There are so many diets and exercise plans out there, it can be difficult to decipher which ones are safe, let alone which ones are best for you. Most people don't require a complicated plan, however, and a simple approach is often best. By changing a few of your habits when it comes to diet and exercise, you can experience fast weight loss that's safe and lasting.
Step 1
Stop drinking sodas. Soda offers no nutritional content and is high in calories, often containing 120 calories or more.
Step 2
Plan all of your meals and snacks. Leave no room for the temptation to sneak in fast food. Come up with a menu for the week. Breakfast might consist of cereal with fresh fruit, or whole-grain toast and yogurt. Lunch might be a salad made from dark greens, topped with a balsamic vinaigrette, chopped walnuts and low-fat goat cheese. Dinner might be chicken breast or fish with steamed vegetables and brown rice. Eat fresh fruit as a snack to dampen cravings and add few calories to your daily intake.
Step 3
Don't skip breakfast. Even if you're busy or running late, try to eat something healthy for breakfast. Eating in the morning helps to jump-start your metabolism earlier in the day, which means you start burning calories earlier and more efficiently. It also provides you with energy to get to lunch and helps to prevent overeating due to hunger at later meals.
Step 4
Quit eating at least two hours before you go to sleep. Get in your last snack a few hours before bedtime so that you don't go to bed on a full stomach and full of calories that won't be burned. This can lead to a build-up of fat that your body just holds onto rather than burns off through activity.
Step 5
Exercise every day. Get up and get moving first thing in the morning by going for a jog, bike ride or swim. Burn additional calories by walking up stairs rather than taking the elevator, taking a bike or walking rather than driving when you can, and parking farther away to storefronts to get a bit more walking in.
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