Six Surefire Ways to Stay Slim

If you have good genes, staying slim might be easy. But most of us have to work to keep the weight off. Temptation is everywhere; it seems to get harder to keep the weight off both as you give into temptation and get older, when metabolism naturally slows. But there are some things we can do to keep the weight off and to stay slim for the long haul.

Exercise

• Yes, we've all heard it before. But exercise is essential to keeping the body lean and toned. If you exercise, you naturally increase the body's metabolism, which means you can eat a bit more of what you like (and what might be higher in fat or calories) and not gain weight.

  Aim for at least 20 minutes of exercise daily, but more is better. Ideally, you should aim for 50 minutes a day. But you can get much of your activity through regular daily activities like running errands and taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Wear a pedometer and aim to walk 10,000 steps daily, which is about 5 miles.

Eat Good Fats

• In general, it's good to reduce the amount of fat you eat, but don't take this too far. Some fat is good.

  Therefore, aim for eating good fats, those that keep your skin and hair healthy--and keep your heart healthy, too. These fats include the kind found in olive oil as well as those found in nuts. Eat fish, which is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart.

  Reduce the "bad" fats, or those found in packaged foods, fast foods, beef, and processed meats.

Drink Water

• Not only is water great for your skin, but it helps you stay slim by keeping you feeling full. Often, we eat when we're thirsty, not hungry. If you deal with thirst on a regular basis, you ensure that you eat only when truly hungry.

Avoid Alcohol

• More than one person has followed a strict eating regimen only to ruin it by drinking too much. Even one mixed drink can throw the best diet into the danger zone.

  If you enjoy drinking socially, make room for drinks in your daily calorie allotment. You can eat a lighter (but still healthy) lunch and dinner and allow room in your daily calories for that mixed drink later.

Live a Healthy Lifestyle

• People who live a generally healthy lifestyle are more apt to be able to keep weight in check than those who don't.

  What do we mean by a healthy lifestyle? Keep an active social life and quit smoking if you currently smoke. Get enough sleep and try and keep a positive outlook. All these things can help you maintain a healthy weight by giving you a sense of control over your life.

Weigh Daily

• There are mixed opinions about whether or not you should weigh often, but some studies seem to point to daily weigh-ins as a natural way to keep weight in check.

  The National Weight Control Registry reports that people who weigh in daily are more likely to deal with any weight gain immediately, while those who weigh weekly or less are more likely to gain weight and won't realize and deal with it immediately.