How to lose the last 10 - 15 lbs.
This is the second part of a three-part series on how to achieve and maintain your ideal weight for life. Part 1 was about beginning the journey and how far that particular technique could take you. This part will be how to adjust for the inevitable plateau that occurs as you approach your target weight.
So now, you have the first technique down. You are eating slowly, have successfully restricted your calorie intake, liquefied your food before swallowing, and kept your meals to 20 minutes. But the progress has plateaued and there is the final 10 to 15 lbs. to lose. This is where diet and sleep begin to matter greatly.
When the change of diet occurs, the pace of eating should still be slow, but the 20-minute time limit will move up to 35-40 minutes because the foods that will be consumed will have more nutrition and considerably less calories; therefore, you will consume more.
Greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds will need to be incorporated into every meal. Traditional breakfasts will change. The way food is thought of will change also. If you mainly eat these foods, you will be able to consume much more volume while consuming less calories. The reason for this is that these foods have more nutrition per calorie. The book I recommend to walk people through this transformation is here.
Another factor is to make sure that you are getting enough sleep. Often, even with a workout regimen, this is what keeps people from dropping the last few pounds. The sweet spot for most people is 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Too much sleep also carries risks of adverse side effects. Also, we know what happens when there is not enough sleep in the routine.
With these steps, you will be able to make it past the plateau and achieve your target weight. Make sure that your goals are reasonable, realistic, and necessary for you. Remember that the pace of weight loss should be 1-3 pounds per week.
Adjusting the diet by incorporating all of the above foods in as many meals as possible and sleeping well will get you through the plateau. The book will outline why these foods help and it provides many recipes incorporating them.
Once you’ve hit your ideal weight, then what else is there? Part 3 will be about how to keep the pounds off for life.
I hope that you enjoyed this installment, good luck with your journey. And bye for now.
P.S. Did you miss Part 1? Click here!
Sources:
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/physical-side-effects-oversleeping#1
About the Author
Nick Arestopoulos is an acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist at Palmgren Acupuncture. He’s also a blue belt in jiu jitsu and teaches a self-defense course based in jiu jitsu. He loves encouraging people to grow and improve wherever he goes. You can find Nick on LinkedIn.