For every man who transforms himself this year, there will be countless others who will stall,

relapse, or never actually begin to change. What makes the difference? And how can you be among the group whose January 1 resolutions see the other side of April intact? The answer may be a mantra as simple as "Focus on February." How so? Researchers from Sheffield University in England found that sticking with something for five weeks is more likely to turn it into a habit, a lifestyle change. They monitored 94 people at a gym for 12 weeks, and found that those who showed up and sweated for five weeks straight had a much better chance of lasting the study's duration. "During the 5-week period, there seems to be a shift from initial voluntary control to repeated habitual behavior," says Christopher J. Armitage, Ph.D., the lead author. The implications are huge: In a little more than a month, you can overcome your worst habits. Five weeks. Count em on one hand. Could it be any easier? Even better, our New Year, New You 2012 center will coach you every step of the way, with simple 30-day plans for accomplishing nine popular New Years resolutions. And when I say simple, I really mean it. Consider one of the most popular resolutions: Lose 10 to 20 pounds. Our plan is so easy you can start tomorrow. Just do this: 7:30 AM

Exercise for 11 Minutes

Believe it or not, an 11-minute workout can help you burn more fat all day long, say researchers from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. In the study, people who lifted weights for that duration three times a week increased their metabolic rate even as they slept. "The process of breaking down and repairing your muscles increases your metabolism," says study author Erik Kirk, Ph.D. What's more, the participants were able to fit their workouts into their schedules 96 percent of the time. And dont forget your legs. In a new Syracuse University study, people burned more calories the day after they did lower-body resistance training than the day after they worked their upper body. "Leg muscles like your quads and glutes generally have more mass than the muscles in your chest and arms," says study author Kyle Hackney, Ph.D. Our advice: Hit every muscle each workout. We put 80 such superfast workouts in our new books, The Mens Health Big Book of 15-Minute Workouts and The Womens Health Big Book of 15Minute Workouts. 8:00 AM

Skip the Super Bowl Warning: Your breakfast may be larger than it appears. Cornell University scientists found that people ate more cereal from bigger bowls than from smaller ones, even though they thought the opposite to be true. "It's called the size-contrast illusion," says researcher Brian Wansink, Ph.D. "Because food takes up a smaller percentage of space in larger dishes, it seems like you're

eating less." Use a measuring cup to portion out your cereal; in a few days, you'll be able to eyeball servings accurately. Healthy Ingredient Swaps for Weight Loss NEXT - 10:00 AM >> 10:00 AM

Stand and Deliver (Your PowerPoint) Your La-Z-Boy of an office chair is making you fat. That's because sitting all day shuts down your fat burners, say scientists at the University of Missouri. After examining the muscle tissue of people being active and of those kicking back, the researchers concluded that parking your butt switches off an enzyme that prevents fat storage. "The enzyme is mostly found in the muscles that keep you standing up, so if they aren't active, the enzyme doesn't function," says study author Marc Hamilton, Ph.D. One way to spend more time on your feet: Stand at your desk for part of the day by installing a computer monitor arm, like one of those at lcdarms.com. It anchors to your desk or wall, allowing you to raise and lower your screen easily. As for the keyboard, give it a boost by placing a few heavy books under it. Your spine should remain tall while typing, keeping your arms extended.

1:00 PM

Eat Less at Lunch (Theres an App for That!) Ordering soup as an appetizer will cut your calorie intake by 20 percent, according to a Penn State study. After serving men pasta lunches for a month, the researchers found that the participants ate an average of 135 fewer calories when they started their meals with a 150-calorie serving (1.5 cups) of a broth-based vegetable soup. "Eating soup forces you to slow down, allowing your body to recognize that it's becoming full before moving to the second course," say the researchers. What's more, the same held true in a University of Texas study of fatty soups like chowder men consumed 227 fewer calories when a pizza meal was preceded by the soup. Simple Weight Loss Tips Take 30 Seconds NEXT - 2:00 PM >> 2:00 PM Chew the Fat . . . Away British researchers found that chewing gum may help curb your cravings. When people chomped on sugarless gum for at least 15 minutes one hour after eating and then again at the two-hour mark, their desire for sweets decreased by 11 percent compared with that of study participants who didn't work their jaws. The gum

chewers also downed, on average, 36 fewer calories when they were turned loose on a buffet of sweet and salty snacks three hours after lunch. Although the researchers aren't sure why chewing sugarless gum helps, they suggest that because it exposes your tastebuds to sweetness, it could send a hunger-reducing signal to your brain. Interestingly, those who were the most calorie-conscious experienced an even greater effect from the gum, says study author Marion Hetherington, Ph.D. 6:00 PM

