iVillage.com: 30 Days, 30 Ways to Drop a Dress Size
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Power Up Your Pr...
Jackie Warner, celebrity trainer, BRAVO TV star and author of 10 Pounds in 10 Days, recommends adding probiotics rich foods like low-sugar Greek yogurt to your diet to aid in weight loss.
In fact, one study done by the Stanford University School of Medicine found that patients who were given a probiotic supplement after bariatric surgery lost significantly more weight than those that didn’t take the supplement. “Probiotics are live, active cultures (healthy bacteria); scientists feel that the more of these bacteria you have, the more calories they extract from food,” says Warner. “So you’ve got microscopic friends in your intestinal tract gobbling up excess calories and keeping them from being stored as fat.”
Substituting high sugar and high fat snacks for foods that are naturally rich in probiotics (such as Greek yogurt) will help you lose weight by reducing your calorie and fat intake and curbing hunger. And while all yogurts contain lactose, a naturally occurring milk sugar, look for a brand with 15 grams (or less) per 6 ounce serving, recommends Rania Batayneh, a certified nutritionist, eating strategist and owner of Essential Nutrition for You in San Francisco, California.
Your daily weight loss plan: Swap out one cup of vanilla ice cream (290 calories, 15grams of fat, 30 grams of sugar) for 0% Vanilla Greek yogurt (160 calories, 0grams of fat, 11 grams of sugar) for your evening snack and save 3,900 calories (or a little over a pound) this month.
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Weigh Less With ...
Warner loves whey protein because of its superstar ingredient, the amino acid leucine. “Leucine helps prevent muscle loss, and triggers a greater loss of belly fat. It takes energy from rich fat cells and gives it to undernourished muscle tissue.” While leucine is found in other food sources, whey protein contains more leucine than milk, egg protein or soy protein,” says Warner in her book, 10 Pounds in 10 Days.
One 2008 study, published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism, found that when subjects followed a reduced calorie diet and ingested a whey protein supplement twice a day, they lost significantly more body fat than those that only reduced their caloric intake. While both groups lost weight (about the same amount), the whey protein appears to have helped the participants improve their body composition in addition to losing weight – those who ingested it twice a day lost more fat and less muscle mass that those who didn’t.
Your daily game plan: Mix up a protein shake with one scoop of whey protein isolate and 6-8 ounces of water and drink it 20 minutes before breakfast and 20 minutes before dinner (200 calories for both), in place of your mid-morning snack (like that scone from Starbucks) to save 260 calories, or 2.2 pounds this month.
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Get Quality Slee...
You’ve probably heard that getting enough sleep is important for weight loss, but did you know that getting enough quality sleep is really what helps keep the pounds off? A lack of deep REM sleep can leave you tired and gaining weight, Warner says. “Our pituitary glands crank out the highest levels of growth hormones while we are in deep sleep. Growth hormone is what repairs damaged tissues, burns fat and builds muscle.” And new research shows that a lack of sleep can throw our appetite hormones out of whack – leptin (the hormone in charge of signaling to your brain that you’re full) levels are lower and ghrelin (the one that tells your brain you’re still hungry) are higher in the sleep-deprived.
One study from Columbia University found that women who slept only four hours a night ate, on average, 329 calories more (and 31 grams of extra fat) the next day, versus when they were well rested. Yikes!
Your daily game plan: Schedule sleep, go to bed within 15-20 minutes of the same time each night and be sure you log in enough hours (experts recommend 7-9 hours depending on what feels best for your body) to potentially drop more than two pounds this month. Have trouble waking up in the middle of the night or falling asleep? Practice relaxation techniques before bed to help you unwind and give your body a better chance of getting into (and staying) in a deep sleep.
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Eat a Protein-Ri...
Research has shown that eating protein-rich eggs instead of carb-heavy foods like bagels can help you lose up to 65 percent more weight. But, if you can’t stomach eating eggs first thing in the morning, try a smoothie instead. We love Warner’s 220 calorie breakfast smoothie recipe (which also includes whey protein so you’ll double your pound shedding benefits): In a blender, mix together one scoop of whey isolate protein powder, 1 teaspoon of no-sugar added peanut butter, ¼ cup of instant, uncooked oatmeal, ¼ cup mixed frozen berries, ¼ cup frozen spinach and a dash of water (add more or less water depending on how thick you like it.)
Your daily game plan: Replace your 450-calorie bagel with cream cheese and eat two hard-boiled eggs and a slice of plain, whole-wheat toast, or mix up Warner’s smoothie, to save about 230 calories every morning, and almost two pounds this month.
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Swap Juices for ...
Fruit juices are a sneaky source of calories, especially since most are labeled as healthy sources of nutrition. The truth is most bottled juices are loaded with sugar, and many are no better for you than soda. And while fresh fruit juices are full of vitamins, they lack the filling fiber that whole fruits provide.
Your daily game plan: Sub in a real orange (62 calories) for your daily 16-ounce glass of OJ (224 calories) to save 162 calories a day, or a little over a pound this month.
