By Dr. Joey Shulman

The glorious weather is finally here! Along with the sunshine, warmer temperatures and a fresh breeze comes the surge of shorts, bikinis, tank tops and sundresses. What’s a person to do to get into shape, tone up and look lean for the summer weather?  Luckily, there are certain nutritional tricks of the trade that can help you shed any excess winter weight—fast.

Follow the steps below for a two-week period and you will begin to notice the quick, safe and easy weight loss results you’ve achieved! 

Step 1: Balance your meals properly

In order to optimize weight loss results it’s critical to eat a selection of carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each and every meal or snack. Not sure how to properly balance your food intake? Either visit the Truestar nutrition section to complete a personal profile where all meals are perfectly balanced or visit the Truestar metabolic booster plan to learn more!

Step 2: Bye bye bagels and bread!

For quick weight loss results minimize or completely eliminate grain products for a two week period. While whole grains are a necessary part of the daily diet, eliminating them for a short period of time will jump start the weight loss process by reducing the amount of insulin secreted. To help you gage the amount of carbohydrates in grain products, average serving sizes are:

• 1 whole wheat tortilla = 12 grams of carbohydrate
• 2 pieces of crispbread = 15 grams of carbohydrate
• 1 slice of bread (whole wheat) = 15 grams of carbohydrate
• ½ cup of brown rice = 20-25 grams of carbohydrate
• 1 whole wheat bagel = 35 grams of carbohydrate

Step 3: Eat a maximum of two servings of fruit per day

While fruit is an excellent source of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, eating too much fruit can cause insulin levels in the body to surge. When selecting which type of fruit to eat, try selecting those lower on the glycemic index such as raspberries, blueberries and strawberries. One small fruit or ½ cup of fruit is equivalent to one serving (10 grams of carbohydrates).

Step 4: Get as many veggies into you as possible!

Vegetables are incredibly energy dense, packed full of fiber and have a lower carbohydrate content in comparison with most fruits or grain products. With the exception of all potatoes or squash, eat as many vegetables as possible for a two week period. In the summer months, our appetite shifts towards cooler foods. Instead of soups or stews, make sure to consume delicious summer salads filled with as many colorful vegetables as possible. To gage your serving sizes for vegetables properly, approximately 1 cup of vegetables = 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Step 5: Eat protein at each and every meal or snack

The hormone glucagon is released in response to dietary protein. Glucagon signals fat cells to release fat into the blood, therefore promoting its use. In other words, more fat is burned and more weight is lost. Optimal sources of protein are lean protein sources such as lean chicken, turkey, beef, soy, protein powder, egg whites and cold water fish. The following are sample serving sizes of protein;

• 1 scoop of protein powder = 25 grams of protein
• 4 ounces of chicken, fish = 28 grams of protein
• ½ cup of egg whites = 13 grams of protein
• 1 ounce of low fat cheese = 7 grams of protein
• 4 ounces of firm tofu = 10 grams of protein

Step 6: Do not drink juice, alcohol or coffee for 2 weeks

An excess of sugary juices (which often contain as much white sugar as pop) and alcohol are extra calories that can quickly and discretely pack on excess pounds. In addition to being a stimulant and a diuretic, coffee can also trigger insulin levels, which hinders weight loss success.

The best approach is to switch to fresh clean water or green herbal tea as your primary source of fluid. In addition to being a very powerful antioxidant, green tea has been shown to enhance thermogenesis which increases fat breakdown. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1999), it was shown that green tea could lead to a 43% increase in thermogenesis in adults, an increase that could not be attributed to the caffeine in green tea.

Step 7: Do not starve yourself

There are many fad diets on the market that promote extremely low calorie diets ranging from 600-1000 calories per day. Research shows that when the amount of calories the body receives is drastically restricted, the body perceives it is starving and switches into a mode called Starvation Adaptation Mode. In other words, all calories are stored as fat in case of an emergency. The average adult consumes approximately 1600-2200 calories in order to maintain their current weight.

For weight loss, the ideal caloric range is approximately 1200-1500 calories per day. It is important not to drop your caloric intake below 1200 calories.

Step 8: Exercise five times per week for a 30-minute session

It is important to find an activity that you enjoy. Whether it is yoga, pilates, running or tennis—the key is to engage and participate! Mix up your exercise routine with cardiovascular and weights to burn excess calories and tone. Visit the Truestar exercise section to design a personalized exercise program.

Step 9: Take your weight loss supplements daily

In addition to eating right and working out, taking the proper weight loss supplements can provide you with the extra edge you are looking for. Not sure which supplements are safe and effective to take? At Truestar, our VP of natural medicine, Natasha Turner, has designed a superior line of weight loss supplements that will help you to achieve your ideal body weight. For a full explanation of what has gone into the weight loss formulation including green tea, conjugated linoleic acid and a high quality multi-vitamin, click here.

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