The Quickest Way to Feel Younger

By Sara Altshul

2010 seems like an unbelievable number to me. It’s remote and futuristic in a way that 2009 never was. Where’s my Jetsons car, that snazzy monorail system that was supposed to replace highways, and my housecleaning robot? Not to mention the pill that was supposed to replace food. (I’m not a bit disappointed that one hasn’t become a reality.)

This summer, I’ll turn 60. Another remote and impossibly futuristic number, one that’s so far removed from 59 that I can’t believe it’s happening to me. By the time my grandmothers were 60, they were both little old ladies who wore matronly dresses and didn’t go out much except for family events. When my mother was 60, she was certainly more outgoing and energetic than her mother had been, but still, I thought of her as being old.

There was a basis for my thinking: Because none of my forebears lived much past their 70s, 60 meant closing in on the end. The knowledge of that has taken me by surprise. I never worried about getting older before. But now, I am, a little. Time seems exquisitely precious now that I can practically count it.

You might expect someone who writes about health to list all the things I’m going to do so that I can stay active and vibrant for as long as I possibly can. But really, if you’re a Health.com reader, you don’t need me to tell you to eat less, exercise more, reduce your stress, and eat tons of fruits and veggies. I will, as time goes by, share easier ways of doing all these things. But there’s one thing I can do to feel younger and more energetic almost instantly. So this year, I just have one resolution, only one. Here it is:

I’m cutting back on the time-suckers in my life and investing that time in doing something I’ve always wanted to do.

Honestly, do I need to read celebrity gossip updates or check my Facebook page every 30 minutes? I bet I while away hours a week on pointless stories and Internet activities that aren’t even that entertaining. And really, all those Law & Order marathons that I can watch endlessly? It doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen an episode—I can watch it all over again even when I know that the celebrity guest is the murderer. I’m not getting any of that time back, ever.

So what would I rather point to at the end of the day? That I frittered away my time on pointless activities? Or that I invested it in, say, writing the big book that’s been percolating in my head for decades. The answer is easy. And I know this—if I give myself a really compelling reason to stay young-minded, I might just beat my family history.

3 Ways to Eat Slowly (and Lose Weight!)

Maintaining my Feel Great Weight one carrot (and cupcake!) at a time

By Tina Haupert

I never thought my pug could help with my diet, but an incident last week showed me I was wrong.

Every night, Murphy inhales his dinner in a matter of minutes. And last week, in typical Murphy fashion, he scarfed down his food fast—but this time he started to choke. In a panic, I hopped in the car and drove Murphy to the vet. Luckily, by the time I arrived, he was no longer choking, and breathing normally again. After a quick vet checkup, Murphy ended up completely fine. But his lightening-fast eating habits definitely gave me a big scare!

Thankfully, everything worked out with my dog, but the whole experience got me thinking about eating too quickly. More than once, I’ve found myself shoveling down my dinner so fast that I barely taste it. I know it’s a bad habit, but I also find it sort of strange, because I consider myself such a foodie. I truly love food—everything about it—so why can’t I slow down enough to enjoy it?

Eating too quickly can cause a bunch of digestive problems, like indigestion, and (more importantly to my Lose the Dough goals), it can cause you to consume too many calories. So last week I decided to do a little experiment to help me slow down at meals. Here’s what I did:

I made it special. More than once, I’ve stood in my kitchen and chowed down a snack that I just prepared. But keeping my new goal in mind, I made it a point to make my meals and snacks a little more special. For example, instead of just peeling a banana and eating it as is, I sliced it, put it in an attractive bowl, and topped it with chopped walnuts and agave nectar. Increasing the specialness of my snack made me appreciate it more and really savor it.

I paused before my first bite. Before I even tasted my food, I took a moment to relax and consider my hunger level. This reminded me to slow down, which ultimately led me to consume fewer calories. Plus, making it a point to pause before my meal allows me to focus on the meal and really enjoy it.

I put down my fork. It usually takes me about 20 minutes to feel satisfied while eating a meal, so I found it helpful to put down my fork between every few bites to stay in tune with my body’s fullness. Keeping tabs on my satisfaction throughout my meal helped me eat slower.