My name is Markesha, I’m 23 yrs old. Last year I lost 37 pounds by giving up beef & pork. This year I’ve gain my weight back by eating crazy again. I’ve tried LA Weightloss, and it helped with the 37 pounds that I’ve lost. But the program closed. Now I’m even more frustrated because I don’t want to spend a lot of money going to Balley Total Fitness nor Nutri-System. I really would love to look like Jennifer Hudson. What should I do ??? Please Help. [via Ask Questions]
How to lose 40 pounds by embracing who you are First of all, forget about comparing the way you look to Jennifer Hudson. Jennifer Hudson is Jennifer Hudson and you is, well, you. Be proud of that! Your body is unique. Trying to emulate somebody’s look is a losing proposition and a waste of your time.
Besides, I bet Hudson wants to look like somebody else. What if she decides tomorrow that she wants to look like Amy Winehouse (God forbid) or Victoria Beckham (Oh, the horror) and goes on to lose 50 pounds or something? Are you going to chase her down that road? I hope not.
Back to your question. It is kind of hard to answer it, because you did not give me any specifics about your diet, but you did say that you lost almost 40 pounds in a year by not eating pork and beef. Then you have gained the weight back “by eating crazy.”
What does “eating crazy” mean? I do not know. I do know, however, that eating beef and pork – in moderation of course – is not crazy at all. You need protein, but you do not need to eat processed foods and simple carbs. You also do not need to spend your money on any commercial weight-loss programs to lose weight.
I know that the whole process of losing weight may seem convoluted. Trust me, it is not. Sure, there are hundreds of diets and weight-loss programs out there, but here is what you need to know about how to lose 40 pounds or virtually any amount of weight for that matter.
How to lose 40 pounds: make a commitment to be physically active at least 4 times a week. If you think I am talking about joining a gym, I am not. I am talking about doing something – anything really – to move around a little more than you normally do. For example, walk for at least 30 minutes 4 times a week (walking is one of the best exercises for weight loss), ride a bike, go hiking, wash your car, take swimming lessons.
Eat a balanced diet, breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. Here is what it means: eat protein (fish, poultry, meat, and eggs). Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, the more variety the better. Snack on almonds, walnuts, plain yogurt, and some cheese. Put some peanut butter on apple slices, celery or whole grain crackers.
Cook with healthy fats (olive oil, canola oil, avocado oil, ghee butter); do not use virgin olive oil for cooking.
Take supplements Three words: fish oil capsules. That’s all you need.
Do not be afraid of protein shakes and bars If you are pressed for time, make a healthy protein shake for breakfast and keep on hand some protein bars. The trick here is to know how to make a healthy protein shake and where to find quality protein bars. If you are planning to go that route, email me.
Have one reasonable cheat day It is hard – and some say that it is virtually impossible – to eat healthy all the time. The solution? Assuming you have been eating the whole week as I have described above, designate one week day as your “cheat on my diet” day. Eat pretty much what you want on that day, but keep it reasonable.