10 Weight Loss Strategies That Actually Worked For Real People

It goes without saying that losing weight is hard. Sometimes, particularly on days when you want to down an entire pizza, getting advice from other dieters can keep you on track to achieving your weight loss goals.

Dieting is a popular Reddit topic and many turn to the message boards asking for weight loss and workout tips/tricks that actually work.

On multiple threads, people share which habits made a meaningful impact in their weight loss efforts. Although respondents are from everyday users, many of the tips have a strong backing in science.

We looked to Reddit for the best weight loss strategies that helped real people shed pounds. Try them out and see if they work for you, too.

“Drink water instead of soda.”

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It’s a simple, but effective, swap. Nixing empty, liquid calories—like soda, booze, and sugary coffee drinks—will make a big impact.

Soda is loaded with sugar and potentially sketchy ingredients. For instance, one can of Coke contains 39 grams of added sugar (more than your daily recommended max of 36 grams) and 140 calories. Just one a day will save you nearly 1,000 extra calories a week.

Plus, drinking the sweet stuff might increase your risk of some serious health conditions. One study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests that people who sip sugary drinks like soda have 10 percent more visceral fat—the fat you can’t see hiding deep within your body around your organs—than people who avoid the stuff. This type of fat has been linked to heart disease and diabetes.

“Meal prep will change your life.”

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If you have a hard time making healthy food choices in the moment, prepping meals ahead of time can save you from those impulsive not-so-great decisions.

Hectic work schedules and family commitments make it hard to turn down fast food or frozen meals that can be made in minutes. Taking a day or two out of your week to prep will ensure that your meals are full of muscle-building protein, filling fiber, and healthy carbs and fats—all essentials when you’re looking to drop pounds.

Check out our beginner’s guide to meal prep for the basics on getting started—and avoid these mistakes if you want meals that taste fresh and delicious for longer than a day.

“Intermittent fasting. It's been 8 weeks. I’ve lost 18 pounds.”

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More than one person on Reddit gave a shout out to intermittent fasting. Basically, your eating is restricted during set times and you eat as normal—or even more than you would otherwise—during others.

In fact, intermittent fasting is just as effective for weight loss as daily calorie restriction, according to a study from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In this experiment, people who fasted ate 25 percent of their daily calorie needs every other day, known as “fast days.” On their “feast days” they ate 125 percent of their calorie needs. So if you typically eat 2,000 calories a day, you’d eat 500 calories one day, followed by 2,500 the next.

Any diet can work—as long as you’re consistent and able to stick with it. “The people who can benefit from this type of alternate-day fasting are those who would rather feel like they aren’t restricting food intake 3.5 days out of the week,” Men’s Health nutrition advisor, Alan Aragon, M.S. told us. That means you find it hard to stick to a diet all the time, and you’d like the flexibility that feast days can give you.

“One sustainable change at a time.”

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Overhauling your diet and fitness routine can be daunting, which is why Reddit user p-nutz encourages people to start with just one small tweak. For example, make your goal to walk every day rather than to run three miles. “After a while that will be normal,” the Redditor writes. “Then tackle any mindless eating until that’s normal. Eat healthier food until that’s normal. Count calories until it’s second nature, maybe start paying attention to macros after a while, join a gym or pick up that hobby you’ve been wanting to try,” they explain.

In 2009, a combined task force made up of the American Society for Nutrition, Institute of Food Technologists, and International Food Information Council, concluded that small changes were the best way to tackle obesity. This is because small tweaks, like walking everyday, are easy to maintain.

“Go slow.”



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Although everyone wants the pounds to come off the instant they adopt healthy habits, quick weight loss isn’t necessarily the best as it can be hard to maintain and result in muscle loss.

“It's frustrating in the moment, but much more satisfying over time than yo-yo crash dieting,” says Redditor verascity, who lost 60 pounds.

“Not drinking any calories makes a huge difference.”

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Although smoothies or protein shakes may seem like a healthy choice, they don’t always keep you satisfied. Redditor lazerdude07 attributes this small tweak with making a significant change in his weight loss efforts.

As Men’s Health previously reported, liquids empty out of your stomach in less than an hour while solid foods take two to four hours. Plus, blending foods pulverizes their fibers and your body breaks them down faster, reducing satiety.

