Do you want to lose 10 pounds by the holidays? Jenn Markwardt is a fitness and nutrition coach and founder of Flourish Nutrition, whose goal is “helping you lose 20lbs in a stress-free way. In a recent social media post, she reveals how to drop weight fast by making a few simple tweaks to your routine. “Maybe it’s your energy, maybe it’s an extra 10-20lbs that came out of nowhere, especially around your middle, or maybe it’s exhaustion and brain fog you can’t get rid of,” she writes in the Instagram post. “Here are the three️ things I (and my clients) would avoid if I wanted to drop fat and get my energy back.”
Stop Eating Healthy and Start Eating with Intention
Shutterstock
Her first tip? Stop eating “healthy” and start eating with intention. “Track your food for a week (not forever, and you’ll be amazed at what you learn. It’s not about eating as little as possible; it’s about understanding how to build your pants in a way that leaves you full and satiated and helps your body lose fat without restriction and hunger,” she writes in her post.
Get More Focused with Exercise
Shutterstock
Next, “stop doing random workouts and only relying on cardio,” she says. “Muscle is the key to lighting up your metabolism and helping you actually keep your results! You should be training intentionally in a progressive overload style (building in weights or reps each week) to optimize your results!”
Don’t Do It Alone
Shutterstock
And her third tip is to “stop trying to go it alone,” she says. “Listen, things change as we age, but you are not broken. It’s not impossible to see results, but you have to do things differently than you did in the past, and it’s a heck of a lot easier when you have the support and accountability of coaches and other women just like you.”
RELATED: I'm a 75-Year-Old and Here Are My 15 Secrets to Staying in the Best Shape of My Life
She Also Recommends These 5 Healthy Habits for Weight Loss
Shutterstock
In another post, she reveals that one of her clients dropped a whopping 30 pounds over a period of six months, “and this was someone who has done literally every diet under the sun,” she says in the clip. “Here are the five habits we focused on to optimize her metabolism hormones and get her energy back so fat loss felt easy,” she adds in the post.
Walk 8,000 to 10,000 Steps Per Day
Shutterstock
The first habit is to get your steps in. She recommends “daily movement of 8-10k steps.” Why should you aim for 10,000 steps per day? A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking that amount and weight loss and weight management. Other studies published by the Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) in JAMA Neurology and in JAMA Internal Medicine also linked walking 10,000 steps a day to less dementia and less cardiovascular disease overall, with less heart disease, less heart failure, and fewer strokes.
Amp Up Your Protein Intake
Shutterstock
Next, amp up your protein intake. “30g of protein at each meal for satiation and preserving and building muscle,” she writes. According to clinical trials, consuming more protein than the recommended dietary allowance not only reduces body weight (BW) but also enhances body composition by decreasing fat mass while preserving fat-free mass (FFM) in both low-calorie and standard-calorie diets.
Also, Increase Fiber Intake
Shutterstock
Also, she recommends amping up your fiber intake. “25g of fiber daily” is her suggestion. Why? “Fiber is key for balancing blood sugar and keeping you full, so you avoid mindless snacking,” she says.
RELATED: This Guru Doctor Reveals 8 Hormone Mistakes Making You Gain Weight After 40
Strength Train
Shutterstock
In addition to getting your steps in, she recommends doing strength training to build muscle. Specifically, she suggests three 30-minute strength workouts a week “using our Flourish Fitness progressive overload program,” she writes. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:
- Develop strong bones
- Manage your weight
- Enhance your quality of life
- Manage chronic conditions
- Sharpen your thinking skills
Stress Management
Shutterstock
Lastly, she stresses the importance of mental health. She explains that “stress management and finding and creating the time to prioritize” yourself is fundamental in getting in physical shape.
A Lot of Factors Impact Weight Loss
Shutterstock
“And here’s why this works: your metabolism isn’t just ONE thing. There are a lot of factors, and your daily habits have the biggest impact on your metabolic health and hormones. You don’t have to do these things perfectly, but consistency (even on the weekends) matters for forever results,” she writes at the end of the post. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.
1. Hydrate the Right WayShutterstock
AvocadoShutterstock
Leafy GreensShutterstock
EggsShutterstock
Spice Up Your Food with Healthy CondimentsShutterstock
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
Nuts and SeedsShutterstock
Regular YogurtShutterstock
Kevin’s Natural Foods Cilantro Lime ChickenShutterstock
Amp Up Your Protein IntakeShutterstock
Shutterstock
Prebiotic Foods: OatsShutterstock
Shutterstock
Shutterstock
5. Green TeaShutterstock
Shutterstock
Step Five: Stay ConsistentShutterstock
Shutterstock
Here’s How Many Calories You Can Burn WalkingShutterstock
Your Sustainable Path ForwardShutterstock
Shutterstock
Don’t Increase Walking Too FastShutterstock
Shutterstock
Walk for 30 MinutesShutterstock
1. Track Your Food IntakeShutterstock
Fine-Tuning Your Medication ProtocolShutterstock
