Skinny Land

It is possible to lose 20 lbs. of bodyfat in 30 days by optimizing any of three factors: exercise, diet, or drug/supplement regimen. In this post, we’ll explore a variation of the “slow carb” diet as used by Dean Karnazes, an ultramarathoner famed for completing 50 marathons on 50 consecutive days in 50 different states.

Here are the four simple rules to followed…

Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates

Avoid any carbohydrate that is — or can be — white. The following foods are thus prohibited, except for within 1.5 hours of finishing a resistance-training workout of at least 20 minutes in length: bread, rice, cereal, potatoes, pasta, and fried food with breading. If you avoid eating anything white, you’ll be safe.

Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again

The most successful dieters, regardless of whether their goal is muscle gain or fat loss, eat the same few meals over and over again. Mix and match, constructing each meal with one from each of the three following groups:

Proteins:
Egg whites with one whole egg for flavor
Chicken breast or thigh
Grass-fed organic beef
Pork

Legumes:
Lentils
Black beans
Pinto beans

Vegetables:
Spinach
Asparagus
Peas
Mixed vegetables

Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes.

Most people who go on “low” carbohydrate diets complain of low energy and quit, not because such diets can’t work, but because they consume insufficient calories. A 1/2 cup of rice is 300 calories, whereas a 1/2 cup of spinach is 15 calories! Vegetables are not calorically dense, so it is critical that you add legumes for caloric load.

Rule #3: Don’t drink calories

Drink massive quantities of water and as much unsweetened iced tea, tea, diet sodas, coffee (without white cream), or other no-calorie/low-calorie beverages as you like. Do not drink milk, normal soft drinks, or fruit juice.

Rule #4: Take one day off per week

Use Saturdays as your “Dieters Gone Wild” day. You can go all to way to eat ice cream, Snickers, all your junk foods in excess.  Paradoxically, dramatically spiking caloric intake in this way once per week increases fat loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function, etc.) doesn’t downregulate from extended caloric restriction. That’s right: eating pure crap can help you lose fat.

Looks like this weight-loss method is worth trying.

  Why dont you try it for a week and see how it goes?

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A 2007 Harvard study examined the most popular and well-known diet plans with the hope of ranking them in effectiveness. The researchers came to the conclusion that there is no “best” diet plan; that the overall effectiveness of the diet is based on the circumstances of the individual engaging in the diet. Here are three of the highest-rated plans.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

This diet can spur people to lose 10 pounds or more in two weeks. Here’s how it works: Take one to three teaspoons of apple cider vinegar before eating all of your meals. In the first two or three days, you should stick to one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar before increasing the amount. The vinegar is an appetite suppressant and will slow how much you eat at meals.

A couple of points are noteworthy: Apple cider vinegar should not be taken for more than two weeks at a time because of its acidic nature. Additionally, the apple cider vinegar can have a corrosive effect on the teeth. Try to put it on the back of the tongue before swallowing it.

Medifast

Medifast tells its customers that they will lose 5-to-10 pounds in the early stages of the diet–the first week–and then lose about 2-3 pounds in each ensuing week. The initial surge is attractive to many customers and clients. The diet is based on a calorie intake of about 800-to-1,000 calories each week. Medifast provides the meals, and the customer eats six small meals per day.

3-Day Diet

The three-day diet is becoming one of the most popular diets available. Its sudden drop in calorie intake can lead to quick weight reduction. Some people call this a yo-yo diet because, while it can knock off the pounds, people tend to eat more after the three days are up.
The Day 1 menu includes

Breakfast: Coffee, grapefruit or grapefruit juice or a piece of toast with peanut butter

Lunch: 1/2 cup of tuna with one slice of toast and coffee

Dinner: 3 ounces of lean meat, 1 cup of green beans, 1 cup of carrots, 1 apple and 1 cup of coffee

The other days are similar.

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How often should you change your workout? Should you change your workout at all? As a general rule, it is a good idea to change your workout routine at least once a month.

