all. Nutrition best of all—it works! Beans
1 serving =
But what if there was one simple plan that cov- Nugget 1⁄­2 c cooked dried beans/lentils
ered everything: losing weight, fighting off disease, STEP ONE: Eat Nine Servings of
Use time-sav- Nuts
detoxifying your body. What if you could adopt the Vegetables and Fruits Every Day
ing frozen and 1 serving =
one perfect plan that you could live with forever? canned veggies Veggies and fruits are the founda-
2 Tbsp chopped
Well, look no further. The 10-step Ultimate and fruits, which tion of The Ultimate Lose-Weight,
Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan is here! Our provide as much Feel-Great Eating Plan. Eat nine Fish
exclusive plan combines the best of the best—it’s nutrition as 1⁄2-cup servings of a variety of 1 serving =
a sensible eating system that allows you to lose or fresh produce. fruits and veggies every day. 3 oz cooked

 lose it fast, make it last [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 
 Sound like veggie overkill? In reality, it could spell Nutrition Whole grains also mean extra fiber, the closest thing to a weight loss
extra life. Study after study links diets highest in
fruits and vegetables with less cancer, heart disease,
Nugget magic bullet. Not only does it fill you up quickly with fewer calories,
but it also eliminates some of the calories you eat! Fiber whisks calories
diabetes, even osteoporosis. The important DASH To make sure through your system so quickly that some never have
you’re getting
(Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet
true whole grain Nutrition a chance to end up on your hips.
study found that nine servings a day lowered blood
products, look Nugget To maximize fiber’s slimming powers, aim for 25
pressure as much as some prescription drugs. for the word
to 35 grams (g) a day. By eating 30 g a day, your body
If you’re lactose
More experts are saying that five servings a day “whole” on the will absorb almost 120 fewer calories daily. That adds
intolerant, try
should be the minimum, and that five vegetables ingredients list. up to a 13-lb loss in 1 year!
lactose-free
and four fruits are the optimum. Yet most Ameri- dairy products.
cans get only four servings of either a day. In The Ultimate Lose-Weight, If you’re not wild STEP THREE: Eat Two or Three Calcium-Rich
Feel-Great Eating Plan , you’ll need to make every meal and snack a fruit about milk, try Foods Every Day
or veggie opportunity. calcium-fortified Not only does getting adequate calcium support
fruit juices. strong bones and help prevent osteoporosis, but clin-
STEP TWO: Eat Three to Six Whole Grain Foods Every Day ical studies suggest that it helps prevent colon cancer,
Diets high in whole grains are linked to less heart disease, stroke, diabe- high blood pressure, and PMS.
tes, and cancer. If you’ve been eating a high-carbohydrate diet with lots Obvious high-calcium food choices include 1% and fat-free milk,
of refined grains—typically breads, rolls, bagels, pretzels, and crackers low-fat and fat-free yogurt, and reduced-fat and fat-free cheese. Other
made from white flour—it may be a challenge at first to find whole grain good ideas are orange and grapefruit juices and soy milk that have been
substitutes. fortified with calcium; to equal the calcium found in milk, look for at
But the payoff is worth it. To your body, refined white flour is the same least 30% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium per serving.
as sugar, making a diet high in white-flour foods the same as a high- And there’s even more good news: Calcium may lower your body
sugar diet. fat. A group of women who ate at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium
a day, along with a diet of no more than 1,900 calories daily, lost more
At a Glance
weight—as much as 6 lb more during a 2-year study—than women
The Ultimate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan who ate less calcium. It could be that calcium suppresses certain hor-
Daily Servings Daily Supplements mones, which results in decreased fat production
and increased fat breakdown, says lead researcher
Nutrition
Vegetables
and Fruits
9 servings
(5 veggie/4 fruit)
Multivitamin/ 100% DV for
mineral most nutrients Dorothy Teegarden, PhD, assistant professor of
Nugget
Whole Grains 3–6 servings Vitamin E 100–400 IU foods and nutrition at Purdue University in West To reduce
Lafayette, IN. If you’re 50 or older or have low bone sodium in
High-Calcium 2–3 servings Vitamin C 100–500 mg
density, you should get 1,500 mg of calcium daily. If canned beans by
Foods Calcium Under 50 years about one-third,
8 Glasses Water and 1+ cup tea old: 500 mg you’re younger than 50, aim for 1,000 mg.
rinse off the
Over 50 years canning liquid
Weekly Servings old: 1,000 mg STEP FOUR: Eat Beans at Least Five Times a Week before using. Or
Beans 5+ servings
Beans are the highest-fiber foods you can find, with look for canned
Nuts 5 servings the single exception of breakfast cereals made with beans with no
Fish 2+ servings wheat bran. Diets high in fiber are linked to less added sodium.

