LV HEALTH: 3 weight loss secrets

From The Morning Call: LV HEALTH: 3 weight loss secrets
I'm about a quarter of a muffin top away from fitting into my old clothes-- the very clothes I used to wear before the publication of my book Project: Happily Ever After. Something about the stress of book promotion added about 10 pounds to my frame, nearly all of them in my tummy. By the end of winter, I couldn't button my pants. So I did what any normal woman would do. I bought new pants in a larger size.

Still I didn't quite feel like myself with this extra weight on my frame. And since I run, I try to keep my weight low in order to put less strain on my joints. I've been working at it all summer long and I'm almost back to where I started. Still, I figure I can use all the advice I can get, and I'm guessing you feel the same about the situation. That's why I reached out to Sally Shields, author of the new book Is She Naturally Thin or Disciplined? Sally recently lost 20 pounds. I asked her for her three top weight loss tips. This is what she suggested.

1. Stay away from processed foods.

"I did gymnastics as a kid," says Shields. "When I got to college I became a vegetarian, but didn't have a clue what I was doing. I remember eating white rice and butter and wow, did I gain weight!" After graduation Shields decided to study healthy vegetarianism. "I lost a lot of weight and never felt better!" she says. "But after getting married and having children, I reverted back to eating the two dreaded Ps: pizza and pasta! I pretty much gained all the weight back until I finally cracked the code to shedding and keeping off those unwanted pounds."

2. Find a few basic things that you can stick to as a lifestyle.

For instance, Shields does the following religiously:

• Eats every two and a half hours.

• Avoids anything white and refined such as bread, pasta, sugar, and salt.

• Exercises every other day, alternating between weight-bearing exercises and cardio such as kenpo karate or plyometrics.

• Gets plenty of sleep—at least eight hours a night.

3. Find a way to incorporate strength training.

This helps build muscle mass that speeds the metabolism. "I like variety," says Shields, "so I have a bunch of Beachbody videos such as Tony Horton's P90X. Whenever I feel tired or lazy, I think to myself, "Do ya LIKE your new body? Then get off your butt and JUST PUSH PLAY!" And I do."