“All you really need is decent movement everyday.”

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“I lost 40 kg a few years ago,” one user wrote—that's the equivalent of 88 pounds. “The only thing that really worked for me was to do cardio every single day, just 30 min of good cardio a day.”

The user added: “All you really need is decent movement every day. Jumping jacks are really effective for weight loss, they helped me most.”

Cardio can feel like a chore (unless you try one of these awesome indoor cardio workouts), but according to a study in BMC Public Health, overweight people who included both cardio and weight training into their 12-week exercise program lost more body fat than those who stuck to just one or the other.

“Cook all your own food.”

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“Don’t eat anything that comes out of a bag, box, or restaurant,” one user pointed out in the thread.

It’s a good point: One study from the U.K. found that people who ate more than five home-cooked meals per week were 28 percent less likely to have an overweight body mass index (defined as anything above 25) and 24 percent less likely to have excess body fat than those who ate less than three home-cooked meals per week.

That’s because people who whip up their own meals tend to use healthier prep methods, eat a larger variety of foods (like fruits and vegetables), and eat less processed foods, which tend to be higher in added sugar and calories, the researchers note. What’s more, cooking at home motivates you to add other healthy habits into your daily routine, like exercising regularly.
“Include fruits and vegetables with every meal.”

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You’re probably not eating enough fruits and vegetables, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only 12 percent of Americans eat at least 1.5 to 2 cups of fruit, while only 9 percent down a minimum of 2 to 3 cups of vegetables a day.

But filling your plate with fruits and vegetables is crucial if you want to eat more food while downing fewer calories. (Two cups of broccoli serves up only 109 calories. Compare that to just one cup of white pasta, which gets you around 200 or more.) Fruits and vegetables also contain lots of gut filling fiber, which will help keep your hunger at bay between meals.

Plus, packing in colorful produce can reduce your risk of chronic health issues, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and even come cancers, says the CDC report.

Try this: Fill half your plate with fruits or vegetables, and split the other between quality carbs (like whole grains) and lean protein for a satisfying meal, Wesley Delbridge, R.D., spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told Men’s Health recently.

“Keto has worked for me. But mostly because it helps me reduce my calorie intake."

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The ketogenic diet is all anyone can talk about lately—but it’s not exactly new. The keto model is similar to the Atkins diet of the early 2000s, but focuses more heavily on carb restriction. When you go keto, 60 to 80 percent of your diet is composed of fat, 10 to 15 percent comes from protein, and less than 10 percentis made up of carbs.

Here’s the thing: Keto is extremely restrictive, which automatically means it won’t work for everyone. But if you can stick with it, you should go into in a ketogenic state, which will theoretically force your body to run on fat rather than glucose (a type of sugar found in carbs), helping you burn fat by default.

Plus, as the Reddit user noted, you’re forced to eat a limited number of foods, which means you have less of any opportunity to rely on unhealthy options. Plus, you can’t really eat carbs, so you will immediately eliminate refined carbs, like sugar cereals and packaged snacks, which can help you reduce your calories.

Here’s everything you need to know about keto before you try it, including three tips that will prime you for success. This ketogenic diet meal plan will serve some recipe inspiration, too.


Associate Editor Alisa Hrustic, an associate editor at Prevention, has spent her entire career interviewing top medical experts, interpreting peer-reviewed studies, and reporting on health, nutrition, weight loss, and fitness trends for outlets like Women’s Health and Men’s Health, where she both interned and worked full-time.

Melissa Matthews Health Writer Melissa Matthews is the health writer at MensHealth.com and has written for Newsweek, Men's Fitness, Inc.

Source: https://www.menshealth.com/weight-loss/a19546863/reddit-weight-loss-tips-that-work/

9 Tips for a Snatched Waistline

Tired of not seeing your feet?
Are you fed up of giving out that Winnie the Pooh vibe when you wear your crop tops?
Or maybe you just want to get your bikini body.
Well, say no more because redemption is at hand. We present to you 9 ways to lose belly fat and define your waist line in no time.

