You probably know the usual weight loss advice by heart: Eat less and move more. While doing both (correctly!) can certainly help you shed pounds, there are other science-backed strategies to make your weight loss journey a little easier — and they’re not what you might expect. Start with these 11 small steps that can add up to big results.
Spend Less Time at the Gym
Yep, you read that right. Research shows that if you sprint for 30 seconds, rest for 4-6 minutes, and then repeat that at least 4 times, you’ll lose more fat than if you jog or walk at a steady pace for an hour. Big-time savings! Try shorter-interval workouts instead of long, grueling runs. You can also do intervals on a bike, the elliptical, or in the pool — anywhere you can vary your pace and how hard you work.
Check Your Kitchen Counter
Whatever’s on it, you’re probably going to eat it. So keep a bowl with fresh fruit or veggies there, and put the sweet treats out of sight.
In a study from Cornell University, women who keep a fresh fruit bowl out in the open weigh 13 pounds less than those don’t. The opposite is also true: The same research found that women who keep cereal boxes or soft drinks visible on their counters tend to weigh more.
