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The Easiest Way to Slash Your Fat Intake
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The Easiest Way to Feel More Satisfied with Your Job
Raise your hand if you’ve logged onto Twitter, watched a YouTube video, or stepped out to hit the gym during the workday today. You’re not alone. Ninety-three percent of people say they do a personal activity during work hours in the average week, according to a new Captivate Network survey.
The survey responses—from more than 800 workers in the U.S. and Canada—showed a 30 percent increase in the number of people who worked more than nine hours a day in the past two years (Captivate Network asked the same question in 2011). Yet there was also an 11 percent increase in the number of people who said they have a solid work/life balance. The researchers’ reasoning: A trend they’re calling “homing from work”—everything from making travel plans to using social media to running out of the office for a doctor’s appointment or to buy a gift.
“That’s reality, it’s how we have to manage things to get it all done,” says Cali Williams Yost, work flexibility expert and author of Tweak It: Make What Matters to You Happen Every Day. “The question is, how do you do it in a way that’s thoughtful and deliberate so that you are performing your job on the job and also being your best in the other parts of your life?”
That’s where these tips come in. Incorporate them into your workday to boost your balance—and happiness:
Remember this mantra: Your job comes first
Work should always be your priority, says Heather R. Huhman, career expert and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy. Log a few hours at your desk before breaking to handle something personal, she says—don’t sit down at your computer and immediately start scrolling through tweets. Lunchtime is a good time for a breather or an errand. You might also have to flex your schedule muscles: If you know you’re going to have to handle some personal business in the afternoon but your workday is going to be crazy, go into the office a little earlier, says Yost, or wake up early and do the opposite of “homing from work”—working from home—for a little while.
Have a purpose and a time slot
Whatever you’re breaking for, know what it is and how long you have, says Yost. That could mean taking 15 minutes to catch up on the news or walk around the block a few times—it just has to be intentional, she says. “You have an activity you want to complete, and you complete it. Then when that’s over, it’s over.”
Keep it SFW
Whatever personal business you’re dealing with should help keep you balanced—without throwing your colleagues off-kilter. Don’t do anything that causes a disruption, says Yost. An argument on the phone with your partner? Not cool. Same with conducting a full-on job search or doing any work for your side gig, she says. (But Yost does give you the green light to maintain your network, such as by having coffee with a colleague or updating your LinkedIn profile.)
Know your office’s (and boss’s) policies
Of course, much of what’s deemed appropriate or inappropriate for you to do on the job will come down to your specific situation. “You really have to read the culture of your organization,” says Yost. It might be fine for your friend to Facebook message you from her cubicle, but that doesn’t mean it’s OK for you to log on. And while another pal might be permitted to slip out of the office every now and then without announcing it to her boss, you might always have to ask your supervisor for permission. What it comes down to: “Know what your unofficial and official workplace rules are, and respect them,” says Huhman.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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The Greenest (and Easiest!) Way to Buy Groceries
How amazing does grocery shopping in your pajamas sound? Pretty amazing. And—as it turns out—you can feel good about it, too. You can majorly cut your carbon dioxide emissions by using a grocery delivery service rather than driving to and from the store, according to a new study out of the University of Washington.
Researchers tested hundreds of different models for home grocery delivery in Seattle, including different rates of use by shoppers and handling delivery in clusters versus spreading it out. The takeaway: “It’s very hard to find a scenario in which there’s not a reduction in vehicle miles traveled and a reduction in CO2 using this service,” says Anne Goodchild, PhD, an author of the study and an associate professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington.
By swapping a trip to the store for a delivery service, you can slash your carbon dioxide emissions by about half, says Goodchild. And if companies opt for clustered delivery rather than a more random schedule, they can also cut their own carbon dioxide emissions by about 75 percent, she says.
You’ll save time and the environment? Win-win! Worried about cost? While you’ll have to check your local delivery service to see how its prices stack up against those at your go-to grocery store, ordering online can be cost-effective—especially since it saves you money on fuel and encourages you to stick to a pre-planned shopping list.