1. Mind What You Eat


Out of the abundance of the mouth, the belly groweth. Abs are made in the kitchen, lovelies. We can already hear the sobs but that’s the truth. You can do a million sit-ups and a hundred planks but if you’re not eating right, that pooch ain’t going anywhere. And the funny thing is it’s easier than you think. You’ve probably heard it before:
•Cut out refined carbs and carbonated drinks!
•Cut out fried foods, ice cream and pizza!
•Don’t eat late else you’d explode come morning!
•Drink 12 tanks of water and eat your weight in fruits!
While they are not wrong, we have observed that when you rush into all these regimens, in a couple of weeks- or even days- you rush right out like a Yaba bus driver. It is always good to take consistent baby steps instead of the occasional giant step.

If you take carbonated drinks every day, limit it to once a week. By the second month, take them only fortnightly, go down to once a month by the third or fourth month and slowly wean yourself off them by the fifth or sixth month.
Do the same for refined carbs, fried foods, ice cream and pizza.
Substitute your regular white bread for wheat bread. Wheat bread tastes absolutely heavenly especially with mayonnaise or when made into a sandwich. If you’re among the “Wheat bread is too bland” camp, you can take white bread but limit it to at most twice a week and don’t take more than three slices.
For those that were not informed, refined carbs include: White bread, noodles, pasta, chocolates, pastries etc.

2. Up your Water Intake


Everyone should know this. Water is life. Not only does it clear your skin and quench your thirst, it also speeds up digestion and prevents bloating which might make your belly appear bigger than it really is. The average man should take at least 8 glasses of water a day; if you can take more, fantabulous!
Try to take at least a glass of water when you wake up in the morning as this will help lubricate your system and help clear impurities. Also, taking increased amounts of water reduces hunger (every boarder and University student knows this). Why? It’s not only because it keeps you full for longer periods of time but also because sometimes our body mistakes thirst for hunger. This is why sometimes after drinking water you realize you are no longer hungry.

There are some people that sometimes forget to drink water. Calm down, Susan, it is a thing. For such people, buying a water bottle is advised as this would not only encourage and help them drink more water but will also help them track their water intake. You can also slice some fruits into your water to flavor it up if you find water too bland after a couple of cups.

3. Avoid Stress and Depression


When you are stressed, the adrenal gland secrets a hormone known as cortisol which promotes fat storage in the belly. Have you ever noticed that little belly fold after undergoing prolonged periods of stress? Cortisol is the culprit; this is why it is affectionately called the stress hormone in academic circles. Essentially, when Cortisol levels in the blood rise, insulin levels rise and this causes a drop in blood sugar making you crave certain “comfort foods.” An assistant professor of population medicine at Harvard, Jason Perry Block is of the opinion that this happens because the body releases chemicals in response to food that might have a calming effect.
Depression also has a similar effect as most people seek comfort in food when they are depressed.
Try as much possible to avoid stress, stressful situations and overthinking. In cases of depression, talk to an understanding person or seek professional help.

4. Don’t Eat Late


Picture this: You are having a sleep over with your girls and you would all be watching reruns of Game of Thrones. Popcorn, Soda, Chips and all that good stuff are chaperoning the event. Everyone’s bae is acting right. NEPA is doing a commendable job and just like that song goes, na enjoyment wan kill una. But there is something wrong with this picture: Y’all eating at past 8 p.m. It’s not enough to eat right you also have to eat at the right time. You see that pack of biscuits you ate in the middle of the night when everything, but your hunger cravings, was asleep or that plate of Eba you ate during a night out with your boys, they are the ones that would testify against you when the time comes.
Eat well during the day but once it is 7 p.m. (or 8 p.m. for those wey no too get mind) please stop eating. It seems difficult but it is doable. Metabolism is lower at night as we are hardly ever active then. So everything you eat at those times goes straight to all the wrong places. If you get hunger cravings in the dead of the night, stock your fridge with healthy snacks like carrots, garden eggs, cucumbers etc. which would satisfy that midnight need to move your mouth and are also healthy. In summary, eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

5. Portion Control


Wolfing down huge mountains of food, no matter how healthy the food might be, always does more harm than good. It is always better to eat smaller portions at more frequent intervals than annihilating mountains of food three times a day. Also, bulk up on veggies, fruits and proteins and make carbs your toppings.

