We’ve all had high hopes of losing weight and keeping it off, either by finding the elusive magic bullet or through some nebulous effortless exercise that presumably does the job for us. We also know deep down that it’s going to take some work, but there are a few secrets that, if applied correctly, can just be the ticket to a slimmer, healthier you.
Enter the “minifast” program. No, you don’t have to stop eating all day. This is a program where you just have your morning coffee or tea when you wake up, using stevia or xylitol to sweeten it, and your favorite creamer if you use it. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and if some of your supplements can be taken on an empty stomach, you may as well take those. Then start exercising moderately, working up to 45 minutes or more. You want to get into some aerobic intensity eventually, depending on your starting condition. Just start where you are and work your way up to about 65% of your maximum heart rate for the 45 minutes. The formula is to subtract your age from 220, then multiply that number by 0.65, to get 65%. Check on him periodically to make sure he’s in basic range, but you’ll know if he can still talk, if he’s not out of breath, but he probably can’t chant the Star Spangled Banner without a lot of effort! This is where the metabolism kicks in, and in fact, it will continue to ramp up throughout the day, and even while you sleep, if you stay consistent in your efforts.
You should not eat until noon, and then eat mostly lean protein and healthy vegetables using healthy cooking methods like steamed, stir-fried, baked, or better yet, raw. Remember, always choose heart-healthy oils for cooking, like organic extra-virgin coconut oil or organic butter – REAL butter, not just any substitute. Do not cook with olive oil, as it has a low heating point, and should be reserved for salads and poured over steamed vegetables. Lean protein would include wild-caught fish like salmon or cod, organic free-range chicken, or lean, grass-fed beef. You can get grass-fed ground beef or turkey that is a great healthy substitute for cheaper fatty corn-fed ground beef, and with no hormones or antibiotics involved. Believe it or not, these hormones and antibiotics in animals get into our bodies and wreak havoc on our weight loss efforts. That is why it is also recommended to take a good probiotic to strengthen the intestines AND to really help with weight loss. Adding good prebiotics and probiotics has been found to actually aid weight loss by helping the intestines move properly. Prebiotics are the food, like FOS and inulin, for probiotics and can be purchased at your local health food store.
There you have it, the “minifast” weight loss program in a nutshell. Put in a good effort for a few months and, coupled with good nutritional habits, boost your metabolism for life.