 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 
Boost Your Metabolism by Going Vegetarian prevent the development of a dangerously irregular heartbeat.
Humans evolved on diets that supplied much more omega-3s than we
Exercise is one way to raise your metabolism and burn more calories.
get today, and some experts suspect that rising rates of depression in the
Another is a vegetarian diet.
In a small study conducted at the University of Maryland last 100 years have been caused by a lack of these omega-3 fats in brain
in Baltimore, the calorie-burning power of vegetarians cell membranes.
at rest was 11% higher than that of meat eaters. The protein in fish is also a great hunger-stopper—and it helps build
The vegetarians also had higher blood levels of healthy muscles that burn tons of calories. “Fish is an excellent source
a hormone called norepinephrine. It may be that of protein because it’s high in omega-3 fatty acids that are good for your
increased norepinephrine accelerated the metab- heart while low in cholesterol and saturated fat,” says Michael Hamilton,
olism, says study coauthor Eric T. Poehlman, MD, MPH, associate professor of research at the Pennington Biomedical
PhD, now professor of medicine in the depart- Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. “And protein is important for pro-
ment of medicine at the University of Vermont moting satiety—the feeling of fullness you look for from a meal.”
in Burlington. But what caused the vegetarians’
Choose low-mercury fish such as sardines, herring, and wild salmon,
greater norepinephrine levels in the first place?
which are all high in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. If you are a veg-
Most likely their high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet,
he says. etarian or dislike fish, you can get a plant version of omega-3 fat by using
canola oil for cooking and flaxseed oil for salad dress-
cancer, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and even ulcers. Beans are espe- Nutrition ings. You can also eat omega-3-enriched eggs.
cially high in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels, and folate, Nugget
which lowers levels of yet another risk factor for heart disease: homocys- Both green and STEP SEVEN: Drink Eight Glasses of Water Every
teine. black tea con- Day, Plus a Cup or More of Tea
tain powerful Every cell in your body needs water to function.
STEP FIVE: Nosh on Nuts Five Times a Week And big water drinkers appear to get less colon and
Studies show that people who eat nuts regularly
Nutrition antioxidants. So
drink whichever bladder cancer. Drinking lots of water helps you
have less heart disease and other illness than people Nugget one you prefer. feel full too.
who avoid them. Even among the healthiest eat- Be sure to store In addition, every cup of tea provides a strong infu-
ers, the ones who also eat nuts have the best health nuts in the sion of antioxidants that help keep blood from clot-
records. Exactly why isn’t known yet, but one pos- refrigerator to ting too easily (which may thwart heart attacks) and that may help lower
sible reason could be compounds in nuts called keep them from your risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.
tocotrienols. oxidizing and
turning rancid.
The key to eating nuts is to not eat too many; STEP EIGHT: Keep Your Fat Budget
they’re so high in calories that you could easily gain To stay within a healthy fat budget—25% of Maximum
weight. To avoid temptation, we suggest keeping a jar of chopped nuts in calories from fat—you must first find the Fat Allowance
your fridge. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons a day on cereal, yogurt, veggies, sal- maximum fat allowance for your calorie level: Calories Grams of Fat
ads, or wherever the crunch and rich flavor appeal to you. Once you know your fat budget, see whether 1,250 35
you’re staying within the bounds by adding 1,500 42
STEP SIX: Feast on Fish Twice a Week up the grams of fat for all the food that you 1,750 49
Studies show that people who eat fish twice a week or more have fewer eat in a day. 2,000 56
fatal heart attacks. Scientists credit omega-3 fats, which have the ability to Almost all food labels will tell you the 2,250 63

