Weight loss can seem like it takes forever and people are often looking for ways to speed up the process. While there are steps you can take to maximize your efforts, safe weight loss should go at the rate of no more than 2 lbs. per week. Any methods that give you faster are usually unsafe or will simply cause a loss of water weight and not fat. By eating right and exercising regularly, you can lose 15 lbs. in eight weeks.
Diet
Step 1
Eliminate 500 calories per day from your diet. That means decreasing your weekly caloric intake by 3,500 calories, the amount it takes to lose 1 lb. of body weight.
Step 2
Figure out the times are most likely to eat when you're not really hungry. Being aware of these can help you not eat during that time, allowing you to cut calories easily from your day. These may be while you are sitting at your desk working, while watching TV or while hanging out with friends.
Step 3
Prepare healthy snacks. If you prefer to snack when watching TV or socializing with friends, what you eat can make a big difference. Rather than chips that are loaded with fat or cookies that have tons of sugar, eat carrot sticks dipped in humus, low-fat tortilla chips with salsa, whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese or apple slices dipped in organic peanut butter.
Step 4
Fill up on vegetables, which can help you eat less of foods that are higher in calories. Vegetables also provide fiber, vitamins and minerals, all of which can help your digestive system and metabolism work more efficiently.
Step 5
Eat balanced meals. Eliminating one food group or another will work against you since your body needs a regular supply of carbohydrates, proteins and fats to function properly. Stick to the healthier side of these food groups, such as brown rice rather than white rice, skinless chicken breasts rather than chicken drumsticks and avocados rather than mayonnaise.
Exercise
Step 1
Burn 500 calories per day through exercise. Combined with your eating plan, this will give you a 1,000-calorie deficit per day, which will allow you to lose another pound per week.
Step 2
Work out on the elliptical trainer, treadmill or stair stepper if in a gym for cardiovascular exercise, which is an effective way to burn fat and calories. Running 6 miles per hour, for example, can burn over 600 calories in 45 minutes.
Step 3
Take your workout outside and run around a track,or go hiking or mountain biking. Bring a friend along and fit social time into your workout, and enjoy the fresh air while you burn calories.
Step 4
Add strength training to your workout routine. Increased muscle mass will help you to generate more power and speed in your cardio activities while also elevating your metabolism to burn more fat.
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