10 Ways to Lose 20 Pounds
Slim down with simple tweaks to your diet and fitness routines
By The Editors of
Snooze—and Lose
In a 16-year study at Harvard, scientists found that people who slept for 5 hours or less a night were 32
percent more likely to pack on major pounds than those who dozed a full 7 hours. Although "major" was
defined as 33 pounds, the average increase was 2 pounds a year, a gain that's easy to miss from month
to month. "Due to accumulating fatigue, those who get the least shuteye may also move around the least
during the day," says study author Sanjay Patel, M.D.
Don't Believe Your Eyes
Warning: Your breakfast may be larger than it appears. Cornell University scientists found that people ate
more cereal from bigger bowls than from smaller ones, even though they thought the opposite to be true.
"It's called the size-contrast illusion," says researcher Brian Wansink, Ph.D. "Because food takes up a
smaller percentage of space in larger dishes, it seems like you're eating less." Use a measuring cup to
portion out your cereal; in a few days, you'll be able to eyeball servings accurately.
Make Time for a Quickie
An 11-minute workout can help you burn more fat all day long, say researchers from Southern Illinois
University at Edwardsville. In the study, people who lifted weights for that duration three times a week
increased their metabolic rate even as they slept. "The process of breaking down and repairing your
muscles increases your metabolism," says study author Erik Kirk, Ph. D. What's more, the participants
were able to fit their workouts into their schedules 96 percent of the time.
Don't Neglect Your Legs
To take inches off your waist, work the muscles below your belt. In a new Syracuse University study,
people burned more calories the day after they did lower-body resistance training than the day after they
worked their upper body. "Leg muscles like your quads and glutes generally have more mass than the
muscles in your chest and arms," says study author Kyle Hackney, Ph. D.(c). "Work more muscle, and
your body uses more energy to repair and upgrade it later." The best approach? Hit every muscle each
workout.
Clock in at the Gym
A stressful job may make you fat, suggest Harvard researchers who followed 1,355 Americans for 9
years. They found that overweight men with little authority at work gained more weight than men with
more authority did. Not being able to make decisions is linked to stress. Eating can be calming because it
releases mood-improving endorphins, says study author Jason Block, M.D. The best stress-busting fat
burner? Exercise.
Whey to Lose
To drop weight, you need to cut back on certain foods—but not dairy. Milk and other dairy products can
help dieters slim down and beef up, say Canadian researchers. Their study found that heavy people who
exercised every day and followed a high-protein, high-dairy (and calorie-restricted) diet for 16 weeks lost
about 10 pounds of fat and gained 1 1/2 pounds of muscle. (Those who ate less dairy and protein still lost
weight, but they also lost muscle.) The reasons: Milk may help regulate appetite, and whey protein can
activate muscle growth
Go Ahead. Live a Little
Eating frequent, low-sugar desserts can help keep the weight off. Dieters in a Greek study who ate a lowsugar dessert four times a week lost 9 more pounds after 12 weeks than those who ate any dessert they
wanted just once a week. (Search: Healthiest Desserts) Eating dessert more frequently can keep you
from feeling deprived, the researchers say. But limit desserts to around 10 percent of your daily calories.
Cut the Carbs
A worldwide consensus has formed: Eating a diet that's low in carbs, not fats, is the best way to lose
weight. In a recent United Arab Emirates study, people who followed a low-carb diet had lower body
weights, insulin levels, and triglyceride levels than those who went with a low-fat diet. And a European
study that tracked nearly 90,000 people for several years found that participants with a low fat intake had
the same risk of being overweight as those who ate higher amounts of fat. Still, if you boost your fat
intake, make sure you adjust your calories and physical activity accordingly.
Don't Go Soft
Turns out, soft drinks really are just empty calories. Penn State University researchers fed men lunch
once a week for 6 weeks, along with either a 12 or 18-ounce regular soda, diet soda, or water. The result:
The men ate the same amount of food no matter the size or type of beverage served. Which means they
consumed far fewer total calories when they drank water or diet soda compared with the sugar-laden
stuff. What's more, the participants' ratings of satiety and hunger were identical after each lunch, showing
that the extra calories in the regular soda had no benefit.
Look Ahead
Planning your responses to hunger may help you shed fat faster, according to Dutch researchers. Dieters
who wrote a list of "if, then" statements ("If I'm hungry at 4 p.m., then I'll have a few almonds.") lost more
weight and stuck to their diets better than those who didn't put pen to paper. A specific plan may help you
avoid poor choices when hunger strikes, the scientists say. Schedule safe snacks for your weakest times,
and switch them up every few weeks.