Sure, a months-long healthy diet is the real key to lasting weight loss. But you can lose weight quickly and safely. Here's how
December 27, 2011
| by
Kristina Grish | 129 COMMENTS
Slash Your Sodium Who knew your favorite granola bar or canned tuna could double as a salt lick? In a recent report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about American sodium consumption, researchers found that approximately 75 percent of the sodium in the typical American diet doesn't come from the shaker -- it's added to commercial foods during processing, or while a restaurant cook's prepping your meal. In fact, only about 25 percent occurs naturally or is added at the table or in home cooking, the CDC report explained.
Cut the added sodium and you'll lose water weight and bloat. To tackle the excess white stuff, consume "no more than 500 mg of added sodium per day -- like salt from processed or prepared foods," says Beth Reardon, director of integrative nutrition at Duke Integrative Medicine. She says a lot of seemingly "healthy" foods (think processed cereals, cottage cheese, and even frozen vegetable mixes!) are high in salt. The good news? These can easily be replaced with oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh DIY veggie/grain combos.
One trick: The more potassium you consume, the more your body will get rid of sodium, says Reardon. Sweet potatoes, coconut water, apricots, bananas, cantaloupes, figs, oranges, and beats are all high in the big P.
I use to share and food with my dog and that way I didn't feel bad about not eat it all But sad to say my dog passed away and I'm gaining weight because I have to eat it All
Fantastic! The more often you eat (smaller portions and healthy foods), the more you do rev up your metabolism. Not enough can be said about movement. I started at a new school (a huge building) a few years ago and had to run the stairs to make sure I made it to classes on time. I started to lose weight and couldn't stop. Water, water, water--absolutely necessary to fill you up, help you lose weight, and keep your skin plumped and glowing!
Cutting out sugary drinks was the hardest thing on my diet list. I love sweet tea and going from having it in the fridge at all times to never buying it is really difficult!! But it feels good knowing it keeps me slimmer!
As a 54 year old diebetic with a belly problem, I have just about given up on getting my waistline in control, HOWEVER, your suggestions are easy to follow and I am going to give them a try! Thank you for making the list make sense and an attainable journey to go on.
These seem like simple easy ways to make changes to your diet. I would have never thought of breathing and pooling making a difference in weight loss. Interesting.
Cutting out salt & sugary drinks is elf explanatory. Breathing from the diaphragm is healthier overall. The ab exercises are great for working the obliques, however, if there's layers of fat over those perfect obliques, you will never see the spectacular muscles you have. Shedding the fat is the initial obstacle to overcome. Losing 5 pounds in 2 days is not the way to healthy long term weight loss, unless it's strictly water weight.
Lots of good ideas. I ate only all natural foods (fruits, veggies, and chicken) and drank tons of water for 2 days, and lost about 5 pounds this way! Unfortunately, I only lasted the weekend though because I felt like I was starving and got quite moody. It works though!
Surprising tips! Especially the bitter greens. Ky husband is always trying to get me to eat them. I've never liked them and always turn him down. Now that I know about the health benefits I will start adding bitter greens to my diet! Interesting article!
I think I've read this one before, but it was worth reading again. I love these tips and need to start using more of them (especially the tip about 5 minutes of abs first thing in the morning).
going to gym n doing lifting will means nothing if you don't control ur eating style.. giving away rice, sugar, anything made of flour, oil, salt is really needed.. eating fruits, oats,drinking water and green tea really, anything is grilled, or steamed also help.. do starve ur self or it will make u gain more... i was 122kg and now 105kg.. still more to loose n im trying my best.. the most important thing is having ur body to do exercises... :) (sorry for my poor english)
Wow had no idea about sodium. I will be cutting back on it for sure. This article was very informative. I will be making a new grocery list and trying all the tips. Thanks!
Found this article at a perfect time when I'm needing to shed a few pounds real quick & I loved it! Loved the food facts a lot of info I didn't know! & I'm so happy to find out exercising in the am is beneficial because that works great w/ my schedule.
