Women's World

Losing 5 lbs in 2 weeks is a reasonable goal. After all, 5 lbs is only 2.267 kgs. You don’t have to do intensive workouts or starve yourself to lose 5 lbs. A little bit of effort and commitment is all that is required to shed 5 lbs easily. Remember to focus on your goals and stay dedicated. There is no magical solution to weight loss. It always involves switching to a healthier lifestyle.

Say No to Processed Food

Here are a few steps which will help you attain this weight loss

1. Eliminate tea and coffee from your diet. It may sound difficult specially if you have the habit of drinking a cup of tea/coffee every morning. When you eliminate tea and coffee, you are cutting down extra calories from milk, creamers and sweeteners. I used to have 2 cups of Tea with milk and sugar every single day and I have successfully removed it from my diet. It was difficult for the first few days but now I am completely ok and I don’t get headaches if I don’t drink tea/coffee.
2. Say no to all packaged and processed food like bread, cakes, cookies, cereals, biscuits, chips, instant noodles. These instant foods are high in Glycemic Index (GI) and will spike your blood sugar levels, followed by a steep drop which will leave you feeling more hungry.
3. Give up your sodas and fruit juices for two weeks. If you are craving for something sweet, grab a fruit like tangerine, clementine, apple, kiwi and so on. I love clementines and these have helped me curb by sweet tooth.
4. If you use White Rice daily, it is time to eliminate it from your diet. Replace White Rice with healthier grains like Whole Wheat, Oats, Bulgur, Quinoa and so on. I have eliminated White Rice from my diet. If I feel like having Carbohydrates for lunch or dinner, I will go for 1/2 cup of quinoa and it keeps me full. If you are on an Indian diet, try replacing Rice with Chappatis.
5. Include more protein with every meal instead of carbohydrates. Try adding a lean protein to your breakfast, lunch and dinner like Whole Eggs, White Chicken Meat, Turkey, Fish, Lentils, Pulses and so on.
6. Add more vegetables to your diet. An easy way is to start lunch and dinner with a healthy vegetable salad and soup. The salad can be something simple like Cucumber and Tomato Salad in Balsamic Vinegar. Prepare a healthy soup like Hot and Sour Vegetable Soup.
7. Remember to begin your day with a healthy breakfast. Avoid sandwiches, donuts and cereals. Instead, chose something like oatmeal with fruits, grilled chicken and vegetables in a whole wheat wrap, omelet with vegetables, pancakes made with grated vegetables and so on.
8. If you regularly have icecream for dessert, try replacing it with yogurt topped with fruits. Greek Yogurt is especially good.
9. Say no to unhealthy deep fried food. Instead, try stir-frying, grilling or baking. I bake my fish and grill my chicken and I love the taste.
10. If you feel like snacking, grab a few nuts like Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts and so on. Remember it should be a very small fistful. Boiled Eggs and vegetables like Baby Carrots and Cucumber sticks make a good snack.
11. A little bit of physical activity can help boost your metabolism. Sweep your house or vacuum the carpets. Get on your knees and clean your bathroom floor. Even better, if you can get outside and walk for half an hour. Try walking to your grocery store. If your work involves sitting in front of a computer, remember to get up and walk to the break room or anywhere else every hour. I walk to the laundry kiosk every day with a bag full of laundry clothes and it is a good exercise for me.