Women running

1. Get A Dog (Or Join A Friend)

Taking Fido for a walk 20 minutes twice a day can help you shed more than 12 pounds a year.

2. Squat Heavy

Adding weight without compromising your form recruits more muscle fibers, so you’ll get stronger while burning more fat.

3. Go Fast 

Run 10 100-yard sprints to burn up to 500 calories.

4. Take Your Time

Wait 20 minutes before going up for a second helping.

5. Use A Blue Dinner Plate

Studies show the color blue has an appetite-suppressing effect (as opposed to red and yellow plates).

6. Load Up on Fiber 

Lentils, beans, edamame, and pears are all great sources to help you stay full between meals and snacks.

7. Eat Peanuts From Their Shells

You’ll nosh on 50% fewer nuts in a sitting just trying to crack them open before eating.

8. Work Out With Your Partner

Couples who train together are 34% more likely to stick to their workouts.

SEE ALSO: 25 Ways to Melt Off Fat Today

5 WAYS YOGA CAN KEEP YOU HEALTHIER
Shutterstock

9. Take Up Power Yoga 

You can burn nearly 300 calories a class.

10. Dine Properly

Eat at the kitchen table—not on the couch.

11. Hit the Pool

Swim laps or run in the water for a nonimpact workout.

12. Take a “Before” Photo

You’ll be more motivated knowing what you look like and where you want to go.

13. Do Pullups 

They work more muscles than lat pulldowns.

14.  Choose Ellipticals With Handles

You’ll recruit muscles in your arms and burn more calories overall.

15. Be Mobile

Download a fit app like a digital workout log or quickie body-weight exercise program to eliminate excuses.

16. Go Greek 

Sub in nonfat Greek yogurt for mayonnaise and sour cream—you’ll save 600 calories and 100 calories per half cup, respectively.

Strawberries

17. Be Berry Happy

Add strawberries to your whey protein shake. these superfruits amp up the fiber—so you can feel fuller.

18. Portion-Control Potatoes and Pastas

Servings of starches should never be bigger than a baseball.

19. Keep Your Body Guessing

Swap out your old program for a new one every four to six weeks. (Try these cross-training routines.)

20. Size Up Your Proteins

A three- to five-ounce serving should be about as big as a smartphone.

21. Freshen Up 

Chew on sugar-free mint gum after a meal. Mint flavors send signals to your brain that it’s time to stop eating.

22. Do Burpees

It’s a compound exercise that works nearly every muscle in your body.

23. Throw A Towel Over The Treadmill Display Console

Just concentrate on pushing yourself harder.

24. Write Down Everything You Eat

Trim 250 calories a day and you can shed up to two pounds a month.

25. Jump Rope 

In 10 minutes you’ll burn the same number of calories as you would on a 15-minute jog.

26. Pick Up the Pace 

Turn your body into a fat-fighting furnace by alternating running sprints with jogs.

Black Beans
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27. Eat Beans 

The high-fiber, protein-packed staple helps your body incinerate fat. Purée them for stews or toss with oil and vinegar and serve as a side dish.

28. Clean Out Your Kitchen

Remove temptation at home and you’re much more likely to stick to your plan.

29. Jot Short-Term Goals On Index Cards

Once they’re met, add them to a pile. Having a stack of accomplishments will boost your confidence.

30. Roll With It 

Biking to work or while you run errands burns about 500 calories an hour.

31. Run Resistance Sprints

Strap on an elastic band to make the sprints harder and burn more fat.

32. Avoid The Food-Prep Nosh

Use the back of a teaspoon when tasting your dishes during food prep. You’ll take in fewer calories than when using the spoon normally.

33. Chew Slowly

Studies show it’ll help you eat much less.

34. Crust Proteins With Panko Crumbs

They’ll stick to pork chops and skinless chicken breasts without the need for higher- calorie breads made of eggs and flour.

35. Drink More Water 

Being dehydrated can fool your body into feeling hungry.

36. Be Unconventional

Working with odd-shaped equipment like SandBells and truck tires helps your body recruit more muscle.

Sneakers 1
Brian Klutch

37. Get New Sneakers 

After about 500 miles, it’s time for a new pair. And throw in a new workout outfit while you’re at it—new gear means more motivation.

38. Hide Away

Stash sweets in out-of-sight places, like on high shelves or deep inside your cupboards.

39. Party Clean 

Snack on fruit before heading out to keep you from bingeing on chips later.

40. Spray it On

Coat your skillet with cooking spray instead of butter. Most sprays contain zero calories and zero fat (versus 102 calories and 12g per tbsp butter).

41. Train Like a Fighter 

The cross-training of mixed martial artists is second to none. Add in plyometrics and put together some supersets, keeping your rest periods low to start.

42. Cheese It 

Cut 200 calories out of your mac ’n cheese. Swap half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese for half a cup of puréed cauliflower and butternut squash in your recipe.

43. Go to Bed Early 

Sleep deprivation can wreak havoc on your metabolism. Aim for at least seven hours of shut-eye.

44. Manage Your Time Wisely

Studies show that stress triggers the hormone cortisol to turn up your appetite.

45. Party On 

Bring leftovers to the office instead of letting those extra chips, cookies, and cake pile up around your pad. Let your co-workers finish them off instead.

46. Add Heat to Your Dinner 

Fiery spices (and hot peppers) can speed up your metabolism and help you to eat slower.

47. Multitask 

Finish a crossword while watching TV. You’ll be less likely to eat if your fingers are busy.

weigh-broccoli-scale

48. Think Green 

Swap a side of rice with a low-cal veggie like broccoli. You can save 150 calories per serving.

49. Train Abs Heavy 

Instead of crunches and sit-ups without weights, try doing a couple of sets of abs exercises with the heaviest weights you can hold.

50. Find a Workout Buddy 

Preferably one who is stronger than you—she’ll push you to work harder.

51. Take Your Kids to the Park 

You can do your squats, pullups, and ab work with the kind of equipment you’ll find in a playground.

52. Resist It 

Train with resistance bands on the days you can’t make it to the gym.

53. Eat This 

Load up on low-fat cottage cheese. It’s a great source of calcium and packs about 160 calories per cup.

54. Cut it Out 

Slash rest periods in half while lifting. Your muscles and cardiovascular system will have to work harder, burning more fat.

55. Eat Less Sugar 

Limit yourself to no more than 24 grams of added sugar (6 teaspoons) a day for women, 36 grams for men (9 teaspoons).

56. Poach It 

Poach (don’t fry) eggs, poultry, and fish.

57. Don’t Wait in Line for a Treadmill

Do a few sets of box jumps or mountain climbers to get warmed up.

Women brushing teeth

58. Brush Your Teeth Before Bed Naked

You’ll see your progress in the mirror and get psyched to work out the next morning.

59. Eat More Avocados

They’re loaded with the kinds of healthy fats your body needs to burn more fat.

60. Make Peanut Butter Better

One tbsp of PB has about 100 calories. Cut back by mixing equal parts PB with cooked carrots or sweet potato in a food processor until smooth.

61. Start Small 

Set a few easy goals every day—getting in 30 minutes of training, skipping your afternoon junk-food binge. Then build off of them.

62. Don’t Hold On

Let go of the handles on the stairclimber or just lightly hold on— you’ll work your core while burning more calories.

63. Combine Cardio and Weights

Try the Prowler, jump rope between sets, or string together some exercises into the circuits.

64. Go Rock Climbing 

Even if you just hit an indoor rock wall, you can burn more than 400 calories an hour.

SEE ALSO: The 15 Best Fat-Burning Foods