Ready for the beach? Reality check time: It's almost summer! And you know what that means: bikinis, shorts, tank tops. You're good, though. Our Drop 10 plan will help you lose two pounds a week (or 10 pounds in five weeks). Plus:Firm any jiggle without starving or living at the gym.
You'll Eat Like This
1.Start with1,600 calories: If that sounds like a lot, that's because it is. We don't believe in starving ourselves—it doesn't work long term, and it makes you miserable and cranky—and neither do our meal-plan creators, self contributing experts Stephanie Clarke, R.D., and Willow Jarosh, R.D. Which is why
Drop 10 is designed so you get to actually eat: three main meals (breakfast, about 350 calories; lunch and dinner, roughly 450 calories each) plus a snack (around 150 calories) daily.
2. Choose how you lose: Every
Drop 10 dish has at least one superfood scientifically proven to build a better bod by targeting belly flab (eggs, yogurt), quelling hunger (apples, olive oil) or revving a sluggish metabolism (steak, lentils). Pick the dishes that tackle your biggest obstacle—or, better yet, eat 'em all (not at once, obvs!) to wage a triple-whammy war on fat.
3. Don't eat what you don't love: Because the dishes have practically equal calories (e.g., all breakfasts are around 350), you can mix and match and repeat your favorites as often as you like. Not into cooking? That's cool—there are tons of store-bought and fast food restaurant options, too.
4. Live a little (or a lot): In addition to the core meal plan, you get an extra 200 calories a day to spend on whatever you want—cheese, wine, chocolate, an extra snack, seconds. We call these happy calories (for obvious reasons). And if it makes you happier to save up your free calories for one big blowout, go for it: You can bank up to four days'worth, 800 calories total, for a b'day dinner, boozy brunch, whatevs. Doing
Drop 10 means never having to say, "I can't—I'm dieting."
Now, try making our Cilantro-Lime Shrimp Tacos!
The Superfoods: Avocado, Olive Oil, Yogurt
The Recipe: In a bowl, mix 2 tsp olive oil with 2 tsp lime juice, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1 tsp chopped garlic, a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 4 oz (about 8-10) large shrimp, shelled, deveined, tails removed; toss to coat. Cover and place in fridge; let shrimp marinate at least 20 minutes. In a pan over medium-high heat, sauté 1/2 cup sliced bell pepper and 1/4 sliced yellow onion in 1 tsp olive oil until tender, about five minutes. Add shrimp and marinade and sauté until shrimp turn pink, three to four minutes. Divide shrimp mixture between two corn tortillas (6 inches each); top each tortilla with 11/2 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp chopped avocado and 1 tbsp salsa.
The Skinny: 445 calories, 22 g fat (3 g saturated), 32 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 32 g protein
You'll Exercise Like This
BURN: First, you're gonna have to zap a few calories. (Duh.) Do two fat-blasting HIIT (high-intensity interval training) sessions every week. (They're mapped out on the tear-out cards.) Add one moderate-intensity 45-minute cardio session. Pick something you love—Zumba, a jog, it's your call.
TONE: Cardio will melt the fat, but you still need to build lean muscle to look firm. That's where your three weekly strength sessions come in. Our toning moves for
Drop 10 target everything, cause that’s what’s on display in a swimsuit, ladies.
Now, try one of our firming moves!
THE MOVE: Rainbow Side Plank
1. Start in side plank on left side with hips dipped low, legs scissored, right foot in front of left, and right hand raised straight up.
2. Lift hips as high as you can as you bring right arm above head, bicep to ear (as shown). Lower back to start; repeat. Do 12 reps, then switch sides. Do 3 sets.
