Yahoo Health EIC Michele Promaulayko On How to Look 20 Pounds Younger

With a passion and borderline obsession with health and wellness, I jumped at the chance to interview my Yahoo Health counterpart, Michele Promaulayko, about her new book “20 Pounds Younger.” As someone who is mindful of my diet and exercise but indulges in the occasional cocktail or chocolate, I wanted to learn from her experience and wisdom on staying young and healthy, inside and out.

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Bobbi Brown: What made you want to write 20 Pounds Younger? How do you think it stands out from other books about health?

Michele Promaulayko: I’m so glad you asked that! I think this book is a lot different, actually. For one, I find it difficult to stick to a super prescriptive eating plan where my breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks are meticulously mapped out. To me that’s not inspiring or realistic. So instead of that, I centered the eating plan in 20 Pounds Younger on mindful eating, which is critical to sustaining weight loss because it teaches you how to recognize real hunger cues so that you don’t fall prey to emotional eating triggers. Another key component is a strength-training plan—one of my missions is to get more women interested in lifting weights since it builds lean muscle mass, which burns more fat, even at rest. And it increases bone density. I also thought it was important to addresses the impact that stress has on your energy level, weight, and overall looks, so I’ve included info on how to erase the signs of aging brought on by stress. This book is a total transformation guide that promises lasting results.

BB: You explain that what you thought was healthy in your twenties turned out to be the opposite. What were some of those misconceptions?

MP: Oh my God, I had no clue…but I thought I did. I followed the fat-free craze of the ‘90s. I ate bagels the size of softballs for breakfast. I just didn’t know better back then. I vilified fat, even healthy fats. Growing up in a single-parent house my mom was often too busy working to cook a well-rounded meal every night. But you can bet there was always ice cream in the freezer, soda in the fridge, and crackers and cookies in the pantry—boxes, cartons and cans galore

BB: At 44 you feel that you’re in the best shape of your life. What’s the secret?

MP: The main thing is that I know my body better and what it responds to. I don’t believe in a one-size-fits all approach to health and fitness, which is why 20 Pounds Younger provides tools, guideposts, and options for working out, eating, and de-stressing so that each reader can adapt the program to her needs. I’m also more educated about health, fitness, and nutrition now—the benefits of the job!—and I wanted to share the expert advice I have access to with readers. Lastly, my health regimen now integrates western and eastern modalities, which has been hugely beneficial.

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BB: There are obviously a ton of health benefits to losing weight, but you mention some surprising ones in your book. Your brain will act younger? Explain.

MP: One of the most fascinating things I’ve learned as a health editor is how closely linked nutrition and cognition are. If you’re not eating healthfully your brain’s capacity may shrink (and usually your waistline expands, too). Research suggests that obesity, in particular, can impair your episodic memory—the part of your brain that helps you recall past events in your life, like your first date with your husband. Luckily, recent research suggests that losing weight may undo this damage. Of course, not all cognitive decline is reversible, so my ambition is to eat to prevent damage and to help others do that, too.

BB: When it comes to exercise, what have you found that really works, especially for the time-crunched?

MP: Two words: Metabolic workouts—no-weight routines that torch calories while building cardiovascular fitness, strength, and power…all in about 20 minutes. Metabolic workouts are usually a combo of moves such as split-squat jumps, mountain climbers, jumping jacks—you know, the kind of moves that make you sweat a lot. They work big muscle groups and get your heart pumping. I’ll usually add an abs sequence, too, because you can never do too many core moves.

BB: I think strong is better than skinny. What are your tips to getting a strong, lean body?

MP: Totally agree, and strength-training is key.

BB: You talk about the health dangers of belly fat. What are some ways to avoid that?

MP: Right. Belly fat isn’t just a problem from a vanity standpoint—it’s really dangerous to your health. Visceral fat, the technical name for the stuff that cozies up to your internal organs, is the kind of fat most strongly associated with a heightened risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The good news is that it responds well to physical activity in combination with a more healthful diet.

