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It’s not just the calories in your cocktail that are causing you to gain weight, when you drink and get a little buzz on you are less likely to stick to the plan, you feel happy and euphoric and think “hey, what the heck one Oreo won’t hurt” and the next thing you know you have eaten the entire box. And how about when you have one too many drinks and are like “man, I’m trashed I need to get some bread in my tummy so I’m not hung over tomorrow” yep, drinking alcohol will lead to bad choices and not just in the “after school special” kind of way.
Tight deadlines, bills, your kids—whatever your source of stress, having too much of it may make it harder for you to drop unwanted pounds, especially from your middle. And it's not just because you tend to reach for high-fat, high-calorie fare when you're stressed, though that's part of it. It's also due to the stress hormone cortisol, which may increase the amount of fat your body clings to and enlarge your fat cells. Higher levels of cortisol have been linked to more visceral fat.
We all know that potato chips and soda taste great going down, but eating processed foods and refined sugar can often make you feel sluggish and tired in addition to gaining unwanted pounds. The best way to lose weight fast is to stick to whole foods like our ancestors ate. If you think your great-grandmother wouldn't have had access to it, dump the junk from your diet for a healthier lifestyle.
Some of you are probably scratching your heads thinking “why is exercise at the bottom?” well it’s because it is not nearly as important as what you put in your mouth! Exercise is great for burning off a few calories (emphasis on a few), for toning up your body and overall health, but no matter how hard you work out, if you don’t have the diet aspect down you won’t be losing the weight as fast as you want… or at all. But it is still an important part of how to lose weight fast, and here’s why:
During your workout, it serves up a ridiculous amount of data, including a heart rate monitor that's rivaled only by Apple's latest Series 4 watch. Plus you can pair your favorite Bluetooth headphones and sync with a Spotify premium account to listen to downloaded playlists right from your watch. If you want to get up and go, phone free, you can do just that.
2. Sweep: Start with basic abs tuck (standing crunch). For that you have to lift one knee using the abs, and bend the other knee to sit slightly on the ground. Bring the rib cage to the bellybutton so that the spine is in C-curve position. Simultaneously, squeeze the oblique on one side to crunch while reaching down for the opposite foot. Do 10 repetitions for each side, then do 10 again (total of 20, alternating after 10).
“A healthy weight is incredibly important in our overall health," says Shirin Badrtalei-Shah, DO, MPH, a physician at Kaiser Permamente in Southern California. "Being overweight and making poor food choices affects us in many different ways. It plays a role in our overall mood, how well we can focus and concentrate, our sleep and our energy level."
If you want to lose weight, you’d better avoid special “low-carb” products that are full of carbs. This should be obvious, but creative marketers are doing all they can to fool you (and get your money). They will tell you that you can eat cookies, pasta, ice cream, bread and plenty of chocolate on a low-carb diet, as long as you buy their brand. They’re full of carbohydrates. Don’t be fooled.
Ultimately, weight loss for the long-term requires some short-term behavior change and healthier habit formation. That's why we created our Good Housekeeping Nutritionist Approved Emblem, which exists to help turn smart food choices into healthier eating habits. All GHNA foods and drinks make it easier to find — and eat — good-for-you foods without additional time, effort, and cost. We target the lifestyle-related factors that make healthier eating hard, and find simple but creative solutions that actually work! Look for the emblem on labels wherever you shop for food!
The mistake that many people make with their resolutions, though, is that they don't give themselves specific ways to actually achieve these goals. But if you're looking to get fit and feel strong next year, you're in luck. Ridge Davis, personal trainer in West Hollywood, CA, has designed a plan for you to shape up and feel amazing in the gym, no matter what your fitness level may be!
