Six ways to snack better and boost your energy this summer

Take your brain out for a walk

Feeling stressed, tired, unfocused? A walk in the park may be all you need. Recent research from the University of Edinburgh says a 25-minute stroll outdoors helps fight brain fatigue caused by constantly being plugged in and overstimulated. The best part? Even five minutes outside is enough to give you a mental boost.

Bottom line: Spending more time in green spaces is a perfect way to refresh our cluttered, overstimulated brains.

Discover more benefits of walking

Shape up fast (with our kick-ass app)

No gym? No problem. Sculpt, tighten and tone every inch in no time with the Chatelaine 10-Minute Fitness App. It has 14 complete workouts with videos of over 100 expert-approved exercises, created and led by a certified personal trainer. Each workout is designed to melt fat, torch calories and get you in shape fast. Plus, you'll get our exclusive seven-day detox, complete with a built-in calorie-counting tool, delicious healthy recipes and a smart calendar to track your progress. You can even create personalized routines by picking your favourite moves. Best part? It's FREE to download and includes one routine, our All-Star Workout, at no extra cost! It's like having your own personal trainer on speed-dial!

Chatelaine 10-Minute Fitness is available now on the iTunes store. Download each additional workout for $1.99 or get them all for $9.99 (that's a savings of over 60 percent!).

Work out now, beat burnout later

Feel more exhausted than usual? Guess what: Rest isn't the solution — a new study from Tel Aviv University says you should get moving instead! Researchers discovered that people who exercise for four hours a week are about 50 percent less likely to feel overworked, no matter how demanding their workload. Bonus: You can feel more energized with 20 minutes of exercise a day. The study showed 2.5 hours a week also helps fight sluggishness and the blues.

Clock cals early in the day

When do you eat your biggest meal of the day? Spanish researchers say the timing of main courses plays a major role in weight loss, and the earlier you eat your largest meal, the better. They followed a group of dieters and discovered that those who made lunch their heartiest meal (and ate it before 3 p.m.) had an easier time losing weight — and keeping it off. Apparently people who reserved their biggie meal for dinner also shared the bad habit of skipping breakfast, possibly leading them to eat more later. Why does eating early work? It gives us more time to burn off calories, plus we're less likely to make poor choices earlier in the day.

Make it a habit: Stick to this saying favoured by slimmer peeps: "Eat breakfast like a queen, lunch like a princess and dinner like a pauper."

Shape up with social media

Trying to lose lbs? Tweet it! Research found we do better when we share our efforts. For every 10 tweets, people lose up to 0.5 percent body weight!

Go nuts!

We've long touted the benefits of almonds: They're heart-healthy, they're packed with protein and fibre and have more calcium than any other nut – and they boost metabolism! Now we've got another reason to be crazy about them: Turns out they're officially a skinny nut. Almonds have fewer calories than originally thought. In fact, the U.S. Department of Agriculture says the calories were originally overestimated by 32 percent. A 28-g serving (about 23 almonds) has 129 calories — not 168.

Find out why Dr. Oz loves almonds