Losing weight is not an overnight process, but many people want immediate results. The media bombards you with fad diets and pills that claim to give you immediate weight loss, but if they do work, the weight typically comes back on as quickly as it came off. To lose weight faster and more permanently without questionable diets and gimmicks, make these 10 changes to your lifestyle.
Eat More Often
Stop skipping meals and going long hours without eating and instead eat every three hours. In between meals, snack on small portions of nuts or high-fiber foods. More frequent eating will help to speed up your metabolism, resulting in more calories burned.
Minimize Your Caloric Intake
A low-calorie diet of 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day will be considerably less than your normal intake without being too low and will play a significant role in your weight loss. Men may need to stay closer to 2,000 calories depending on weight and activity level.
Drink Water
Replace your sodas and juice drinks with water to eliminate those unnecessary sugars and calories. Drink water before each meal, and you may eat fewer calories. According to Dr. Melina Jampolis, being even a little dehydrated can slow your metabolism. Lastly, you may be mistaking thirst for hunger, so drink at least eight glasses of water throughout the day so that you do not eat more than your body needs.
Eliminate Alcohol
Alcohol consumption puts empty calories in your body. Cut out alcohol completely while trying to lose weight quickly.
Get More Aerobic Exercise
Do aerobic exercise five to seven days per week. Work at a high intensity to maximize your caloric burn. If you normally jog, add intervals of short sprints.
Move More
Add more activity to your day to increase your metabolism and burn more calories. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park the car further away and take breaks from your desk to move around.
Choose Good Carbs
Carbohydrates are not bad for you, but processed carbohydrates are not the best kind to eat. Stay away from white bread, pastas, rice and sweets of all kinds. These simple carbs can cause weight gain and make losing weight difficult. Instead, choose complex carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread and pasta and brown rice.
Eat Breakfast
Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day, and those who eat it tend to maintain a lower body weight. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, start your day with a healthy breakfast, such as oatmeal or cereal with fruit.
Strength Train
Strength training will burn calories during your workout as well as elevate your metabolism for the rest of the day. Increasing your muscle mass will make your body more metabolically active.
Switch It Up
Vary your fitness routines. Try running one day and using the elliptical another. Keep your body guessing and challenged so that more calories are burned with each workout.
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