6. Fruits are Man’s Best Friend


Make fruits a constant part of your diet. Eat them early in the morning and substitute your dinner with them. They also make tasty midnight snacks (although you should probably exclude bananas in this case as they can be a bit fattening and can cause bloating when metabolism is low). Go on fruit detoxes at least once a month. During a fruit detox, the only thing you eat throughout the day is fruits and these helps to cleanse your system. It’s not advisable to do fruit detoxes more than twice a week.

7. Alcohol is your Frenemy


Again, we know the excuses:
“It helps me work.”
“It takes my mind off things.”
“It calms my nerves.”
While you might see this bottled rascal as a friend that spirits away all your problems, it is also the frenemy that is responsible for that proud pooch that you can never seem to lose. No doubt, it has its good effects; red wine, for example, when consumed in moderate amounts may lower your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Some studies have shown that excess alcohol intake suppresses fat catabolism. Limit your alcohol intake and watch your abs solidify. You can substitute alcohol for healthier drinks like smoothies, shakes, mocktails and some cocktails.

8. Cheat Days


We have talked a lot about cutting, avoiding and stopping but this list would not be complete without cheat days. Cheat days are necessary. They give you something to look forward to, something to work towards. An ideal cheat day occurs once a month and on this day you can eat- in sensible portions- those foods you are abstaining from.

9. Exercise, Exercise, Exercise


Alas, we round off this list on a very active note. Following the aforementioned tips would significantly reduce your midriff area but to get that washboard abs or that snatched to the gods waistline, honey, you have to sweat for it. Aerobics, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and abdominal exercises are all effective in burning fat. Abdominal exercises help in shaving off those stubborn fat deposits that cling on valiantly despite your healthy eating habits. They also help to strengthen your core, tone your belly and define your belly muscles and obliques. For best results, always do at least 2 sets of 15 reps of any abdominal exercise. Good abdominal exercises include: Planks, Crunches, Sit-ups, Russian Twists and Mountain Climbers.

Source: https://www.herald.ng/9-tips-for-a-snatched-waistline/

What Foods Are Banned in Europe but Not Banned in the U.S.?

The European Union prohibits many food additives and various drugs that are widely used in American foods.

Some foods, like those found in this grocery store in Nice, France, don't contain food additives that would otherwise be allowed in foods in the United States.


Q. What foods are banned in Europe that are not banned in the United States, and what are the implications of eating those foods?

A. The European Union prohibits or severely restricts many food additives that have been linked to cancer that are still used in American-made bread, cookies, soft drinks and other processed foods. Europe also bars the use of several drugs that are used in farm animals in the United States, and many European countries limit the cultivation and import of genetically modified foods.

“In some cases, food-processing companies will reformulate a food product for sale in Europe” but continue to sell the product with the additives in the United States, said Lisa Y. Lefferts, senior scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a food safety advocacy organization.

A 1958 amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the Food and Drug Administration from approving food additives that are linked to cancer, but an agency spokeswoman said that many substances that were in use before passage of the amendment, known as the Delaney amendment, are considered to have had prior approval and “therefore are not regulated as food additives.”


In October, the F.D.A. agreed to ban six artificial flavoring substances shown to cause cancer in animals, following petitions and a lawsuit filed by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other organizations. The F.D.A. insists the six artificial flavors “do not pose a risk to public health,” but concedes that the law requires it not approve the food additives. Food companies will have at least two years to remove them from their products.

Here’s a short list of some of the food additives restricted by the European Union but allowed in American foods. Most must be listed as ingredients on the labels, though information about drugs used to increase the yield in farm animals is generally not provided.
Potassium bromate and azodicarbonamide (ADA)

These additives are commonly added to baked goods, but neither is required, and both are banned in Europe because they may cause cancer. In recent years, some American restaurant chains have responded to consumer pressure and removed them from their food.

Potassium bromate is often added to flour used in bread, rolls, cookies, buns, pastry dough, pizza dough and other items to make the dough rise higher and give it a white glow. The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers it a possible human carcinogen, and the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the F.D.A. to ban it nearly 20 years ago. The F.D.A. says potassium bromate has been in use since before the Delaney amendment on carcinogenic food additives was passed.

Azodicarbonamide, or ADA, which is used as a whitening agent in cereal flour and as a dough conditioner, breaks down during baking into chemicals that cause cancer in lab animals. It is used by many chain restaurants that serve sandwiches and buns. The Center for Science in the Public Interest has urged the F.D.A. to bar its use. The F.D.A. says it is safe in limited amounts.

