How to Lose Weight Fast Without Spending Money

Overview

When it comes to losing weight fast, there is surely no shortage of herbal formulas, miracle pills, protein shakes and appetite suppressants available. Even if any of these products do work effectively, they are not cheap. It is all too easy to spend hundreds of dollars every month on weight loss products that you don't really need. If you want to lose weight fast, though, it's possible to do it without spending money.

Step 1

Cut all the bad foods out of your diet. Avoid foods that are high in fat, sodium and sugar like chips, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, white bread, bagels, frozen dinners, deep fried foods, fast food and whole-fat dairy products. Eat fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, beans, whole grains and low-fat dairy products instead.

Step 2

Restrict your calories from food. To lose weight, you need to reduce your total intake of calories to create a deficit. It takes a 3,500-calorie restriction to lose one pound. If you expend 500 more calories than you consume every day, you can lose a pound a week.

Step 3

Restrict your calories from beverages. Beverages that are high in sugar and calories can add pounds to your body and put a stop to your weight loss efforts. Eliminate beverages like soda, fruit drinks, lattes, milk shakes, sugared teas and alcohol. Drink water instead as it has no calories and if you have clean drinking water, it doesn't cost any money. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get approximately 2.7 total liters of water a day and men get approximately 3.7 total liters.

Step 4

Graze like a horse. Grazing is an eating pattern where you have a small, balanced meal every two to three hours throughout the day. This can help increase your metabolism, it can give you steady energy levels and it can also keep you feeling satisfied. Make sure to combine protein and complex carbs in every meal. A baked chicken breast with steamed cauliflower and a yam is an example of a meal you can have for dinner.

Step 5

Do body weight exercises. If you do not want to spend money on a gym membership, you can build muscle at home by doing body weight exercises. Building muscle will help increase your metabolic rate. Do exercises like regular push-ups, decline push-ups, inclined push-ups, dips, squats, lunges and crunches. Use a chair to do incline and decline push-ups and dips. Perform three to four sets of 12 to 15 reps of each exercise.

Step 6

Run down the street. Running costs you zero dollars and you can do it in any location that has roads or land. But the greatest benefit from running is the fact that it can burn a significant amount of calories. Run for 45 to 60 minutes, three times a week on the alternating days of your body weight exercises.