If you want to give it a whirl, check out the options below. (No grocery delivery service in your area? You can still reduce your carbon footprint by walking, biking, or taking mass transit to the grocery store if possible—or even making it a group activity with a neighbor-friend, says Goodchild.)
Peapod
Delivers to markets within Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Wisconsin
Minimum order: $ 60
FreshDirect
Delivers to the greater New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut metro area, as well as the Greater Philadelphia area
Minimum order: $ 30
AmazonFresh
Delivers to the greater Seattle area
No minimum order
Safeway
Delivers to several markets within California (in Southern California, they’re Vons.com), as well as Portland, OR; Seattle, WA; Phoenix and Tucson, AZ; Las Vegas, NV; and the Baltimore/Washington Metropolitan Area
Minimum order: $ 49
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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The Easiest Way to Relax This Minute
Crazy-hectic day at the office? Just take a dose of…Norah Jones. Music can reduce stress levels—sometimes even more effectively than prescription drugs, according to a review published recently in Trends in Cognitive Sciences.
For the large-scale review, researchers examined about 400 papers on the neurochemistry of music. Fifteen of the papers showed that people’s levels of the stress hormone cortisol dropped after they listened to relaxing music, says Mona Lisa Chanda, PhD, a postgraduate research fellow in the psychology department at McGill University in Montreal and first author on the paper. One study that the researchers looked at compared the pre-surgery effect of taking midazolam, an anti-anxiety and sleepiness-inducing drug used before procedures, to simply listening to music instead. It showed that anxiety decreased significantly more in the music group than in the group that had been treated with drugs. Calming music is also associated with decreases in heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and muscle tension, says Chanda.
So what exactly qualifies as “relaxing” music? Think songs with slow tempos and not much in the way of percussion, says Chanda. “In general, it tends to mimic relaxing sounds in nature—soft and low-pitched, like maternal sounds or the purring of a cat,” she says.
Need some inspiration for your very own cool-down playlist? Load these songs onto your MP3 player so you can just hit “play” the next time you need to unwind. They all have about 60 to 80 beats per minute.
“Come Away with Me” by Norah Jones
“I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz
“Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2” by Chopin
“The Scientist” by Coldplay
“Tiny Dancer” by Elton John
“Jar of Hearts” by Christina Perri
“True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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The Easiest Way to Be Instantly Sexier
The Easiest Way to Be Instantly Sexier
In case you missed it, GIRLS star Lena Dunham practically hobbled her way to the stage last night at the 2013 Golden Globes. The culprit: too-high heels.
Here’s the thing, though: As long as you know how to walk normally in them, high heels make people think you look more attractive, according to a new study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.
“If you put high heels on, it makes your pelvis rotate more and it makes it go forward and back and up and down more,” says Paul Morris, PhD, lead study researcher. “It also shortens the stride, and both of these things make the gait biomechanically, physically much more female.” And looking more feminine (moving in a more feminine way), in turn, might make the high-heel wearer more attractive, according to a suggestion in the study.
The only downside to wearing high heels? Whether they’re sky-high or a more conservative height, heels can put women at risk for stumbles, tumbles, or just some really strange-looking strides, à la Dunham’s stage shuffle. Here, your guide for scoring sexy, easy-to-walk-in shoes (yes, it’s totally possible!) from Women’s Health senior fashion editor Thea Palad.
Shop at the right time
When it comes to shoe-shopping, the time of day is key, according to Palad. “If you’re shopping early in the day, and your feet haven’t sufficiently swollen, there’s a chance that you’ll buy shoes that are too small for your feet.” Stick to afternoon or evening shoe shopping to avoid buying the wrong size.
Don’t get stuck on a size
One thing to remember: “Don’t get too attached to number,” says Palad. “If you’ve always been a 7, don’t assume you always have to buy a 7.” Higher-end designers tend to run smaller, as can European shoes, she says. Also, age, weight gain, and life changes like pregnancy will make your feet get somewhat fatter, so the size of your feet might fluctuate, she warns. That said, Palad suggests getting fitted once a year to be completely realistic about what size shoe you might be.
