Eight Odd Weight Loss Tips – Lose 40 Pounds in 3 Months

I know how hard it can be to lose weight. Several years ago I was just over six feet tall and weighed in at 180 pounds. Now, I am the same height, yet I tip the scales just shy of 230 pounds. A lack of exercise, as well as a diet that is rich in fats and empty calories, has slowly added to my stomach’s growth. I would be lying to say that I have not noticed the increasing size of my gut- after all, you can only ignore an increasing waistline for so long.

I’ve since lost nearly all of the weight, and I’m looking great at 190 pounds. I did this without three hour a day gym excursions, massive dieting, or taking invasive steps (such as surgery). Instead, I found a routine that I knew I’d be able to stick with for the long term. Oh, and I discovered a few neat little tricks along the way.

1. Buy a Nintendo Wii - Seriously, this video game console is a workout all by itself. I realized this when I was playing Wii Sports with my girlfriend one day. We were boxing, and she was totally kicking my butt! That’s entirely beside the point, but what really matters is that you actually have to move to play. When we were boxing, you have to punch, move, duck, spar, twist, and react. When you are playing tennis you have to serve and hit the ball; when you are playing baseball, you have to pitch and swing.

None of the movements used by the Wii feel unnatural or forced, and after a while you begin to notice that you’re sweating a bit. It’s a continuous, low-impact cardio exercise… and it really works. For someone like me, who can’t stand running on a treadmill or elliptical, this was the perfect way to get my cardio.

2. Go multi or go home – White breads contain very little actual nutrition, and the calories that you receive from them wind up being empty. Whole or multi grain breads are rich in fiber and nutrients, not to mention that they taste better (they will once you start losing weight, trust me).

3. Have one pasta night a week – Everyone loves pasta right? Yes, well, so do your love handles. Cut down on your pasta intake to once or twice a week, and make sure that the portions that you are eating are of a decent size. Eating a whole box of Kraft Dinner to yourself is excessive, and is a great way to put on those extra inches.

Hey, if you really want to go crazy, eat whole wheat noodles instead of regular pasta noodles. They taste great, and they have the benefits of being a whole grain source.

4. Shave/Wax/Nair your chest/legs – If you’re a guy, getting rid of that chest hair will really show off your muscles (or lack of). This is a great way to get yourself motivated to lean down or workout more. Ladies, shave your legs regularly. Along with helping you feel sexy, you’re more apt to sit down and notice any changes.

As you slim down you will notice the results, motivating you even more. This also has the added effect of making you dead sexy, so don’t be afraid to feel good what you’re doing it!

5. Buy a body-fat calculating scale – This type of scale, along with measuring your weight, will also tell you your body fat percentage. It may seem somewhat alarming or embarrassing at first, but once you’ve gotten past that you’ll come to terms with the reality of why it’s important: you’ll be able to track how much fat you are losing and how much muscle you are gaining.

These scales are also very accurate, and they can be purchased for less than $60 from most sports stores.

6. Get a dog – Dogs are cute, cuddly, great at attracting members of the opposite sex, and require that you take them for walks. You don’t want to let your new puppy down do you?

Taking your dog for a walk is an enjoyable way to get some low-exertion, low-impact cardio. Half an hour a day should help you shed a pound or two a week, as well as increase your cardiovascular health and stamina. Win-win!

7. Stop drinking pop and sugary juices – As soon as I cut pop and sugary juices from my diet I noticed that I was feeling better, my energy levels were much more constant, and I lost nearly 10 pounds in three weeks. Those types of drinks are high calorie and low everything else, meaning that you’re just consuming straight calories and no nutritional value.

Try juices that are at least 50% real juice, and remember, water is weight loss’ best friend!

8. Buy some ultra-sexy or mega-cool clothes – Make sure that you buy these clothes once you’ve hit your target weight. These clothes should fit you perfectly and look fantastic. The reason for this is that you are much less likely to allow yourself to regain the weight that you’ve just lost if you have a reason for staying at your target weight.

In this case, it’s because of a few nice outfits. However, you can certainly substitute a different reason if it will do the job better.

The hardest part about losing weight is getting motivated to do it right. At the end of the day, all you need to do is get active, stop eating junk, and watch how much you consume. However you go about accomplishing those three things is up to you.