Weight Loss Wonders

Here are some simple, no-brainer things you can do to lose some excess baggage my comments after every entry:

By Liz Vaccariello, Editor-in-Chief, Prevention

There's nothing like a weight loss strategy that takes almost no time or effort--but still works like a charm! Here are 10 successful strategies to cut calories and burn fat that literally take 60 seconds or less.

1. Mix a juice spritzer

Combine your favorite juice (half of your usual amount) with plain or sparkling water. You can cut up to 85 calories per glass--and lose 5 pounds or more a year. - I love doing this with lemon slices and water. It makes water less boring and juice less sweet.

2. Walk while you talk

Burn calories while you talk on the phone: Do the laundry (68 calories), set the table (85), or water plants (102). - Ahhhh the magic of walking...

3. Study the wrapper

At a quick glance, that candy bar appears to contain 220 calories. But a closer look may reveal that it (or a bottle of juice, bag of crackers, or bag of nuts) provides two or more servings--which more than doubles those calories. - Yes, you really should not lose that keen eye and investigate before popping that little candy inside your mouth.

4. Sip green tea before a walk

The caffeine frees fatty acids so that you burn fat more easily. And the polyphenols (antioxidant compounds) in green tea appear to work with caffeine to increase calorie burn. (If you have high blood pressure, skip this tip.) This I should and will do.

5. Pack a lunch

Dining out more than 5 times a week may make you eat more--nearly 300 calories a day--than if you dine out less frequently. - I need to pack lunch as well but my schedule all screws up the plans. I should try to get over any excuses I have and do this plus I'm sure I'll save a few hundred pesos at the end of the day.

6. Dip your bread

Use olive oil in place of butter. It's healthier and may also help you eat less. In a recent study, dippers ate a total of 52 fewer calories, on average, than those who used butter. - That's why Italian restaurants do this. You can add a few sliced basil to make your dip more interesting.

7. Sprinkle flax on cereal

High-fiber ground flaxseed can help curb your appetite and eliminate calories. Add it to yogurt or muffin and bread mixes--it's available in health food stores. - My oatmeal has this so I think I am on the safe zone.

8. Schedule a blood test

About 1 in every 12 women (most of whom don't know it) has an underactive thyroid, which can slow down her metabolism. - I have this penciled in.

9. Supersize your H2O

Buy the big bottle when it comes to good-for-you stuff such as water: You'll drink more. - I make it a point that I drink at least a liter of water at work and then 2 glasses as soon as I wake and before I go to bed.

10. Eat a chunky salad

Chop carrots, celery, sweet potatoes, zucchini, or other veggies instead of shredding or slicing. It takes more effort to munch bigger pieces; you'll do more chewing and eat less during the main course. - Yeah, chew, chew and chew.