"or at least lose enough water weight, or trim enough inches, to make it look like you have, which is all that really matters." That line just peeved me. So it only matters if you LOOK healthy, not actually being healthy? 5bs in a week really is a lot to shoot for if you're already fairly skinny. If you're bigger that shouldn't be too much of an issue..I kinda feel like this article puts in peoples heads that anyone can and will lose 5lbs in a week. :/
This article has a wealth of valuable information. I was familiar with some of it but there was a lot I was not aware of-like the potassium foods and all the fiber foods. There exercises were easy and the breathing was a new one for me-Loved Loved Loved it. Thank you!!!
My definite issue is moving around first thing in the morning. I am one of those people who when that alarm clocks goes off super early for work, I dont wake up, I choose to cuddle in deeper and pass out till the last minute.
Great article....I took alot of notes. Ya, and as smiley 412 below says apple cider vinegar helps too. That would be like the lemon and water another article suggested that I have done in the past.
I really like this article! I'm starting my weight loss and this article just makes it that much more exciting for me to loss weight healthier! I really don't like bitter, but I think i'm more open to it now after reading this. Thanks for sharing the information!
all great ideas and they do work i've only done the cutting sugar out thing and eating smaller meals and i've seen the diffrence, without working out, probably should start doing it though couldn't hurt......
These were really good tips, and a few I'd never heard before. I don't know if you could lose 5 lbs. in 5 days, or if that's even healthy, but I'm definitely going to be using these just to live a healthier lifestyle. These things definitely couldn't hurt.
I really don't think that just by doing these things you can lose 5 pounds in 5 days. I actually lost 5 pounds in 5 days and it was through a lot of hard work, exercise and dedication
Good, but I knew most of them already. Also eating spicy makes you eat less as well because the spicier your food is, the less of it you'll eat. It's a known and obvious fact.
thanks for the article! but I don't think losing 5 pounds in 5 days is healthy..I'm sure extreme diets (pissedconsumer.com/consumer-reviews/diets-training.html) dangerous. Is this diet healthy?
I'm not sure whether following all these tips would knock off 5 lbs in a few days, but they all are good long-term habitual changes to start incorporating into our lives.
I have been on the 17 day diet and it really works! it uses these same basic principles and I'm down 12 pounds in two weeks so far! So yes....all of these things are really helpful to pull off the weight loss
I totally thought this was gonna be really dumb stuff like, eat only cabbage or chew gum when hungry and eat a cube of cheese when you feel you're going to faint (hehehe...from The Devil Wears Prada) but I really like these tips. I'm not sure if you'd be able to lose 5 lbs by the weekend by doing just these but these are surefire things that we should all be doing but are not. Great job!
Whoops! I forgot to add..if you want to try the "Cajun Lemonade", to rev your metabolism, make sure to add granulated Stevia to taste. Otherwise, it tastes horrid!
Lol.. Yes.. These are all HELPFUL.. but I don't think you could lose 10 pounds, just by that, alone. I always drink my "Cajun Lemonade", sparkling water, a dash of lemon, and cayenne. I did read in a health magazine, how to lose 5 pounds in 5 days, and it works! For breakfast for 5 mornings, take 4 tbs of greek plain yogurt, 1 tsp of flax oil, 2tbsp chopped walnuts, 1tsp of lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, and crumble about 4 spoon-size plain toasted wheat cereal biscuits in. Mix up and eat. Sounds awful, but really good! The fiber Nd wLnuts keep your hunger down, and there is some kind of fat-burning process, with the protien, etc. Drink more water, and have a sensible lunch and dinner. No junk food for the 5 days, of course. Try it out!
Eating healthy and exercising are always great tips. I like the last tip to split meals with myself. I think that's a great idea to consume less and be at a more healthier weight for those trying to lose weight.