Fitness

GO FOR THE BURN

The last 10 pounds are the hardest to lose, but does that mean it's impossible? Kick things up a notch, rev up your metabolism and, at the same time, lower your body's production of cortisol, the stress hormone, which promotes fat storage. It's not as tricky as it sounds, but it does require diligence.

Here a few rules to follow

Completely cut out processed foods: The best way to lose weight — even those last 10 pounds — is by eating CLEAN. This means absolutely NO processed foods! While you may have been watching what you were eating before, now is the time to truly crack down. Processed food is anything that has been altered from its natural state, such as fruit that has been canned to make it last longer or refined grains. Try to restrict yourself to eat only fresh organic fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and dairy, as well as whole grains. Check the labels on all of the food you buy. If you see ingredients that are questionable — don’t buy it! If you can’t pronounce something on the ingredient list — leave it on the shelf.

Eat Fat Burning foods: What you eat really counts, so focus on fiber rich foods that have a thermogenic effect, making your body expend more energy as it breaks them down. Your shopping list should include: dark leafy greens, asparagus, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes, zucchini, quinoa, raw almond and low sugar fruits such as Asian pears, kiwis,and grapefruit. Also remember to add your proteins such as egg whites, chicken, wild caught fish, chia and hemp seeds.

Forget Fat Free and Sugar Free: Ditch the fat-free greek yogurt.  The body can't process chemical sweeteners so not only do they get stored in your fat, they impair your body's ability to release that fat for fuel. If you want to drop the last 10 pounds, you need to look beyond the claims on the front of the package and take a critical eye to the nutrition label and ingredients. Labeling a food item fat free is a classic bait-and-switch marketing strategy the food industry uses to try and get consumers to forget about the calories. Sugar is a carbohydrate and foods such as sugar-free cookies or candy are not free of carbohydrates. The best way to avoid being fooled by reduced fat and sugar-free labels and to lose those unwanted pounds is to shop for nutrient-dense foods that don't come in a packages and therefore require no labeling.

Cut your sodium intake and drink more water: Just because you're not reaching for the salt shaker at every meal doesn't mean you're watching your sodium intake! Salt is in nearly every food — some of the worst culprits are breads, cold cuts/cured meats, sandwiches, pizza, poultry and soup. To commit to dropping the last 10 pounds, you should keep a close eye on your sodium intake and cut it down to 1,000 mg per day. Also up your water intake. Eighty ounces is equal to 10 cups of water: let it be your goal each day. It won't be hard to hit if you're working out!

Cut  alcohol: Drinking less than 2 alcoholic beverages a week can help you drop a few pounds simply by cutting alcohol out.  Alcohol releases estrogen into your bloodstream, promotes fat storage, and decreases muscle growth. It makes you hungry and loosens your inhibitions — so you're more likely to give into temptations, like unhealthy food. Plus, alcoholic beverages contain more calories than most people think. If you're serious about losing this weight, it’s best to avoid alcohol until you're in maintenance mode.

Train harder:  It might sound difficult but you can do it, up the intensity of your workouts and make sure you’re fitting them in at least five times a week

You can do this, the last 10 pounds will come off, you just need to be stricter with your diet avoid alcohol and process food and watch your sodium intake and drinks tons of water and finally watch the last 10 pounds melt away