The Last 10 lbs

I wish I had a nickel every time I was asked, "how do I get the last 10 lbs off?".  Because quite frankly, it's a difficult question to answer.  For people who are looking to drop fat, and have more than the last 10-15 lbs to lose,  it's rather simple.  But quite honestly, most of us make it complicated.... should I do carb cycling?, should I do calorie cycling?, should I do cardio on an empty stomach?, etc., etc.  For those people, you need to SIMPLIFY the process.  That's a different blog.  This blog is for those people looking to those last 5-15 lbs.  You know, those lbs that are just not willing to let go.  Our body wants to hang on to that last bit of fat and you have to fight like a UFC champion to get rid of it.  First, you have to understand:

You're in a  war against FAT. Go win.

• It's going to be hard
• It will take time and preparation... it takes a solid blue print, so plan, plan, plan
• You have to go in head first with the engines running (kinda imagine yourself as Braveheart just before battle... except don't wear that skirt and go commando... that's just gross.)
• It's about the dress or pant size and not about the actual lbs

That last point is important to understand.  I've seen it. I know other trainers that have seen it.  You may not drop a single pound, but you could drop a size down.  So right now, get it out of your head that it's all about the lbs.

Now that is out of the way, let's get started.  Sometimes, it takes extreme measures to get rid of that last little bit of fat. So below you'll see... EXTREME measures.  Insert legal jargon here -----> Consult with your physician before any nutrition or exercise program.  Exercise at your own risk...  Blah, blah, blah.  Good.  We're going to have carb cycling and calorie cycling because it might make sense at this point.   You can keep up with your ratios and calories at www.fitday.com. I told you it would take preparation.  Remember, use whole, natural, unprocessed foods.  With that being said, here is one way to approach your last 10 lbs of fat loss. I have more ways of getting it done, but this is one of them. After all, I can't let go of all my best kept secrets, can I?  :)  Good luck, and let me know of your success.

Day 1 Calories = Goal body weight in lbs X 8.  For example, if your goal weight is 150, than you would take 150 x 8, which equals 1,200 calories.  No matter what the calculation comes out for you, don't drop below 1,000 cals.  Aim for 1g of protein per lb of goal weight through the day.  This little "protein rule of thumb" goes for every day.  Today, you're going low carb.  Get your carbs through non-starchy vegetables... that's it.

Day 1 workout - total body workout keeping the reps between 8-12.  Do a "finisher" at the end of your workout to burn more fat, like 5-10 sets of 8-12 burpees, with 60 secs of rest between sets.  Later that day, if you have the opportunity to move, do it.  Take a dog for a walk, play some tennis, etc., etc.... just stay active if possible

Days 2 and 3 Calories = Goal body weight in lbs x 9... Again, low carb

Your # 1 weapon of choice - whole, natural unprocessed foods

Day 2 Workout - Hill sprints ... find a hill that you can run up 25-40 yards.  Do 8-12 sprints with 60 secs of rest between sprints.  Then follow that up with high intensity aerobic activity for 15 minutes.

Day 3 Workout - total body workout keeping the reps between 6-10.  End your workout with a "finisher" like jump rope intervals for 10 minutes.  Later that day, if you can, stay active.

Days 4 and 5 Calories = Goal body weight in lbs x 10.  Start taking in some carbs.... 3-4 servings of fruit through the day, but have most of the carbs around your workout (before and after)

Day 4 Workout - calisthenics ... think PE Class.  Do 20 minutes of jumping jacks, push-ups, lunges, body squats, etc., etc.  Keep the rest periods short (30-60 secs).  Follow that up with 10-15 minutes of high intensity aerobic work.

Day 5 Workout - total body workout keeping the reps between 5-8.  Use a "finisher" at the end of the workout like mountain climbers (30 secs on, 30 secs off) for 5 minutes, followed by 5 sets of dumbbell/kettle bell swings. On this day only, you can have a starch right after a workout along with fruit. 

Hill Sprints... fine weapon for fat loss

Day 6 Calories = Goal body weight in lbs x 9... we're going low-carb again, just like day 1.

Day 6 workout - Same as Day 2

Day 7 - No workout, and don't worry about counting calories. Enjoy your rest. Today, you get your reward meal (pizza, wings, cake, etc., etc.).  Other than that meal, stick with whole, unprocessed foods (including many fruits and vegetables).  Eat until satisfied, but no more.  Again, don't worry about counting calories.  It's like hitting the "reset" button.  You can even bring in a little bit of natural, unprocessed starches (Ezekiel bread, Quinoa, etc., etc.)

Simply do the above cycle for 4 weeks.  Still not there?  Go back to an easier routine/nutrition program for 2 weeks before trying it again for another 4 weeks.  Also note if you find yourself having a hard time recovering between workouts, you can increase your carbs a little bit after your workouts.  It's all about trial and error.

Good luck!  I broke a sweat just reading this.  Awesome.

To your success,
Mike Whitfield, CFT, CFNC
www.reflectionsfitness.com