As spring slips silently into summer, the annual dilemma of how to shed that surplus layer for the bikini season arises as quickly and unexpectedly as the sun. The unforgiving sunlight transforms smooth curves of comfort into cellulite, and that rosy winter glow now seems pallid and lifeless. The issue is not so much what needs to be done, but rather the short time frame in which it has to be achieved. The usual strategy is a starvation diet and precious hours spent at the solarium, but this solution has its drawbacks given that starvation diets lead not only to rebound weight gain, but also force the body to cannibalize its muscle proteins to keep the body running. As a shapely and sexually alluring physique is built upon toned musculature, such starvation strategies will tend to leave your figure less enticing and your skin less radiant.
So is it possible to lose 10 kilos (22lbs) of excess fat in a month without breaking down the curves derived from all those long winter workouts? The answer is a resounding yes, but the solution requires a three-pronged strategy of priming the metabolism, tuning the diet and becoming less 'sedentary'. There are a number of tactics that we can employ which allow us to burn more calories, consume better fuel, and prevent our engines from idling wastefully. The good news is that this plan of action is inexpensive and does not require much time or any costly supplementation.
Consuming better fuels
Naturally, in order to lose excess weight we have to grasp why we put it on in the first place, even though we don't feel that we are eating all that much. One of the principal reasons for society's 'fat plague' is that the modern Western diet contains too many processed foods designed to stimulate the appetite and leave us wanting more. There is simply no money or margin to be made in the fast food industry if the products are too unaffordable, filling or inconvenient. As is often the case, it is not the individual components themselves which are at fault, but rather the inappropriate blending of food combinations and the gratuitous layers of dressings, sugars and condiments. The problem ultimately lies in our muscles and their preference for sugars. Our muscles will readily burn fatty acids unless there is an abundant supply of sugars and complex carbohydrates available, and so the active muscle exerts a 'first option' on blood glucose, glycogen stores and dietary sugars before any 'afterburn' of fats occurs. In simple terms, muscles don't burn much fat when you're full of 'carbs'. The solution is to either eat a diet which is low in carbohydrates or one that is very low in fats, placing us upon the horns of a dilemma. The solution is however simple - alternate between the two extremes during a weekly cycle (an idea which is covered in more detail below).
This strategy will certainly help us to lose weight fast but that alone is not enough. When we do try to lose weight quickly by eating less and taking more exercise, the body's natural hormones kick in to redress the balance by triggering cravings for missing nutrients, and in any modern town or city you can bet your bottom dollar that there's a fast food outlet on hand to put your cravings to the test...
It is not only an increase in physical activity that can speed up the metabolism. Exposure to cold showers, air conditioning and the cool night air helps to keep the metabolism primed for weight loss. Avoid stressful people and situations to minimize cortisol production, and instead expose yourself to as much excitement and pleasure as you can afford to. When you are not exercising, why not go and cheer for your team, elect to get out and about rather than to watch television, and choose to dance at a night club rather than curl up in front of the big screen.