b e t t e r
HEALTH
additional calories sneak into
your diet. A couple weeks of
jotting down everythingyou eat
should be enough to minimize a
relapse, says Abramson.
Ditch oversize clothes.
“Absolutely, hands down one of
the best motivators is to get rid
of your large, old clothes,” says
Dawn Jackson Blatner, a
registered dietitian and author
of
T h e F lex ita r ia n D iet.
“Donate
or toss them, but don’t leave
those clothes in your dresser.”
Be eventful.
Having some-
thing to look forward to or a
fitness event to train for is
hugely motivating. Schedule
some sort of event every 12
weeks as an incentive to stay
active. Examples: a weekend
getaway with a bathing suit, a
5K run, or a date with a friend
you haven’t seen in a while.
INYOUR BODY
After a couple months of the
same exercise routine, your
body adapts and burns fewer
calories to do the same thing.
Beat your best.
Strive to
continually challenge yourself.
Walk a faster pace or lift more
weight, says Jessica Matthews,
spokesperson for the American
Council on Exercise and a
personal trainer in San Diego.
Add time.
For those who
have lost weight and want to
drop more, 60 to 90 minutes is
the recommended amount of
exercise on most days.
Mix it
up.Throw your
exercise routine a curve ball
once in a while to fend off
boredom and use your muscles
in new ways. Play a set of tennis
or hit the bike trail if you
normally run, or sign up for a
kickboxing class.
IN YOUR BELLY
Maybe you’re so bored with
your diet that you strayed a bit.
Battle dullness.
After a few
months, you know the healthy
food drill and it’s easy to get
soooo tired of it. How many
times can you eat the same
salad and baked chicken? The
remedy: Try at least one new
recipe a week. We’ve got
lots—go to
B H G .co m /recip es
and click on Healthy Eating.
Movers,
Shakers
A P P LE IPO D TO U CH
Listen to workout tunes
and get applications (or
apps) from the Apple
store. One favorite:
iFitness, an appthat
teaches you o v e rd o
exercises. $1.99 at
apple
.com/itunes;
iPod Touch
$220 at
amazon.com.
K LIPSCH IM AGE S4
H EA D PH O N ES Many
headphones tend to pop
out of the ear or do a
poor job of blocking gym
noise. Klipsch fixes both
those problems with a
soft sleeve that fits the
contours of your ear and
muffles ambient sound.
$8o at
amazon.com.
D IE T & FIT N E S S
JO U R N AL Record what
you eat,your exercise,
and how you feel. Slip off
the paper cover and it
looks like a leather journal.
$11, at most bookstores.
NIKE IPOD SPO R T KIT
Crank your favorite
workout songs while a
sensor in your shoe
tracks time, distance,
pace, and calories
burned. $29,
apple.com.
2 0 8 AUGUS' 2009 BETTER HOMES
L O S E W E IG H T , G A I N H E A L T H
NEXT M O N T H :
TH E RESTAURANT SURVIVAL GUIDE.
We consum e 30-50 percent more calories when we
eat out. Learn how to enjoy dining away from home
without packing on pounds.
find a cheerleader
Most people who
backslide on their weight-loss goals do so in isolation. You
need to find someone who can help you stay motivated.
Recruit a friend or relative to whom you can report your
weekly weight. Hire a personal trainer (find one at
acefitness.org)
until you get back on track. Book a
weeklong visit at a weight-loss clinic such as the Pr'rtikin
Center & Spa (
prkikin.com
). Above all, don't give up.
