8 secrets to double-digit weight loss

Do cardio you enjoy every day 
“Before I got here, I imagined we’d start with 20 minutes one day, maybe 40 minutes the next,” laughs Isabeau. “Ha!” They jumped right in, with cardio training lasting hours at a time. Should you do the same? No. Contestants are pushed to work out harder than average, but only because they are under the close supervision of trainers and a medical staff. What you can do safely to reach your own fitness goal:

• Shoot for 60 to 90 minutes a day and maintain a moderately intense level. (If you’re over age 50, have a chronic disease or are at risk of one, consult your doctor before starting any plan.)
• Make sure you sweat. You need to challenge yourself to get the weight-loss results you want. If your routine feels comfortable, devote a few more minutes to each workout, or add hills and/or stairs to your regular walk.
• Mix it up. Repeating the same activity day after day puts you at risk of overuse injuries and could stall weight loss. Try breaking up one cardio session with a few different workouts: 20 minutes walking, 20 on the bike, 20 climbing stairs or rowing.

Weight-train at least twice a week
Strength-training helps boost your metabolism, and — as many of the contestants discovered — provides a mental lift, too. “I came here wanting to pull my own weight, and I’ve done that — both literally and figuratively,” says Isabeau. “I’ve noticed changes in my body so much more quickly since I started training, and now I can lift as much as the boys can!”

Work each muscle group at least twice a week, with 2 days off in between. For many women, that translates to 20 minutes, 4 days a week — 2 days for the upper body, and 2 days for the lower body. After 2 or 3 months, you’ll experience a 20 to 40% increase in muscular strength —the same as most men, reports the American Council on Exercise. You don’t need a trainer to get started; visit prevention.com/biggestloser for exercises and other motivational tips.

Take advantage of the early momentum

At the time of the Prevention photo shoot, Kae Whang had already lost over 60 pounds, going from 225 to 163.

Losing 20 pounds in the first week started Kae on a high note: “It inspired me to keep going and going,” she says. Getting good results at first is common; use your initial enthusiasm to create healthy new habits that will see you through when your “high” wears off.

• Expand your pantry. Explore the local farmers market for something exotic (bok choy, anyone?) or sprinkle new spices on your staple meals (chili powder is a favorite in “The Biggest Loser” kitchen). The more adventurous you are now, the more new low-fat choices you’ll have later so you don’t get bored.
• Learn new light-cooking techniques. Thumb through a cookbook or browse recipes online for some healthy tricks and then modify a favorite high-fat dish.
• Find fun ways to burn calories. Take a tough yoga class, tackle a rock wall, or even sign up for a local 5-K fun run — anything you’ve wanted to try. You’ll likely discover a new favorite workout.

EXPECT—and push through—plateaus
Hollie shed 11 pounds at her first weigh-in, and she was thrilled. But the week after, she dropped only 2 pounds, and 3 the next. “It was discouraging to work so hard and get such limited results,” she says. But she kept going, reminding herself that numbers don’t always reflect progress. Be patient, says Dansinger. Stick to your plan, and the scale will move again. It did for Hollie, whose weekly losses eventually crept up. If the scale stays stuck for more than 3 weeks, however, you may need to step up your exercise efforts or reevaluate your calorie intake.

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