How You Can Lose 50 Pounds In 90 Days

[Surg-OncRN]

Decrease Your Sugar Intake

I know you have heard this before and probably more times than you care to remember, but it works. Depending on your body type you should have the percentage of calories in your diet from carbohydrates be somewhere between 10 and 30%. I must say, it can be hard to separate yourself from carbs since, as sugar burners, we crave them so often. And, let's face it, they are everywhere. They are cheap and convenient, which makes them even more irresistible. But you must resist. I want to challenge you to pull back on the sodas, fruit juice, bread, processed food and items with added sugar. If you are unsure if something has added sugar in it, then read the labels. Even whole wheat bread turns to sugar once you eat it and gets broken down in the digestive tract. Be intentional about lowering the amount of sugar in your diet and carbohydrates and I believe this will make more of a difference for weight loss than anything else you can do.

Increase Your Good Fats

So, I just asked you to decrease your carbohydrates, and many nurses will say "So now what do I eat?!" You have three options: meat (grass-fed, wild-caught), vegetables, and some fruits (remember: beware of your sugar intake). Next, fill in the gaps with "GOOD" fats. Examples of good fats would include coconut oil, avocado and avocado oil, butter (not margarine), almond butter, nuts (avoid peanuts), olives, full- fat yogurt, organic half and half or heavy cream, and egg yolks just to name a few. I don't know about you, but these are some of my favorite foods. "BAD" fats would include vegetable and seed oils such as canola, peanut, soybean, cottonseed, and sunflower oil. These are pro-inflammatory omega six fats which increase inflammation in the body.

The key to any sustainable weight loss strategy is to feel satisfied, or full, while you are on your journey. Fat is how you make that happen. Fat is the key to having your weight loss experience be enjoyable instead of dreadful. Because if it is dreadful, you will not maintain the weight loss once the 90 days is over, or heck, even complete the 90-day challenge. I know fat has gotten a bad rap over the last fifty years, but just try it. You will be glad you did.

Sleep Better

When it comes to weight loss, nobody hardly ever mentions sleep. As nurses, we work all kinds of weird hours and are expected to work longer hours than most other professions. So what does a good sleep routine look like? I would recommend you take 1 to 3 mg of melatonin an hour before bed, wear a sleep mask and keep your bedroom very dark. You should not be able to see your hand in front of your face. Minimize use of electronic devices an hour before bed. I would also suggest blue light blocking glasses and/or put your electronic devices in night mode. Keep the bedroom at 68 to 71 degrees because this helps your body to cool down allowing it to get ready for rest. Don't do any exercise, not even walking, right before you go to bed. Save exercise for when you wake up. Also, limit alcohol before bed since it inhibits your body's ability to get in a deep REM restorative sleep.

Reduce Your Stress

Stress comes at us from many directions in our daily lives. Acute stress is fine for the most part, but it is when it becomes chronic that it becomes a problem. Honestly, by implementing the other four points made in this article, you will greatly reduce your stress level. For myself, I have to pick my battles. Some battles do not need to be fought to win the war (low stress). There are situations and other adults that would get to me in my younger days which I no longer allow to steal my inner peace. I would invite you to try techniques such as guided meditation (start with a few minutes a day), music or if you are feeling stressed go for a walk. Often if I am stressed about something and go for a walk, it will calm me right down as long as I leave my mobile device at home. Sleep, nutrition, and exercise all play a big part in helping you to control your stress levels.

Move More

I know what you're saying, "I move enough at work. Why would I want to move when I am at home or on my days off?" The only reason I give for this is the benefits from movement do not necessarily come from doing it all at once but from doing it frequently throughout the day. In other words, it is not good for you to sit, or stay stationary, for more than an hour at a time. This can consist of doing five minutes of moving around in between forty-five-minute study sessions. Also, I want to say movement does not have to involve lifting weights at a gym or running on a treadmill. Lifting weights is beneficial, but exercise has to be fun. You are the only one who can determine that. If what you are doing for exercise is not fun then it is not sustainable. I still do a lot of exercise on my own because I find that works better for me and offers fewer distractions. But if you have trouble motivating yourself to workout on your own, then I would recommend you workout with a group. Join a meetup group (which are mostly free) that does hiking, kayaking, or yoga. Or you can join a gym or do Crossfit where the workouts are made up for you. Currently, my routine involves forty-five minutes of weight lifting three days a week in a home gym, thirty minutes of walking every day with a twenty-pound weighted vest, and five fifty yard sprints one or two times a week.

