Authors: David Zinczenko
69
SCHEDULE A MASSAGE.
In one study, a 15-minute chair massage decreased hospital workers’ cortisol levels by 24 percent. Cortisol can mix up your hunger signals and suppress your brain’s normal reward system.
70
FIND RELEASE IN YOUR SECOND STRONGEST BODILY HUNGER: SEX.
Oxytocin peaks in your body after climax. Less cortisol leads to fewer stomach growls. So, is your partner supportive of your weight-loss goals, or not?
71
WHILE YOUR BODY REBUILDS INSIDE, GIVE YOUR OUTSIDE SOME TLC.
Go to the spa, have a facial, or reward yourself with an expensive moisturizer. Soothe yourself, calm your appetite.
72
SAY THANKS.
Write a letter to someone who influenced your life in a positive way. Showing gratitude will counteract negative emotions and leave you feeling happier. Life satisfaction trumps patting a round belly—or stuffing one.
73
BUILD A FENCE OR LEARN TO PLAY A NEW SONG.
Tasks that give you a sense of mastery can activate your brain’s reward system, but make sure you’re working toward a tangible goal. You’ll be relaxed and completely immersed in nailing the right chord, leaving no time for food thoughts.
74
HOST A COUPLES’ GAME NIGHT.
Studies show that mutual cooperation is immediately rewarding (regardless of whether or not you win) because it enhances activity in brain circuits and boosts serotonin.
75
CLEAN OUT YOUR IN-BOX.
How great is it when you can distract yourself from eating and accomplish something? Sift through e-mails and unsubscribe to those newsletters you never read—which make up an estimated 30 percent of the average in-box, according to a study by MessageGate.
76
PLAY YOUR PUP’S FAVORITE GAME—FRISBEE.
This keeps your hands activated and provides some face time with your dog, friend, or partner. Busy life, busy hands, less stray time in front of the refrigerator. (Bonus points: Playing Ultimate Frisbee for 30 minutes can burn 330 calories.)
77
PARTNER UP AND DO THE DISHES.
Anything to keep your mind and hands occupied is a hunger suppressor, and, according to a Pew Research Center survey, sharing chores ups your odds of having a happy marriage. (It’s ranked third in importance, after faithfulness and a healthy sex life.)
78
MAKE AMENDS.
If you had a recent falling-out with someone, write him or her a letter to patch things up. In a study published in the
Journal of Obesity,
participants who focused on forgiveness toward others experienced an increase in mindfulness, reduced anxiety, and less likelihood of eating in response to food cues.
79
MAKE A LIST OF WHAT KILLED YOUR RELATIVES.
It may sound a little morbid, but it’ll give you a heads-up on ailments you may be at risk of, as well as motivate you to keep up your healthy choices.
80
SPEND 15 MINUTES TALKING TO A COWORKER.
Even if they’re glancing at the clock, you’re staying distracted and improving your health. Plus, you won’t talk with your mouth full, right? According to a Tel Aviv University study, those who have good relationships with coworkers live longer.
81
TRY LIGHT THERAPY.
Low levels of serotonin are often associated with cravings, specifically for carbs. Boost your happy hormone by keeping a bright light at your desk or seeking sunlight as the day (and your willpower) wears on.
82
KILL CRAVINGS WITH KINDNESS.
Help a neighbor carry in groceries or give a coworker a compliment; try to commit random acts of kindness whenever possible. In a study published in the
Journal of Obesity,
participants who used loving-kindness techniques in their mindfulness practice showed reduced frequency of emotional eating.
83
VISUALIZE YOURSELF RUNNING ON THE BEACH—OR WHATEVER IT IS YOU CAN’T WAIT TO DO WHEN YOU’RE AT YOUR GOAL WEIGHT.
Play out the entire scene in your mind, including all your senses to make it a whole-brain experience. Being immersed in this play-by-play will connect you with your reasons for dieting, according to
ThinWithin.com
.
84
GO FOR A SPIN.
