How to Lose a Gut in 10 Days (5 Tips You Need to Know!)

structureport: How to Lose a Guy Gut in 10 Days (5 Tips You Need to Know!)

It happened again! Last night I was asked one of the most common fitness questions: "I'm going away in a couple of weeks...What can I do between now and then to lose this (followed by a grabbing of the problem area - often imaginary)?"

This is one of my favorite questions! There are lots of answers to that question. However, there are very few that involve safe fitness and nutritional practices. We only deal with safe and healthy methods of weight loss, muscle toning and body fat reduction and I've got 5 easy-to-follow tips that can help you get your body ready for the big warm-weather excursion.

BUT...

Before I reveal those mystery methods of makeover magic, I have to talk about the reality of body composition change:

1. We're talking about 2 weeks...NOT 2 years - Realistically, (and in a healthy manner) your body is only capable of losing 1 - 2 pounds of body fat in a week. This means that anything else lost will be muscle tissue or water.

2. You have to realize that you will NOT have a completely new body in 2 weeks unless you only wanted to drop 2 - 4 pounds before you go away.

3. You cannot pick and choose what you want to lose (TOTALLY didn't mean for that to rhyme - Pretty sweet that it did!).  In other words, you can't jiggle your arm in front of a trainer and say, "I just want to get rid of this." Although you can make some improvements to certain areas of your body, you have to:

a. Keep everything balanced - every muscle in your body needs to be developed

b. Realize that changes you make to your body content (amount of muscle, fat and water) will occur EVERYWHERE in your body. Just be prepared for other parts of your body to change as well.

OK...now that we got that out of the way...

Here are the 5 mystery methods of makeover magic that will have you looking your personal best for your upcoming trip:

1. Work your butt off!

I had to mention this one first. If you want to look good and feel good, you've got to work for it. If you're leaving in two weeks, give yourself 10 days of serious exercise (about an hour a day). You can pick and choose what you do each day, but I recommend performing a variety of exercises and exercise methods to maximize your results. These should include both cardiovascular and resistance training.

2. Run, run, run, run, RUN!

As long as you are physically able to get on a treadmill or go outside and run, do it. Running has always proven to be an tremendously effective exercise for dropping those last couple of pounds. I have had tremendous success. Now, be careful. If you're not used to running, go at a pace that's appropriate for your level. It should be challenging, but don't overdo it! 30 - 40 minutes MAX!

3. Circuits, baby!

Circuit training burns fat like crazy! Choose 5 - 8 exercises, each of which engages a different muscle group of the body. Perform each exercise for 30 - 60 seconds with little or no break in between. When you've completed all of the exercises, repeat. I would do no more than 2 - 3 cycles. 20 - 30 minutes and you've got a highly-effective fat burning workout.

For circuit ideas, check out our blog or watch out on Thursdays for our Boot Camp Workout of the Week!

4. H2Ohhhhhhh...

Drink lots and lots of water. On average, an individual should consume approximately 96 ounces (3 quarts) of water per day. People exercising regularly should also consume higher amounts than average. Consuming an adequate amount of water will improve metabolic function (how fast you burn calories), blood volume and appetite suppression. Simply put, if you stay hydrated you will look good and feel good. Just stay near a bathroom.

5. Cut Out the Carbs...after 4:00

I do not believe in the Atkins Diet. I do not believe any report or advice that says that eliminating carbs is a healthy and effective way to lose weight. However, I do believe in science. My good friend, Science, says that carbohydrates are our primary source of energy. Unless you are up until 2 or 3 in the morning, you really don't need much to fuel your body after your mid-afternoon snack. That means, for the 5 meals/snacks leading up to dinner, COMPLEX CARB IT UP! Eat the whole grains, high-fiber snacks that you need to fuel your body throughout the day. Dinner time? Nah uh! Veggies and lean protein, please! Do this for 2 weeks and watch the body change. I've seen it happen myself!

Wait...

Could it be?

BONUS TIP: You must eat every 3 hours!

Eating regular, evenly spaced meals and snacks (breakfast, lunch and dinner with snacks in between) is the best way to keep your metabolism going throughout the day. When you deprive yourself of necessary nutrients/fuel (I'm looking at you, 3 meals-a-day people), you are letting your metabolism drop its guard. It slows down because it prepares for a period of fasting (why your metabolism slows when you sleep at night). The next thing you know, you eat a big meal and your body isn't ready to metabolize it. Feed your body every 3 hours and problem solved - You'll be a lean, mean, calorie burning machine!