Diet pills function to control appetite, block the absorption of certain nutrients, give you energy and speed your metabolism. Some diet pills do one of these tasks; others do almost all of them. Any time you resort to diet pills, you expose yourself to side effects. A much safer way to lose weight quickly is to reconstruct your diet and incorporate exercise into your life.
Step 1
Have your diet consist of nothing but nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans and whole grains. Get rid of the fast food, sweets, chips and refined baked goods.
Step 2
Drink water as your beverage of choice to save calories and flush toxins from your system. Avoid all high-calorie beverages such as flavored coffees, fruit drinks, lattes, milkshakes, soda, beer and soft drinks. Drink eight to 10 cups of water a day. Keep it as cold as you can tolerate to help give your metabolism a slight boost.
Step 3
Start eating as soon as you get up and don't stop until three hours before bed. Eating a small, balanced meal every two to three hours can help increase your metabolism, provide energy and prevent you from overeating. Compose meals that are a combination of protein and high-fiber complex carbs. Have a banana with peanut butter for a late-morning meal; have a salad with a chicken breast and whole wheat roll for a midday meal; and have salmon with steamed cauliflower and a yam for your last meal of the day.
Step 4
Eat more spicy foods to help boost your metabolism even more. Add red pepper, chili peppers and hot sauce to your meals wherever applicable.
Step 5
Reduce your daily intake by 500 calories to lose a pound of weight a week just from your diet.
Step 6
Build metabolically active muscle by lifting weights. Focus on exercises that incorporate as much of your body as possible. Examples include chest presses, shoulder presses, bent-over rows, triceps extensions, biceps twist curls and lunges. Do 12 to 15 reps and three to four sets of each exercise.
Step 7
Perform interval training to get the most effective calorie-burning cardio workout. Start with a five-minute warm-up at a low intensity. Go at an intensity that's about 80 percent or your maximum effort for 30 seconds. Reduce your intensity to about 50 percent max and go for 60 seconds. Alternate back and forth for 45 minutes, then finish with a light five-minute cool-down. Apply interval training to running, spinning, elliptical training, rowing, swimming or any other cardiovascular exercise you enjoy.
Step 8
Do your weight training exercises three times a week on non-consecutive days. Do your interval training three days a week on the between days of your weight training. Go for a 30-minute walk or bike ride on your off day at a moderate intensity.
Member Comments