Although it's undeniably a struggle to lose weight, it's possible to lose weight quickly and naturally. In order to accomplish this goal, however, you'll have to adjust your diet and exercise regularly. There's no shortcut -- you can't lose weight by magic, no matter what an infomercial might claim. As long as you stick to your goals, you can become leaner and healthier the natural way -- with diet and exercise.
Goals
Realistic weight loss goals are important, because they help you stay on course. Avoid setting broad goals, such as losing a certain amount of weight by a certain time. Focus instead on smaller benchmarks, like going for a 30-minute run each day. That way, you won't come down hard on yourself, since you'll be achieving short-term goals daily.
Calorie Deficit
Creating a calorie deficit means burning more calories than you consume each day. According to Medline Plus, if you consume 3,500 fewer calories a week, you'll lose one pound of fat per week. Each pound of fat lost requires a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day, which comes from exercise and eating foods with fewer calories.
Aerobic Exercise
Keeping active remains an important part of weight loss, as this allows you to burn the calories that you consume. Aerobic exercise can include walking, biking, playing tennis, taking an aerobics class or doing some housework. You should get about two and a half hours of aerobic exercise per week, with each installment lasting a minimum of 10 minutes.
Strengthening Exercise
You should strength-train at least twice a week by doing push-ups, lifting weights, doing sit-ups and using resistance bands. Lifting weights will help you to create a calorie deficit by burning many of the calories that you've consumed. Muscle also burns more calories than fat, so all of your movements will use more calories -- if you have more muscle.
Diet
Since losing weight requires a calorie deficit, eating foods with the lowest possible calorie count will make it easier for you to lose weight. Some find it difficult to count calories at every meal, so you might find it easier to simply eat more fruit and vegetables. Select whole grains and fat-free, or low-fat dairy products. You should also stick with lean cuts of beef, poultry and fish, while avoiding saturated and trans fats, added sugar, and food with a high cholesterol count.
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