"Lose Those Last 10 Pounds" Review
The book by Denise Austin, Reviewed
In the book, "Lose Those Last 10 Pounds" by Denise Austin, the fitness guru who is well known for her
positive and upbeat attitude when it comes to weight loss and losing those last few stubborn pounds,
takes an overtly positive approach to achieving long term weight loss success. She outlines 10 steps to
DO rather than the DON'Ts, to arrive at your weight loss goals.
The first item of the list of things to do that Denise recommends for long term success in "Lose Those
Last 10 Pounds" is keeping a food and exercise diary. Keeping a food journal will make you aware of
every calorie you consume and you may be surprised at how the small items, such as cream and sugar,
can add up.
Similarly, keeping an exercise diary can point out how even the extra flight of stairs or walking the dog
can accumulate to your benefit in losing weight and keeping it off for good, as well as establishing good
"active lifestyle" habits.
The second step for the do column is to get more sleep. The idea behind getting adequate rest is that a
sleep deprived body is less efficient metabolically at building muscle and burning fat. The suggested
number of hours to aim for is 8 hours of sleep per night so that ideal conditions can be set the next day
for you to lose those last few pounds. Many people don't know it, but lack of sleep can cause us to
overeat the next day.
A third suggestion of things to do to jump start your weight loss is to always eat breakfast. A well
balanced breakfast with protein, fruit and fiber is ideal. If you can't manage this much in the morning or
you're just not hungry, try to at least eat a snack style breakfast to start your metabolism off correctly for
the day. Make sure if you have a snack size breakfast that it is nutritional food.
The fourth recommendation is to include at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables for each day. Fruits
and vegetables are low in calories, high in fiber and assist weight loss by blocking absorption of fat and
calories.
Drinking more water is step 5 as water enhances the digestive system's performance. Proper hydration
with water will decrease your appetite and make you feel fuller.
Step 6 of things to do sounds counter productive to weight loss, but it is not. Denise Austin advises us
to eat when we are not hungry, which translates into avoid skipping meals just because you are rushed
or hurried. Including all of your meals will keep you from binge eating of junk food later in the day.
Step 7 is to engage in physical activity before dinner. A brisk walk or any kind of physical exercise will
curb your appetite, boost your metabolism and release stress prior to eating dinner.
Establishing a curfew for time in the kitchen is the eighth item on the weight loss habits. She suggests
8:00 P.M. as a good time to close down your eating for the day. Food eaten in the late evening is less
likely to be metabolized quickly.
Step 9 of her suggestions to enhance weight loss is breathing deeply. Deep breathing is not only
therapeutic for our organs and stress levels, but apparently it can also help us maintain a higher
metabolic rate if we practice it often and regulate our breathing patterns. Start with 3 deep breaths in the
morning and continue throughout the day about every two hours.
Denise' Step 10 is to smile, laugh and enjoy life daily. This is my favorite, because although it seems
simplistic in shaking those last 10 pounds and keeping them off, it is an often overlooked part of long
term weight loss success.
A positive attitude can be started by smiling first thing in the morning. Regard dieting as healthy lifestyle
changes and pride yourself in the daily achievements. Laughter boosts the immune system and
banishes depression.