Pay attention to the design of the heel itself
“Be cognizant of the heel,” says Palad. “If you have a stacked heel or something chunky, that’s going to be a lot more comfortable than a little spindly stiletto because it’s going to distribute your weight more evenly.”
Also, the heel itself should be positioned in the center of your heel (as opposed to the very back of the shoe) so that the heel doesn’t pitch you forward. Palad’s rule of thumb: If it looks like it’s going to pitch you forward, it is going to pitch you forward. One style to try: A platform shoe. “A platform can relieve some of the pressure on your feet.” Another go-to option: wedges, which allow you to distribute your weight along the length of the shoe.
Inspect the soles
No matter the style of shoe you choose, look for something with a substantial sole—something thick and made out of rubber or cork—both of which are shock-absorbing. “The problem with really thin soles is there’s nothing to absorb the shock,” says Palad. “When you wear them you’re literally pounding the pavement. It’s jarring for your bones, your hips, and your knees.” Her insider tip: If you already own shoes with a paper-thin sole, take them to the cobbler and have them put a rubber sole on the bottom, which ups the comfort factor and will extend the life of the shoe.
Invest in gel pads
“Gel pads render the most uncomfortable shoe completely wearable,” says Palad. Her suggestion: Place a gel insert exactly where the ball of your foot will be when you’re standing in your shoes.
Change up your shoes
If you think that wearing the same shoe over and over again will make it easier on your feet, think again. “You shouldn’t wear shoes consecutively,” says Palad. “You should change them up. Otherwise, you’re exerting the same pressure on the same points and rubbing against the same areas, and that’s just going to cause irritation.”
photo: Leonard Mc Lane/Digital Vision/Thinkstock
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The Easiest Way to Boost Creativity
Low on inspiration? Lace up your hiking boots. Spending a few days in the outdoors may actually improve your reasoning and mental clarity, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Researchers sent 56 people on four- to six-day wilderness trips sans smartphones, laptops, and other electronics. Twenty-four of the backpackers took a 10-question creativity test on the morning of their departure, while 32 others took the same test on the fourth morning of their trip. Those who took the test near the end of the trip scored 50 percent better than those who took the test at the beginning of the trip.
The reason for the brainy boost? Aside from the fact that nature can be pretty awe-inspiring, it’s all about letting the brain repair itself, which happens when you have fewer distractions (read: no Instagram updates to like), says David Strayer, Ph.D., co-author of the study and a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. “When you multi-task all day, you put a heavy load on the frontal lobe of the brain, which is associated with creativity and higher functioning,” Strayer says. Turning off your gadgets and focusing on the environment around you can restore and reset this area, allowing new thought to flow more freely, he says.
And although a four-day trip provided a significant boost in creativity test scores for Strayer’s volunteers, you don’t have to climb a mountain to get the same result, he says. “You probably won’t get the full effect of disengaging, but you can see measurable benefits with just a half hour to an hour walk through a nature preserve or a park,” he says. “Just leave the cell phone in your purse.”
Test Yourself
The standardized creativity tests that Strayer used included questions that listed a series of words and asked the pupil to choose a new word to link them together. An example would be: Envy, golf, beans. Can you think of a word that connects all three? Spoiler alert: The answer is “green.” Now, take some time to unplug, unwind, and enjoy your local park (try one of these 10 best trail runs in America) before trying your hand at this set: Athletes, web, rabbit. The answer is at the bottom of the post. Good luck!
Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Answer to the creativity test above: Foot.
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The Easiest Way to Be a Better Cook
Want to be a better cook? Turns out that you don’t need fancy kitchen gadgets or cooking classes, you just need a specific side dish. Researchers at Cornell University found that if you serve vegetables as part of a meal, people will think the dish tastes better—and that you’re a better cook—than if you forgo the greens.
