Chelsea Lee
Medical Research Editor
WhereismyDoctor.com

Tips for Dropping Weight for the Summer

May 3rd, 2012

Most of us are all too happy to see the temperatures rise and watch the winter clouds melt away. Summer is nearly upon us again, but for many the inevitable change in the weather comes with an intense anxiety or even depression about getting back into a bathing suit.

And while a quick fast or cleanse may help you achieve a short-term weight loss goal, without proper lifestyle changes the pounds will find their way right back onto your body.

So before you attempt something drastic like an all-fruit fast, a green smoothie diet, or a juice cleanse, consider these long-lasting and effective weight loss tips.

No matter whom you ask, any expert will tell you that liquid calories have got to go. Ok maybe you can’t give up your morning coffee entirely, but the main idea here is to cut out any significant source of liquid calories from your diet.

CNN.com’s Dr. Melina Jampolis, fitness and diet expert, also recommends increasing the amount of vegetables in your diet while reducing the amount of carbohydrates.

Jampolis points out a fun trick to help your cause, saying “Increasing your vegetable intake helps you cut calories without cutting portion sizes, allowing you to feel full on fewer calories.”

A few other specific foods such as apples, yogurt, fish, and lightly dressed salad are highly encouraged to help fill you up without filling you out. Eating a diet rich in fiber, omega 3 fatty acids, and whole grains is also essential in getting the nutrition your body needs to support weight loss.

Also drinking eight to ten glasses of water each day to assist the kidney in removing toxins, thus allowing the liver to more readily metabolize fat.

Of course no weight-loss goal is sustainable without a consistent workout regimen on the side.

It's also recommended that at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three days a week in combination with at least two days of strength training each week to get bikini ready.

Dr. Jampolis offers a great suggestion to intensify any strength training by “limiting the rest time between exercises to keep your heart rate elevated, or do 10 jumping jacks to turn strength training workouts into cardiovascular workouts, too.”

Jampolis is also a believer of interval training while trying to lose weight saying that “Interval training is a great way to burn more calories as it allows you to up the intensity of your exercise and continue to burn more calories for several hours after your workout.”

Getting eight hours of sleep per night, avoiding late night meals, and eating five to six smaller meals throughout the day can also help you shed your winter coat.

Losing weight is no small task, but it’s doable if you’re willing to make a few small lifestyle changes that will reward you with big results.

Contact a doctor near you for more information regarding your weight loss options.