 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 
grams of total fat in a serving. The Ultimate Lose- Nutrition STEP TEN: Consider Your Options Carefully Nutrition
Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan is designed to have The following choices are up to you with The Ulti-
approximately 42 g of fat, the healthy limit for a
Nugget mate Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan:
Nugget
1,500-calorie-per-day diet. To avoid trans n Meat and poultry. If you want, you can choose up Take calcium
Try to get most of your fat from olive and canola fats, which raise to 3 cooked oz (the size of a deck of cards) a day. carbonate with
oils (or salad dressings made from them), trans-fat- cholesterol, You’ll get enough protein on The Ultimate Lose- meals; you can
avoid products take calcium
free margarine, nuts, and fish. And spread your fat Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan without adding
with the words citrate on an
throughout the day: A little fat with each meal helps “partially hydro-
meat, and studies consistently link vegetarian empty stomach.
you absorb fat-soluble nutrients from vegetables genated” on the diets to better health, perhaps partly because diets For best absorp-
and fruits. ingredients list. low in meat are naturally lower in saturated fat. tion, don’t take
n Eggs. If you have diabetes or high cholesterol, more than 500
STEP NINE: Take Some Sensible Nutrition Insurance or are overweight, you can eat up to four eggs mg at one time.
Besides your fabulous diet, take a multivitamin/mineral supplement, a week; otherwise, up to seven eggs a week
plus 100 to 400 IU of vitamin E and 100 to 500 mg of vitamin C daily. are okay.
Also take 500 mg of calcium if you’re under 50; take 1,000 mg of calcium n Alcohol. Women should limit alcohol to one drink a day. Men should
(divided into two separate doses of 500 mg each) if you’re 50 or older. limit their alcohol intake to two drinks a day. Studies show that mod-
Always use vitamins by the expiration date, or they lose potency. erate alcohol consumption, especially of red wine, lowers the risk of
heart disease. But it also slightly raises the risk of breast cancer.
Prevention’s Basic Supplement Plan Put the Eating Plan into Practice
Increase your odds for better or aspirin, consult your doctor
health in seconds a day with before taking E. Now that you know how the eating plan works, here are a couple of sam-
these four supplements: 3. Vitamin C: 100 to 500 mg. ple menus to get you started.
1. Multiple vitamin and mineral You can get this from foods, but
formula. No diet is perfect. Look will you? Studies suggest that C SAMPLE MENU 1
for a multi with 100% of the Daily supplements taken for 10 years Breakfast In blender, whirl the following
Value (DV) of most nutrients. reduce cataracts by more than ¾ cup hot whole wheat cereal together until smooth: 1 cup
One potential benefit: Recently, a 75%. To maintain levels of C all ½ cup frozen blueberries, thawed papaya (peeled, seeded, and cut
study found that nurses who took day, take half in the morning and 1 cup fat-free milk up), 1 cup low-fat plain yogurt,
multis for 15 years had 75% less half at night. Midmorning Snack ½‑banana, ½ cup pineapple
colon cancer. Multis may boost 4. Calcium: 500 mg if you’re 50 1 slice toasted raisin bread chunks, ½ tsp. dried mint, and
immunity too. Take with meals for or under; 1,000 mg if you’re over 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter 4‑slightly crushed ice cubes. (You
best absorption. 50. Along with dietary calcium, can also replace the papaya with
Lunch
2. Vitamin E: 100 to 400 IU. This this should bring you up to rec- jarred mango spears.)
1 small bean burrito
is the only way to get the amount ommended levels to fight osteo- Dinner
8 grape tomatoes, halved and
of E that may protect you from porosis. If you’re over age 50, 2 oz roast chicken breast
tossed with 2 oz crumbled
heart attacks, colds and flu, pros- look for a formula with vitamin 1 cup mashed butternut squash
reduced-fat feta cheese
tate and colon cancers, diabetes, D—you may need more D than 1 cup brussels sprouts
and Alzheimer’s disease. If you your multi supplies. Midafternoon Snack
1 serving Papaya Power Shake: ½ cup corn kernels mixed with
take blood-thinning medication

10 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 11
 ¼‑cup cooked barley Day’s total = Calories: 1,529 common snags even the best eaters hit and how you can triumph
2 teaspoons canola oil Fat: 45 g over them.
Evening Snack Saturated fat: 15 g
1 extra large baked apple with 2 Fiber: 30 g
Pitfall: You Love to Nibble A healthy
teaspoons honey or brown sugar Sodium: 2,609 mg
midday snack
will stave
When life is busy, sometimes it’s off hunger
SAMPLE MENU 2 easier to eat standing up or as you
Breakfast ½ cup cucumber slices head out the door, than it is to sit
½ whole wheat English muffin Dinner down at the table and take your
1 teaspoon trans-fat-free margarine 3 oz poached salmon time. What’s worse, many of us are
1 poached or hard-cooked egg 1 cup brown rice always racing somewhere and find
1 pear ½ cup no-salt-added stewed ourselves surrounded on all sides
Midmorning Snack tomatoes by fattening, sweet kid food. (With
½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 cup steamed kale all that to face, it’s easy to just have
½ cup low-fat granola Evening Snack a cup of coffee and consider that
Lunch ½ cup calcium-fortified orange your breakfast before you head out
2 slices whole wheat bread with juice the door!) As the rest of your day
2‑oz reduced-fat mozzarella 1 banana
gets progressively busier, it’s often
cheese
hard to find time to grab anything
1 roasted bell pepper (packed in Day’s total = Calories: 1,506
water) Fat: 38 g else to eat until the kids get home
basil leaves Saturated fat: 10 g from school in the midafternoon
Midafternoon Snack Fiber: 21 g and you’re preparing dinner.
¼ cup hummus Sodium: 1,337 mg First thing you know, you’re Martin’s Press, 2001), says that if
snacking with the kids and eating you let yourself go hungry for too
handfuls of whatever you’re prepar- long, once you start eating, it will
ing for their dinner. Then, after all be harder to stop. Try taking along
Overcome Your Most that nibbling, you sit down to a sep-
arate late dinner with your spouse.
some high-fiber cereal to munch
on midmorning when you start to
Troublesome Diet Pitfalls Sound familiar? We thought so. get hungry. And if you’re out all
Even the best eaters stumble upon And this also may sound like your day, eat a carton of yogurt, a turkey
some surprising obstacles version of healthy eating, since sandwich on a pita with mustard,
you’re avoiding big meals. Not so. or a cup of vegetable soup. Those
You’re doing everything right—eating plenty of fruits and veggies, choos- Under closer scrutiny, you’ll see healthy snacks will help stave off
ing low-fat, low-calorie dairy products, watching portions, and getting in that you’re eating pretty much non- hunger pangs so you aren’t raven-
some exercise—but the scale keeps inching up. What’s going on? stop from midafternoon until after ous when dinnertime rolls around.
Just as little changes—switching to fat-free milk, snacking on fruit your late dinner. And have a salad while your kids
instead of a candy bar, or holding the mayo—can help you take off Nutritionist Joy Bauer, author eat, and save your protein and veg-
pounds, lots of hidden roadblocks can pack them on. Here are some of The 90-10 Weight Loss Plan (St. etables to eat with your spouse.

