Inches

Question
Hi Rick,
my name is Naomi and I'm 18 years old. I don't think I'm overweight at all, but I think I could feel better about my body and look better, which is why I'm coming to you.

I'm currently 5'2" and 129lbs. I used to be able to lose about 10lbs every spring by cutting down on soda and running 1-3 miles every other day, but I recently hurt my knee and can't run or bicycle. I'm looking to cut down on some fat and hopefully tone up a little without bulking uo.

Ideally, I'd like to lose about an inch from my hips. My lower half is where I carry most of my weight (I'm a 34-26-41) and with my senior prom right around the corner, I need to lose that one inch to fit into my dress. Yes I know that's annoying but my actual size was unavailable.

I love vegetarian dishes but, coming from a steak-loving family, I have a hard time sticking to that kind of diet. I'm a terrible lover of starch and cheese and I drink a lot of coffee. Cutting out candy is fairly easy for me this time of year though.

Any advice? Thank you

Answer
A few things?br>
5'2 and 129 pounds is NOT overweight. I'm sure you look just fine.

Stop drinking full-sugar sodas PERIOD. Don't just "cut down" on them. The sugar in those sodas will kill you. Make the switch to diet soda PERMANENTLY. Also drink plenty of water.

If you can't run or bike, how about swimming? It's great aerobic exercise and there's no impact on your knees.

I laugh every time I hear a woman say she doesn't want to "bulk up." TRUST ME, you can't "accidentally" bulk up. Those women bodybuilders you see on TV spend 4 to 6 hours a DAY in the gym lifting. You need to work HARD to add bulk as a woman. But you SHOULD definitely lift weights. 30 minutes a session, three times a week is all you need. Don't worry about bulk.

More muscle = more fat burning, even at rest. Trust me.

Also, there's nothing wrong with eating steak. Just watch your portion sizes. Steak has about 60 calories per ounce, so try to keep your cut of steak to 6 oz or less. Eat lots of green veggies with it.

Starch and cheese WILL put on weight if you eat a lot of it (especially before bed). Make sure you're eating whole-grain starches and try to eat fat-free cheese (even though it tastes like crap, you do get used to it).

Nothing wrong with coffee?I drink a lot of it myself?just watch the cream and NO sugar (go with Equal or Splenda).

Hope this helps.

For specific information and step-by-step guidelines on how to lose weight and be healthy, visit my web site for all kinds of details about proper diet, nutrition, exercise, weight-lifting routines, and more.

Most importantly, make sure to download my FREE eBook, "Rick's 18 Tips for Healthy Weight Loss."

Richard Rost
http://www.RicksWeightLoss.com

P.S. As a disclaimer, I'm not a doctor or health professional. Please seek the advice of your doctor before implementing any of my recommendations.

I hope this information helps to solve your problem. If there is ANY REASON why you won't give me a RATING of 10 please let me know so I can improve upon my answers in the future. Thank you!

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