You might have noticed recently that your jeans are a little too snug. Or, you've got an event coming that you want to look your best for. No problem. Eat foods that detoxify your liver and boost your metabolism, cut your carbohydrates and add fat-melting fats to your diet, along with a bit of exercise to rev your metabolism and pare 5 lbs. quickly. People who do this can actually lose up to 8 lbs. during the first week, says nationally known nutritionist Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "Fat Flush for Life."
Make Good Food Choices
Step 1
Remove simple sugars from your diet, especially high-fructose corn syrup. Others include honey, molasses, white sugar, sucrose, glucose, fructose, maltose and corn syrup. Added sugars and syrups are common in processed foods, according to the American Dietetic Association.
Step 2
Cut saturated fats and hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from your diet. These are found in baked goods, processed vegetable oils, margarine and shortenings. Watch out for processed low-fat foods, however, because many are high in sugar.
Step 3
Choose slow-release carbohydrates over those that increase blood-glucose levels rapidly. Carbs low on the glycemic index are good for keeping blood sugar stable and insulin in check. Low glycemic foods include lentils, baked beans, apples, chick peas, kidney beans and navy beans, peas, peanuts, grapefruit, cherries, dried apricots, green beans and butter beans, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's glycemic index. Fruits and vegetables, in general, are good choices. Excellent fruit choices that have fat-flushing properties are apples, berries and peaches. Asparagus, cucumbers, jicama, kale, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, watercress and zucchini are all great veggie choices.
Step 4
Make your grains whole if you eat them. These are noted for their fiber as well as their antioxidants, which can be close to exceed those in fruits and vegetables, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines.
Step 5
Focus on getting good protein. Include lean meats, fish, poultry, omega-3 eggs, beans and nuts. Eat two weekly servings of omega-3 rich fish, like mackerel or salmon, as recommended by the Mayo Clinic.
Step 6
Make getting daily calcium a priority. A 2000 University of Tennessee Department of Nutrition study by M.B. Zemel found that people who add calcium to their diets lose 30 percent more weight. Calcium is in low-fat dairy products and food sources like green leafy vegetables and chia seeds. Dairy products often are fortified with Vitamin D.
Step 7
Quit drinking extra calories. Drink more water. Even mild dehydration makes the kidneys call on the liver for help to function, Gittleman says. This, in turn, reduces the liver's ability to burn fat and leads to fat deposits in the body, often around the belly. Juice mixed with sparkling mineral water is a good soda substitute. It is easy to consume up to 500 extra calories daily through beverages. Nutrient-rich beverages include fat-free and low-fat milk as well as 100 percent fruit juice.
Step 8
Add fats that will burn fat into your diet. Omega-3s, omega-6s and omega-9s all boost fat metabolism. Omega 3s are best found in chia seeds, flaxseed oil and fish oil. Omega 6s include gamma linolenic acid (GLA), found in safflower oil, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which can be taken as a supplement or found in organic, grass-fed beef. GLA activates the brown fat found in many overweight people, Gittleman says. Omega-9s are found in olive and macadamia nut oil. These monounsaturated fatty acids, or MUFAs, are high in oleic acid which keeps yeast from overgrowing in the body and causing bloating and weight gain.
Step 9
Spice up your diet with anti-inflammatory choices that can help rev metabolism or stabilize blood sugar levels. These include ginger, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, turmeric, oregano, cinnamon and cloves.
Rev Up Your Fat Burning Potential
Step 1
Accelerate your fat burn with interval training. This can be done by walking or running or using a cardio exercise machine like a treadmill or elliptical. Alternate high- and low-intensity bouts of exercise. If you are a beginner, choose a work-to-rest ratio of one to four. For example, quicken your pace for 15 seconds and rest for 1 minute or do higher intensity for 30 seconds and rest for 2 minutes. More advanced exercisers can use a work-to-rest ratio of one to one. Interval training revs fat burn because it utilizes both energy-burning systems in the body, the aerobic and anaerobic systems. It also increases calorie "afterburn." This lasts up to 10 hours while your body works to repair and replenish itself, says David K. Spierer, human performance laboratory director for the sports sciences division, Long Island University, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Step 2
Boost your liver's health and ability to metabolize fat. Quit taking in liver stressors, such as alcohol, large amounts of carbohydrates, artificial sweeteners, over-the-counter medicines, caffeine, trans fats and soda. Your liver acts as your body's filter, detoxifying your blood and breaking down fat. Add Gittleman-recommended liver-supporting foods like 100 percent cranberry juice, lemon juice in hot water, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and broccoli, eggs and whey protein.
Step 3
Stimulate your lymphatic system, which works in tandem with your liver as your body's drainage system. Use good posture to keep lymph channels flowing, stay out of tight clothing and avoid sitting for a long time. Stay active as movement keeps lymph channels flowing. Yoga, dry brush massage and lymphatic massage all can help. Avoid additives, pollutants, pesticides, solvents and other toxins.
Step 4
Reduce your stress and get enough sleep. With continuous or frequent stress cortisol levels stay high. Cortisol activates body enzymes to store fat. Gittleman suggests an aromatherapy bath three times a week to relax. Also note that stress can be caused by lack of sleep. If you do not sleep enough, your body will again release cortisol and stimulate hunger.
Step 5
Keep your digestive system healthy with a probiotic. Having beneficial bacteria in your system helps you produce B vitamins and Vitamin K, digest food better and break down toxins in the body, Gittleman says.
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