Weight loss or maintenance always seems like such an uphill battle. Sure, you want to look good and protect your wellbeing against serious health concerns, but going to the gym? Pass. Still, you don’t have to hit the machines – or even change out of your jammies – to burn more calories. All you need to do is make a few home improvements to tip the scales in your favour.
1. Dim the lights: While turning down the lights and listening to Adele in the gloom may seem like the sign of a mental breakdown, it’s actually a bright idea for improving your wellness. According to a recent study from Cornell University, diners who ate a meal under soft lights with relaxing music in the background consumed 133 fewer calories compared with those who ate in bright, noisy environments. When you eat dinner in a calm atmosphere, you eat more slowly which enables your brain to better register satisfaction before you’re stuffed. Even if you’re no Handy Andy, Mike Scott, the resident lighting expert for Lowe’s, asserts that even a novice can install a dimmer switch in 15 minutes or less.
2. Slim Shady: There’s a reason why they call Eminem “Slim Shady” – he keeps getting told to “please stand up”. Yes, spending an extra hour in your day simply standing up can help you to burn an additional 40 calories. Barry Braun, PhD, a kinesiology professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, points out that ‘not activating muscle fibres for a prolonged period of time causes negative changes in the pathways that regulate your metabolism.’ In English, this means that as well as using more energy, standing also keeps your metabolism humming. So, park yourself at the kitchen counter to send your emails, or Braun suggests taking a five-minute walking break every 30 minutes.
3. Stay cool: Even if you’re not doing anything apart from slobbing in front of the TV, just turning down the temperature in your house can help you to burn more fat. In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, a study details how exposing people to cold temperatures for three hours, helped them to burn an additional 250 calories. Scott Isaacs, MD, an endocrinologist and the author of Beat Overeating Now!, explains that being cold forces your body into overdrive to heat itself up again, and you end up zapping extra calories in the process. Isaacs notes that even lowering the thermostat by two or three degrees can help you get the benefits.
4. Treat yourself to a new wardrobe: On the rare occasion that you do attempt to exercise, doing it in stained, stretched-out clothes may impede your efforts. Body image expert Sarah Maria, the author of Love Your Body, Love Your Life, comments, ‘Worn-out clothes can hold you back and even keep you from going to the gym in the first place, while a flattering, comfortable outfit boosts your confidence and energy while you work out.’ Do a clean sweep of your workout wardrobe, and then fill the gaps with a few shiny new purchases. When replacing your sports bra (which is a good idea if you’ve had it for more than six months to a year), LA-based celebrity trainer Ramona Braganza recommends, ‘A neon sports bra or a moisture-wicking tank may be motivation enough to run an extra mile or bust out a few more reps.’
5. Make some noise: A good night’s sleep prevents you from overeating the next day, as well as making the most of your body’s peak fat-burning time. If you’re having trouble sleeping, the sound of an overhead fan may be all you need. Lisa Shives, MD, the founder of the Linden Center for Sleep and Weight Management in Evanston, Illinois, details, ‘It helps you tune out disruptions. If you’re in a too-quiet room, any little sound, whether it’s the house creaking or your neighbours coming home, will wake you up.’
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