Losing weight fast is an obtainable feat, and it'll help you stay motivated. When you see quick results, you maintain the drive to remain on a strict diet and exercise program. Making small, subtle changes to your lifestyle can yield big results in just a couple of weeks.
Step 1
Revamp your diet. Eliminate processed foods and junk foods. These foods are high in sugar, sodium and saturated fat. Your new diet should be full of low-protein and dairy products. These foods include lean meats, egg whites, beans, poultry, cottage cheese and salmon. A diet rich in these foods will nourish your muscles and stimulate your metabolism.
Add high-fiber foods to you diet. These include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods packed with fiber will provide the energy for exercise and keep you fuller longer. According to Dr. Joel Fuhrman, author of "Eat to Live," fiber slows down glucose absorption and controls the rate at which the digestive system works.
Step 2
Stay hydrated. But eliminate high-calorie beverages from you diet. These include sodas, lemonades, sweetened tea, processed fruit drinks and alcohol. Drink at least eight glasses of water per day. Water will nourish your muscles, decrease bloating, keep you feeling full, aid in the digestive process and prevent fat buildup.
Step 3
Enjoy a cardiovascular workout. Choose any activity that will get your heart rate up and burn calories. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults under age 65 participate in moderately intense cardiovascular workouts for 30 minutes per day, five days per week. If time is a problem, you can complete a vigorously intense workout 20 minutes a day, three days per week.
Step 4
Perform circuit training. Circuit training will increase your metabolism, improve your cardiovascular health and build lean muscle all in one workout. Select an exercise for each body part for four sets of 12 repetitions. Between each exercise, add one minute of cardio.
Step 5
Keep a record. Make a food journal and record your body fat and measurements. This will track your progress and allow you to make changes, if necessary. A food journal should include everything you eat or drink. This will expose your eating habits and track your caloric intake. Reducing your calories by 500 a day will help you lose weight quickly. Have a friend or fitness professional measure your body fat and take your measurements. Keep in mind that success is not always measured by weight. Muscle weighs more than fat and muscle will help your body burn more calories while it is resting.
Tips and Warnings
- As you lose weight quickly and exercise heavily, your body may run low on energy. Sleep for at least seven hours at night to allow your body to recover and regain energy. Increase your everyday activity. Walk after a meal or on your lunch break, take the stairs or walk over to your co-worker's office instead of sitting and emailing her.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Activity Guidelines
- Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss; Joel Fuhrman M.D.; 2006
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