Since we are already in the 2^nd week of June , some may consider it “crunch time”, and that’s NOT  another one of the  ridiculous puns I use in order to drive a point home (alright fine, it IS.)

Though I am 100 percent officially against quick fixes and YOU CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT no matter how many crunches per day you do, when it comes to looking good, there are certainly a few trade secrets that you can use for some “last minute cramming.” I have perfected these tricks from 10 years of practice with clients and through continued education with  some of the top trainers of elite movie stars in Hollywood.

If you have been taking the lazy route all spring and staying clear of the gym – you may find yourself desperately trying to drop 5 lbs before, oh say this weekend. You know what I am talking about – you suddenly realize you have to be in a bathing suit/fit into a dress/have a hot date / (insert your 911 emergency here.     )

Without further delay, here are the top 5 no-fail tricks to successfully look better naked  (BY SATURDAY.)Follow them strictly for 5 days (or more) to seriously reduce the “bulge” in your stomach:
1. Eliminate White Carbs Completely
and Replace with appropriate whole wheat versions. Carbs take an insane amount of water to process in the body. Therefore, consumption of excess processed white carbs will leave you bloated and feeling doughier than the roll you just devoured. Replace with whole wheat carbs to reduce the bloat factor and ensure swift elimination (b/c of the  fiber.)  READ food labels to make sure you are eating 1 serving size:  a typical  serving size of a wrap is HALF.  Consume the whole thing and you’ve eaten ¼ of you daily carb allowance.  Watch how to become a “calorie burning machine” just by eating your carbs with this.

2. Drown Yourself
The less water you feed your body (dehydration) the more it desperately hold on to whatever stores it has left  (bloating.)  To stave off hunger, prevent bloating and keep food “flowing” through the body as quickly as possible – drink 8 or more glasses of water a day. The more water you drink the less likely you will be to drink other sugary/empty calorie options. Make your simple water more interesting by adding slices of summer fruit (mango, raspberries ), veggies (cucumber,  carrots), or even switch to sodium free seltzer.

3. RUN Forest, RUN
Running  is quite frankly one of the BEST methods of cardio exercise. In a short amount of time you can expend massive amounts of calories with a run through the park. You are trying to make great gains (or losses) in a short amount of time right?  Why not make that simple jog into an entire body blasting routine by adding in a few sprints, arm sculpting push ups and butt lifting jump squats.

4. (Don’t) Shake it Like a Salt Shaker:
I m not even referring to the salt that  you shake on top of food here. The sneaky-sneaks of the food industry would rather you not find out that their jarred tomato sauce has 850 mg of salt PER SERVING (1/4 cup) when the tomato itself has only about 10. They would also prefer that you were numb to the fact that Fat-Free products (yogurts/cottage cheese/peanut butter) are pumped with TONS of salt to spruce up the taste after the fat is taken out.  Ever wonder why you feel or even weigh in at 3-5 lbs more than the day before? It’s b/c of the S-A-L-T. Your best defense: read labels!

5. No Restaurants for 5 days:
I was at Nobu in Miami the other weekend trying to eat a healthy appetizer in prep for the meal that was about to come. After a bit of interrogation the waiter un-apologetically admitted that they put a ton of salt in their salads. IN THEIR SALADS! (I repeated it for dramatic effect.)  Can you now imagine how much unnecessary salt (oil and fat, of course) is being shoved into your food when you least expect it at restaurants, delis and salad bars? Don’t even get me started on the out- of-hand serving sizes that are officially causing you to consume 100% more calories than you  estimate (a few recent studies reveal.)  The time-tested, surefire way to drop a quick few inches of excess bulge by this weekend is to get into the kitchen and prepare your meals for the next few days. Prepare in bulk to 1 item can last a few days (ie beans, grains, meats etc.)

To wrap it up , whether you have a big event coming up (wedding, party, hook up), looking to jump start your weight loss, or just want to look better naked THIS weekend: try # 1-5 for the next 5 days straight.

Stop back to this blog and tell me what a damn genius I am when your stomach is flatter than ever. Do you guys have SAFE quick weight loss tips that have worked for you? I would love to have you share them with my readers.