Getting in A-List Shape!

Celebrities often need to drop weight quickly to look amazing for photo ops. I know the pressure a person experiences, having coached Hollywood A-listers like Angela Bassett to get in top shape for the red carpet, as well as Washington, D.C. A-listers like Senator Claire McCaskill just because she was "tired of looking and feeling fat!" But you don't have to be a celebrity to get in A-list shape! Just read my following secrets and advice, and be ready to get get fitted for your glamorous gown.

1. Get excited!

Your attitude and mindset has the biggest impact on your results. Don't just say half-heartedly that you want to lose 10 pounds. Picture yourself gorgeous, all eyes upon you as you walk along on the arm of a handsome man. Picture heads turning as you stride along the shore at the beach. Put your goals on paper! Magic happens once you organize your thinking and begin to plan to succeed.

2. Feel that you're already there!

That picture you have of yourself striding along the shore? Be there! Believe that you're already there, because you are! That body is waiting there underneath a few pounds of fat -- bring it out in your mind. Everything around you was once simply a vision in someone's imagination. Every day, every moment, see yourself as having already achieved that weight-loss goal. Then you will act in a way that supports that belief. Your discipline will be strong since you've assumed the identity of a fit and lean person. You'll find it much easier to turn down the donut when you've got your flat stomach to preserve!

3. Avoid sugar.

Treat sugar as if it's poison. Sometimes sugar is obvious -- in soda, for example, or candies. But sugar is now included in so many processed foods, you'd be shocked. Ketchup and barbecue sauces are high in sugar. So-called "unsweetened breakfast cereals" often contain loads of sugar. Processed meats contain sugar. Did you know that even some table salt has sugar added to it? Get to know the different names for sugar. There are dozens, but here are a few of the most common: fructose, glucose, sucrose, dextrose, cane syrup and corn syrup. It's best to avoid processed foods altogether, but if you do buy any premade foods, make sure to read the ingredients.

4. Avoid simple carbs.

Simple carbs are sugars. But they don't appear to be sugars, so sometimes we eat too many of them. White bread, pasta and rice are examples of starches that act like sugar in your body. Eat the whole-grain versions of these foods, but keep those limited as well. Also go easy on foods with natural sugars, such as fruits. This doesn't mean don't eat them, but have just a couple of servings a day. Berries are the best choice, and melons, apples and pears are also fine.

5. Don't get too hungry.

Have three meals and two snacks each day. If you get too hungry, you're more likely to overeat and make poor food choices. Proteins and healthy fats will help keep you full. Eat some protein, especially chicken breast or salmon, and healthy fats from nuts or fish with every meal to keep you satisfied. Eating loads of healthy vegetables will also help keep you full, and give you tons of vitamins, minerals and health-promoting phytonutrients at the same time. The best are green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collard greens, dark green lettuces and Swiss chard, but any high-water-content vegetable will do. Asparagus, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cucumbers, celery, zucchini (summer squash) and radishes are all great choices. Best is to eat a combination of them every day.

Along with these tips, make sure you get enough sleep, exercise five to six days a week and drink lots of water. In no time you'll look on the outside exactly like that person you've believed yourself to be!

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