Week 4: Slim Down
Without Being Hungry

This week, do these things to grow younger:

1. Don’t Get Too Hungry

Getting ravenous makes you do things like devour a pack of Twinkies (or two) before you even know what you’re doing. Ideally, your tank should always be three-quarters full -- that’s satisfied, not hungry, and definitely not filled to the brim. For a couple of weeks, rate your hunger on a scale from 0 (“Feels like I haven’t eaten since high school”) to 6 (Thanksgiving full) -- three-quarters full is a 3. Always rate your hunger before you raid the fridge: Sometimes you’re eating for a reason that has nothing to do with hunger. (Emotional eaters, find extra help here.)

2. Keep Walking for at Least 30 Minutes Every Day

And this week, start counting steps instead of minutes. Get yourself a pedometer (use this buyers’ guide). Your goal: to accumulate 10,000 steps a day (2,000 is about a mile). You may be surprised at how active (or not) you’ve become in the last 3 weeks.

Bonus Moves for Overachievers

• Monday: Stock up on fire-extinguisher foods. Every house needs munchies that put out three-alarm starvation fires. The YOU Docs’ faves: A handful of almonds, peanuts, or walnuts; bags of store-bought chopped fruits and veggies; dried fruit; edamame. In a real pinch? Pop a mint breath strip; it helps make easy-to-find, trans-fat-laden foods less appetizing.
• Wednesday: Satisfy all your senses. Have healthy, safe, monogamous sex, especially if you’re trying to lose weight. Satisfying one appetite center of your brain can help satisfy another.
• Friday: Try this healthy pepperoni pizza. Invite people over and make this recipe, but don’t tell them it’s good for them.
• Saturday Special tip: Do nothing! Seriously. Some people have to work hard at this. See what happens if you nix the obligations for a day (a day!) and just do whatever you feel like doing.