10 Tips on How to Lose 10 Pounds ...

1. To Lose or Not to Lose Weight - Figure It out First

First of all, let’s figure out whether you need to lose that 10 pounds, or if you need to lose less, none at all, or maybe even more. Use the free tools at choosemyplate.gov to figure out if your current weight is healthy, and if not, just how much you ought to lose. You can’t start a journey if you don’t know where you’re going, right?

2. Count down Your Calories

Once you know how much weight you want to lose — let’s say 10 pounds — it’s time to start counting calories! The average woman needs 2000 calories to maintain her current weight, so if you want to lose weight, the number of calories you consume (eat and drink) must be lower than that… and you can deduct some calories from that with exercise, too!

3. Skip the Soda to Start Losing That Weight

Before you drink that Pepsi, check the label on the back of the bottle and you’ll see that bottle is actually 2 servings, not one, and there are 120 calories in each serving! That’s a lot of empty calories. Skip the soda, and if you can’t, then at least make the switch to low or zero calorie instead.

4. Pump up the Exercise

Girl, get up and get moving! Turn off the TV, close your laptop, turn off your cell phone, and go for a jog… or a bike ride… or hit the gym for a Zumba class. If you change nothing else about your lifestyle or diet, adding an hour of strenuous exercise, three or four days a week, can help you shed that 10 pounds, and then some… and let’s not even talk about the healthy heart, tight sexy abs and toned arms and legs you’ll get!

5. Keep Hydrated

With all that exercise, you’re going to need to be sure to keep hydrated! It’s also a good idea to drink a glass of cold water before you eat a meal, to kick up your metabolism and to make sure you’re not thirsty, rather than hungry.

6. Eat Smaller Meals, More Often to Lose 10 Pounds

Another way to jump start your metabolism and help you lose 10 pounds? Rather than eating 3 big meals a day, try eating four or five smaller meals — a light breakfast, healthful mid-morning snack, simple lunch, mid-afternoon snack, and a light dinner with a little lean protein.

7. Pay Attention to Portions

Let’s try an experiment. Grab a bowl and pour what you think is a serving of cereal. Now measure it against what the manufacturer says is one serving. Chances are, you poured out nearly twice what a serving size is. This is an example of what I mean when I say pay attention to serving sizes. It’s okay to eat a larger serving size, just be sure to calculate that when you’re counting your calories.

8. Ban Fast Food, and Pack Your Lunch

Let’s talk a little more about calories. If you knew how many calories, and how much fat, was in fast food, not to mention how tainted that food might be, you’d never eat fast food again. So if you really want to know how to lose 10pounds, ban fast food. Pack your lunch instead or cook at home instead. You’ll have a lot more control over what you actually consume, and you’ll make much healthier choices.

9. Don’t Try to Lose Those 10 Pounds Alone

Why struggle with the cheesecake temptation on your own? Enlist the aid and support of a weight-loss buddy. You can encourage each other, maybe compete with each other a little… and help each other resist the allure of the cheesecake.

10. Be Realistic about Your Weight Loss Time Frame

Sweetie, no matter how bad you want it, there’s just no way to lose 10 pounds in a weekend. Let’s be realistic. Losing 10 pounds is going to take a little time, maybe 3 weeks… but think about it. Does anything really good take as little as two days? Nope. So let’s get to it!

Now that you’ve read over these fab Tips on How to Lose 10 Pounds, it doesn’t seem so bad, does it? I know you can do it! Which of these weight loss tips do you think will help you the most? Which do you think might be the most difficult? Please share!

Top Photo Credit: leroyquimby