7-Day Slim-Down

CNN Health may be on to something. I enjoyed their article, anyways. Here’s the scoop.

Sunday: Bite it, write it.

Keeping a food journal and recording your intake (everything you eat AND drink) certainly aids in accountability. Plus, Robert A. Charles, Ph.D. says you can expect to shed a whopping 5% of your body weight by adopting this habit [1]. Hey, 150-pound people out there…that’s nearly 8 pounds lost!

Monday: Take a multi-vitamin!

Two studies in the British Journal of Nutrition say that taking a multi-vitamin daily can help make you less hungry. Besides, those taking a multi-vitamin daily tend to weigh less and have lower BMI’s [1]. I’m sold on taking one!

Take a vitamin containing 100% of the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for: chromium, copper, folic acid, iodine, manganese, molybdenum, niacin, pathothenic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12 [1].

Tuesday: Circuit train the WHOLE body.

Circuit training burns more calories than traditional strength-training says Dr. Jim Stoppani, author of, “Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength.” Strength-training is more effective due to the shorter rest periods between sets. Leave about 20 seconds between sets and aim for 3 sets [1].

Wednesday: C-up

The Journal of the American College of Nutrition supports research on the use of vitamin C in fat burning – up to 30% more efficiency when consuming 500 milligrams or more of vitamin C while working out [1]. Plus, it’s good for immune function and wound healing.

Vitamin C-packed foods include: papaya, red bell peppers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, strawberries, oranges, cantaloupe, kiwi, cauliflower, kale, parsley, and lemon juice.

Thursday: Grab a gab partner

Create a weight-loss network. Grab a friend and motivate one another to keep up an exercise routine and healthy habits [1]. Exercising with a friend can not only make the activity more enjoyable, but you’re more likely to keep up with the routine and stay consistent with your regimen.

Friday: Eat the rainbow

Cutting calories can be as simple as adding more fruits and vegetables to the diet, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition [1]. Due to the fiber content and low caloric-density, filling up on fruits and vegetables (5-9 a day every day!) can help decrease the consumption of all other, more calorically dense foods. Challenge yourself to snack on fruits and vegetables only. You may learn to like it…or to at least love the results!

Saturday: Relax!

Ralph LaForge, exercise physiologist at Duke University Medical Center, explains that people make better food choices when they are relaxed. He adds, you’re less likely to suffer from hunger pains when you’re relaxed. Take a few moments to perform some deep breathing when hunger strikes – it may just reduce your instinct to eat or to help curb your appetite for awhile longer.

Try the above each day this week and see how it goes. I’m going to give it a go!

[1]. Rossi, Carey. One Week to a Slimmer You: Focus on the Little Things. CNN Health. July 28, 2009.