12 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 13
Pitfall: Y
 ou Believe Everything Pitfall: You Eat Out Often snacks such as low-calorie popcorn
You Read and baked chips. Why, then, are
Dining out with friends or order- you putting on weight?
If you’ve recently shed lots of ing in nearly every night wreaks Nutritionist Roneice Weaver,
weight by walking every day, lift- havoc on your figure. Worse yet, RD, coauthor of Slim Down Sister
ing weights regularly, and count- because you know you’ll be eating (Dutton/Plume, 2001), suggests
ing calories and fat grams, you’re out, you may cut back on food all you look at what you’re putting on
doing well! But if you have noticed day long in anticipation of a larger your salads. If you’re loading them
that your pants are getting tighter dinner. up with sunflower seeds, cheese,
despite your good habits, you may Nutritionist Joy Bauer suggests raisins, and dressing, you’re piling
want to take a look at the labels that you eat baby carrots before on the fat and calories.
of the foods you’re eating. For you leave home or on the way to Switch to salads that are primar-
example, even though some spray the restaurant. And instead of eat- ily vegetables and start dipping
margarines claim to be “calorie- ing the dinner rolls, ask the waiter your fork into low-fat dressing,
free,” if you use enough of them, to bring celery and carrot sticks rather than pouring the dressing all
they can still add sneaky calories for you to munch on while you’re over the top of your salad. The tiny
to your foods. And because these Choose the waiting for your appetizer or salad bit of dressing will give you a little
stairs for
margarines taste so good, it’s easy weekday
to arrive. Also, ask the waiter how taste without adding a lot of fat and
to use way too much of them on exercise the foods are prepared and avoid calories. In addition, try drinking
popcorn, steamed vegetables, and dishes cooked in oil or butter. more water and putting your meals
lots of other foods. you’ve been steadily gaining weight Poached, grilled, or broiled fish on smaller plates to create the illu-
Products with fewer than 5 for the past few years. Trouble is, or chicken are healthy low-fat sion of a full plate of food.
calories per serving can claim to you may not be getting as much choices, as is a salad with balsamic
have zero calories, even though an exercise as you think you are. To vinegar or lemon juice as an appe- Watch for
hidden fat
entire bottle of spray margarine keep track of your steps, invest tizer. Since restaurant portions are and calories
contains 900 calories and 90 g of in a digital pedometer. Once you often large, eat only half of your in salads

fat. So use them (and other “calo- start using the pedometer to count entrée and ask the waiter for a car-
rie-free” products) more sparingly. your steps, you may be surprised ryout container. For dessert, treat
You may also want to switch to to learn that your weekend activity yourself to a leisurely cup of tea
calorie-free and low-calorie alterna- just isn’t enough to compensate for and fresh fruit.
tives such as cheese powder, basil, your relatively inactive weekdays.
and pepper. (For most people, intermittent Pitfall: You Love Eating Salads
exercise isn’t enough to keep the
Pitfall: You Work Out Only weight off.) Gradually bump up the Doesn’t sound like much of a pit-
on Weekends number of steps to at least 10,000 fall, does it? What’s more, those
a day (and not just on weekends!) salads are just part of your overall
Despite your healthy diet and and you should start seeing the healthy diet: You don’t eat beef or
weekends spent hiking and biking, pounds disappear. fried foods, and buy only healthy

14 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] eat well and outsmart fat 15
 Walk
plan, and, over 4 weeks, revs up to a fat-blasting 16,000 steps a day that
burn an extra 600 calories.
Based on studies that say short bouts of activity throughout the day
burn as much fat and improve fitness as effectively as longer periods of

(and Pump) exercise, this plan provides little bursts of walking that fit neatly into your
day and keep you burning calories from morning to night.

Your Way Stick with it, and you could shed two sizes in just a couple of months.
For even faster results, pair this walking workout with The Ultimate
to
Weight Loss Lose-Weight, Feel-Great Eating Plan on page 6.