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Add Protein to E...
“Protein helps curb your appetite, has a direct fat burning and hormone-balancing effect, helps relieve anxiety, and builds and maintains muscle,” Warner says.
One study, published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that when subjects increased their protein intake to 30 percent of their daily diet, they ate 441 calories less a day and reported greater feelings of satiety. Warner recommends eating protein at every meal for sustained energy and curbed hunger. Some of her favorite sources of protein? Lean meats, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes.
Your daily game plan: Pump up your protein and shave major calories off your dinner (and five pounds this month) by swapping out fettuccine alfredo (900 calories) for Warner’s delish, 279 calorie chicken dish: sauté a 6 ounce chicken breast with 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil, ½ teaspoon of minced garlic and salt and pepper, and serve with one cup of steamed broccoli and three small new potatoes.
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Nix the Nightcap
While you may enjoy a good glass of wine (or two), alcoholic drinks are one of the easiest and fastest ways to rack up your calorie count for the day. If you use a nightcap to unwind, try switching to green tea instead. Warner acknowledges that most people have oral fixations that compel us to snack when we’re bored, or stressed. Her favorite way to combat this is with green tea (decaf or regular) – you’ll get the added benefits of catechins (natural compounds that speed up your metabolism and trigger the release of fat) and antioxidant-rich, disease fighting polyphenols, Warner says.
Your daily dress size dropper: Just for the next 30 days, switch from a 10 ounce glass of red wine to a cup of green tea in the evenings. You’ll save about 250 calories a night, or a little over two pounds.
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Brown Bag Your L...
Lunchtime can be stressful – trying to fit in food during a busy workday can often mean greasy pizza from the cafeteria or grabbing a loaded sandwich from the nearby deli to eat at your desk. Not knowing what you’ll have for lunch everyday before you leave the house is an easy recipe for a lunchtime calorie disaster.
Your daily game plan: Avoid the food court, and pack a brown bag lunch instead. We love Warner’s simple, portable (and yummy) veggie sandwich: stuff two pieces of whole-grain bread with ¼ of a medium avocado, sliced, 1 cup of sprouts, ½ cup of fresh spinach, 1 slice of a beefsteak tomato and one tablespoon of mustard – all for only 227 calories. Ditch the high fat, topping loaded salad bar lunch and swap in this nutrition-packed sandwich instead to save, on average, 500 calories a day, or over four pounds this month.
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Drink Two to Thr...
“Water helps cleanse your liver and kidneys, allowing your body to excrete hormones efficiently,” says Warner. “It also tames cravings – a craving is often a sign of dehydration, not a cry for food.” Warner says drinking two to three liters of water a day burns 50 to 75 additional calories and speeds up your metabolism.
Water has even more weight loss power when you drink it in place of other higher calorie beverages like soda or sports drinks. And, some studies show that gulping down two glasses just before a meal may even help you eat less.
Your daily game plan: Drink 2-3 liters (about 8-10 cups) of water a day, and sub in water for at least one 8-ounce can of soda or juice a day (about 150 calories) to drop a pound this month.
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Practice Portion...
Portion control is probably one of the most important tools for losing and maintaining weight loss. Did you know, for example, that only 20 years ago a regular sized cup of coffee (with milk and sugar) would have only set you back 45 calories, and today’s 16 ounce mugs now serve up over 350 extra calories from milk and sugar? And don’t even get us started on those dessert coffee drinks! Bottom line – portion control from your morning coffee to your evening dessert is key to achieving and maintaining weight loss. If you aren’t quite sure what your portion sizes should look like, check out this guide or use this helpful iphone app, to help you gauge how much should be on your plate (no scale necessary).
And one tip that may help you make eating less even easier? Dining from plates that don’t match your food. New research recently published in the "Journal of Consumer Research" found that when people ate pasta (covered in white sauce) off of red plates they served themselves 21 percent less than when those who piled their pasta on a matching white colored plate. Researchers believe that by creating a greater color contrast between our plate and the food on it, our brains have an easier time registering the amount of food on our plates and we end up naturally limiting our serving size.
Your daily game plan: Stick with an 8 ounce coffee in the morning (average calorie savings: 305), have only one serving of chips in the afternoon (average calorie savings: 150) and stick with a 3 ounce serving of meat at dinner (average calorie savings: 189) and serve up your meals on non-color coordinated plates whenever possible to save over 600 calories per day, or almost five pounds this month alone!
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Combat Emotional...
If a fight with your spouse or a long day the office has you running towards the cookie jar, taking a fifteen-minute time out to journal could help you resist the urge to eat based on your feelings. According to a recent study published in the journal "Psychological Science," women who were asked to spend fifteen minutes writing about what they valued most in their life lost, on average, about 3.41 pounds (versus the control group who actually gained an average of 2.76 pounds) when they were weighed again one to four months later. Researchers believe that journaling about their values helped the women feel better about themselves, which may have helped them make better choices that led to weight loss.
