With obesity is so prevalent, people often seek out drugs in an effort to lose weight quickly and easily. New diet pills are frequently introduced to the marketplace, but such drugs are also being pulled from the market because of their health risks. This highlights a simple fact: It's safer and healthier to lose weight without drugs or pills. You can do so relatively quickly with lifestyle changes, but it takes planning and hard work.
Step 1
Change your diet so that you are eating fewer calories but you still feel full. The Mayo Clinic states that in order to lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. One way to consume fewer calories is by eating less meat and more plant-based foods. Fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains such as brown rice and whole wheat bread are rich in fiber, which will help you feel full longer, and are generally low in fat and calories. Try having two or three "vegetarian" days a week, or just adding more produce to your diet while using less meat, butter, oil and dairy.
Step 2
Keep a food journal to track all of the foods that you eat. If you allow yourself to mindlessly eat whatever you want throughout the day, you may take in extra calories when you aren't truly hungry. Using a food journal to record what you ate, how much you ate and when you ate it will keep you accountable and help prevent you from overeating.
Step 3
Exercise using the high-intensity interval training method at least three times a week. High-intensity interval training (HIT) involves alternating between short (30 seconds to one minute) bursts of exercise and slower (one to two minutes) recovery periods. You can use this technique while running, on an elliptical trainer or on a stationary bike. Since the workout is so intense, you need to do it only 20 to 30 minutes at a time, plus a five- to 10-minute warm-up. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women who exercised using high-intensity interval training lost more fat, especially abdominal fat, than those who exercised at one intensity.
Step 4
Add more physical activity into your daily life, even when you aren't exercising. The more calories you burn, the faster you will lose weight without using drugs. Try using the stairs instead of the elevator and parking at the farthest end of the parking lot.
Things You'll Need
- Food journal
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