What can a burlesque dancer teach us about diet tricks? A lot, so it would seem. Texan actress T. Lynn Mikeska agreed to dance in a burlesque show, but needed to shed ten pounds in the month leading up to her nearly naked debut. Her plan? Burn more calories than she consumed. While this weight loss plan isn't exactly revolutionary, it's easier said than done.
Trail Mix and Tupperware Help You Lose Weight
The 29-year-old dancer figured the best way she could control calorie intake was to put a lid on it - literally. "I needed something I could tote around all day that wouldn't spoil and was more nutritious than a box of Cheez-Its," said Mikeska.
Each day, she filled her container with a few handfuls of trail mix and two protein bars, snapped on the lid, and off to work she went. She nibbled throughout the day and when the container was done, so was she. No more eating for the day.
Did the diet work?
Absolutely. The actress lost eleven pounds in time for her show. When the diet was over, though, so was the weightloss. Tricks like this work in the short term, but when the dieter goes back to her normal food, she also goes back to her normal weight. Experts in nutrition think the reason someone can subsist on such a small amount of food is the protein content of the nuts, seeds, and diet bars. “Research suggests that higher-protein diets help people better control their appetites and calorie intake," says researcher Donald Layman, PhD.
The Weight-Loss Verdict
It's not exactly the most nutritionally balanced plan and can't be sustained in the long term. If you're just trying to drop 10 pounds in time for frosh week, though, it might be just the ticket.
