Lady LUX

As the spring weather begins to warm, the allure of beach days and pool parties is ever-present. However, as thoughts of umbrella-adorned cocktails and new swimwear begin to become reality, some of us may need to work on our waistlines. Thankfully, celebrity fitness trainer and T.V. star Jackie Warner has new book out, “10 Pounds in 10 Days,” to help you shape up, right in time for bikini season.

Research-backed and client-proven, the new book is designed to help you lose weight quickly and efficiently with an easy-to-follow program. The program was created years ago and Warner gives the same advice to celebrity clients that need a quick fix-me-up. Now, she is passing along her training secrets and LadyLUX has the inside scoop.

LadyLUX: Why did you decide to write “10 Pounds in 10 days?”

Jackie Warner: Well, honestly, it’s because after 13 years of training, this is the question that I get over and over again: How do I lose ten pounds quickly and how do I keep it off safe and effectively? So I had to address that. Also, celebrities come to me and need to lose weight quickly and this is the system that I give them.
It’s actually a thirty-day program that is broken into three 10-day phases, so it’s not just for people who want to lose 10 pounds. You can progress forward and keep with the thirty-day program if you need to lose additional weight and then you move to maintenance.

LL: How do you structure the book to make it easy to read?

JW: I wrote this book then simplified it and simplified it and simplified it. This is really the sabotager’s dream diet because it allows no room for sabotaging. I take the thinking out of it. I literally say, “you must do this, you must do that” and if you follow it, you’ll lose the weight and you’ll keep it off. It is just so, so very simple. I’ve read all the diet books out there and this is truly the simplest that you can follow.

LL: How did you come up with the meal plans and the workouts for the book?

JW: I researched the book heavily, of course, because this is a very low calorie structured plan. For the first ten days, it’s at 950 calories. So I had to do a lot of research to support what food would be very safe and wonderful and nutrient-dense, so that you didn’t burn into your (muscle) reserve and you continue burning fat. That’s key. It’s not just a low calorie program that works, you have to have very, very nutrient-dense foods on a daily basis so I chose them very carefully, and I call them my superstar foods. They’re not just super foods, they’re the foods that can give you the most bang for your buck in terms of fat loss and overall nutrition.

LL: Which “superstar foods” are your favorites?

JW: Well, I always say that you need to eat half a grapefruit every day. You should be eating oatmeal every day; you should be eating two eggs every day. These are staples of my life. I actually eat these foods every day. Even if I have something that isn’t that great for me one day, I still make sure that I have these nutrient-dense foods in my diet.

The secret ingredient in grapefruit is naringin, which is a major fat burner; in eggs, it’s lecithin, which is a major fat burner; in oatmeal, it’s the fiber, which actually helps bind fat. These are the foods and the staples you should be consuming on a daily basis for overall health.

Also, water is key in this program as well. With three liters of water, research shows that you can burn up to 33 percent faster, so you want the water. It’s also a liver detoxifier and the liver is the number one organ for metabolizing fat. So, having a good amount of water in your program is key as well.

LL: How do you keep from putting the weight back on?

JW: If you only have ten pounds to lose, you only do the first 10-day phase, then you move onto the maintenance program, which I explain in the book. If you want to lose additional weight, you continue on with the thirty-day program and then go to the maintenance program.

LL: What are the biggest differences in “This Is Why You’re Fat” and “10 Pounds in 10 Days?”

JW: The biggest difference is that “10 Pounds in 10 Days” accepts no substitutions. You have to follow it to the letter. I make it very simple for you. I give you grocery lists. There’s no cooking in this book; the food is already prepared for you. You go to the grocery store, you purchase it, you eat it when I tell you to eat it, but there are no substitutions. To substitute is really unhinging the program. In “This Is Why You’re Fat,” there are lots of substitutions; there’s a full cookbook. So, it gives you lots of flexibility. There’s a non-cook portion and a cook portion, but you have a lot more flexibility. And key in “This Is Why You’re Fat,” is that it’s a 1,500 calorie a day for women, 1,800 for men. This particular program (“10 Pounds in 10 Days”) is at 950 calories for the first ten days, 1,200 for the second and 1,500 for the third.

What would you say is the biggest challenge in following the book’s plan?
I think the biggest challenge is the substitutions and just making sure that you have to eat the foods that are in the program. I don’t recommend the book for vegans; it’s not a vegan diet. It’s really for people who make responsible choices in regard to their meat choices, such as always eating free range and organic. But this really is about putting on as much muscle tone and decreasing fat. So that’s what I think is the biggest challenge. Once you commit to it, you must do it fully.

With such a busy schedule, how do you stay motivated to work out? How do you keep your clients motivated?

Happiness is a huge motivator. If you have great energy, and you didn’t have it before, that’s a huge motivator. If you’re sleeping well, that’s a huge motivator. And all that applies to myself as well. If I miss my workouts for a few days, I feel it in my brain, and that’s where I feel it the most, not just in my body. Intense workouts, even if done in short periods, release dopamine and serotonin and that’s what I try to get my clients addicted to. This is what some people take medication for and you can get it through your workouts consistently.

LL: For those of us that sit at a desk all day, what do you suggest we do to stay fit?

JW: It’s really important that you find that time, even if it’s 10 minutes before or after work, before or after your busy day. You can jump rope in between your sets, grab a pair of weights, you can do squats, push-ups, flies. There’s so much you can do with just a pair of dumbbells. Then, to get your cardiovascular, you can just grab a jump rope and do 100 rotations in between your exercises. Even just getting your Walkman on and running around your neighborhood for 20 minutes is really a great way to do it. I feel anybody can get fit in 10-20 minutes a day. You can do it for yourself, especially if you understand the benefits of what it’s doing to your brain chemistry and, thereby, what it’s doing to your body chemistry. It’s balancing your hormones and it’s balancing your chemistry so that you can be a fat burning machine.

LL: What are three things we must know about getting in shape?

JW: I would say, One: You have to know what a realistic goal is. Don’t say, “I just want to lose 30 pounds.” That’s not a realistic goal. Attach something to it. Attach something that’s from the heart to it. Like, “I would like to challenge myself to walk or run in a 5K for breast cancer.” Attach an athletic goal to it. That’s really key and motivates people much more.

Two, is that you have to keep yourself excited for your workouts. If you’re somebody that doesn’t like lifting weights, then don’t join a gym, or if you join a gym, go for the classes. Find something that you’ve always wanted to try, like pilates or boxing or dance, and look that up in your area and join a class because a class is a wonderful support system. Don’t try to force yourself into a workout that you really hate. It’s not going to stick long term.

Number three, simply give yourself, add in the foods that balance the hormones and decrease cravings and stabilize your whole chemistry. Make a switch to organic foods when you can. Going from processed foods to organic foods can help you lose weight without even thinking. The chemicals in processed foods wreak havoc on your system and cause you to have more cravings for carbohydrates.

There you have it, fitness advice from an acclaimed fitness guru. Jackie Warner’s “10 Pounds in 10 Days” is available at www.Jackiewarner.com.

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