It’s a common misconception that rapid weight loss is bad for your body, but that’s just not true. There’s nothing wrong with pushing yourself for a short period of time to shed some extra pounds quick. Your body won’t go into ‘starvation mode’ because we don’t think you should starve yourself! Our plan is all about making the right choices of foods and cranking up your exercise routine to blast off way more fat than a long-term routine. Once you’ve got the results you are looking for then you can switch back to one of our regular health and fitness plans.
This plan is perfect if you’ve got a hot date, a wedding or a holiday coming up and you need to get beach ready – quickly!
1GET ENOUGH SLEEP
It sounds obvious but sometimes we’re so busy focusing on what we’re eating and what workout we are doing that we forget how important sleep is! When you are asleep your body gets to work repairing and building muscle as well as building back your energy stores for the day to come. If you’ve got no energy how are you going to work out? Sleep deprivation is a sneaky saboteur of even the best diet and exercise regimes because it disrupts your metabolism and can throw your hormone levels of balance, making your body store energy as fat instead of burning it off.
Lack of energy is also a key contributor to snacking and carb cravings, and you will certainly want to avoid those when starting out on our 10 day plan. Try and get a good night’s sleep from day 1 – that means at least 7 hours, but preferably 8 or 9.
2UP YOUR PROTEIN INTAKE
Think protein, protein, protein. It’s the main nutrient needed to build muscle tissue, and when you’re slimming down you’ll need to be building muscle to give your body perfect definition. Also, unlike most cardio activities, muscle building exercises continue to burn calories even after you’ve finished working out, as your body keeps using energy to repair and build muscle. But it can’t do that without the right amount of protein, so make sure you’re eating 1.5 grams per pound of your target body weight. It’s especially important to load up on protein after a workout, so make sure you have a shake or bar handy after you hit the gym.
3PLAN YOUR CARBS
Carbs can be the downfall for even the most committed health nut. Your mind is hardwired to crave them because they are packed full of calories, but they are not so good if you are trying to lose weight fast. We don’t recommend trying to cut carbs out completely because you’ll end up feeling lousy and lethargic, which won’t help you when it comes to getting the most from your workouts. Instead, plan when in your day you are going to eat carbs and the amount you will have – then stick to it. We recommend a small portion in the morning and another post-workout. Try to stick to wholefoods and slow-release carbs – steer clear of processed and refined carbs (white flour, pasta, bread).
4GET LIFTING
Strength exercises are great for shedding weight quickly so get yourself down to the gym and start lifting. If you’re already a regular weight lifter then try to up the ante a little by adding extra weight or working out two muscle groups in one session. Don’t overdo it and listen to your body. If you have never lifted weight before aim for three sets of twelve reps of each exercise, with the last two reps in each set being quite a struggle to complete. If you are a total newbie make sure to get someone to explain the exercises to you beforehand.
5INTERVAL TRAINING
Interval training is the king of cardio and it needs to be part of your routine if you are looking to slim down quick. It’s recently hit the mainstream as one of the most effective ways to build fitness and shed body fat. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) alternates between high intensity cardio and short rest periods, which make your cardiovascular system work hard to power your body through the exercise and then quickly recover. This kind of exercise will keep the calories burning even outside the gym and you’ll see those pounds melt away within days.
6BALANCE HORMONE LEVELS
The hormone testosterone is important in building muscle as well as in post-workout recovery so it’s useful to up your body’s testosterone production. Don’t worry ladies, this isn’t going to turn you into a man beast with enormous muscles! Getting laid regularly can actually have enormous benefits for your weight loss too because it boosts testosterone levels in your blood.
Too much stress can release a hormone called cortisol which triggers your body into storing energy as fat. So try to keep your stress levels down, whether it’s at work or at home.
7HYDRATE CORRECTLY
Your choice of hydration is incredibly important. What you drink should vary throughout the day and you should pay as much attention to what you are drinking as to what you are eating.
Recent research in the UK has found that a caffeine hit before a workout increases performance by an average of 11.2 percent. So a coffee or caffeine-rich tea before you head to the gym each day will give you the extra boost you need to push yourself.
To stay hydrated throughout the day we recommend green tea. Aim for about 4-5 cups at least throughout the day. This tea is rich in an antioxidant called catechin which speeds up the liver’s function which turn fat into energy. Staying hydrated will also keep you full of energy and help stave off food cravings.
