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Cute, comfy shoes
We’re not talking workout shoes, but everyday shoes that are stylish enough to actually wear to work or out—and so darn cushiony you almost long to take the stairs. We like the Cole Haan Air Miranda Pump and Kenneth Cole New York Silver Trophy sling-backs.
A friend who is hard-core about fitness
If you hang out with a fitness buff—whether she’s a gym diehard, Pilates instructor, or league-joiner—the latest get-fit secrets are automatically on your radar. Plus, research shows that we mimic the exercise and nutrition choices of our close friends, so her active lifestyle is sure to rub off on you.
Great knife skills
It’s a fact: We eat healthier when we cook at home. And women who know how to slice, dice, and chop are more motivated to use those skills to whip up healthy, vegetable-filled meals like stir-fries and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink salads. You don’t need a designer set of cutlery, either. Many professional kitchens use sturdy, inexpensive Dexter-Russell or Forschner knives, and you can do most veggie prep work with just three blades: an 8-inch chef’s knife, a paring knife, and a bird’s-beak peeler. Need to bone up on your skills? Try a class at Sur La Table or Whole Foods.
A local “skinny” restaurant
Women who keep the pounds away know how to eat out without doing in their waistlines. They cultivate go-to joints that grill fresh ingredients and never give attitude when they ask them to hold the butter or put the sauce on the side. Don’t have a mom-and-pop spot that is as light as you’d like? Try Chipotle or Panera Bread, both in the top 10 of Health’s America’s Healthiest Fast Food Restaurants.
The perfect pair of jeans
Slim types don’t switch to fat-day clothes as soon as they gain a pound or two. They keep themselves honest by staying in their fitted denim. They know the power of a pair of jeans so flattering that you never want to grow out of them—and just tight enough to make you think twice about grabbing a last slice of pizza. Don’t have a pair like that yet? Then, try one of these: The Club by Adriano Goldschmied, Zoe by Lucky Brand, and Tab Watch Pocket by Riders by Lee.
