Lose 10 pounds fast - Do diets work?

The secret to losing weight and keeping trim is.....there is no secret!!!!

What! So what is all the fuss about?

The weight loss formula is very simple...

Weight Loss = what you eat - what you use

That's correct... the amount of weight you lose is the difference between what you eat and what you use..this is no secret!

"I'd struggle to find time to go to the gym, but walking fits really easily into my life. I walk the kids to school, and take a walk during my lunch break from my part-time job. It gives me a chance to forget about my worries and helps me to keep my weight off."

Sharron Sellers

Do you know that if you stop eating the equivalent of 1 biscuit a day, over a year you will lose 1 pound? This does not sound much, but this will be continual sustained weight loss, and it is very easy!!!

Go on, give it a try

To lose weight fast, you need to cut down what you eat, and increase the energy that you burn...easy, no?

Here are some tips for cutting down what you eat.

1. Eat 3 regular meals a day, and don't snack between meals.

2. Plan your meals. Use a planner, such as that provided by fat loss for idiots. I've tried this. It's very easy to do, provides plans for 11 days, and reorganizes the plan after that. It does all the hard work, and let's you concentrate on doing the right thing. Check it out on fat loss 4 idiots.

3. If you feel hungry between the meals, eat an apple, or drink a glass of water. This will keep the hunger pangs at bay.

4. Cut out biscuits and crisps..these are easy to eat, contain much fat and sugar, and still leave you with a craving for more

A food plan is my part to losing that weight. The second part is to increase your use of food.

Top tips for this are:

1. Take a 20 minute walk every day. This helps use food and burn fat.

2. Use the stairs and not the elevator.

3. Take up a sport or exercise. It is a well known fact that the body continues to burn fat up to 45 minutes after vigorous exercise has finished.

4. Watch less tv...yes watch less tv!!

1.This isn't some magical weight loss pill. Losing weight on this diet does take some time. The diet works in 11 days cycles. Expect to lose 6-9 pounds each cycle. The better you follow the diet, the more you'll lose.

2. Drinking water is very important. While you're on the Idiot Proof Diet, you should drink 8-10 glasses of water each day. If this is too hard for you I suggest taking a mineral water bottle with you to work.

3. No exercise is required with the Idiot Proof Diet, but I recommend taking a brisk walk at least 3 times a week in order to maximize your weight loss.

4. The Idiot Proof Diet does work for vegetarians, but isn't suitable for people who can't eat gluten rich foods (bread, pasta, cereals, etc.).

5. The diet works faster for some people than for others. You shouldn't compare yourself to other people. If you lose weight in the beginning than the diet is working for you. It may take a little bit longer to reach your target weight, but you're on your way.

(John Davenport)

Find out more by following this diet link

Good Luck

Sky

1. Eat Breakfast Every Day. One habit that's common to many people who have lost weight and kept it off is eating breakfast every day. "Many people think skipping breakfast is a great way to cut calories, but they usually end up eating more throughout the day, says Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD, author of The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids. "Studies show people who eat breakfast have lower BMIs than breakfast-skippers and perform better, whether at school or in the boardroom." Try a bowl of whole-grain cereal topped with fruit and low-fat dairy for a quick and nutritious start to your day.

2. Close the Kitchen at Night. Establish a time when you will stop eating so you won't give in to the late-night munchies or mindless snacking while watching television. "Have a cup of tea, suck on a piece of hard candy or enjoy a small bowl of light ice cream or frozen yogurt if you want something sweet after dinner, but then brush your teeth so you will be less likely to eat or drink anything else," suggests Elaine Magee, MPH, RD, WebMD's "Recipe Doctor" and the author of Comfort Food Makeovers.

3. Choose Liquid Calories Wisely. Sweetened drinks pile on the calories, but don't reduce hunger like solid foods do. Satisfy your thirst with water, sparkling water with citrus, skim or low-fat milk, or small portions of 100% fruit juice. Try a glass of nutritious and low-calorie vegetable juice to hold you over if you get hungry between meals. Be careful of alcohol calories, which add up quickly. If you tend to drink a glass or two of wine or a cocktail on most days, limiting alcohol to the weekends can be a huge calorie saver.

4. Eat More Produce. Eating lots of low-calorie, high-volume fruits and vegetables crowds out other foods that are higher in fat and calories. Move the meat off the center of your plate and pile on the vegetables. Or try starting lunch or dinner with a vegetable salad or bowl of broth-based soup, suggests Barbara Rolls, PhD, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan. The U.S. government's 2005 Dietary Guidelines suggest that adults get 7-13 cups of produce daily. Ward says that's not really so difficult: "Stock your kitchen with plenty of fruits and vegetables and at every meal and snack, include a few servings," she says. "Your diet will be enriched with vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, fiber, and if you fill up on super-nutritious produce, you won't be reaching for the cookie jar."

5. Go for the Grain. By substituting whole grains for refined grains like white bread, cakes, cookies, and pretzels, you add much-needed fiber and will fill up faster so you're more likely to eat a reasonable portion. Choose whole-wheat breads and pastas, brown rice, bran flakes, popcorn, and whole-rye crackers.

6. Control Your Environments. Another simple strategy to help cut calories is to control your environment - everything from stocking your kitchen with lots of healthy options to choosing the right restaurants. That means avoiding the temptation by staying away from all-you-can-eat restaurants. And when it comes to parties, "eat a healthy snack before so you won't be starving, and be selective when you fill your plate at the buffet," suggests Ward. Before going back for more food, wait at least 15 minutes and have a big glass of water.

7. Trim Portions. If you did nothing else but reduce your portions by 10%-20%, you would lose weight. Most of the portions served both in restaurants and at home are bigger than you need. Pull out the measuring cups to get a handle on your usual portion sizes, and work on paring them down. Get instant portion control by using small bowls, plates, and cups, says Brian Wansink, PhD, author of Mindless Eating. You won't feel deprived because the food will look plentiful on dainty dishware.

8. Add More Steps. Get yourself a pedometer and gradually add more steps until you reach 10,000 per day. Throughout the day, do whatever you can to be more active -- pace while you talk on the phone, take the dog out for an extra walk, and march in place during television commercials. Having a pedometer serves as a constant motivator and reminder.

9. Have Protein at Every Meal and Snack. Adding a source of lean or low-fat protein to each meal and snack will help keep you feeling full longer so you're less likely to overeat. Try low-fat yogurt, small portion of nuts, peanut butter, eggs, beans, or lean meats. Experts also recommend eating small, frequent meals and snacks (every 3-4 hours), to keep your blood sugar levels steady and to avoid overindulging.

10. Switch to Lighter Alternatives. Whenever you can, use the low-fat versions of salad dressings, mayonnaise, dairy products, and other products. "You can trim calories effortlessly if you use low-fat and lighter products, and if the product is mixed in with other ingredients, no one will ever notice," says Magee. More smart substitutions: Use salsa or hummus as a dip; spread sandwiches with mustard instead of mayo; eat plain roasted sweet potatoes instead of loaded white potatoes; use skim milk instead of cream in your coffee; hold the cheese on sandwiches; and use a little vinaigrette on your salad instead of piling on the creamy dressing.

ngredients :
4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
4 tablespoons fat-free natural yoghurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon skimmed milk
2 red apples, peeled and diced
200 g celery, chopped
2 tablespoons nuts
1 pack mixed salad leaves

Recipe :
Mix the mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon juice and milk in a large bowl.

Add the apples, nuts and celery.
Mix well and add the salad leaves.

Enjoy!