Week One
Breakfast Wake-up walk Get your blood flowing with 3 min-
utes of walking outside for a burst of fresh air
(300‑steps) and 2 minutes going up and down your
Walk It Off: Blast Fat, Get Fit, stairs. No stairs? Step on and off a curb or single
step. (200 steps) Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
And Have Energy to Burn Morning Snack Organization stroll Walk around the house or your
This simple 4-week plan will show you how office building, mentally creating your to-do list for
the day or brainstorming ideas for an upcoming
project. Jot down your thoughts as soon as you’re
Put on your walking shoes, and leave the unwanted baggage on your
finished. Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes
butt, hips, and thighs behind. A University of South Carolina study
shows there’s a connection between the number of steps you take and the Lunch High noon cruise Rev your metabolism with a pre-
amount of fat you store (or don’t). When researchers studied 109 people, lunch jaunt. Warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps).
they found that those who walked at least 9,000 steps a day—the equiva- Pick up the pace like you’re late for a bus for 10
lent of about 4 1­⁄2 miles—were more likely to have a healthy, slender body, minutes (1,350 steps), then bring it home for 5 min-
while those who took fewer than 5,000 steps per day (less than 2 1­⁄2 miles) utes at an easy pace (500 steps). Total: 2,350 steps in
were more frequently overweight. That’s why we created this Walking Fit 20‑minutes
Diet, an easy program to help you get the RDS—Recommended Daily Afternoon Snack Errand run Walk laps around the grocery store or
Steps—you need to firm up and get fit. the mall before you start shopping. Total: 500 steps in
With online shopping, drive-thrus, and remote controls, we’re off our 5 minutes
feet so much that some scientists have calculated that we’re burning
Dinner Leg stretch After dinner (and before second help-
300‑to 700 fewer calories every day than just 25 years ago, and that can
ings), get up and take a walk through the neighbor-
add up to an extra pound a week!
hood. Walk just above a strolling pace, as if you have
“Just as vitamins and minerals are put back in white breads and refined
somewhere to be. Total: 1,200 steps in 10 minutes
cereals, we need to put back the activity we’ve lost,” says Catrine Tudor-
Locke, PhD, author of Manpokei: The Art and Science of Step Counting. Evening Snack Sitcom slimming Pop up during commercial breaks
The Walking Fit Diet does just that. It begins with a 10,000-steps-a-day in your evening shows, and straighten up a room,

16 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] walk (and pump) your way to weigh t loss 17
 take out the trash, or sort laundry for a total of about Open your eyes, and walk indoors or out at a casual
10 minutes. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes pace, focusing on your breath and posture for about
(This plan assumes that your daily diet already includes 4,000 general 4 minutes. When you’re done, stop, and take three
activity steps, such as walking around the house, office, etc.) more deep breaths. Total: 400 steps in 5 minutes
(including breathing time)
Total time: 55 minutes
Dinner Table talk After dinner, grab the family, and go for
Total steps: 10,050 (including existing activity)
a 20-minute trek. (Little kids can ride bikes or be
pulled in a wagon.) Talk about what you did today.
Week Two Total: 2,000 steps in 20 minutes
Breakfast Caffeine-free jolt Pump up your circulation: Turn Evening Snack Reality TV trek Get up during the commercial
on the radio, and step in place, dropping your chin breaks in your favorite show, and do 1 minute of
toward your chest, then lifting it with each step stairs, jumping jacks, or marching in place for a
for 1‑minute (100 steps); lift your knees high as if total of 7 minutes throughout the show. Total:
marching for 1 minute (100 steps); do 1 minute of 700 steps in 7 minutes
jumping jacks (100 steps); and walk the stairs for Total time: 75 minutes
2‑minutes (200 steps). Total: 500 steps in 5 minutes Total steps: 12,000 (including existing activity)
Morning Snack Phone walk Grab your cell phone and cruise
around the block at a lively pace, walking and talk-
ing for 10 minutes. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
Week Three
Breakfast Java jazz Get up a little earlier than usual. Head
Lunch Power punch Warm up at a lively, casual pace for
outside for a brisk trek with your partner, and rev
5‑minutes (500 steps); pick it up like you’re late for
up for the day. Bad weather? Pop in an exercise tape
work for 10 minutes (1,350 steps), then walk as fast
such as Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds. It’s
as your feet will carry you for 3 minutes (450 steps).
a simple cardio workout based on walking moves
Bring it back down to
such as marching. By the end, you will have walked
a purposeful walk for
5 minutes (600 steps).
Timing Tip a full mile right in your living room. And you don’t
Not sure how fast you’re have to worry about going out with “bedhead!” Total:
Then take it easy for walking? Time yourself. 2,000 steps in 15 minutes
the final 5 minutes Walk for 20 seconds,
(500 steps) as you counting your steps. Morning Snack On-the-go meeting Gather a coworker or two
head back. Total: 3,400 Forty steps in 20 sec- (or three) for a moving pow-wow. Share ideas,
steps in 28 minutes onds is 120 steps per and discuss upcoming projects. Total: 1,000 steps
minute, or about 3 mph; in 10 minutes
Afternoon Snack Meditation stroll 45 steps is 135 steps per
Stand tall with feet Lunch Noon tunes Strap on your headset (provided you
minute, which equals
together. Close your about 3.5 to 4 mph, and
have a safe walking environment; otherwise, put
eyes, and take three 50 steps is 150 steps per a tune in your head). Get moving to upbeat dance
slow, deep breaths. minute, which equals music: “Soak Up the Sun” by Sheryl Crow, “Die
about 4.5 mph.
18 lose it fast, make it last [Link] walk (and pump) your way to weight loss 19
 Another Day” by Madonna, classics such as Van Week Four
Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” or Bruce Springs-
Breakfast Espresso express Jump-start your day: 1 minute
teen’s “Born in the USA,” or your Motown favorites,
of jumping jacks, 1 minute of stairs, 1 minute of
all of which crank at about 130 beats per minute.
jumping jacks, and 1 minute of stairs (400 steps).
Warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps). Then step along
Arrive at work 5 minutes early, and walk around
to the beat for 20 minutes (2,600 steps). And wind it
the building (outside or inside), organizing your
down for 5 minutes (500 steps). Total: 3,600 steps in
thoughts for the day (500 steps). Total: 900 steps in 9
30 minutes
minutes
Afternoon Snack Walk, don’t wait When picking up the kids from
Morning Snack Walk and talk Grab a coworker or an at-home mom,
soccer practice or dance class, arrive 5 minutes
and catch up on gossip. Walk around the block at a
early, and walk around the field or the block. Total:
casual, lively pace. Total: 1,000 steps in 10 minutes
500‑steps in 5 minutes
Lunch Midday fat burner Step outside, and walk at an easy
Dinner  essert hike Clear the dinner table, and head out for
D
pace to warm up for 5 minutes (500 steps). Pick
20 minutes at a purposeful pace. Total: 2,400 steps in
up the pace like you’re running late for 10 minutes
20 minutes
(1,350 steps). Turn it up as fast as you can go for
Evening Snack Homework helper Take two 3-minute breaks from 5‑minutes (750 steps). Bring it back down to the
helping with the kids’ homework (or from doing running-late pace for 5 minutes (675 steps), then
your own) to trek around the house, straightening back up as fast as you can for 5 minutes (750 steps).
up every room along the way. Total: 600 steps Cool down for 10 minutes (1,000 steps). Total: 5,025
in 6‑minutes steps in 40 minutes
Total time: 86 minutes Afternoon Snack Slump buster Walk up and down a flight of stairs for
Total steps: 14,100 (including existing activity) 2 minutes. Take another 2 minutes to walk around
the building. Repeat. Total: 800 steps in 8 minutes

