Dr. Anne Dunev, PhD CN

Without starving yourself, without diet pills or gimmicks, even without exercise, it is possible to have thinner, smoother thighs in three weeks. That is plenty of time to get in shape for swimsuit season.

The rules must be followed strictly and will require some change in your diet. There is no free lunch, after all. The good news is that, not only will you lose inches; you will feel better and look better.

You will be able to follow this regimen any time you want to lose a few inches or a few pounds. Or you can make these rules part of your life-style and continue to lose weight and improve your health long-term.

There are 10 rules to follow.

1) Drink two glasses of good water (filtered, or spring water) every morning when you first get up, before you do anything else.
2) Drink at least eight more glasses of water throughout the day. Drink an extra glass of water for every cup of coffee, black or green tea that you consume. One cup of coffee or black or green tea per day. Herbal tea is allowed in any amount. No other beverages are allowed.
3) Eliminate all grains, except for ½ cup of brown rice allowed per day. That means no bread, oat products, cakes or pastries, or pasta of any kind. No corn or soy products, including tofu. Read food labels!!
4) Eliminate all sugar or sugar products, except for whole fruit. Stevia is allowed. Stevia is made from a South American plant and is considered a herb. It tastes sweet, but contains no sugar and no calories. Avoid all artificial sweeteners, including Splenda. No corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup. No alcohol of any kind.
5) Eat four servings of protein per day. A serving is 3-4 ounces (about the size of your fist). Eggs, chicken, fish and meat poached, broiled or grilled allowed.
6) Eat unlimited amounts of vegetables, steamed or raw.
7) Eat half as much fruit as vegetables. For example, if you eat 6 cups of vegetables, eat 3 cups of fruit. No juice allowed, only whole fruit.
8) Eat two tablespoons of oil per day, made into salad dressing, or over vegetables or fish/chicken/meat . Virgin olive oil, raw coconut oil, unrefined nut oils, or flax seed oil only. Vinegar or lemon juice may be added to the oil for salad dressing. Herbs and spices may be used for flavoring. You may use a sprinkle of sea salt-be very sparing. No butter or mayonnaise. No nuts or nut butters.
9) Avoid all dairy products—milk, cheese, yogurt, cream. The exception is whey protein, which you can use, along with water and fruit, to make protein shakes. You may also use egg white protein powder. If you need the smoothie sweeter, use Stevia. For a frosty smoothie, add ice.
10) Enjoy what you are eating. This is a “real food” regimen and your body will thank you. The processed, chemical foods most Americans eat are an invitation to chronic disease, so this is an opportunity for your body to get much-needed nutrients. Try to eat organic food, if possible.

Eat often; do not let yourself get hungry. This regimen will keep your blood sugar stable so that you will feel satisfied, as long as you eat every 3 hours. This program is not about calories. Eat until you are satisfied, sticking to the allowed foods. Keep a log of all that you eat and take note of your energy and moods. If you notice that your energy dips at certain times of day, have a snack ready so your blood sugar does not dip. You may find that you are not as tired in the afternoon when you stop eating bread for lunch!

Try lettuce wraps to substitute for sandwiches. Many delis and restaurants will make lettuce wraps, if you ask. Mustard is okay, but no ketchup, as it contains sugar.

Measure your waist and thighs before you start. Then measure every week. You should notice that your thighs will not only shrink, but will become smoother. This is a great way to eliminate some cellulite.

Although exercise is optional, you will increase the results if you do exercise. Walking as briskly as possible for 30-45 minutes four to five times a week will help. Yoga, Pilates and other forms of stretching are also good choices.

You may add fish oil supplements and pro-biotics. I don’t recommend synthetic or “horse pill” type multi-vitamins. Many do not even break down in the body, but make a great liner for a septic tank. (Just ask someone in the business.) Look for food source vitamins if you decide to supplement.

At the end of three weeks, you will be less bloated, thinner and feel better in general. Your palate will change and you will have fewer cravings.

If you want to continue to lose weight and inches, you can stay on this regimen for as long as you like. If you want to maintain, use this regimen as your base. Then have occasional indulgences. Pick one day per week to have pasta, or bread or dessert.

If you fall off the wagon for any reason during the three weeks, start this regimen again the following day. Remember it takes about three days to lose the craving for sweets. The good news is that the longer you avoid sugar, the less you will crave it. You will need to plan ahead and carry food with you during the day when you are away from home so that you don’t find yourself starving and the only food available is donuts or fast food.

This sounds more difficult than it is. Many people have told me they did not think there was any way they could follow this and were surprised to find how good they felt. Other benefits were skin blemishes clearing up and better sleep.

Good luck and let me know how you do!