The quickest methods for weight loss do not always make the healthiest choices and are intended for only short-term use. A weight-loss program that yields long-term, sustainable results should include gradual caloric restriction and increased physical activity. However, there are many methods for achieving very quick weight loss. Not for the faint of heart, they are very effective and can help you achieve rapid short-term reduction in scale weight.
Fasting
"The Miracle of Fasting" recommends a one- to three-day fast for quick weight loss results. There are many types of fasts, and you need not abstain from food completely. The distilled-water-only fast comes highly recommended by author Paul Bragg, but it is not intended for those who have health problems. You can also fast by eating only fresh fruits and vegetables and unsalted nuts and seeds, which do not put a lot of stress on the digestive system. With any fast, you must increase your water intake.
Low Carbs
Low-carb diets work very fast, according to "The Abs Diet." Much of the weight lost may be water, but the results are undeniable. To follow a low-carb diet, you restrict your intake of carbohydrates to 30 to 50 g per day, the equivalent of a large piece of fruit or 1 to 2 cups of oatmeal. Another way to follow this diet involves cycling carbohydrates. After five days of the 30 to 50 g protocol, you would load carbohydrates for two days. This means taking in between 100 and 300 g for approximately 48 hours, then returning to the low-carb intake. This cyclic ketogenic (low-carb) diet may reduce the amount of muscle lost by such extreme dieting.
Two-a-Day Cardio
Many bodybuilders and fitness competitors slowly work up to doing cardiovascular exercise twice per day for 30 to 60 minutes. This enables them to reach levels of extreme leanness due to the sheer volume of calories being burned. "Xtreme Lean" co-author Jonathan Lawson typically follows a two-a-day cardio program for the last month or so of his diet. If you choose to do this, you should keep the cardio to a low intensity to prevent unwanted muscle loss.
Resistance Training Frequency
The value of resistance training for quick weight loss goes without saying, according to "The Abs Diet." Lifting weights can help you burn fat very quickly. Increasing the frequency of your resistance training sessions can help you to burn fat even faster. If you usually work out three or four days per week, increase your training frequency to five or six days to lose weight more quickly. Always take one day off from all forms of training to allow your body to recover.
Accentuate the Negative
"Xtreme Lean" recommends negative-accentuated (NA) sets. These very challenging sets require letting the weights descend to a slow and controlled six-second count. The lowering portion of a repetition is known as the negative stroke. For example, on the bench press, you would lower the weight toward your chest, counting out six seconds and then lift it in one to two seconds. Authors Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman assert that this technique causes the body to burn extra calories for up to 72 hours. You should add only one NA set per exercise to avoid over-training and extreme muscle soreness.
References
- "The Miracle of Fasting"; Paul Bragg; 2009
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2006
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
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