Spice It Up Dinner Cleanup act After dinner, take a 3-minute break to

sweep through the house, straightening up every
Here are a few items we’ve tested and recommend to keep your walking room along the way. Total: 300 steps in 3 minutes
menu varied. (All are available at [Link].)
n PowerBelt This upper-body training tool provides resistance as you Evening Snack Must-move TV Grab 30 minutes, and head outside
swing your arms to tone your torso and increase your calorie burn. for a 2-mile walk at a purposeful-to-brisk pace
n Walking Poles Another great way to work your upper body. They (15 minutes out; 15 back); or click on the TV, and
also help you keep your balance and take pressure off your knees follow Leslie Sansone’s Walk Away the Pounds 2-mile
when hiking. tape (available at [Link]).
nP revention Pedometer Clip it on for a more accurate step count. Total: 4,000 steps in 30 minutes
n WellnessGear Mini Stepper Here’s a low-cost alternative to expen-
sive stairclimbers for bad weather days. Tracks workout time and Total time: 100 minutes
number of steps. Total steps: 16,025 (including existing activity)

20 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] walk (and pump) your way to weigh t loss 21
 For a Firmer Butt, Sleeker Hips,
Walking Facts Steps per Minute
and Trimmer Thighs
Basic activity Elevated Split Squat Stand about 2 feet
Experts recommend at
Taking out trash, cleaning house 100 in front of a sturdy chair with your back
least 10,000 steps a day for
health—and more for fitness Walking casually, but lively to it. Bend your left knee, placing the
and weight loss. If you don’t (like around the mall) 100 top of your left foot on the chair behind
have a pedometer, here’s Walking with purpose you. Keeping your back straight, slowly
how to calculate the num- (about 3 mph) 120 bend your right knee and lower your-
ber you take, according to self toward the floor. Do not allow your
walking expert Mark Fenton, Walking briskly, as if you’re late
for a bus (about 3.5 to 4 mph) 135 right knee to jut past your toes. Hold for
author of Complete Guide to
Walking for Health, Weight Power walking
a second and then, pressing into your
Loss, and Fitness. If you went any faster you’d be right foot, stand back up. Complete one
running (about 4.5 mph) 150 set, then switch legs.
Each mile walked = about 2,000 steps
Side Drop and Reach Stand with your feet together and arms at your
sides. (a) Take a giant step to your left side. As you plant your left foot,
bend your left knee and lower your butt toward the floor. Do not allow
Why Weight? Finally, a Routine your left knee to jut past your toes. (b) Bend forward and touch your
that Simplifies Your Life left ankle with both hands. Then push back up to the starting position.
Repeat on the other side to complete one repetition.
Our no-equipment, no-hassle program

Most women know that strength training is an unbeatable way to firm

up, slim down, build bones, and boost metabolism. Yet fewer than 4%
of women pump iron the recommended 2 or more days a week, accord-
ing to an annual National Sporting Goods Association survey. Turned
off by bulky weights and expensive machines and gym memberships,
women seem to look forward to weight lifting about as much as they do
to flossing—another good-for-you habit that is just too easy to break. So
we asked exercise physiologist Liz Neporent, of Plus One Fitness in New
York City, to design this dumbbell- and machine-free toning workout that
you can do at home or on the road without spending a penny. To get the
most out of this workout, perform two sets of 8 to 15 repetitions of each
exercise, pausing for 30 to 60 seconds between sets. Do the whole 30-
minute routine 2 or 3 days a week, allowing a rest day between sessions.

