How Carrie Underwood Lost 20 Pounds And Kept it Off!

American Idol = Weight Gain

Carrie Underwood, along with many contestants who compete on American Idol, gain weight during the show. The contestants gain the weight for several reasons, such as the stress of the competition, bad food given to them, and long bouts of waiting for their vocal coaches to work with them. Carrie ended up gaining a total of 20 pounds!

How Carrie Underwood Lost 20 Pounds

Carrie has a simple yet effective approach to her weight loss. It worked well for her, and maybe it will work for you too! Of course, to make any weight loss program work, you have to just stick to it and be consistent!

• Start a Food Journal – Carrie Underwood bought a spiral notebook (nothing fancy or expensive!) and just started to write down every little thing she ate.

“I discovered that writing down everything I eat makes such a difference, because you never realize how much you’re consuming unless you read it later in the day” – Carrie Underwood

Carrie said the key to the success of a food journal is to check the calorie count for everything she eats and write the details down in her notebook – immediately after a meal, before she forgets. At the end of the day, if she wants to have a snack, she checks her food for the day, how many calories she has eaten, and calculates how much more she can eat.

I think that when you stick to calorie counting, it’s important to know that nutrition and proper balance should be considered.

• Seek Expert Help – Carrie wanted to set up a mini gym in her home, but didn’t quite know what pieces of equipment she would need to help her reach her goals. Carried ended up hiring a Personal Trainer, who helped her pick out simple pieces of equipment to use, taught her for a few weeks on how to use the equipment and come up with a routine, then Carrie was able to continue her weight loss efforts on her own.

So what exercises does Carrie Underwood do? According to the interview in Shape Magazine, she exercises on the elliptical machine for 30 minutes and then follows that with strength training (reps with weights).

“My favorite thing is cardio, it really helps the pounds melt off, and it gives me so much more energy.” -Carrie Underwood

I would like to point out how Carrie used a Personal Trainer for a few weeks to work on a routine. A lot of people don’t realize that a Personal Trainer can really be a temporary thing, and I personally think it should be for most people. I like to work with my clients for a few months and empower them to be able to get to the point where they just don’t need me anymore. It’s a great feeling knowing that you have everything you need to be able to continue on your journey to lose weight.

• Stop Obsessing Over the Numbers on the Scale – Carrie became a popular topic in the tabloids as she became more and more famous. Many of those articles focused on Carrie’s weight, even calling her “chubby”. Now that Carrie is at a much healthier weight, she tries not to focus on the numbers on the scale, but more importantly her health.

“I’m a performer, and yes, being in good shape is part of the package, but I don’t ever want to get neurotic about my weight. I feel healthy and I know I’m a good size for me. And that’s what’s most important.” -Carrie Underwood

I think that Carrie is focusing on what’s most important, her health! Numbers on the scale may help you track progress, but it shouldn’t be the “end all, be all” either. If you focus on exercising regularly and putting healthy, nutritious food in your body, that’s what’s important. Continue to stay motivated and keep moving forward, and you will reach your health goals.

How Carrie Underwood Kept the Weight Off!

Carrie continues to keep the weight off in a very simple approach.

• No Mystery Food – Carrie told the WebMD Magazine (August 2010) , “if I don’t know what’s in it, I don’t eat it”. Simple rule, yet clearly effective. This one rule prevents her from eating the fatty catered food that’s available to her.

• Grocery Shopping – Due to the unhealthy catered food available to her on bus tours, Carrie has opted to do her own grocery shopping and buy fresh whole food, which also ensures that Carrie keeps up with her Vegetarian lifestyle.

• Regular Exercise – Just because Carrie has reached her goal weight, it doesn’t stop her from exercising on a regular basis. In fact, regular exercise is a big way to keep the weight off!

“If I can wake up and get a good cardio session in a class at a nearby gym or on the treadmill, I’m happier throughout the day” – Carrie Underwood

Once you reach your goal weight, you need to continue eating healthy and exercising. Just like it helped you lose the weight in the first place, now these healthy habits you have created will help you keep the weight off. Remember, it’s easier to maintain the weight than have to lose it again…and again.

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