Pound Wise

HOW TO WIN AT A MAN'S GAME
Tune Up Your Workout
Pull out the all the stops to boost your metabolism: Dr. Peeke prescribes Vitamin I, or intensity. Do interval training, supercharging your workout with periods of high effort or sprints, which increase the calorie burn during exercise and for several hours afterwards. "You can burn 400 calories in 30 minutes," Peeke says. And don't forget strength training to build lean muscle, which will burn more calories all day long.

Those who thrive in a group setting (or can use the structure of a "workout date") should look for an activity with a fierce calorie burn, whether it's snowshoeing or salsa dancing.

Dial Down Your Diet
Be aware that women gravitate towards carbs, so be on guard against starches and sweets. Don't just keep a food diary of sins committed; create a food plan for the week. And remember that the same portion that allows your husband to lose a trusty two pounds a week may not budge the scale for you.

Put metabolism boosters into your diet: green tea, red peppers, paprika. Simply staying hydrated also has a metabolic benefit, Peeke says.

Override Emotional Eating
"Don't simply excuse yourself by saying 'I'm an emotional eater,'" says Bazilian. "If your hand's in the biscuit tin, until that treat is in your mouth, you still have the option to put it back." Try using your watch and eat when it's time, not when you're lonely, bored, stressed or tired.

Change Your Psychology
Get over it: Accept that the scale is going to move more slowly for you than for your man.

Do diet together (Peeke points out that couples who do enjoy a higher success rate), but take a cue from The Biggest Loser, which uses the percentage of body weight rather than the number of pounds lost to even out the challenge between women and men. Bazilian suggests measuring your success another way: Cut a string to fit your waist, then mark the overlap each week as you drop fat and add lean mass.

Borrow a page from the guys' rule book: Make a friendly wager with six girlfriends, putting enough money into the pool for it to matter whether or not you win.

If you backslide, and we all do, take it like a man. "They're quicker to regroup," says Bazilian. "They don't tie their character to what they're doing." It is not a great moral failing to be 20 pounds overweight. Removing that weight is a job, not a crusade.

Thumb Your Nose at Stupid Standards
"Pick your heroines carefully," says Peeke. "Look at American Gladiators. You don't see any skinny minnies there. Check out female Olympians. Page through Runner's World or Cycling Weekly magazines instead of Vogue."

"Don't get caught up in perfection," says Bazilian. "Look for the true rewards: more energy, a better glow, an ability to walk around the park in less time."

Demand Results from a Spa
When you book your stay, ask to speak with a personal trainer before you arrive. That way you can share basic information, such as your eating habits and weight loss goals, ahead of time, and hit the ground running when you arrive.

And expect to follow-through: The Golden Door has guests write themselves a letter to be posted six months later. Use it to set realistic personal goals that you'll be embarrassed not to meet. The Cooper Clinic Wellness Programme in Dallas, Texas, follows up with clients quarterly for a year. You have to provide feedback on your nutritional status, your exercise and your weight. Check-ins like these are more common at spas and can help to keep you on the right path.

January 7, 209