Literally. Stand up and twirl five times, or up to 20 times, then take a 1-minute break and do it again. Keep your eyes fixed at a spot on the wall while spinning to avoid dizziness. When your brain is busy reestablishing equilibrium, it might forget your food crush on chocolate chip cookies. (Temporarily, at least; maybe the cookie tray will be empty by the time your brain recovers.)
85
ADD SOME POTPOURRI TO YOUR OFFICE.
A recent study found that jasmine scent has specific hunger-killing powers and can also reduce anxiety and boost energy. Store the potpourri in a drawer and pull it out in case of food emergencies.
86
CLOSE YOUR EYES, BREATHE IN THROUGH YOUR NOSE, OUT THROUGH YOUR MOUTH, AND VIVIDLY IMAGINE YOURSELF DOING YOUR FAVORITE THING.
Think about what you would wear, see, smell, and feel. Scientists at McGill University in Montreal tested this “pleasant imagery method” and found it curbed cravings in everyday life.
87
WATCH TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY OR TENNIS ON TV OR YOUR KIDS PLAYING PING-PONG.
The back-and-forth eye movements may help you forget food thoughts. One study found that visually tracking a rapidly moving stimulus reduces the intensity of food images in the brain.
88
TRY FOREHEAD TRACKING, A TECHNIQUE PROVEN TO REDUCE FOOD THOUGHTS AND CRAVINGS.
Tap an imaginary line with your finger from temple to temple: one tap per second, 1 centimeter at a time. Follow your finger with your eyes, focusing on the first joint in your pointer. This occupies the limited-capacity visual region of your brain and crowds out yearnings for Yoo-hoo.
89
LEARN THE ANCIENT ART OF TAI CHI, A FORM OF CHINESE MARTIAL ARTS THAT COMBINES SLOW MOVEMENTS WITH MEDITATION AND BREATHING TO CALM YOUR BODY AND MIND.
It can burn as many calories as moderate-intensity activities, such as walking. Focusing on learning a new physical skill that involves the mind will distract you from any other annoying, recurring thoughts.
90
TAKE A BEATING.
Studies show that people with high heart-rate variability—moment-by-moment fluctuations in heart rhythm—have more self-control, and deep breathing can boost it. Try this Hindu
breathing technique called
ujjayi:
Inhale through your nose for 6 seconds, then exhale through your mouth for 6 seconds, like you’re trying to fog up a mirror. Next, try doing the same thing just through your nose, while making a rushing sound in the back of your throat.
91
LEND A HELPING HAND.
Take an hour out of your day (your lunch hour, perhaps) to volunteer in your town. One study shows that just thinking about doing something generous releases happy hormones serotonin and dopamine, so you won’t rely on a Twinkie to trigger them instead.
92
TAP INTO YOUR SPIRITUALITY.
Religious fasting, such as the Islamic month of Ramadan, places huge emphasis on prayer during the process. Pray at home or go to church. University of Mississippi researchers found that churchgoers had lower levels of stress hormones, on average, than those who did not attend services at all. What’s more, according to research from Tel Aviv University, ritualistic-like repetitive behaviors (such as praying) induce calm and give a heightened sense of control—which may come in handy in showing your cravings who’s boss.
93
GO GREEN TO STAY FOCUSED.
Place an English ivy plant on your desk and you’ll concentrate on your work rather than get sidetracked by food thoughts. The reason: Leafy green plants absorb benzene emitted by office supplies, which can disrupt the central nervous system, slow thinking, and break concentration. And when your mind wanders, we know what trouble it can get into.
94
LOCK FINGERS WITH YOUR ONE-AND-ONLY.
Holding hands reduces stress-related activity in the brain’s hypothalamus, the seat of your feelings for hunger and thirst. Holding hands also lowers those hunger-stoking cortisol levels and calms the part of the brain that registers pain, which can keep you from feeling it as much.
95–97
BE YOUR OWN ACUPRESSURIST (NO NEEDLES!).
According to the Chinese therapeutic system, energy meridians run along your body, correlating to main organ systems. By massaging these meridians, you can stimulate these organs when they’re deficient in energy, says Dr. Christina Winsey, DC, founder of
TheICanDoctor.com
. Gently rub each of these three appetite-control acupressure points for several minutes when you’re having hunger pangs.
