Several over-the-counter and prescription medications are available that claim to be able to help you lose weight fast. Unfortunately, these can cause serious side effects, and prescription diet pills are only used as a last resort for people who are significantly overweight. You can lose weight without diet pills, and you can do it faster than you may think. Whether you have a little or a lot of weight to lose, you can do so without taking diet pills that can put your good health at risk.
Step 1
Engage in an aerobic activity for 30 minutes a day. Walk, cycle, run, jog or use an elliptical machine and make sure you maintain your heart at 50 to 75 percent of your target rate based on your gender, age and level of activity. Warm up and cool down for 15 minutes before and after your activity. The University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, explains that aerobic activity increases the size of muscle cells. Muscle weighs more than fat, and muscle cells burn more calories than your fat cells, meaning your metabolism increases, even when you are resting. You can expect to lose at least one pound every week with this lifestyle change.
Step 2
Eat the proper portion size of each kind of food on your plate. Many people are unable to accurately judge a portion of food, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can lead to eating as much as 25 percent more than your recommended daily caloric intake. You don't have to carry a measuring cup or tape measure with you to gauge portion sizes either. Just remember a fruit or vegetable should be approximately the size of a baseball, and a serving of meat should be the size of a deck of playing cards. This technique can save you 100 calories every day or more and can help you lose weight within a week.
Step 3
Replace any foods in your home that are highly processed with foods that are nutrient dense. Highly processed foods are those that are usually laden with fat and sugar, such as fried foods, cookies and candy. Nutrient-dense foods include fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain products. Eating an excess of processed foods leads to weight gain because these foods are simply empty calories that are easily stored by your body as fat. Nutrient-dense foods, on the other hand, contain fiber that slows digestion and makes you feel fuller longer. Fiber also boosts your metabolism, helping you lose weight. You'll be eating less, but you won't realize it, except that your clothes will become looser after just one week.
Step 4
Drink at least 64 oz. of water every day. Your body is made of 97 percent water, and it fuels many important processes, including digestion and metabolism. According to the Mayo Clinic, mild to moderate dehydration can cause muscle weakness, fatigue and headaches. If you are engaging in physical activity, you will need to stay hydrated and replace the fluids lost in exercise. Drink extra water before and after your workouts to be sure you don't become dehydrated.
Tips and Warnings
- Don't use a scale to gauge weight loss. Muscle weighs more than fat, and you may even appear to gain a little weight at first because you are increasing your muscle mass. Measure your weight loss instead by the way your clothes fit.
- Check with your doctor before making any significant changes to your diet or level of physical activity.
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