BHA and BHT

The flavor enhancers and preservatives BHA and BHT are subject to severe restrictions in Europe but are widely used in American food products. While evidence on BHT is mixed, BHA is listed in a United States government reporton carcinogens as “reasonably anticipated” to be a human carcinogen.
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)

BVO is used in some citrus-flavored soft drinks like Mountain Dew and in some sports drinks to prevent separation of ingredients, but it is banned in Europe. It contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, and studies suggest it can build up in the body and can potentially lead to memory loss and skin and nerve problems. An F.D.A. spokeswoman said it is safe in limited amounts, and that the agency would take action “should new safety studies become available that raise questions about the safety of BVO.”
Yellow food dyes No. 5 and No. 6, and Red Dye No. 40

These dyes can be used in foods sold in Europe, but the products must carry a warning saying the coloring agents “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” No such warning is required in the United States, though the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned the F.D.A. in 2008 to ban the dyes. Consumers can try to avoid the dyes by reading lists of ingredients on labels, “but they’re used in so many things you wouldn’t even think of, not just candy and icing and cereal, but things like mustard and ketchup,” marshmallows, chocolate, and breakfast bars that appear to contain fruit, Ms. Lefferts, the food safety scientist, said.

The F.D.A.’s website says reactions to food coloring are rare, but acknowledges that yellow dye No. 5, used widely in drinks, desserts, processed vegetables and drugs, may cause itching and hives.
Farm Animal Drugs

The European Union also bans some drugs that are used on farm animals in the United States, citing health concerns. These drugs include bovine growth hormone, which the United States dairy industry uses to increase milk production. The European Union also does not allow the drug ractopamine, used in the United States to increase weight gain in pigs, cattle and turkeys before slaughter, saying that “risks to human health cannot be ruled out.” An F.D.A. spokeswoman said the drugs are safe.

Do you have a health question? Ask Well

Correction: December 28, 2018

An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to potassium bromide as an additive to flour. It is potassium bromate.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html

4 Ways to Be Happier in 2019

Small changes in our behavior, our surroundings and our relationships can help set us on course for a happier life. By The New York Times Dec. 27, 2018


After the shouts of “Happy New Year” fade, you can take steps to help fulfill that goal.
How to Be Happy

By Tara Parker-Pope

Behavioral scientists have spent a lot of time studying what makes us happy (and what doesn’t). We know happiness can predict health and longevity, and happiness scales can be used to measure social progress and the success of public policies. But happiness isn’t something that just happens to you. Everyone has the power to make small changes in our behavior, our surroundings and our relationships that can help set us on course for a happier life. Read more>>>
Even a Little Exercise Might Make Us Happier

By Gretchen Reynolds

Small amounts of exercise could have an outsize effect on happiness.

According to a new review of research about good moods and physical activity, people who work out even once a week or for as little as 10 minutes a day tend to be more cheerful than those who never exercise. And any type of exercise may be helpful.

The idea that moving can affect our moods is not new. Many of us would probably say that we feel less cranky or more relaxed after a jog or visit to the gym. Read more>>>

The Power of Positive People

By Tara Parker-Pope

Are you spending time with the right people for your health and happiness?

While many of us focus primarily on diet and exercise to achieve better health, science suggests that our well-being also is influenced by the company we keep. Researchers have found that certain health behaviors appear to be contagious and that our social networks — in person and online — can influence obesity, anxiety and overall happiness. A recent report found that a person’s exercise routine was strongly influenced by his or her social network. Read more>>>
Finding Meaning and Happiness in Old Age

By Jane E. Brody

What’s the best way to develop a healthy perspective on old age? Spend more time with elderly people and discover what brings meaning and pleasure to their twilight years despite the losses, both physical and social, they may have suffered.


That’s what two authors of inspired and inspiring books about aging discovered and, happily, have taken the trouble to share with those of us likely to join the ranks of the “oldest old” in the not-too-distant future. Actually, the wisdom therein might be equally valuable for young and middle-aged adults who may dread getting old. To their detriment, some may even avoid interacting with old people lest their “disease” rub off on them. Read more>>>


Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/27/well/mind/4-ways-to-be-happier-in-2019.html

The Unbearable Heaviness of Clutter

A cluttered home can be a stressful home, researchers are learning.

