Yes, You Can Lose 10 Pounds in a Week. Here Is How According to an Expert
Do you want to lose weight fast? It is possible, but it depends on the type of weight you want to lose. Dr. Alan Mandell (@motivationaldoc) is a doctor and social media influencer who regularly shares health tips with his followers. In a new viral video, he answers a commonly asked question regarding losing weight. "So, is it really possible that you can lose 10 pounds in one week in seven days?" he asks. "Yes, it is possible, but not for everybody. Is it possible to lose 10 pounds of fat in one week? Absolutely not. It is impossible."
First of All, You Have to Eat Healthy
"If you have a very poor diet and you're eating lots of fast foods, highly refined and processed carbohydrates, high saturated fats, you just mind as well kiss goodbye," he says at the start of the clip. "There's no way in the world that your body can lose weight if you're not eating healthy."
You Need to "Take Off" Weight in Your Gut and Bowels
"The two main areas where you're going to take off the majority of the weight is gonna be around your gut, retaining lots of fluid, lots of sodium, as well as your bowels," he continues. "Most people who have poor diets are going to be more constipated; they're gonna have fewer bowel movements and potentially much more weight they're carrying around in their bowels."
You Have to Cut Down on Sodium
"If you're eating lots of refined, processed foods, you're gonna be retaining lots of sodium," he continues. "What does sodium do? Sodium absorbs more water. It retains fluid."
You Also Have to Reduce Carb Intake
"If you're eating too many carbs, carbs get stored as glycogen in the muscle liver. And every carb that gets stored as glycogen gets that much plus water stored along with the sugar," he says.
This All Impacts the Gut and Intestines
There are other repercussions. "Now we have excessive weight from our glycogen stores, from too much sugar, from retention of too much sodium, and our gut, our intestines from a poor diet," he says.
Drink More Water
The first thing he recommends is to drink more water. "Water gets rid of sodium. Many of us think that we don't want to put more water into our system because we're bloated. We're going to retain more water. It's going to get your kidneys to function better. It will get rid of that extra sodium you're holding onto. It will help with constipation, move the bowels, and increase peristalsis so you can eliminate that extra waste."
And, Exercise Is Key
He also recommends that everyone exercise. "Any resistant exercise for our muscles, any type of walking, riding a bike, or swimming, will help build those muscles to increase your heart rate and increase your aerobic activity, which will help burn more calories. It increases your metabolic rate. Also, when you retain muscle, you increase your furnace and your metabolism. But as we get older, we lose muscle," he says.
Drink When You Are Hungry
"There's no question that many of the times you'll feel hungry, but you're not really hungry. You're more thirsty. We don't drink enough water. And if you drink water about 15 or 20 minutes before your meal or before you think you're hungry, you're going to eat again. You may notice about 70% of the time it's not really hunger, it's thirst and water will give you satiety," he says.
Eat Nutrient Dense Foods
"One of the greatest things you can do to lose weight is to eat dense foods, whole foods, whole fruits, whole vegetables, whole grains, that have fiber along with it. When it has fiber, the glycemic index is lower. It slows the absorption of sugar into the cells. It will not make you crave more sweets. It will give you lots of satiety. It will crave your hunger, and you're going to feel so much more content. Also, the fiber will lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It'll help your blood work. It's a win-win situation," he says.
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And, Make Sure to Get Quality Sleep
"One other important factor is to make sure you're getting enough sleep because your brain will secrete more growth hormone," he says, noting that it helps support muscle mass. "It boosts metabolism, and it helps your body burn more fat."
It Is Possible to Lose Weight Fast
"Not everyone will lose 10 pounds in one week, but everyone will lose weight to a certain degree depending upon your physiology if you follow these instructions," he says. "If you're retaining lots of sodium as well as having problems in your bowels and you follow everything along the right way, it is possible that you can lose 10 pounds in one week, but all of it will not be fat. And it would be best if you were more mindful. It would be best if you started eating healthier. You need to start getting into some exercise regimen. It doesn't have to be lifting weight, but something to increase your metabolic rate."
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Final Note: Drink Water
Don't forget to drink water. "Remember that the majority of our body is made up of water. How can you deprive your body if that water is so necessary to help increase your metabolic rate? Because water is necessary in order for you to lose weight," he concludes. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