So, how do you go from one form of physical activity to another? Here is what Celebrity Trainer Brett Hoebel recommends:

1.If you are a runner, try yoga.

“The stretching will help balance out tight, overused muscles,” says Hoebel, who suggests classes twice a week.

2. If you do not like lifting weights, try group fitness classes like kickboxing.

“You’ll get a great full-body workout with the camaraderie of other people as motivation,” says the NYC pro, adding that you will tone up all over.

3. If you hate crunches but want bikini-ready abs, try Pilates.

 “Core-focused, it works out every ab muscle,” says Hoebel. Another bonus: “Your mind and body are engaged, so it’s a lot less boring than crunches.”

4. If you like social activities, try salsa or samba dancing.

 “Dance classes are a great form of cardio,” he says. “They’re social, burn lots of calories and are fun.”

5. If you feel like you are bulking up, try swimming.

 Good form and steady laps “provide resistance to your entire body,” says Hoebel. “It will sculpt lean muscle all over while burning off fat.”

6. If you are not a fan of machines at the gym, try a martial art like capoeira.

 This Afro-Brazilian martial art-dance combo “uses your own body weight for resistance and delivers a fun, full-body workout,” says Brett. Do three times a week.

7.If you feel your body has hit a plateau, try to change your fitness regimen.

 “Shock your body by picking a completely new exercise every six weeks and you’ll get results,” says Hoebel. Or change up your current routine, say, with intervals.

8.If you love being outside, try cycling.

 Hoebel says, “If you want to lose weight, it burns lots of calories and works major muscles like quads and glutes.”

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Dr. Louis J. Aronne, author of The Skinny on Losing Weight gives 5 tips which are useful and easy to follow:

1. Fill up in the a.m.

 Start your day off right by eating lean protein like egg whites. The protein will keep you satisfied and curb cravings for the rest of the day. As for calories in egg whites, do not worry about it, egg whites are pretty low in calories, but they are high in protein.

2. Always save dessert for last

To prevent overindulging, fill up on healthy veggies and proteins before you splurge on sweet treats.

3. Indulge, but watch portions

Do not deny yourself sweets altogether, just limit your intake to about 100 calories (or three bites).

4. Avoid starvation mode

Eating fiber-rich foods like broccoli will help you feel full longer, so you will be less likely to overeat.

5. Use the scale as your guide

 Do not be afraid to step on the scale. By monitoring your weight, you can track your progress or see when you need to make changes.

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 Lauren’s Daily Diet Plan

On Sunday you can eat whatever you want. This is your Cheat Day. Some advice is to not go overboard. You can have a piece of cake out with friends and pasta for dinner, whatever you like really. Just don’t spend all day eating junk food and you’ll still see results.

Lauren Conrad’s Workout
Lauren Conrad had lost 10 pounds with the help of her trainer Jarett Del Bene. Del Bene explains “Lauren really wanted to tone her arms and legs – she was happy with what she had, but she wanted to take it to the next level.” Lauren’s workout includes circuit training 3 times a week (lunges, squats, push-ups, pull-ups and free weights). Her other days are filled with cardio activities including hiking, running, and kickboxing. She says “I love waking up early and going on an hour hike. It’s the perfect start to my day.”

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 A celebrity medical doctor has a 3-step plan PLUS a secret weapon in your battle of the bulge. Celebrity M.D. Fred Pescatore, author of the New York Times best-selling book, The Hamptons Diet, recommends that you follow three main points for diet success in 2010:

1.Don’t set your goals too high.

2.Don’t try to kick off your weight loss goal by initially seeking to exercise AND lose weight at the same time, says Dr. Pescatore: “Choose one, master it, and then go to the other.”

3.”No white bread, no white pasta. If it’s white, don’t eat it, Dr. Pescatore recommends.

And that secret weapon?  “Macadamia nut oil has been proven to speed up your metabolism by up to 10 percent.  So it’s like going to the gym without going,” says the doctor.

Dr. Pescatore also says that “mac oil” is heart healthier than olive oil, adding “Anything olive oil can do. Mac oil does 30 percent better.”

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