The Fastest Way to Lose 5 Pounds

Follow this personalized fitness plan to shed pounds—and keep them off!

By Lara Rosenbaum, WomensHealthMag editor

It's the cruelest of weight-loss conundrums: The closer you get to your ideal weight, the tougher it is to reach it, says L.A.-based celebrity trainer Holly Perkins. The reason: Your body defends its weight and holds on to pounds to maintain its natural balance. The more weight you lose, the harder your body works to hold on to it. But revving up your total-body workouts can counteract this and prevent your body from getting comfy-cozy at your plus-five weight.

A surefire solution: plyometrics. These explosive moves are great muscle builders, get your heart rate up, and work multiple muscles at a time—all of which leads to an extreme calorie burn. That's what makes this megawatt routine the final piece of your weight-loss puzzle: It'll shed that last layer of fat to show off the sculpted, lean physique you've been building all along.

Complete three to five circuits of the exercises to the right, doing eight to 10 reps of each move and going from one to the next without stopping. Rest one minute between circuits. Do the workout two or three times a week as well as the cardio regimen below and you'll be zipping up your skinny jeans in no time.

FAT-BLASTING INTERVALS

To beat plateaus and kick your fat-burning potential into overdrive, make your cardio as explosive as your strength training. High-intensity interval training involves quick, sprintlike bursts combined with periods of rest or easy recovery to help maximize your calorie burn. In other words, go as close to all-out as you can.

Twice a week, complete the following intervals using the cardio of your choice: After a five-to 10-minute warm-up, speed up until you're at 90 percent of your max heart rate (estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220) and hold that for 30 seconds. Recover at an easy pace for one minute. Repeat for a total of five to eight intervals. To boost your weekly calorie burn, add an extra day of cardio--30 to 45 minutes at moderate intensity (65 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate, for comparison)--to your schedule.

SMART BITES

Nosh Often

Eat small amounts every few hours. It can help your body burn calories instead of holding on to them.

Pick Protein

It keeps you feeling full longer, burns calories as it digests, and helps your muscles recover. Include it at every meal.

Beat Bloat

Avoid excess salt, limit foods like broccoli and beans, and add lemon to your water (it acts as a natural diuretic).

Source: WomensHealthMag