Need to lose 3 pounds by tonight's Christmas party

www.bodybybrig.com
I have a holiday party tonight. A holiday party for athletes. Last night, I ordered take out; this morning my face is almost swollen shut.  I need a flatter belly and looser jeans by 7:00pm. Should I go to one of those wrap places? Only drink water all day? Suck down a pot of coffee to up my metabolism? Who am I kidding? I should not have ordered the Chinese. Everytime I do, I tell myself, "This is the last time." Whatever.

Holiday Party pants

Losing 3 pounds today won’t be possible, but it  IS realistic to drop 3-5 pounds in five days—or at least drop  enough to make you feel better. Even more jolly, you don’t have to crash diet, swallow strange purple pills that are no longer legal in the United States, or feel like running to the gas station convenience store to get your cravings under control on the drive home from work.

I’ve got a few tips (besides foam rolling everyday) that will work. Staying adequately hydrated, exercising for a reasonable amount of time (have you watched my 10 minute quick workouts for December?), and breathing deeply – will help our bodies thrive in the midst of our stressful, chaotic, and emotionally exhausting lives (ironic how these little tidbits contribute to weight gain—and Chinese food ordering--in the first place).  Did I mention I’m doing the Ultimate Reset in January?

So put down that Sonic drink, and get a jump on sliding into those Rock and Republics by Monday. Here's one way how.

Get rid of the salt.  Who knew your favorite granola bar or canned tuna could double as a salt lick saltier than one you could buy at Bass Pro Shop? In a recent report published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about American sodium consumption, researchers found that approximately 75 percent of the sodium in the typical American diet doesn't come from the shaker -- it's added to commercial foods during processing.

Cut the added sodium and you'll lose water weight and bloat (there must be a ton of sodium in Chinese food). Even a lot of "healthy" foods—Whole Food grocery store and Market Street type of foods-- (think Kashi cereals, cottage cheeses, and even some frozen vegetable mixes!) are high in salt. So? These can easily be replaced with oatmeal, Greek yogurt, and fresh veggies.

One trick: The more potassium you consume, the more your body will get rid of sodium, says Reardon. Sweet potatoes, coconut water, apricots, bananas, cantaloupes, figs,  and  oranges are all sodium reducers. Sodium flushers, if you will.  So...I’m off to grab a banana and swig down some coconut water. Maybe I won’t need pliers to zip up my jeans tonight.