'Increase in weight'! These 3 words can put a person in the risk zone of a number of diseases. Being overweight is something, one cannot be proud of, as excessive weight gain can adversely affect health. An easy solution to weight problems is to be more physically active and discard unhealthy foods from the diet. Tips to Drop 5 Pounds in 10 days Melting 5 pounds within a 10-day period, doesn't mean starving oneself or performing exercise endlessly at the gym. This can bring havoc to anybody's health and cause life-threatening consequences. One has to rework his diet and exercise routine to lose 5 pounds fast. It is explained in detail below: Diet When calories-in is more than calories-out, the outcome is increase in weight. So, one has to simply switch over to a diet devoid of calorie laden foods. First of all, to reduce excess body fat, you need to cut fat from your diet. However, it is essential that one is comfortable, while following the chosen diet plan. A low-fat diet, high in fiber is a pre-requisite to reduce weight. Include plenty of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grain products, fish and poultry products such as skinless chicken (lean meat) in the diet. These dietary modifications can bring reduction in weight in a healthy way. Also, one needs to stay away from high sugary foods such as pastries, as they increase body fat and promote weight gain. Foods high in refined carbohydrates also have to be excluded from the diet. It is a known fact that the hormone insulin regulate the fat cells and carbohydrates are notorious for increasing insulin levels. Too much insulin can actually make your fat cells fatter and hence foods high in refined carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, white rice and biscuits, cookies and soft drinks have no place in weight loss diet. Even canned fruits and vegetables contain a high amount of sugar and so have to be avoided. Exercise Along with the diet, following a rigorous exercise routine is equally important to lose 5 pounds in 10 days. Any form of exercise will not help to achieve weight loss in the desired range. Exercises that speed up metabolism and burn calories faster, need to be performed on a daily basis for 50-60 minutes, without fail to achieve a sustained weight loss. Exercises such as swimming, running and jogging, rowing and bicycling have proved beneficial to lose weight quickly. All these are cardiovascular exercises, that allow the body to burn calories fast. The stubborn belly fat can also be effectively eliminated with these exercises. An intense workout consisting of cardiovascular exercises for an hour should be followed. Water Studies have shown that having plenty of water every day can affect body weight considerably. Intake of 8-10 glasses of water is crucial to burn excess body fat. Water accelerates metabolism (the process of burning food (calories) into energy, required for day-to-day activities), which helps to bring down body weight. A dehydrated body can act as a great hindrance in losing weight and slowing down metabolism. So, water intake in ample amount is something one cannot ignore, while reducing weight. Meal Frequency How many times does one prefer to have a meal during the day, can also influence body weight. Having only lunch and dinner in a day, will contribute to overeating and increase in weight. Eating 2 large-sized meals won't provide weight loss benefits. A better option would be to have 5-6 nutritionally balanced meals. Having small frequent meals helps to speed up metabolic rate, crucial to accelerate weight loss. Sleep Getting adequate sleep is as important as following a healthy diet to lose weight. Difficulty falling asleep or sleeping only for a few hours can cause hormonal imbalance, which may lead to weight gain. So, make sure to take a sound sleep of 7-8 hours if you are serious about dropping those extra pounds. Tips for Maintaining Weight

• Even after you have achieved your desired goal within the stipulated period, do not forget the basic rule of maintaining healthy weight - moderate eating and exercise.
• With too much eating and too little exercise, you are sure to increase your waistline and regain weight, lost earlier.
• You may eat to your heart's content but at the same time ensure to avoid overeating.
• Eat only when you are hungry and not otherwise. In short, be active and ditch foods that make you fat and beyond that you can have whatever you want.