Losing 10 pounds in a week is a pretty lofty goal, but it can be done. Normally, diet experts will tell you that one to two pounds per week is a healthy weight loss goal, but if you’re just getting started, you can likely go for more. There are some things you will have to do to help you drop those 10 pounds because it isn’t going to happen by itself. Wondering what you can do to get that number on the scale to go down? Try these ideas.
1 Cut Back to 1,200 Calories per Day
This is definitely a number that you can’t keep up for too long, but cutting back your calorie intake for a week is the single best way to drop some weight - fast. A calorie count of 1,200 might not sound like much, but you can make it work for you by choosing fiber-filled foods that are low in calories. Fruits and veggies are a prime choice! Round them out with small portions of whole grains, lean meats and low-fat dairy and you should be able to stay at that quota with ease.
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2 Nix Any Drink besides Water
Drinks are the undoing of many girls who are trying to lose weight. That’s because it’s easy to down a beverage without thinking about the calories it contains. By opting for water, you can dramatically reduce your calorie count, even without doing anything else. Ditching soda, lattes and energy drinks might be just the thing you need to do to finally lose those 10 pounds this week.
3 Keep Snacks to 150 Calories or Less
Snacking won’t necessarily hinder your weight loss goals, provided you do it right. The right snack can keep you from becoming so ravenous that you eat everything in sight at mealtime. However, you want to keep the calorie content to 150 or less or you could overdo it. Great choices include fat-free yogurt, a banana with peanut butter, a piece of fruit or sliced bell peppers with hummus.
4 Start on Sunday
Research shows that women who start their diet on Sunday are more successful than those who choose another day of the week to get going. For some reason this helps ensure the success you crave. Instead of starting on Monday, plan to get your diet going on a Sunday and you could be 10 pounds slimmer by next Sunday. Perfect!
5 Quit Watching Cooking Shows
Even if you’re trying to learn how to prepare lower calorie meals, watching food shows can be your downfall. Seeing all that food can make you want to nibble and the variety cuts down on the satisfaction you get from the meals you do choose. Research shows that people who watch cooking shows eat a significantly higher number of snacks than those who don’t, so that could be the only thing standing in the way of your 10 pound weight loss goal.
6 Take Your Own Snacks Everywhere
Nothing ensures a poor food choice than being hungry and not having a snack with you. When you hit the drive-thru or the snack bar at Target to ward off hunger, the chances of grabbing something healthy is pretty much zero. Take an apple or a bag of almonds when you go out and the problem is solved.
7 Of Course You Have to Get Moving Every Day
Weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. Cutting back what you eat is a great way to do this, but incorporating some exercise into your day definitely helps too. The experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise per day. Aim to get your heart beating faster, which tells you that calories are being burned. Biking, swimming, running or dancing are all perfect choices.
8 Eat Right
Fewer carbs and more proteins is a guaranteed way to drop some major pounds. Low carb even for a few days will help you drop weight because it helps reduce bloating and water weight. Adding more proteins to your diet will ensure you're feeling fuller for longer which will prevent snacking on unnecessary calories. Additionally, what foods you are eating, should be as whole as possible and very rarely processed.
9 Look into HIIT
Exercise is vital in losing weight, but to drop 10 pounds this week, start trying some HiiT workouts. Quickly reducing muscle carb stores in the body, and boosting your metabolism, HiiT will be awesome for your weight loss. Combine it with strength training or resistance training, and you're looking at probably dropping more than 10 pounds in a week.
10 Try INTERMITTENT Fasting
This is the hot new thing for fitness people and it really does work! It forces you to reduce your calorie intake, only consuming them during a certain time period such as 10am-6pm. It's typically a 16 hour fast and 8 hour eating window. Combined with exercise and this will boost your metabolism like crazy!
Are you ready to drop those 10 pounds? What other advice can you share?
