How You Can Lose 6 Pounds in 3 Days
I did it. I lost 6 pounds in 3 days. And, I want to pass along info to you so YOU can lose 6 pounds in 3 days.
Did I go on a starvation diet? Did I do a cleanse? Did I eat nothing, but grapefruit, for three days? Nope, nope, and nope. Happily, it was none of these things. Let’s start with the back story and why I had six pounds to lose.
I was recently traveling in Switzerland for 14 days with my grandparents. About six days after I got back, I did a 70 mile bike race (check out my Tour de Scottsdale Race Report). Switzerland was a lot of fun, but it was poor training for the race, for sure. My grandparents love good food and they are willing to pay for it. Nearly every meal was top notch and, let me tell you, Switzerland has great food. From the Italian section, to Geneva, to the Bernese Oberland and Zurich, the food was outstanding. And, so…I packed on about nine pounds during the trip.
No big deal and no surprise either. There are prices to pay in life and I accept that. I was certainly not at the weight I would normally like to be at for a race like this. I’m usually around 165 pounds. For a race like this, where power to weight is key, I would usually get down to about 160. Pretty sure I checked in here tipping the Toledos at 172. This is only about seven pounds over my normal weight, but 12 over where I’d like to be. Believe me, I felt it on the climbs. Pre-race I lost a couple of pounds, but I didn’t dare do anything too drastic. With the exception of an epic day of mountain biking in Grindelwald, I had been on a two week hiatus from cycling. Making dietary changes was a recipe for race day disaster and an open door to sickness. So, I just waited.
In the last three days, I’ve lost six pounds. Now, adding in a 70 mile bike race is a nice way to jump start things, but this isn’t the first time I’ve done this. I made one major dietary change. That’s right…one. I have significantly cut my carb intake and I have had zero grain-based carbs. I didn’t do hours of cardio either. I did P90XShoulders & Arms on Monday and Tony Horton’s One on One 30/15 (Chest & Back) on Tuesday. I’ve yet to workout today, but it will be Insanity later. It’s been about my diet.
I’m a big believer in the Primal Diet. Controlling carb intake is at the heart of this nutritional theory. So, why no grains? It’s pretty simple when you think about it.
If you want to limit carb intake, you have to start by looking at the sources of the carbs in your life. Sugars, grains, vegetables, and fruit are the main sources in my life. Sugars are easy to eliminate, since my sugar intake is really low to begin with. For me, it then becomes a decision of whether to get my carbs from whole natural fruits and vegetables or grain-based foods like bread, chips and pastas. This is a no-brainer for me. If I’m limiting carbs [I judge my carb intake by my activity – more for endurance sports, less when just strength training], then I cut the grains out all together. I simply don’t need the extra carbs and grains have little micronutrient value when compared to fruits and vegetables making the latter the clear choice for me.
My body typically responds very quickly to this dietary change. This morning Monica said to me, “I can’t believe how quickly you snap back into shape.” That prompted me to jump on the scale and write this post. Six pounds! And, I didn’t starve myself at all.
If you’re struggling with weight loss or just looking to shake things up, try cutting your carbs and eliminating grains for a couple of weeks. Your body will produce less insulin (click that link and watch the video) and you might even find you have a mild gluten allergy and cutting out grain-based foods, which commonly have gluten in them, may make the difference for you. If you want some more information, pick up a copy of Mark Sisson’s book The Primal Blueprint and/or check out the information on his blog.
Now I’m off to get ready with some eggs scrambled in coconut oil with fresh salsa and avocado.
