Magic Number: 2.2

2.2 lbs, or 1 kg

If you're overweight, 2.2 is the number of pounds you need to lose to reduce your risk of diabetes by 16 percent says a new study published in Diabetes Care. You can easily lose that amount in a month if every day you burn an extra 100 calories by exercising and trim 150 calories from your diet (about equal to one regular soda). Even better, the effect of the weight loss is cumulative. Drop 4.4 pounds to cut your risk by 32 percent; shed 6.8 to lower your odds by 48 percent.