The John Tesh Blog

Here are a few of our favorite tips from our radio show. I use them everyday and I’m here to report that they work wonderfully.

1. Start every day with a workout. Dr. Tim Church is an obesity expert who says even if you only have 15 minutes to spare, daily exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy weight. Plus, he says studies show that people who work out in the morning tend to move more the rest of the day – compared to people who wait until the afternoon or evening to exercise. They’re also less likely to give into temptations to eat the fatty foods that cause us to gain weight in the first place.

2. Practice saying “no” to more than just fatty food. Dr. Michael Dansinger is a nutrition expert who says our willpower is like a muscle: It needs to be exercised to get stronger. And the best way to do that is to practice using willpower in non-food situations. For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic, Dr. Dansinger says try to avoid honking your horn at them. Because the better you are at resisting the urge to honk, the better you’ll be at resisting a tempting piece of cheesecake. I know, it sounds way too simple but try it for 2 weeks. Practice building your willpower muscle.

3. Also, practice the “three bite rule” if you DO decide to eat dessert. That comes from registered dietician Tanya Zuckerbrot. She says allowing yourself just three bites of any dessert is enough to satisfy your sweet tooth, without blowing your diet.

4. Avoid “morning-after food.” That’s the term dietician Lauren Slayton uses for the leftovers we snack on the day after a dinner party. She says a lot of us are good at sticking to our diet plan when we’re around our friends - but it’s those leftovers we see in the fridge the next day that do us in! So, instead of putting them in the fridge, send them away with your guests on paper plates. That way, your friends eat the extra calories, not you!