You won’t be able to lose a great deal of weight safely in just 10 days, but you can get started on the path to healthy weight loss by dropping 5 lbs or so in a 10-day period. The trick to fast and effective weight loss is making changes that you can keep up with. As your diet continues, you can make further changes, such as adding even more activity or exercise or trying new healthy foods.
Trim Your Portions
You gain weight from eating too much. One reason people eat too much is because the portions they are served are just too large. Get to know the right serving size for each food you eat. For instance, the serving size for pasta is usually a half cup or a cup. The average modern portion of pasta is two cups, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. One way to trim your portions at home is to place food on your plate as you normally would, then place half or one third of it into a resealable container to eat at another meal. If you are out to eat, ask for a to-go container and place a portion of your meal into it before you begin to eat. The less food you have accessible, the less you are likely to eat at a meal.
Drink Water
Soda, juice and alcoholic beverages add plenty of unnecessary calories to your diet. According to a report in the USA Today, people who drink regular soda take in more calories each day those who do not. If you replace two 12-oz cans of soda with water each day, you will shave about 280 calories from your diet. Over the space of 10 days, you can lose nearly a pound just from drinking water. Make zero-calorie water a bit more exciting by drinking flavored seltzer water or by making your own iced tea spritzer by combining unsweetened iced green tea with seltzer water.
Take Walks
One way to add exercise to your daily routine is to walk places. You may not have time to dedicate to a half-hour or 45-minute walk each day, but you can make other small adjustments to your life in order to fit walking in. For instance, if you drive to work, park as far away from the office as you can. If you take the bus, walk to the stop just beyond your regular one. Skip the elevator and walk up the stairs to your office.
Eat More Vegetables and Fruit
Trade in foods that are high in calories, such as baked goods, sweets and savory snacks for several cups of fruits and vegetables each day in order to quickly drop a few pounds. Most fruits and vegetables are low in energy density, meaning they have a small number of calories per gram of food, according to a pamphlet published by the CDC. Replace a glass of orange juice with a whole orange at breakfast in order to cut a few calories from your diet. Trade in a bag of potato chips for a bake potato or a handful of sliced carrots. You’ll still feel satiated, but the reduced number of calories will help you shed the pounds.
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