Calorie Restriction

According to husband-and-wife team Paul McGlothin and Meredith Averill, eating a diet with fewer calories than are traditionally required can add years to your life. Dr. Oz talks with Paul and Meredith, co-authors of The CR Way: Using the Secrets of Calorie Restriction for a Longer, Healthier Life, about the health benefits of calorie restriction and simple ways to get started.

Paul and Meredith, who've been practicing calorie restriction for more than 14 years, say that eating fewer calories has countless health benefits—aside from helping you lose weight, they say it can improve brain power, decrease inflammation, lower the risk of cancer, boost happiness and increase your life span.

While Paul and Meredith have cut down their calorie intake by 30 percent, they say it's not necessary to follow a drastic diet in order to reap the benefits of calorie restriction—anyone can gain better health just by implementing the following steps:

• Cut calories by 5 to 10 percent. See how you feel, and then progress from there, Paul says.
  
• Substitute healthier foods for the ones you're currently consuming. "It's equally important to pay attention to the types of foods you're eating," Paul says. In a typical day, Meredith says her meals might include beans, lentils, sweet potatoes, barley with vegetables, stewed tomatoes, walnuts, wheat berries with fruit and water with lemon juice.
  
• Exercise more. Meredith and Paul go for daily walks.