Get Skinnier with These 2 Small Changes

Turns out you don't have to completely overhaul your life in order to fit into your jeans better. Researchers recently pinpointed two simple strategies that could do the job.

Part 1: Just walk an extra 500 steps every day. Part 2: Trim a mere 100 calories from one meal each day (that's roughly equivalent to eating one less tablespoon of butter, drinking three fewer sips of soda, or leaving three or four bites at a meal). Pretty simple, right?

Succeed at Weight Loss Without Trying
In a study, overweight people who were coached to do exactly that ended up doing big favors for their waistlines. Not just because they removed a few extra calories from their day, but because embarking on this simple plan inspired them to make even bigger changes. They turned into overachievers, cutting 300 calories a day from their diets and walking an extra 1,450 steps per day. That translates into shedding about a pound every 10 days or so. And it was their commitment to baby steps that really got the ball rolling.

Really Simple Slimmers
Bottom line: If the thought of big change keeps you firmly glued to the couch, think about smaller changes you can make to help your body be healthier. You never know, the "no big deal" approach might be the perfect way to start yourself off in the right direction. And if things snowball from there, so be it, right? Need more help busting through your diet excuses? Try one of these on for size:

• Too hot, too cold, or too dark out? Start a simple walking program
• Too hungry? Try Healthful, small snacks.
• Can't stop the cravings? Try adding more eggs to your diet