Set the Dinner Table, Part 1 Using real dinnerware makes you feel like you've eaten a full meal, so you snack less before bedtime. In a Cornell study, people who ate from paper plates with plastic utensils tended to consider their food just a snack. Though they took in 116 fewer calories than the "real plate" group did, the scientists said they'd probably eat another meal later. "The environment tremendously influences how much we eat," says study coauthor Collin Payne, Ph.D. Set the Dinner Table, Part 2 University of Massachusetts scientists found that people who watch TV during a meal consume, on average, 288 more calories than those who don't chew while changing channels. In the study, researchers had groups of people eat pizza or macaroni and cheese while either watching Seinfeld or listening to music. When

intakes were tallied, the scientists determined that the television viewers downed 36 percent more calories from the pizza and 71 percent more from the mac and cheese. "When you're distracted by a TV show, your brain may not recognize that you're full as fast," says study author Elliott Blass, Ph.D. NEXT - 6:30 PM >> 6:30 PM

Yes, Enjoy That Dessert Eating frequent, low-sugar desserts can help keep the weight off. Dieters in a Greek study who ate a low-sugar dessert four times a week lost nine more pounds after 12 weeks than those who ate any dessert they wanted just once a week. Eating dessert more frequently can keep you from feeling deprived, the researchers say. But limit desserts to around 10 percent of your daily calories. 11:00 PM Snoozeand Lose In a 16-year study at Harvard, scientists found that people who slept for five hours or less a night were 32 percent more likely to pack on major pounds than those who dozed a full seven hours. Although "major" was defined as 33 pounds, the average increase was 2 pounds a year, a gain that's easy to miss from month to month. "Due to accumulating fatigue, those who get the least shuteye may also move around the least during the day," says study author Sanjay Patel, M.D.

10 Simple Weight Loss Tips that Take 30-Seconds Many simple things can be done to aid in weight loss efforts, and these small changes can result in large amounts of weight being lost over time. Small but simple lifestyle changes work well because you don't feel like you are giving up much, so it is easy to stick to these changes long term. If you are looking for easy weight loss tips that work, try these 10 simple weight loss tips that take 30-seconds.

10 Simple Weight Loss Tips That Take 30-Seconds Public Domain #1 Eat pistachios Researchers from the University of Eastern Illinois believe that people who eat pistachios two times a week are less likely to put on extra pounds than those who don't enjoy this simple snack. #2 Enjoy sliced food Slicing food into petite portions helps decrease how much people eat. It also makes you believe that you've eaten more since many sliced pieces appears to be a lot of food. In a study by Japan's National Food Research Institute, researches discovered that

people believed that cut portions of meat and vegetables were 27 percent bigger than food that was not cut. #3 Weigh yourself every day Numerous studies have proven that getting on the scale regularly aids in weight loss efforts. A study in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that those who log their daily and weekly weight lose up to 18 pounds more than people who weigh themselves less often. #4 Brush your teeth right after dinner Brushing your teeth immediately after dinner prevents you from wanting to eat anymore because it is traditionally a sign to discontinue eating. Furthermore, peppermint toothpaste has additional benefits since there have been reports of peppermint extract curbing the appetite. #5 Eat aerated food Whipped foods have more air in them per volumetric unit, so you are consuming less calories when you eat the same size portion of the non-whipped variety. Eating aerated food can easily be done by replacing regular yogurt and butter with the whipped kind. #6 Use acupressure Using ear acupressure is a quick, easy way to stop hunger in its tracks. When you get a craving for junk foods, try taking your thumb and forefinger and pinching the piece of skin by the ear canal. Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, says that stimulating this pressure point could assist in cutting cravings. #7 Use hummus instead of mayo

Skip the mayonnaise, and use hummus as a replacement, says Sari Greaves, RD, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association and Nutrition Director at Step Ahead Weight Loss Center in Bedminster, N.J. Hummus is a creamy chickpea condiment that will cost you about 70 calories less than mayo per tablespoon. #8 Use measuring cups Blatner recommends measuring portions over guessing, and I have to agree with that advise since I measure my food. It only takes 30-seconds to measure out 2-teaspoons of olive oil or 1-cup of ice cream. #9 Create your own salad dressing Some salad dressings turn a healthy salad into an empty calorie nightmare. Make your own quick and simple dressing by whisking together lemon juice and olive oil. Use 2 parts juice to 1 part oil. Transform your dressing into a spritzer for an even lighter dressing. #10 Know where to sit at the dinner table Cornell researchers studied the habits of those who ate at a Chinese buffet. They discovered that the heaviest customers tended to be seated toward the buffet; whereas, the thinnest ones sat in the other direction where they couldn't see the food.