I hope you have found this article inspiring and enlightening. Being overweight is not a disease itself, as is commonly believed. In my opinion, it is only a symptom of an unhealthy lifestyle. I understand losing weight is easier for some than others, but I feel confident the choice is yours to choose a healthier lifestyle by applying the five points mentioned above. As nurses, we should know better than any other profession that you do not realize how important your health is until you lose it. Today, I want to invite you to come along on this journey with me to a healthier lifestyle. Don't do it for me, but do it for yourself, your patients, family and anyone who loves and cares for you. It is always easier to prevent a disease now by adopting a healthy lifestyle instead of trying to reverse the damage later.

Check out this helpful video: Meal Prep for Nurses... (added by staff) 

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

I have ha weight loss sx (vertical sleeve) I have not been as strict as I am supposed to be. I lost 60 lbs over about 9 months, but others in a support group that weighed in the 300-400 pound group, lost 90 lbs in 3 months or less. My diet is supposed to be min 60g protein and 1000-1200 calories. I have stalled at my current weight, but I did lose weight with the pre-op diet of protein shakes =80-90g protein. After 2-3 days, the carb craving goes away. My weakness now is fruit, while healthy, is more carbs than I should eat. I am supposed to get about 100 carbs a day. I am DM2 and have not been able to come off metformin yet (I run, too-have run 2 5Ks and a 1/2 marathon) still can't shake it.

It just shows that every person is different. What the article proposes would be VERY difficult for a "regular" person to do. I eat less because my stomach is small. I am healthy @ ~175lbs. My goal is to lose another 15 pounds. At my age (52) and height, that would put me in the the "normal" range.

[GrumpyRN, NP]

A slow 1-2 pounds a week strategy is what is promoted by the most successful "losers".

Not actually true, read the research from Prof Roy Taylor of Newcastle University (UK).

[ixchel]

Losing massive amounts of weight quickly is a sure way to screw up your body, in a possibly permanent fashion.

The Biggest Loser Study. Contestants' hunger regulation hormones were completely jacked and they had metabolisms that burned hundreds upon hundreds fewer calories per day than would be expected for their post-loss height, weight, and body composition.

Being sensible about carbs (not just sugar, carbs) can be very helpful to regulate hunger during weight loss and improve insulin sensitivity (There's lots of great info in The Insulin Resistance Diet and The South Beach Diet books regarding how to manage carbs effectively, though I don't think either is a perfect approach) but not to the tune of letting you create a 1,944 calorie deficit every day for 90 days. That's called starvation.

The National Weight Control Registry is another place to look at behavior modifications that have been effective for people who've lost a significant amount of weight and maintained that loss.

I was going to mention Biggest Loser! That show turned out to be a horrible disaster, wrecking the bodies of the contestants, who often went on to gain it all back.

[NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN]

Not actually true, read the research from Prof Roy Taylor of Newcastle University (UK).

That was a study of only 30 people with a very short period of calorie restriction and a follow-up period of only 6 months. While the results are fascinating, they do not override all weight loss research to date, and they are NOT long-term. Furthermore, diabetics are a specific subset of the overweight population. Overweight people may or may not have insulin resistance, and that matters when it comes to nutrition and sustainable weight loss.

It is important to note that many people who are trying to lose weight are doing so out of distorted size/weight ideals, and that the less extra weight you have, the harder it is to lose and the more your body will fight intense efforts at weight loss.

Did you know that a former U.S. president used calorie restriction as an interrogation technique? He justified prisoners' 1,000 calorie per day diets by saying it some people do it on purpose.

Another CRITICAL piece of research regarding calorie restriction and weight loss is the Minnesota Starvation Experiment. They got 1,500 calories, which is practically generous by today's dieting standards. Previously normal men obsessed over food and developed eating-disorder-like symptoms. After the recovery period they ended up at least as heavy but with less lean body mass.

"The full report of results from the Minnesota Starvation Experiment was published in 1950 in a two-volume, 1,385-page text entitled The Biology of Human Starvation (University of Minnesota Press). The 50-chapter work contains an extensive analysis of the physiological and psychological data collected during the study, and a comprehensive literature review.