22 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] walk (and pump) your way to weigh t loss 23
 For Shapelier Arms For Flatter Abs and a Stronger Back
and Shoulders Torso Lift Lie facedown on a mat with your hands under your chin, palms
Dip Sit on the edge of a down, elbows pointing out to the sides. Keeping your hips pressed to the
sturdy chair with your floor, lift your head, chest, and arms about 5 inches off the floor. Pause,
hands grasping the seat then lower.
on either side of your
butt and your feet flat on
the floor. Slide your butt
off the chair seat and
walk your feet forward
slightly, so your knees are
directly over your ankles,
forming 90-degree angles
with your legs. Keeping
your shoulders down,
slowly bend your elbows
back, lowering your butt
toward the floor until your upper arms are nearly parallel to the floor. Bicycle Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, and
Hold for 1 second, then press back up. hands behind your head. Contracting your abs, lift your head, shoulders,
and upper back off the floor. At the same time, extend your right leg off
the floor, bring your left knee in toward your chest, and twist your torso
to the left, bringing your right elbow toward your left knee. Hold for
1 second, then simultaneously switch legs and twist to the right to
complete one rep.

Chest Press-Up Starting on your hands and knees, walk your hands
forward and extend your hips until your body forms a straight line from
your head to your knees. Cross your ankles for stability. Bending your
elbows out to the sides, slowly lower your torso toward the floor until
your shoulders are in line with your elbows and your upper arms are
about parallel to the floor. Hold for 1 second, then press back up.

24 lose it fast, make it last [Link] [Link] walk (and pump) your way to weight loss 25
 Vital Statistics Up from the Sofa

Win
Name: Bob Belive The more weight I lost, the
Age: 50 more energy I had, and

Fat
Weight Lost: 100 lb the more I was able to do.
Successful Strategies: No Rather than spending hours
more alcohol, a low-fat diet snacking in front of the TV,
emphasizing portion con-

the
I tackled household chores.
trol, strength training, tack- I painted every room in the
ling one problem at a time

War!
house!
After 6 months, I’d gone
weight down to 230. Inspired, from a 44-inch waist to a com-
I turned to my unhealthy eating fortable 38. After a year, I’d lost 100
habits next. pounds and was down to 145, a
healthy weight for my 5'5" frame.
Out with the Fat But I looked like a deflated balloon.
In my early 20s, I’d lost nearly It was time for me to tone up.

Lose Up to 100 Pounds, 100 pounds thanks to a positive

attitude and Weight Watchers
Five sit-ups, five push-ups, and
a handful of exercises with light
One Habit at a Time meals. That success taught me that weights were all I could manage
I could lose weight by eating the at first. I added one sit-up or a
Bob Belive beat alcohol,
right foods in modest quantities. few reps with the weights every
cigarettes, fat—and inertia Unfortunately, I had long since for- other day.
gotten that important lesson. In 3 months, I was up to a
I was sitting on the couch, Scotch in hand, Motivated by my current weight
watching Larry King interview celebrities loss, I began eating breakfast daily: Alcohol Calories
about their alcohol addiction. “I’d come cereal, a small banana, and fat-free Add Up
home every night and pour myself a drink milk. An apple before lunch took Even if you’re not overindulg-
whether I wanted it or not,” said one. I looked the edge off my noontime hunger. ing, alcoholic beverages can
at the glass in my hand and thought, “That’s Then I’d eat a green salad tossed contribute a lot of empty calo-
exactly what I do.” with a small chunk of cheese, ries to your daily intake:
That program shook me up. I knew I and I’d be satisfied. For dinner, n 12 oz of beer is 150 calories
n 5 oz of wine is 100 calories
smoked too much, ate too much, and drank I replaced red meat with half a
n 1.5 oz of liquor is 100 calories
too much, but for the first time I found myself chicken breast; instead of filling And the foods you eat while
wondering, “Am I an alcoholic?” Panicked, I my baked potato with butter and you’re drinking are often high in
quit drinking cold turkey. I was so scared and sour cream, I used salsa. When I calories—a double whammy. So
determined that it was surprisingly easy. After ate out, I’d order baked haddock simply cutting back on alcohol
just 3 weeks, I felt more energetic than I had rather than a steak, and I’d skip can do wonders for your waist-
in years, and I lost 15 pounds, bringing my the beer and appetizers. line like it did for Bob.

