It's 3 p.m. and you're craving something sweet…and something salty. Before you put your quarters into the closest vending machine, consider some healthy alternatives to potato chips and candy bars.
When Dr. Oz wants to crush a craving, he relies on his emergency snacks, which he carries everywhere! "Emergency foods you want tend to be foods that are a little crunchy with some sweetness to them," he says.
Apples, carrots and nuts are great snacks to consider. A glass of vegetable juice also takes the edge off, he says. One snack you may not have thought of are breath strips! "I like [breath strips] because, a lot of times, we have a craving center in our brain that says put something in me," he says. "It doesn't tell you what."
Dr. Oz says a glass of water, a good night's sleep or sex might also satisfy your craving center.
Another way to fight fat is to spice it up! Adding red pepper flakes or cinnamon to your food can reduce your appetite. Starting with a smaller plate also helps you eat 33 percent less, Dr. Oz says.
The most important meal of the day »
Breakfast is also a key component to Dr. Oz's diet plan. "People who eat breakfast every day are thinner," he says. "Jump start your metabolism with breakfast—don't miss it!"
Dr. Roizen says people should try to automate their breakfast and lunch. "Why we get so fat is we have so many choices…we want one of everything," he says.
For breakfast, Dr. Roizen says you should have the same thing or the same small variety of things every day. Steel-cut oatmeal, whole grain cereals and egg-white omelets are great options. Then, do the same thing at lunch. Find a lunch that's satisfying and stick with it. Then, come dinner time, you can enjoy a variety of options!
A healthy breakfast option that's great on the go »
'YOU: On a Diet' Basics
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Breakfast smoothie
When soggy cereal and steel-cut oatmeal loses its appeal, whip up one of Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen's favorite breakfast treats!
The Quick Magical Breakfast Blaster
2 servings, 136 calories per serving
1 scoop (1/3 cup) Soy protein (like Nature's Plus Spiru-Tein)
1/2 tablespoon flaxseed oil
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 large ripe banana (or other fruits of your choice)
1/2 tablespoon apple juice concentrate or honey
1 teaspoon Psyillium seed husks
Peel banana; break into chunks. Put all ingredients in a blender. Add 12 ounces of water and ice, as well as powdered vitamins. Cover, blend until fairly smooth.
The only four exercises you'll ever need to know »
You don't need balls, mats and elastic bands to get a great workout. Dr. Oz says there are only four exercises that you'll ever need to know—and none require fancy machinery!
First, Dr. Oz suggests that people walk for at least 30 minutes each and every day. "Walking is the foundation for all other exercises because it increases your stamina and prepares your body for strength training," he says. You should strive to walk 10,000 steps a day.
The second step is to build muscle by lifting weights for 30 minutes a week. You can lift a dumbbell, a gallon of milk or your toddler…just start lifting!
Now that you're on the right track, Dr. Oz says you have to work up a sweat for about an hour a week. "The number one predictor of how long you're going to live is how well you can exercise your heart," he says. "If you can push yourself to sweat for an hour a week, that's great. You can break it down into three little segments of 20 minutes each."
Finally, you have to stretch so that you don't get hurt. Dr. Oz likes to do yoga, but he says you can get the same benefits from stretches you learned in high school gym class.
Watch beginner, intermediate and advanced workouts.
There's one secret fat-burner that you can do anywhere—fidgeting! Most of the one million calories you consume every year are burned without you ever thinking about it. Only 15 to 30 percent of calories are burned through intentional physical activity, so minor additions like being fidgety helps keep off the pounds!
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