We all want to look good, especially during the summer (when Sacramento weather makes it way too hot to cover up). Still, that’s no reason to torture yourself on a Stairmaster (unless you’re into that). You’re not Barbie or a Bratz doll or America’s Next Top Model (thank God!)—you’re a mom, and being stick thin is not your full-time job. Luckily, there are several truly easy ways to fight fat.

Let’s Eat!
It turns out breakfast really is “the most important meal of the day,” so put your cereal where your mouth is, mom. I know, some days we barely have time to toss some Pop-Tarts in their backpacks for the ride to school, let alone feed ourselves something healthy. But summer is the perfect time to get in the habit of doing breakfast. It helps fire up your metabolism first thing in the morning, and it stabilizes blood sugar levels, which regulate your appetite and energy level, keeping you from overeating later. Studies have also shown that eating a healthy breakfast helps people eat healthier throughout the day.
Both cereal and yogurt are good breakfast choices, since calcium is now being toted for its important role in fat metabolism. (Forget the low-fat, fake sugar stuff. Choose whole foods that will keep you full and satisfied for hours.) Make sure you’re getting plenty of vitamin D too (it helps with calcium absorption). Grapefruit’s not a bad pick either. The sweet-tart citrus helps metabolize sugar. Cinnamon offers the same benefit. Switching from coffee to green tea (which has less caffeine) will also boost your metabolism, burning up to 70 extra calories per day. And as a bonus, your skin will thank you too!

Rest & Relax
If you’re getting fewer than eight hours a night, you’re depriving yourself of one of the easiest and nicest ways to lose weight. Researchers found that people who got the fewest hours of sleep per night weighed the most. Turns out it’s no coincidence. Studies have shown that sleep deprivation—along with other forms of chronic stress—triggers the production of stress hormones, which, in turn, affect appetite and fat metabolism.
This includes cortisol, the “belly fat” storing hormone of infomercial fame. So, there—now you have another good reason to make time for fun and relaxation in addition to getting a good night’s ZZZ’s. And if one of the kids gets up in the night, tell your husband, “Don’t wake me, I’m losing weight.” (It’s worth a shot.)