Among the conclusions from the study was the confirmation that prolonged semi-starvation produces significant increases in depression, hysteria andhypochondriasis as measured using the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Indeed, most of the subjects experienced periods of severe emotional distress and depression.^[1]:161 There were extreme reactions to the psychological effects during the experiment including self-mutilation (one subject amputated three fingers of his hand with an axe, though the subject was unsure if he had done so intentionally or accidentally).^[5] Participants exhibited a preoccupation with food, both during the starvation period and the rehabilitation phase. Sexual interest was drastically reduced, and the volunteers showed signs of social withdrawal and isolation.^{[1]:123–124} The participants reported a decline in concentration, comprehension and judgment capabilities, although the standardized tests administered showed no actual signs of diminished capacity. There were marked declines in physiological processes indicative of decreases in each subject's basal metabolic rate (the energy required by the body in a state of rest), reflected in reduced body temperature, respiration and heart rate. Some of the subjects exhibited edema in their extremities, presumably due to decreased levels of plasma proteins given that the body's ability to construct key proteins like albumin is based on available energy sources."

[Bassetthoundgal]

The more extra weight you carry, the quicker it will come off following this plan. If you only have 30 lbs to lose, the weight loss will take longer even if you are good with diet and exercise. It's important to allow yourself a treat meal on occasion. We all miss junk food after awhile. Just try to limit those treats. Carbs include vegetables and fruits. It's important to limit calories no matter what you are eating...even salad. Follow a calorie restriction as well and stay hydrated. Go easy on yourself and most of all try to avoid stress (people).

[kelwan75]

I completely appreciate this article and am motivated to make changes regarding my health and exercising. I think because we are taught to think critically as nurses, we instantly start to pick apart the information presented. However, that wasn't the point of the article. It's to motivate us as healthcare professionals to take better care of ourselves and set an example for those we care for. That being said, I think some comments are a little too critical. We don't have to follow the suggestions presented--just be motivated to make whatever changes we need to get healthier.

[CelticGoddess, BSN, RN]

A diet consisting of only 10% carbohydrates is ridiculous. A healthier number is closer to 45-55%. There are plenty of good carbs, and we absolutely need carbohydrates. Also, many people eat plant based diets and don't want to eat dead animals. We aren't all necrovores

Not really. I only consume 20 to 25g of carbs daily. It's healthier for me to eat that few carbs. At this point it is the only way I can maintain a healthy blood glucose level. A bonus is weight loss, decreased LDL and triglycerides, increased HDL's and more energy. It's completely dependent on what is best for you.

[Loracs72]

I have gained 40 lbs. in a little over a year. I'm not proud of that ! I'm 65 have Osteoarthritis, Depression, Stress and other health issues. I am slowly getting over my Depression and really trying to improve my eating habits. But I cannot tolerate Advocados, Hummus, plant based food, and other foods to replace meat. I've cut down on meat products, carbohydrates and processed foods and trying to eat more fish. So you have to eat something to replace that, fruits, vegetables and good fats. I can't do any weight bearing excersizes due to Arthritis. I am going to start swimming and walking, but that really doesn't help to loose weight. It does help Cardio though. I really don't have a walking buddy. So then I get frustrated and Depressed !

[Gloworm1]

I have been doing all of these things and just reached 50 pounds lost this week. But it took me 7 months, as I ran into several plateaus even though I was working hard the entire time. There was no way my body was going to let me lose that much in 90 days. It seemed determined to maintain homeostasis. A goal like that is a little too lofty (unless you have well over 100 pounds to lose) and sets one up for frustration and failure. But I agree with the "how to" part. Adding more fat has gotten me off my most recent never-ending plateau. Less than 30 pounds to go until I reach my goal--a healthy BMI.

[star77, MSN, RN]

Actually, I've lost 50lbs in about 3-3.5 months and kept it off by doing a ketogenic diet. I eat very low carb (20-50g net per day, rare fruit, no processed foods, lots of protein and veggies). It actually *is* realistic but you have to work at it. If you want to read some research on low carb with good evidence based practice, check out Dr Peter Attia's blog (accessible via nusi.org), or for an easier diet plan -that still takes work- check out the book Always Hungry by Dr David Ludwig, a Harvard endocrinologist. There are a lot of articles that show benefits of low carb living, and these two examples above are just some places to start.

[ElphabaRN]

This kind of an approach led me down a long, dangerous battle with anorexia. This article cites no references, and goes against most things that the ADA advocates. *moving on now*

[nordicRN]

Good job!!!!