Ten pounds can make the difference between struggling to squeeze into your favorite jeans and dropping a pant size. You see late-night infomercials marketing fitness products and diet programs that make claims to help you lose 10 lbs. in a few short days with little to no work involved, but easy weight loss methods can be unhealthy and often produce limited results. Weight loss comes down to the number of calories you burn off versus the number of calories you consume. Make healthy adjustments to your daily habits to lose 10 lbs. and keep it off without jeopardizing your health.
Nutrition
A diet that includes a wide variety of whole foods in their natural form will help you lose weight while supplying proper nutrients. Consume natural foods like fish, whole grains, unsaturated fats like salmon and nut butters, poultry, lean cuts of meat, vegetables, seafood and low-fat dairy. Cut back on pre-made and processed foods that contain a large amount of chemical preservatives, sodium, fats and refined sugars, which can contribute to weight gain.
Portion Control
Five or six smaller meals should replace your three square meals per day. Eating often helps keep your blood sugar levels steady to boost energy levels. Having a small meal every three hours helps keep you feeling satiated throughout the day so you are less likely to overeat. Skipping meals can cause your body to go into energy preservation mode and slow down metabolism, so your meals are more likely to be stored as fat, notes Maureen Callahan, R.D., for Natural Health Magazine.
Exercise
Regular exercise has a variety of benefits like improved cardiovascular health and increased metabolism. Strength-training workouts help you build muscle and fire up metabolism so you burn more calories per day even when at rest. You should perform strength-training workouts three days a week that include exercises like lunges, pushups, squats, triceps dips, situps and overhead shoulder presses to target all muscle groups, for three sets of 12 repetitions. Cardiovascular exercise can help you burn off stored body fat. Engage in cardiovascular exercise like biking, walking or jogging for 30 minutes five days per week.
Calories
Weight loss requires creating a calorie deficit. Cut back on the amount of calories you consume daily to promote weight loss. Monitor your calories with a food journal or an online weight management program like LIVESTRONG's The Daily Plate. Decrease your calorie intake by 500 to 750 calories per day to lose about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. Losing 10 lbs. should take between five to 10 weeks.
References
- "Sports Nutrition Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
- "Weight Training Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
- Naural Health Magazine: Eat Around the Clock: Maureen Callahan, R.D.
- MedlinePlus: Tips for Losing Weight
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