How to Loose A Few Easy Pounds, After 40, In 10 Days and Save Some Bucks Too!

Modeling in New York many years ago before there were "Supermodels" and "Ubermodels," I was taking home $145.00 per week. My rent was $400.00 a month, and I lived in a 5th floor studio apartment with two great roommates from college. After putting $20.00 into a savings account, I had a whole $25.00 a week to spend on anything I wanted!! After a year of managing this budget, and with the added pressure of living in a "Devil Wears Prada" world, I lost 20 pounds without even realizing I had lost the weight. Budgeting out of necessity combined with some tricks I learned in the modeling industry, the following are a few weight loss tips:

1. Walk whenever and wherever you can. Forget belonging to an expensive Gym. In NYC that first year, even the .50 cent Subway ride twice a day, for my budget, was out of the question. So, I walked 30 blocks to and from work every day, rain, snow or shine. It was relaxing to walk home every evening. Walk to relax and reflect.


2. Walk up and down a flight of stairs at least 10 times a day. Again, no need for a gym membership. My first apartment was a fifth floor walk up, and now, I miss it! At first, you will be breathing hard and your legs will ache a bit. After a while, you will glide up and down those stairs, no problem.


3. Give up fast food and junk food. Don't drive by it or buy it and you will not have it in your house as a temptation (your children do not need it either, so do not use that excuse). Fast Food is expensive anyway. After a while, you will not miss this type of food, and it will not appeal to you any more. Spend your money wisely instead on fresh foods, and make the time for preparaton. It only takes 20 minutes or so to make a nicesalad for dinner. Wrap the lettuce and veggies in dry paper towels and place in a zip lock plastic bag, and into your vegetable bin. They will last longer.


4. Eat at least 5 servings of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables daily. Organic is best if you can afford it because organic has no pesticides. Pesticides trigger a metabolism slow down.


5. Give up fruit juice and sodas if you can, or at least, cut back. Eat an orange instead of having orange juice. Juice has a ton of refined sugar. If you must have fruit juice, have a few sips of diet fruit juice, then put the small bottle back in the fridge for the next day. If yo must have soda, try buying those tiny 8 oz. cans. Have an 8 oz. soda every other day or so. Don't deprive yourself, because you will eventually binge. Try also taking two or three sips of the 8 z. soda then giving the rest to someone else to finish!


6. Get rid of your salt shaker. I got rid of mine 27 years ago in NYC and have never looked back. Use pepper/garlic/lemon instead! Salt forces your body to retain water and makes you bloated. At first, you will notice the lack of salt, but after a while, food without salt will taste better, and you will think food you taste with salt will taste salty! If you must use some salt for cooking, use all natural, mineral rich Celtic Sea Salt. Also, try unsalted nuts. You'll actually taste the flavor of the nut! Remember though, only one palm full.


7. A portion is the size and thickness of the palm of your hand. Yes, portion control is a big key to loosing weight. Pay attention to portions in restaurants. Try bringing half of your meal home. I love leftovers!


8. No carbohydrates before bed. If you are hungry, try two cold cut slices of low fat chicken or turkey and 2 slices of reduced fat cheese. Or try a few stalks of celery, carrots and 1 serving of hummus with paprika.


9. Oprah is right; no white carbohydrates, no white rices, no white pastas, no white flour No white cereals, no white bread No white bread croutons and no white sugars. Eat crunchy organic croutons on a salad each night instead of bread, if you can.If you must eat bread, buy only whole grain bread, and read the ingredients. Many companies use High Fructose Corn Syrup in their wheat or multi grain breads! White carbs/starches/pastas also make "Hot Flashes" worse.


10. Fiber is the secret. Fiber will increase your metabolism 30% per day. 25 gram's of fiber daily is what we all need to keep things moving along in our systems.


11. If you have to have a small piece of cake every few days, split a small piece with your spouse, roommate or friend. Take 1/3 of the piece and give your spouse or roommate 2/3 of the piece. Eat the cake with some organic fruit, or try only organic fruit and low fat or reduced fat cheese for dessert. Try to eat 25 g. of fresh fruit and veggies per day. Europeans commonly eat fruit and cheese for dessert because it will cut your cravings for sweets.


12. Drink 6+ glasses of very cold water every day. Your body will have to rev up its metabolism thus burn calories to warm up the water during digestion. A 50 calorie boost per day is about 5 lbs. per year!


13. Drink caffeine; organic coffee or green tea are best if you are healthy and have no heart issues or sleep issues. Caffeine is a Central Nervous system stimulant. It will rev up your metabolism by about 100-175 calories per day which works out to 5-7 lbs. per year! Drink caffeine as much and as late as possible without affecting your sleep. Caffeine keeps your metabolism up by about 10%, green tea about 12%.


14. Ladies, keep your calories between 1300 and 1800 calories per day. Never drop below 1200 calories as the cerebellum part of your brain, like a caveman, will go into "starvation mode," and save as "fat" anything you eat. Men, y'all need 2000 calories per day. If you eat more one day, eat less the next few days. Don't worry about it too much.


15. Do weight bearing exercises twice a week. I keep 3 lb. weights next to my chair in the Den, and exercise while watching the news. Exercise inside or outside. No big deal, just do it.


16. The good news is: ONE alcoholic drink will rev up your metabolism up to 73%. A cold drink is best. The bad news is: in drinking the second drink, your body will then burn the alcohol instead of the fat. So, only one drink allowed! Also, alcohol does make "Hot Flashes" worse!


17. Women need only 3 oz. of lean meat per week. Men may have a bit more. One petite tenderloin steak once a week, or one sirloin burger once per week. Ladies, give up hamburger meat, nothing but fatty hip food!


18. Eat 200-600 units of salmon,fish, or shell fish per day. Good vitamin B.


19. For a splurge,try organic tomato soup and a small low fat grilled cheese on whole wheat with thin tomato slices. Who doesn't like tomato soup and grilled cheese. Delicious!


20. For extra Vitamin D, go out into the sunlight for 10 minutes per day. Yard work (and housework) is good for a least 30 calories per hour! Obviously, on my budget, I packed a small lunch every day. Packing a lunch is healthier and cheaper than eating fatty, expensive food anyway. Pack a lunch and go sit outside whenever you can.

So, everything in moderation, mind your portions and get moving!