Researchers gave menus to participants that listed dishes like chicken, steak, and pasta. Some participants’ menus included vegetables with the main dishes; others did not. Everyone was asked to rate the appeal of both the meal and the preparer. People who were shown a combo meal of, say, steak and broccoli, said that they thought the meal would taste better, and that the cook was better, than the people who had the solo steak on their menu. In fact, the steak-and-broccoli group even said that the cook was more thoughtful and attentive, and less selfish. The steak-only folks harbored much fewer warm feelings.
People tend to associate meals that have vegetables with a little more effort, like the ones served at restaurants or at holiday gatherings—meals which people usually think of as tasting really good, says lead study author Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab and the author of Mindless Eating: Why Eat More Than We Think. (Disclaimer: The study, which will be published in the peer-reviewed journal Public Health and Nutrition, was sponsored by Bird’s Eye vegetables).
“The more effort that you believe went into a meal, the better you think it’s going to be. Even if that effort was heating up some vegetables,” Wansink says.
In light of the fact that 70 percent of all vegetables eaten are eaten at dinnertime but only 23 percent of dinners have vegetables, Wansink and his team wanted to find out if there was any additional motivation to include veggies in meals. “This [study] provides the best two motivations as to why you should put vegetables on the table. Not because they’re healthy—we all know that—but because it makes you look like a better cook and a more loving person,” he says.
Ready to cook up a storm? Here are three delicious side dishes to whip up the next time you want to seriously impress your dining companions.
Sauteed String Beans with Sweet Onion and Grape Tomatoes
This colorful medley is sure to make any entree look its best. The grape tomatoes are an amazingly sweet addition.
Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Lemon And Orange
Baking lightly oiled broccoli and cauliflower until crisp-tender inhibits the release of any unpleasant sulphur aromas. The vegetables mellow even more when tossed with sweet citrus just before serving.
Overnight Kale Salad
Dress up vitamin and fiber-rich kale with pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, Pecorino Romano cheese, and an overnight vinaigrette marinade. Not planning dinner a day ahead? You can let it steep for as little as 30 minutes.
Get even more veggie side dishes from the Women’s Health Recipe Finder!
photo: Ingram Publishing/Thinkstock
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Easiest Workout Trick Ever
Does exercise excite you? If not, there is a way to rev yourself up and make the most of your workout: sipping a caffeinated beverage can give you more enthusiasm about exercising–and boost your performance, according to a new study done by researchers at Coventry University in the UK.
In the experiment, 13 people were split into two groups: one received caffeinated beverage one hour before hitting the gym, while the second group gulped a placebo. How’d their workouts go? The caffeine group completed an average of 38% more repetitions of each exercise, and they also reported having more energy and enthusiasm about exercising, compared to their non-caffeinated counterparts.
Here’s why caffeine helps: When you put your muscles to work, a molecule called adenosine builds up in your muscle cells. That molecule muddles communication within your central nervous system, and so hinders muscle activity and limits your workout potential, explains study author Michael Duncan, PhD, an applied sports science lecturer at Coventry U. But caffeine appears to limit the build-up of adenosine, he says. Past studies have shown that caffeine can also improve aerobic performance, Duncan adds.
How much caffeine do you need to experience this benefit? Roughly 10 to 15 milligrams per 10 pounds of body weight, Duncan says. For a 130-pound woman, that works out to about 175 mg of caffeine—or the equivalent of one cup of coffee (depending on who’s doing the brewing). Another option? The caffeinated banana.
Here are a few more scientifically proven ways to maximize your workout:
Turn it up. Listening to music with a fast, energetic beat while you work out has been shown to improve both muscle endurance and performance during aerobic and resistance training, finds a University of New Mexico review study.
Grab a buddy. Research from the University of Pittsburgh found those women who work out with a friend lose roughly 30% more weight than those who go it alone.
Cool your mitts. Study participants with cooler hands—via specially designed gloves—upped their heart rate, improved their times on a walking test, and lost two more inches compared to women without the gloves, according to a recent study. Cooling your hands reduces the energy sapping effects of heat stress, the study authors explain. Hold a frozen water bottle during your next walk to reap the benefits.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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