Staying Thin

What an example: Heidi Klum, mother of 4 kids under the age of 10.

While it's much easier staying thin when you have a lot money (trainers, nutritional plans, cosmetic surgery etc), there are a lot of little tricks that you can add to your daily routine that help you considerably with staying thin.

Top 10:

1. Drink more water.

Elle Macpherson  swears by this one, and Virginia Tech had subjects drink two glasses of water before each meal, they found that those subjects lost 30 percent more body fat over 12 weeks.

2.  Eat spicy foods.

A study in the British Journal of Nutrition found that eating spicy foods may promote weight loss. Research participants who ate a spicy appetizer before a meal ate significantly less than those who consumed a non-spicy app. The explanation: A chemical compound called capsaicin, found in chili peppers, acts as an appetite suppressant. Capsaicin has also been shown to boost metabolism.

3. Get more sleep.

In a study from Harvard University, participants who slept for fewer than six hours or more than eight hours each night gained significantly more weight than those who slept for six to eight hours. Lack of sleep has been shown to increase appetite, lower willpower, and bolster cravings for high-calorie foods.

4. Get rid of your stress.

A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that dealing with work, finance, or relationship related stress can lead to weight gain. When you stress, your body releases cortisol, a hormone that promotes abdominal fat storage. So basically when you are stressed you eat more, and when you are stressed your body also promotes fat storage. That's a one two punch. Go meditate, jog, take a boxing class, breath deep, laugh, pray, see a movie pet your dog, have sex....just don't stress.

5. Take the stairs.

Stairs are an excellent workout, for cardio and lower body toning. Use the stairs at your apartment or work, or better yet go to a local tall building and practice going up long flights of stairs, 15 floors 20 floors go for it. The stairs are low impact on your joints too. It's just an easy way to squeeze a little intensity workout in to your day.

 6. Just get moving.

A Mayo Clinic study found that participants who unconsciously moved more throughout the day were able to maintain their weight much easier than those who were more sedentary, even though both groups exercised the same amount. So do 20 jumping jacks before you get ready for work, walk to lunch, do a few squats by your desk at work or somewhere private. Just purposely get more movement in to your day.

7. Slow down and chew your food.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that chewing more and eating slowly caused participants to ingest fewer calories. According to the study’s researchers, the increase in chewing simultaneously lowered levels of appetite-stimulating hormones and increased levels of appetite-suppressing hormones.

8. Walk more, especially after a meal.

Taking a walk after dinner can help you lose weight, and not just because walking burns calories. According to one Mayo Clinic study, light, post-meal exercise like walking can lower your blood sugar and prevent your body from storing fat.

9. Stock your house with healthy food.

Fill your house with healthy food like a yummy yogurt instead of a dessert snack. Limit your access to crappy foods.

10. Eat more protein.

A study in Nutrition Metabolism found that dieting participants who increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their overall diet ate roughly 450 fewer calories throughout the day and lost about 11 pounds over the course of 12 weeks. Eating protein increases lean muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism running on high, even when you’re resting. Protein also keeps you full, making you less likely to overeat.

Reference:David Zinczenko (Men's Health)