How To Lose Weight Healthy & Quickly

Safe and efficient weight loss requires a combination of exercise and a healthy diet. It is important to understand your caloric intake and metabolism. The simple goal when trying to lose weight is burning more calories than you take in. You can increase the number of calories you burn through physical activity. It is critical that you make long-term changes to your lifestyle as you can quickly gain back the weight you have lost if you return to an unhealthy diet.

Step 1

Plan a balanced and healthy diet that you can follow. Make sure you choose foods that are not only healthy but ones that you enjoy. This will help you maintain this diet in the long term. These foods should span all the food groups including fruits, vegetables, dairy, grains and meat. Avoid foods high in fat and added sugar. When planning your diet, consider if these foods fit your budget and are easily accessible.

Step 2

Aim for roughly an hour of exercise at least five days a week. A study published in the "Archives of Internal Medicine" medical journal regarding overweight women concluded that the addition of 275 minutes per week of physical activity, in combination with a reduction in energy intake, is important in allowing sustained weight loss of more than 10 percent.

Step 3

Drink water before meals. A study by Virginia Tech professor Brenda Davy found that water consumed before a meal has been found to reduce energy intake among non-obese older adults. The reduction of caloric intake is vital to losing weight effectively.

Step 4

Eat fruits and vegetables when snacking. According to research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is evidence that eating fruits and vegetables may be helpful to people who want to lose or maintain weight, as fruits and vegetables are low in calories and fat as well as high in fiber and water content.