"vanity weight" - how to achieve it

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I got this in an e-mail this morning and thought I would share.

From Jillian Michaels

How to Take Off Those Last 10 Pounds

You know what I like to call those last 10 or 15 pounds that won't come off no matter what you do? Vanity pounds.

The term describes our desire to lose weight that, as far as our bodies are concerned, actually feels healthy. Today's society pressures us to want to look a certain way, so for aesthetic reasons we try to be thinner than our bodies want us to be. Personally, I have gained and lost the same 8 vanity pounds more times than I care to admit.

Losing your first 50 pounds might have been tough, but believe me, dropping those final few stubborn pounds is a whole different challenge. The body struggles to hold on to that last bit of fat for survival purposes.

Now, don't get me wrong — you can lose the weight if you want to, but it will require you to muster a tremendous amount of restraint and willpower. If you're really up for it, do the following for 30 days:

1. Cut your sodium to 1,000 mg a day.
2. Drink at least 80 ounces of water daily.
3. Cut out processed foods.
4. Abstain from alcohol.
5. Train at 85 percent of your MHR (maximum heart rate) for 1 hour 5 times a week.

You can do a lot in 30 days — in fact, I can pretty much guarantee you will lose at least 5 pounds. And you'll feel like a rock star!

http://www.jillianmichaels.com/fitness-and-diet-tips/last-10-pounds

Replies

  • badrianne
    badrianne Posts: 101
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    Thanks, lulabelle! I am basically trying to lose vanity weight right now. According to my BMI, if you buy into that sort of thing, I am in a "healthy range". I am going to try and do some of those things to see if they help.
  • SimonLondon
    SimonLondon Posts: 350
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    That last 10lb was a NIGHTMARE for me and for many, many others.

    It is very true, my body was perfectly happy being 10lb heavier and fought hard to stop me losing it. I had to really ramp up my cardio work while watching in ever greater detail what was going inside me. My only plateau happened on the last 10lb and it took a few weeks to do it.

    As much as my body likes to cuddle into 10lb of warm fat my brain wasn't as keen so it was a real battle of the bulge going on in my body :smile:
  • oregonlady
    oregonlady Posts: 2,743 Member
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    i need this!

    thanx 4 posting this artical.
  • JBRENTLINGER
    JBRENTLINGER Posts: 160
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    This is what I needed! Many thanks!
  • tal202
    tal202 Posts: 34 Member
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    Thanks! This is really helpful. I struggle with the no drinking thing at the weekends (especially now the World Cup has started) but I will give it a shot. Also, and sorry for my ignorance, how would I know what 85% MHR is?
  • xonophone
    xonophone Posts: 474 Member
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    Thanks for posting this, it is very helpful information! Technically I am at my goal weight, but I would like to lost another 5 lbs to give myself a bit of a "cushion" so to speak. While I didn't seem to have any problems cutting my calories, I'm not sure I have the willpower to follow Jillian's plan for losing the vanity pounds... I mean I already follow #2 & #3, but NO alcohol for 30 days?? I guess I'm just not vain enough! Then the question arises: when you do lose those vanity pounds, if your sodium and alcohol intanke increases (to reasonable limits of course), and if you don't exercise at 85% or your HRmax 5 days a week, will those vanity pounds come back? I need a plan that's sustainable, and for me, this one isn't. Oh well. I still think this is good information to have. I may mull it over for a while...
  • xonophone
    xonophone Posts: 474 Member
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    Thanks! This is really helpful. I struggle with the no drinking thing at the weekends (especially now the World Cup has started) but I will give it a shot. Also, and sorry for my ignorance, how would I know what 85% MHR is?

    the most basic formula is: 220 - your age = HRmax. Mutiply that number by .85 to get your target heart rate.
  • UltimateLover
    UltimateLover Posts: 306 Member
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    Thank you for posting. I will keep this for future reference.
  • jmathews
    jmathews Posts: 196
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    Thanks for sharing...good info.
  • shannahrose
    shannahrose Posts: 585 Member
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    great advice!! thanks.
  • maryann73
    maryann73 Posts: 763 Member
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    bumping for when I get that close!
  • gailosborne
    gailosborne Posts: 435
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    Thank you!!