The neighborhood-waistline link is an emerging area of obesity research. One study found that people who live in the most walkable communities are on average six pounds lighter than those in the most sprawling suburbs. Another survey of nearly 11,000 Atlanta residents found that those who spent the most time in cars were more likely to be obese than those who walked to shops and offices.

Retrain yourself to make exercise a habit that’s as regular as brushing your teeth. For the first month, just strive to get the gym, class or workout.

“I was thin until I turned 30, when I seemed to put on 30 pounds overnight,” Jennefer Witter says. “I even accused my dry cleaner of shrinking my clothes!” She lost the weight by working with a nutritionist, and weigh-ins after her 30-minute cardio and weight-training sessions have kept her trim since. “I get on the scale virtually every morning,” she says.

National Weight Control Registry members say regular self-weighing is crucial: 75 percent climb on the scale at least once a week, and half weigh in daily. “People try to track their weight by how their clothes feel, but by the time your pants are tight, you may have gained 10 pounds,” says NWCR cofounder Rena Wing. The key to daily weighing is not to overreact. Your weight can fluctuate by up to four pounds on any given day. Instead, notice patterns: “I don’t freak out if I’m suddenly two pounds up. But if the number steadily climbs, I add 10 extra minutes of cardio to my workout until the weight comes back down,” Witter says.

 Some gyms, like Equinox, will text you reminding you to attend the class you signed up for. Just another reminder to help you make fitness happen. Another effective tool: cell phone alarms.

Your metabolism is slower now, and it’s easier to gain weight. To counter this tendency, burn 10 extra calories an hour. Two minutes of moderate activity, such as jumping jacks or stair walking, will do the trick.

The over-40 body needs variation in movement or it will suffer wear-and-tear injuries (and boredom). Vary your routine. And never work to the point where your joints hurt.

Vow to do an activity that will get you breathing hard for at least 10 minutes, seven days a week. “Even if you just set the timer on the kitchen stove and vigorously clean the house or run up and down the stairs, you’ll do something good for your heart—and your waistline,” says Andrea Metcalf, a Chicago-based trainer.

Eating five or six smaller meals instead of three larger ones can help prevent both hunger and overeating. Mini meals steady blood sugar levels, and slow down the release of insulin, a hormone that can cause your body to store more fat, explains Maye Musk, RD, a New York-based nutritionist.

Increase the intensity of your aerobic routine to near your limit for anywhere from 20 seconds to two minutes, then spend about an equal amount of time exercising at a level that feels comfortable. Continue alternating the sequence during your workout.

Give yourself the occasional green light for forbidden foods, despite how many calories a treat may contain. Once you let yourself decide, you may find that instead of wanting to eat too much of a forbidden high-calorie food, you’re satisfied with a small portion because you know you can have it again in the future.

The more you grab meals on the go and then multitask, the easier it is to lose track of how much you’re actually consuming. Be more mindful when eating (feel the textures, inhale the aromas), because engaging your senses slows down the process, leaving you more satisfied.

Tight muscles can interfere with your ability to get a good workout because you may not move as quickly or freely, and thus may burn fewer calories.

Eating small amounts of food several times a day has kept the weight off for Michaela McKenna.

“In the past, I’d be too busy to eat until the afternoon,” McKenna says. “Then, when the kids came home from school, I’d start grazing. I’d eat 4,000 calories by bedtime.” Now her daytime food choices consist of yogurt and a handful of almonds, or a high-protein cereal bar and fruit. At dinner she eats a small portion of whatever her family is having, such as fish and whole-wheat pasta. Eating frequently keeps her blood sugar level even, so she doesn’t have the energy highs and lows that used to lead to cravings.

If you graze throughout the day, make sure to keep the quantity per sitting to a minimum, says Molly Kimball, RD, of the Ochsner Clinic’s Elmwood Fitness Center, in New Orleans. “Aim for 200 to 300 calories per meal, about every three to four hours.”

For most of her adult life, Lisa Skiles struggled against what people called her big-boned frame. Since losing weight with the help of a diet program, she has maintained her impressive loss through careful planning. Rule one: She decides what she’ll eat that day when she gets up in the morning. “Lunch with a friend means I’ll eat more than normal, so I’ll plan on a light dinner,” Skiles says.

Skiles also knows her order before she walks into a restaurant. Judith Beck, PhD, author of The Beck Diet Solution, says spontaneous eating may mean you’ll choose foods based on cravings, which usually means higher- calorie foods. Eating small portions of favorite foods is also key, according to Beck, 53, who has maintained a 15-pound weight loss for 10 years: “I like a treat at night, so I allow myself up to 250 calories of whatever I want. The trick is limiting it to after dinner, which motivates me to eat healthy the rest of the day.”

It takes 20 to 30 minutes for the fullness cue to travel from the stomach to the brain. But over-40 women can have an even harder time knowing when to stop eating, because the hormones that signal satiety are among those that fluctuate during perimenopause. Eating more slowly can help you eat less.

Sit and stand tall. Holding in your middle takes strength!

By now you know your personal need-to-eat signs—stomach rumbles, vague crabbiness, an inability to focus—so you should definitely grab a bite before you get to that point. But responding shouldn’t mean stuffing yourself senseless. Tune in to your natural “stop” signals.

instead of salt, butter, or cheese. Less calories!

If you’re sweating you’re experiencing a high-intensity cardio workout that challenges your heart.

You will wake up feeling hungry so you’re ready for breakfast.

Around 50, your sense of equilibrium may start to falter. Practice balance exercises daily. Stand on one foot while waiting in line, putting on socks or tying a shoe.