Lose the last 5kg

NEWSFLASH Losing five kilos won’t make you smarter or fund a holiday.

But follow this plan from Michelle Bridges’ new book Losing the Last 5 Kilos for four weeks and we promise your bikini will fit better. Try the 5-day plan in this exclusive extract – thanks Mish! It’s full of easy recipes (all make two serves), with ingredients available in any supermarket, so no scouring for obscure foods no one can pronounce.

Check out Bridges’ top four tips when it comes to losing weight.

EAT REGULARLY

Your metabolism slows down when you sleep, then cranks up again when you tuck into brekkie. Starting the day with a good breakfast also stops you playing games with yourself: “If I skip breakfast and have an apple for lunch, I’m allowed to eat more when I get home.”

DRINK WATER

As well as being an appetite suppressant, water is essential for efficient kidney and liver function. These two organs are responsible for breaking down and disposing of the waste products that you generate as you lose weight, so you need to keep both well hydrated. Not enough water? You slow the whole process down.

EAT METABOLISM-BOOSTING FOODS

Your body expends energy digesting, absorbing and storing food and digests and metabolises different foods at different rates. Simple carbohydrates (including sugar and refined grains) are broken down the quickest. Protein is digested and metabolised the slowest, thereby expending the most energy. Grains, vegetables, fruits and other fibrous foods are digested slowly, keeping your insulin levels steady.

BALANCE STRENGTH AND CARDIO

Aerobic exercise uses up more kilojoules during the session. But excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) – where energy is burnt anywhere from three to sixteen hours after your workout – is greater with weight training. So it’s best to do both strength training and cardio for health, weight loss and weight management.

5-day meal plan

Now there’s no excuse for unhealthy eating

Related:

Michelle Bridges' Losing the last 5KG recipes
Tone your legs with a chair!