I am excited to bring you an excerpt from LEBOOTCAMP DIET. Available for the first time in the U.S., LEBOOTCAMP DIET offers an appealing approach to diet and exercise that will help readers lose weight the French way—no guilt and no excuses. Written by Valerie Orsoni, a healthy living coaching and the award-winning weight loss sensation, the new book, LEBOOTCAMP DIET: The Scientifically-Proven French Method to Eat Well, Lose Weight and Keep it Off For Good, makes weight loss easy for everyone. Today I will share 10 of her best weight loss tips from her new book.
LEBOOTCAMP DIET works in four phases:
- Detox (two weeks of food to feed your body antioxidants, eliminate toxins, and boost your energy)
- Attack (embrace healthy new life choices and start losing weight)
- Booster (a 7-day kick-start when you reach the end of a benchmark, or need to start fresh)
- Maintenance (keep that unwanted weight off for good)
LEBOOTCAMP DIET has already helped more than a million people around the world lose weight and keep it off.
This excerpt is reprinted with permission from LEBOOTCAMP DIET: The Scientifically-Proven French Method to Eat Well, Lose Weight and Keep it Off For Good by Valerie Orsoni, from Berkley Books, April 2015.
10 Best Weight Loss Tips
1. I Buy Foods I Don’t “Like”
If you are, like me, a seriously insatiable gourmand–in other words, you cannot resist the temptations your house harbors— you need an infallible strategy so that you never fall prey to those traps that lurk in the cupboards.
My solution? When it comes to treats, I choose flavors I don’t like when I shop (or bake) for my family. Ice cream? Orange sherbert, the only ice cream flavor I don’t care for—but, luckily, my family loves! Cake? Coffee. I really don’t like the taste of coffee.
You know by now that I am a true advocate of delicious food and would never miss an occasion to thrill my taste buds. But, I want to do so on my terms, not by falling into hidden traps.
And you? Which tastes and flavors don’t you like? From now on, these will guide how you shop. Of course, this works only if your tastes are different from those of your family. If they aren’t . . . don’t buy treats in the first place!
2. I Blog
To make sure I stay on the right path I keep a blog—a public one (valerieorsoni.com) and a private, little one, where I jot down my weight, body fat, thigh circumference, waist, and so on. I encourage you to take your measurements regularly—you will be so pleased to see your results that this will make you happy!
I am frequently asked, “How often should I weigh myself?” There is no perfect rule but, apart from during DETOX where I suggest a daily weigh-in, I recommend you weigh yourself every week.
However, some people prefer to keep a tight rein on their weight. For them (and me), a daily morning weigh-in becomes part of our routine, just like brushing your teeth or taking a shower. As long as this does not become an obsession, you are fine.
3. I Create a Weight-Loss Photo Album
Take pictures of yourself! This will do wonders if you have a lot of weight to lose. To make this experience as positive as possible, I suggest you take a picture each week, in the same place, in the same outfit. At the end of your journey you will be able to create a surprising slideshow of your figure’s evolution with time.
Make sure you take pictures of yourself from different angles (profile, face, back; zooming in on certain trouble zones) so as to fully appreciate your fantastic results down the line.
4. I Exercise Effortlessly
One of my favorite weight loss tips: I exercise effortlessly thanks to my “25th-Hour” exercises (See DETOX, p. 42).
5. I Use Mint to Suppress My Appetite
This tip is totally empirical and stems from my personal experience, which I have shared with numerous BootCampers over the years. Chew mint-flavored gum at the end of the meal, or brush your teeth with a mint toothpaste. You’ll be amazed at how you are no longer attracted by that piece of cheesecake or big brownie.
When you need to attend a party or function with a tempting buffet, arrive (discreetly) chewing mint gum so that you spend your first few minutes doing this instead of jumping on the rich foods. Empirical studies have shown that this tip can help you curb your appetite by 25 percent. Don’t forget to choose a chewing gum that does not contain toxic sweeteners (see page 29).
6. I Buy Myself a Nice Piece of Jewelry When I’m Successful at Losing Weight
Do you love jewels? If the answer is yes, then give yourself a bracelet, a pendant, a necklace, a ring, or even a nice ribbon to tie around your wrist. It doesn’t have to be expensive—it could come from a thrift shop, a store like Forever 21, or be homemade. This will remind you of your weight-loss goals throughout the day.
If you need an extra prompt, choose a bracelet with charms that make a noise when you move. This noise will guarantee you keep your eyes on the prize: namely, your dream body!
7. I Aim for One Notch Down on My Belt
Write on the inside of your belt, “I want to get to this notch,” with a little arrow. Of course, nobody will see this motivational statement but you. Make sure you do this for the next notch and the one after that . . . until you have reached your dream waist size.
8. Tea Signals the End of the Meal
If, like me, you like to end a meal on a sweet note, a square of chocolate or two spoonfuls of your companion’s dessert (my favorite solution!) does the trick.
The problem is that we very rarely stop after those two spoonfuls because we are also tempted to finish the whole plate, to polish off our kids’ desserts, and so on. Without realizing it, we end up eating more than 200 calories. Remember that to produce 1 pound of fat you need 3,500 excess calories; so at a rate of 200 calories per day, that would take only 17 days. Scary, isn’t it?
A nice cup of tea is my absolute signal that the meal is over. And to help keep a flat tummy I usually go for an infusion of fresh mint (with no black or green tea added, and no milk), which reduces bloating.
9. I Leave My Photo on the Fridge
I often read in women’s magazines that nothing beats the picture of a very overweight lady taped on the fridge door, to prevent you from opening it and gorging yourself. However, I have a radically opposite approach. If you constantly see an overweight person (you or somebody else) you’ll soon begin thinking this is the new norm.
That’s why I prefer to do the reverse: Find a picture of yourself when you had your dream body, or choose a celeb whose body looks healthy and simply amazing. Then glue a cutout of your face on top of her body and place this picture on your fridge. Each time you lay eyes on this picture you will subconsciously think, “I want to look hot, too. I can do it!” or, “How about I go for a 30-minute walk?”
IMPORTANT NOTE : Please don’t go for an unhealthy, skinny girl, okay? Your goal should, first and foremost, to be the healthiest that you can be—I’m not suggesting you try and turn into someone else!
10. I Never, Ever, Wait for the Elevator
The University of South Carolina–Aiken has conducted an interesting study that concludes that since elevators always take some time to arrive, if you take the stairs instead you will gain an average of 20 seconds. (In this study, the stairs were within view of the elevator.)
This amusing finding points to one conclusion: Save time, tone your thighs, mold your calves, and slim your ankles by taking the stairs. Those “gazelle legs” are within your reach!
I hope you enjoy these weight loss tips to help you reach your goals.
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Rachel @ Slim Life says
I loved it! Informative and very helpful. Will definitely carry out your list in my everyday life! Thanks for the tips! 🙂