3" in 4.5 weeks, is it possible?

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I need to fit into a dress in 4.5 weeks. I need to lose about 3" in the chest mid back area. I started exercising about 4 months ago and started watching what I ate, but didn't stick to a strict regimen. Watching what I ate consisted of eating less of the bad stuff, but still eating the bad stuff (i,e. eating 3/4 of a burrito instead of the whole thing).

If i stick to a healthy diet (veggies, fruits, lean meats) and work out consistently, is it possible to lose 3" in 4.5 weeks? Has anyone done this? Any tips on types of working out? diet? Currently I'm doing cardio (mainly running/jogging) and lifting some (lat pull downs and chest press).

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  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    yes it's possible but there;s no guarantee that you will lose it where you want.

    fat loss tends to come from all over. for instance some weeks i lose a bit more on 1 thigh and none on the other, sometimes the love handles on one side shrink more than the other.
  • random255
    random255 Posts: 18 Member
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    For me, just taking things one day at a time work best. You can't control if you'll lose those 3" in just under five weeks, but you can make the right choices today. Every day, you can control the food intake for that day. You can control the effort you exert with exercise. If you make an effort, then in those four and a half weeks, you can be proud of the effort.

    Okay, enough generalized nonsense. Let's get specific!

    You need to burn 3500 calories to lose one pound fat. There is a deviation of about 50 calories on that figure for each person, but that's a good number to guess by.

    Here's your target:

    30 minutes of cardio, five days per week. Best time to do this is in the morning, on an empty stomach. Cardio on an empty stomach will burn fat faster. This is because of your body's glycogen levels are lower at that time. Of course, if your schedule doesn't allow that time frame, then that's okay, but the optimal time is the morning.

    Eat healthy, feel healthy. Watch the sodium levels: salt is all over the food in this country, especially from processed foods or things you get eating out. Salt will be important to watch for your short term goal, because it's going to retain water, which translates to the inches you're trying to shed. While we're on that subject, drink water. Staying hydrated means you don't retain the water weight as much, think of it like a camel carrying water around in his humps because he needs to keep a store in his body to survive. The human body isn't too far removed from that: it will store water in places to make sure your organs keep going.

    The cardio will help. It's not the gym where you'll win the war though, it's the kitchen.