Jaw:
Put your index fingers in front of the fleshy part of both ears (the part you usually push to drown out sound). If you can feel your jaw move when you open your mouth, you’ve found it.
Earlobe:
Beneath where the lobe connects with your face is another hunger-relieving point.
Crease of the knee:
Find and massage the center point in the crease on the underside of your kneecap.
98
SIP WARM LEMON WATER.
Drinking lemon water can help ensure normal functioning of the circulatory system and keep skin hydrated, and some people find that it reduces appetite. The warm temperature is soothing and will help counteract your body’s craving for comfort food when it’s cold.
99
SCHEDULE MORE EXHILARATING EXERCISE, LIKE A MARTIAL ARTS CLASS, ROCK CLIMBING, OR MOUNTAIN BIKING.
Physical activity, combined with a little risk taking, will make you look forward to your workout.
100
THE ALL-PURPOSE, ANYONE-CAN-FOLLOW-IT ÜBER TIP: DO ANYTHING FOR 15 MINUTES AT THE FIRST SIGN OF HUNGER PANGS TO GIVE THEM TIME TO WANE.
Research shows that dips in blood sugar associated with hunger return to normal after 10 to 15 minutes. And that may be all that stands between you and success on the 8-Hour Diet!
W
hat? It’s true. With just 8 minutes each day—plus a simple strategy of maximizing your calorie burn through nonexercise methods—you’ll shed fat even faster.
There are certain things that just seem too good to be real: Mark McGwire’s home run record. Jenny McCarthy’s décolletage. Tony Bennett’s hair.
And right up there with those suspicious phenomena? A workout lasting just 8 minutes a day.
I know, I know: Everyone from the US government to the unemployed actor masquerading as a trainer at your gym has told you that you need
at least
30 to 40 minutes
three times a week, at minimum, for optimum health and weight management. The entire idea of an 8-minute workout goes against all the prevailing wisdom.
And that’s true—unless you’re following the 8-Hour Diet, in which case 8 minutes is all you need.
Here’s why: Unlike the average American who’s feasting 24/7, you’ve started an eating program that gives your body’s energy centers—the mitochondria—a break from processing food. And you’ve begun training your body to burn its own fat for energy. Each day that you follow the 8-Hour Diet, you melt a little more unwanted flab, simply by going about your day. But when you jump-start your day with a tiny bit of exercise, you tap into your fat stores earlier and more effectively, so you melt even more fat.
Mark Mattson, PhD, of the National Institute for Aging, believes that eating for only a limited time each day and adding in exercise is the most powerful fat-fighting tool ever discovered. “There’s a lot of evidence in bodybuilders that it’s best to exercise at the end of a period when you haven’t eaten,” he says. “It’s better for building muscle.” And if I’ve learned anything as a health editor, it’s that muscle is more metabolically active than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns, and the leaner you grow. So fasting, added to exercise, means you’re combusting the maximum possible energy and losing the most weight you possibly can. Good job!
Dr. Mattson goes on: “When you haven’t eaten for a while, the muscle cells enhance their ability to take up glucose, so their insulin sensitivity increases as well as their ability to take up amino acids. Then you exercise, which puts more of an acute stress on the muscle cells. The cells are highly primed to pick up energy and amino acids and to grow and rebuild muscle proteins.” In this case, “growing muscle” does not equal looking like the Incredible Hulk when he’s having a bad day, but rather it means the lean, shapely muscle that makes a woman (and a man) look fitter and healthier come swimsuit season.
But Dr. Mattson isn’t finished piling up the benefits, and the next one will be music to your ears: “There will be more fat loss,” he tells us. As
you may have read in earlier chapters, much of the caloric value of the food you eat is stored in the liver as glycogen. By following the 8-Hour Diet and not running your liver the way Howard Stern runs his mouth (i.e., constantly), you give your body the chance to burn off that glycogen and start burning fat. And that happens regardless of whether you exercise or not—just going about your day will eventually burn off your glycogen stores and your body will begin tapping into the fat.