If you know you are an emotional eater, journaling regularly can be an effective strategy for coping with feelings instead of trying to bury them with food. “If you turn to food to cope with emotions and stress, you’re not giving yourself an appropriate outlet to deal with and solve your problems,” says Batayneh. “Studies show that journaling has multiple benefits - it can reduce stress, improve immune system function, reduce the symptoms of chronic inflammatory conditions, and help individuals solve problems, and it may eliminate the reason for emotional eating (be it boredom, stress, or anger) by helping you to focus on actively solving a problem.”
Your daily game plan: Next time the urge to snack hits you, spend fifteen minutes journaling about something that is important to you or about your feelings in reaction to a stressor. The result? You’ll easily lose one pound (or more) over the next 30 days.
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Pare Down Using ...
“Research shows that choosing in-shell pistachios helps slow consumption and the empty shells offer a visual cue, reducing calorie intake - that’s known as the ‘Pistachio Principle’,” says Jackie Newgent, a registered dietitian, culinary nutritionist and author of "Big Green Cookbook." Newgent recommends using the ‘pistachio principle’ with other shelled foods on a daily basis to help lose weight without deprivation. For example, choose 30 in-shell pistachios (100 calories) instead of 18 pretzel thins (220 calories) for a crunchy snack; enjoy one cup edamame in pods (180 calories) instead of 3/4 cup of creamy macaroni salad (300 calories) for a picnic-friendly side; or savor 7 ounces (or one dozen) Mussels (170 calories) instead of 3.5 ounces of Italian meatballs (290 calories) with a pasta entrée,” suggests Newgent. “Each of these options helps you cut about 120 calories a day—which can easily add up to a one- pound weight loss in a month.”
Your daily game plan: Swap out one snack or side dish a day for a ‘shelled’ food to eat, on average, about 120 calories less (and be one pound lighter) in a month.
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Swap Seeds for N...
Speaking of pistachios... while nuts are definitely a nutritious, protein-and healthy fat-packed snack, they do serve up a nice amount of calories too. If you love snacking on nuts, try switching to seeds to shed pounds, recommends Batayneh. “Seeds and nuts contain about the same number of calories per serving (most have between 140 and 180) but because of seeds’ smaller size, you may end up eating less.” In fact, one study published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" found that participants who ate cut up candies, as opposed to whole candies, consumed 60 fewer calories, Batayneh says. “Both groups ate about the same number of pieces, leading researchers to believe that the quantity of a snack, and not necessarily the calorie content, may drive eating behaviors.”
Your daily game plan: Switching from a handful of walnuts (about 200 calories) to a handful (or two tablespoons) of sunflower seeds (about 94 calories) can shave off 106 calories from your daily snack, and help you shed almost a pound by the end of the month.
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Keep a Food Diar...
Tasting while cooking, sampling your husband’s entrée at dinner, finishing off your kid’s cookie -- while it may not seem like a lot in the moment, over time, each little bite really adds up. One simple solution to calorie amnesia? Keep a food diary. One 2008 study, published in the "American Journal of Preventive Medicine" found that overweight participants who wrote down everything they ate, six days a week, lost twice as much weight as those that didn’t.
Your daily game plan: Write down, or take a photo, of everything you put in your mouth over the next 30 days. Just the thought of having to take the time to write or photograph that little morsel of food may be enough to discourage you from eating it, and could save you around 250 excess calories a day (or over two pounds). Need an easy tool to manage your food diary without a lot of extra hassle? Try ”The Eatery” iphone app - it’s a free visual food log that will help you stay accountable on the go.
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Pack on a Few Po...
Pack on a few pounds of lean muscle mass, and you'll burn more calories even at rest. While the exact extra calorie count isn't clear, experts believe that for each pound of lean muscle mass you carry on your frame, you'll burn an extra 25-50 calories every day. That may not sound like a lot, but five pounds of lean muscle mass translates into about 125 - 250 extra calories burned a day, or about one or two extra pounds lost this month, says Liz Neporent, a spokesperson for the American Council on Exercise and co-author of "Weight Training" for Dummies. And while building muscle may not drop tons of scale weight right away - you may be more likely to lose inches as you start to change your body composition by reducing your body fat and increasing your lean muscle mass. Muscle also gives your body shape and tends to pull things in tighter, so you may even weigh the same, but look 10 pounds lighter in that little black dress, explains Neporent.
Your daily game plan: Commit to a regular strength training routine, challenging your muscles to fatigue, at least 3 to 4 days a week (this can be a part of your daily 30 minute exercise allotment) to burn up extra calories, even at rest. While the exact calorie burning boost you receive will vary depending on how much muscle mass you develop, the good news is that regular strength training can help you appear several pounds lighter in just a month even before the scale says that you are! And you don’t even need weights to start – this total body workout uses just your bodyweight to get you started. Once your workout starts to feel easy, be sure to increase your intensity by adding additional weight or progressing into more advanced versions of the exercises with moves like these.
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