For me, it was the fact that I couldn’t fit into my wedding dress. All those summer barbecues and beer swilling sessions had taken their toll, and I was absolutely panicking. With only a few weeks remaining until I tied the knot, dress alterations were out of the question. Luckily, I found a way to healthily drop the weight and walk down the aisle without worrying about a popping-out-of-my-dress disaster.
#1-Be Strict
Most dieters cheat, and I admit that I am included in this group. We sneak a little bowl of ice cream here and there, and occasionally enjoy a burger and fries from that oh so unhealthy fast food restaurant down the street. If you’re under the gun to lose weight, however, you have to be strict and disciplined. That means no junk food or unhealthy snacks…as in none at all. The cheesecake will be there in three weeks, enjoy it then.
#2-Drop and Give Me 20, No.. Make That 30!
Exercise burns calories, and burning calories means weight loss. I like to go for walks while listening to music on my CD player. For those last few, important weeks leading up to my wedding, I increased my walking time by four songs. It didn’t seem that major, but I increased my exercise time each day by an average of 16 to 20 minutes. I also went every day instead of three or four times a week. Consider adding a few extra minutes or songs to your daily
exercise programs for faster results.
#3-Shake the Fat Away
Those shakes and
protein powder mixes may not be a great lifelong strategy, but they can be highly effective if you want to drop those pounds fast. They contain many vitamins and nutrients, and are lower in calories and fat than your typical meal. For three weeks, I replaced my typical breakfast of yogurt, cereal, and fruit with a chocolate flavored meal replacement shake. It helped me lose weight, and didn’t leave me feeling as hungry as I would have if I had eaten nothing at all. Warning! Read the labels, some of these drinks are loaded with sugar, be smart in your selection, look for high protein shakes.
#4-Don't Let Your Eyes Be Bigger Than Your Stomach
Most of us eat more than we really need to, and a lot of it probably stems from being encouraged as kids to eat everything on our plates. Instead of a huge dinner plate, I used a smaller plate for my meals. I ate slowly, and usually found that I was satisfied with the smaller portion, which allowed me to cut calories and lose weight fast.
#5-Up Your Veggie Intake
For me, this meant eating more salad. I bought all my salad ingredients at the beginning of the week and kept a pre-made bowl in the fridge for easy access. At mealtimes, I cut down on my portions of pasta and rice, and increased the amount of salad I put on my plate. You can do this with virtually any vegetable. Cut your carbs in half, and double your green beans or peas; you’ll cut calories, and probably won’t notice any difference in how full you feel. Of course, just be sure not to use a lot of butter or fatty salad dressings, or this strategy just won’t work.
I love my salad just as much as the next person but a healthy way to spruce up a dull salad is by adding lean meat to the mix. Slice up some grilled chicken to add flavor and protein. It's literally that simply.
#6-Avoid the Scale Like the Plague
If you’re really under pressure to lose weight, you have to make sure your efforts are paying off. My advice, avoid the scale like the plague. In my attempt to drop those extra pounds fast, I weighed myself each morning when I got up it seemed that sometimes I lost 2 pounds and other days I gained 3. Our bodies are wonderful at retaining water and weighing yourself daily will only frustrate you. The best tools to track your progress is a mirror and a tape measure. Measure your waist or target areas twice a week, once on Monday and once on Friday, from there make adjustments where necessary.
#7-Think You Drank Enough Water? Drink Some More!
We’ve all heard this, and it really does help. One strategy I used was to drink a glass of water before each meal. It filled me up, and allowed me to feel satisfied with less food. Many people’s bodies also retain a lot of water, and, although this seems to go against common sense, drinking water can help you get rid of that extra water weight. Sure, it may not be what we think of as ‘true weight loss,’ but drinking oodles of water will take off a few pounds very quickly.