Do you have a clutter problem?




If you have to move things around in order to accomplish a task in your home or at your office or you feel overwhelmed by all your “things,” it’s a strong signal that clutter has prevailed. And it might be stressing you out more than you realize.

“Clutter is an overabundance of possessions that collectively create chaotic and disorderly living spaces,” said Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago who studies the causes of clutter and its impact on emotional well-being. And a cluttered home, researchers are learning, can be a stressful home.

Dr. Ferrari was part of a research team that questioned three groups of adults about clutter and life satisfaction: college students; young adults in their 20s and 30s; and older adults, most in their 50s.

The authors assessed volunteers’ tendency to procrastinate, asking them to respond to statements like “I pay bills on time” using a five-point scale, ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. Procrastination is closely tied to clutter, because sorting through and tossing items is a task that many people find unpleasant and avoid. It takes time to file away important papers or sort through a dining room table buried under books.

The researchers also measured participants’ general well-being in relation to how clutter might be affecting their lives, asking them to answer questions such as “the clutter in my home upsets me” and “I have to move things in order to accomplish tasks in my home.”

The study, published in Current Psychology, found a substantial link between procrastination and clutter problems in all the age groups. Frustration with clutter tended to increase with age. Among older adults, clutter problems were also associated with life dissatisfaction.

The findings add to a growing body of evidence that clutter can negatively impact mental well-being, particularly among women. Clutter can also induce a physiological response, including increased levels of cortisol, a stress hormone.

A 2010 study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology looked at dual-income married couples living in the Los Angeles area who had at least one school-aged child at home. The wives in the study who perceived themselves as having a cluttered home or a home that needed work tended to have increased levels of cortisol throughout the day. Those who weren’t feeling cluttered, which included most of the men in the study, had cortisol levels that tended to drop during the day.

Darby Saxbe, an assistant psychology professor at University of Southern California and the study’s lead author, said that the women in the study who described their home as being cluttered or needing work began their day stressed and remained stressed. Some of the added stress, she suspects, was tied to women’s tendency to take on housework and extra chores after the workday. In terms of cortisol levels, men who did more housework in the evening were as likely to have raised cortisol levels at the end of the day as women. It’s just that not as many men spent as much time on housework as their wives, she said.

In a follow-up study, Dr. Saxbe studied the cortisol level in the afternoon and evening, a time when stress should be dropping in “an adaptive recovery.” Not everyone in the study was bothered by shoes left on the staircase or mail piled on the coffee table. But again, women were more likely than men to complain about clutter or having too many unfinished projects, and did not show a cortisol reduction.

“Clutter is in the eye of the beholder,” Dr. Saxbe said. “The people who talked about it were the ones who had the cortisol response.”

Experts are beginning to explore why clutter can elicit such a strong emotional response.

Dr. Saxbe said there has long been a standard representation on how a middle-class home should look and function. A disorderly home fails to live up to such an expectation.

“If you think of the 1950s ideals of the single family home,” Dr. Saxbe said. “The man comes home, kicks up his feet and has a cocktail. The home is a place to come home and unwind. But not if the home is filled with a to-do list and never-ending drudgery.”

Gaining control over the drudgery of decluttering is a task that many inhabitants of cluttered residences struggle to master.

Dr. Ferrari noted that clutter is also often the result of an “over-attachment” to our personal items, which makes it difficult to part with them. For overwhelmed individuals who want to declutter, he recommends a hands-off approach.

“If you’re going to declutter, don’t touch the item. Don’t pick it up,” he said. “Have somebody else hold the pair of black pants and say, ‘Do you need this?’ Once you touch the item, you are less likely to get rid of it.”

Another option is to make a conscious effort to acquire less. Dr. Ferrari argued that most of what we accumulate we do not need. “We have taken our wants and been told they are needs,” he said.

Dr. Saxbe agreed that a good way to declutter is to keep items out of the house in the first place. She urged shoppers to consider whether they truly need an item or if it will add to their home’s sense of dysfunction. “Once it’s in the house, it’s really hard to deal with. You get attached to the things you own,” she said.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/03/well/mind/clutter-stress-procrastination-psychology.html