26 lose it fast, make it last [Link] win the fat war 27

30-minute regimen that included on the advice of my cardiologist, Vital Statistics make. I’d heard about the
55‑sit-ups, 65 push-ups, various started walking. I began with half Name: Rebecca Yount benefits of strength train-
stretches, and a number of weight an hour a day. A month later, I was Age: 47 ing, so once or twice a week
exercises such as biceps curls and doing 3½ miles in an hour every Weight Lost: 40 lb I’d leave the safe confines
triceps lifts. I really firmed up, and I morning. I’ve kept that up every Successful Strategies: of the aerobics area and use
could see definition in my muscles. day since. Strength training, aerobic the resistance machines. I
Today, I’m more active than activity, portion control, stopped eating second help-
Off the Butts I’ve ever been. I still watch what I family support, a personal ings and was careful not to
A heart attack and triple bypass in eat, but I can allow myself slightly trainer eat too much fat or sugar. I
2001, 3 years after I had stopped larger portions and occasional switched from baking every
drinking, showed me that there’s treats (ice cream, cookies, even Eyes on the Prize week to making cakes or cookies
always room for improvement. a drink), thanks to my increased When my 19-year-old daughter, only when we entertained—and
Age, stress, and years of smoking activity. Breaking one bad habit at a Laura, came home from college the leftovers went home with the
had taken their toll on my body. time and replacing it with a healthy in 1999, she and I joined our guests.
I immediately quit smoking and, one made it easier. local gym that summer. I started During the next several weeks,
with the low-impact aerobics I lost 2 more pounds and began
class, which was harder than I’d to think weight loss might not be
expected. I struggled to keep up impossible. Then I hit a plateau
Invest in and would start crying when I saw again. Laura was getting married
Fitness myself in the gym mirrors. But I in 2 months, and I really wanted
needed to keep going to be a posi- to lose more weight before the
40 pounds lighter, Rebecca Yount
tive role model for Laura. So I went wedding.
is thrilled with her new figure 2 or 3 days a week and fixed my
I always found excuses for my poor diet and nonex- eyes on the instructor as a way to The Final Push
istent exercise habits. With two children and a busy focus on my goal. Desperate for results, I spoke with
life, I was tired. Money was tight. I liked to cook and Within a few weeks, I felt health- the gym manager. He suggested I
entertain—and I had an old neck injury from a car ier and began to have more energy. work out with a personal trainer.
accident. By my mid-40s, a decade of sloth and My neck pain even stopped flaring I thought, How frivolous! We had
second helpings had piled on an extra 40 pounds. up. After 9 months, however, I one child in college and another
My weight problem made me increasingly had lost only 3 pounds. It was very one almost there, and we had to
unhappy: I avoided mirrors, I felt listless, and discouraging. But my husband pay for a wedding. My husband
every night, as I pulled up the sheets, I felt sad pointed out that if I was typically is a minister; we’re supposed to
and disgusted and resolved to do better the next gaining almost 5 pounds annu- be frugal. But since the first two
morning. But I didn’t do better. After several ally and now had dropped 3, I had sessions were free, I decided to try
unsuccessful diets, I gave up and blamed my really lost 8 pounds. His sunny out- it. It was one of the best choices I
ballooning shape and waning energy on age. look kept me motivated. ever made.
Instead of changing myself, I bought clothes With renewed determination, I I worked with Eddie, my trainer,
that hid my flaws. searched for other changes I could twice a week (my family bought

28 lose it fast, make it last [Link] win th e fat war 29

 Change your body and change your life.
me more sessions as birthday and Do It Better Prevention makes it EASY!
Christmas gifts). He wasn’t at all Get faster results with a little help.
judgmental or intimidating, as I’d To find a personal trainer, go to Click here and see how to…
feared. He just helped me find a the American College of Sports ■ Eat chocolate everyday—and boost your health!
Medicine ([Link]), the ■ Flatten your belly in just 3 weeks
program that worked. We focused
National Strength and Condition-
on upper body, abs, and cardio ■ Reduce cellulite in 20 minutes a day
ing Association ([Link]-lift.
one day and lower body, abs, and org), and the American Council ■ 25 trade secrets of top OB/GYNs
cardio the next, doing four sets on Exercise ([Link]). ■ 7 nutrients you’re probably missing (and how to get them)
of 16 reps of each strength-train- ■ 8 ways to clobber a big headache
ing exercise. Being accountable to Student Becomes Teacher ■ Try our real woman’s stress survival guide
Eddie made me more dedicated to During the next year and a half, I
■ and more!
getting to the gym regularly, and decided to help other women who
he pushed me harder—though not were struggling as I had. A few Find out more at [Link]
too hard—than I ever would have of the instructors at the gym sug-
pushed myself. By the time the gested I get certified to teach aero-
wedding rolled around, I had lost
another 10 pounds. It felt great to
bics. So I made that my next goal.
Today I teach at my gym.
Lose weight and feel great doing it!
hear people tell me how beauti- Making exercise a daily dis- See why more than 1 million Americans
ful I looked and that they couldn’t cipline has brought balance to have chosen The Sugar Solution
believe I was the mother of the my life and given my daughter a
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I kept working out 4 or 5 days a that’s the greatest reward of all.
Solution. Click here to see why The Sugar Solution Online is just what the doctor
week and losing weight. At the 2-
ordered. In a month’s time you’ll lose weight, overcome fatigue, steady mood swings,
year mark from when I’d started, I boost your energy and alertness, and cut your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke
had lost 40 pounds, gone from 38 and cancer.
to 25% body fat, and dropped from
Our customized online tool kit features…
a size 16 to an 8. I’m proof that
perseverance pays off. ■ Personalized meal plans
■ East-to-follow shopping lists
■ Convenient at-home workouts
■ Easy ways to monitor your progress and stay motivated
■ A supportive community of nutritionists, health experts,
and fellow dieters like you

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30 los e it fast, make it last [Link]