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BB: What are your power foods?

MP: All sorts of greens; quinoa (especially for breakfast); and fermented foods such as miso, which are high in probiotics.

BB: Sugar is the hot button health topic right now. What’s your take?

MP: In the face of so much conclusive evidence, it would be hard to deny that sugar is pretty evil. It rots our teeth and our brains and causes a cascade of other health-and-weight-related problems. And there was a time when I was highly addicted to the stuff. But as I shifted my focus to whole foods, I found that not only had my yearning for sugar dissipated, but also that my taste buds could no longer tolerate the saccharine sweetness they once craved. My palate totally evolved, and in the book I show readers how to evolve theirs. If you deliberately expose your palate to less-sugary foods, you’ll eventually find your preferences changing.

BB: You talk about how to eat clean without driving yourself crazy. What’s your advice?

MP: As I said earlier, I think strict diets are just plain miserable. I’m a hungry girl—and I have to eat at regular intervals, without a million rules telling me what I can’t have. And hey—research backs me up and proves that the restrictive rules people adopt while dieting are usually impossible to keep…so they set themselves up for failure.  A better approach is practicing what’s called flexible restraint, which is all about focusing on healthy foods that you like, rather than trying to stay away from foods that you like. Avoiding that deprivation mindset with keep you from going nuts.

BB: Can you be healthy and still have cocktails?

MP: Absolutely…in moderation, of course. Low sugar drinks such as a vodka and seltzer or tequila on the rocks (sipped slowly) are probably best, but I’m a wine drinker. The way I see it, red wine has antioxidants and heart benefits. And I think the pleasure I derive from it—especially in a fun, social environment—outweigh the potential downsides (like increasing inflammation, and therefore, oxidative stress). Maybe that’s magical thinking, but I’m sticking to it.

BB: What is your advice on rejuvenating your skin?

MP: It’s better to avoid skin enemies, such as the sun and stress, in the first place. But let’s be real—few of us have lived a totally virtuous beauty existence. To undo damage, nothing beats retinol—there are decades of research on its power to force cells to turn over, which smooths wrinkles and evens out skintone. It’s strong stuff, though, so not everyone can tolerate it. Also, as you get older, your skin tends to get drier. So when I hit 40, I began using oils on my face. The essential fatty acids in, say, argan oil, nourish skin cells and seal in moisture. And it’s natural, which is a bonus.

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BB: You give advice on how to turn back time with makeup. What do you think really works?

MP: I can’t tell you—the country’s most influential make up artist—about makeup! That’s so embarrassing. But here’s what I’ve been told by some other pros: Lips and lashes thin with age, so plump those up! Teeth get duller as the years tick by—whiten them with over-the-counter strips. Swipe on a bright shade of lipstick because it reflects higher estrogen levels, which are a sign of youth and fertility. I’m not making this stuff up; it’s evolutionary science! Oh, and never use a spackle-style concealer around the eyes or it will cake into crow’s feet. Not cute.

BB: You explain that rest is just as critical as sleep. What advice do you have for us Type As about resting?

MP: I’m a typical type A personality. I rarely go totally off the grid—even on vacation—which is to say that I’m not very good at relaxing. And it took me a while to realize that it’s not enough to sleep well. Rest—just relaxing and unplugging—is inextricably tied to health and happiness, and it’s so often neglected. You can rest by doing some deep breathing, visualization exercises, meditation, even chatting with friends mid-day counts.

BB: You’re a big fan of meditation. How has it changed your life?

MP: Meditation is a pretty wonderful practice. I used to think it would dull my drive, but once I started practicing TM (Transcendental Meditation), I realized that the exact opposite was true: Taking 20 minutes twice a day to refocus sharpens my senses and helps me react less emotionally to stress. I’m not perfect with my practice, but it’s always there for me when I return to it.