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What to Do to Lose Weight Fast

Mar 7, 2011 | By Sarah Thompson
What to Do to Lose Weight Fast
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Weight loss is a common goal and, like many, you may be hoping to lose weight quickly. Many weight loss programs tout weight loss as goal you can achieve quickly, but successful weight loss takes time and effort in implementing healthy dietary, exercise and lifestyle changes. Making these changes may not produce weight loss goals quickly, but they may help you reach your desired results faster than you expected.

Find Motivation

You have to have motivation to lose weight. Make a list of the driving forces that are influencing your weight loss. These forces should be ones that will help you stay motivated and focused on your goals, like a family member, better health or an upcoming trip to the beach. Call on these motivations when you're tempted -- call that influential family member or make a post-it of your driving force and stick it to the fridge. Also, surround yourself with supportive people who you can exercise with or express concerns to. These people should encourage you positively, not embarrass you or attack your self-confidence or self-image. If you'd prefer to lose weight privately, keep a journal of your concerns, triumphs and setbacks.

Set Realistic Goals

Before beginning a long-term weight loss plan, set realistic goals. Aim for losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week. To do this, you need to burn 500 to 1,000 more calories than you consume each day. Goals, like burning several hundred calories a day, should be SMART -- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-limited. For example, a SMART goal would be to run for 30 minutes each day most days of the week for two weeks.

Perform Aerobic Exercises

Aerobic exercises help you burn calories and fat, which reduces your weight. These exercises include running, jogging, walking, bicycling, swimming and jumping rope. Also try hula hooping, dancing, inline skating, rock climbing, rowing, cross-country skiing or games of tennis or racquetball. At the gym, look to the treadmill, stationary bike or elliptical trainer for an aerobic workout. Perform aerobic exercises most days of the week. How long you exercise, how many calories burned and how many exercises you do will depend on your intensity.

Alternate Exercise Intensities

Perform multiple aerobic exercises at a high intensity for 30 minutes using interval training. In high-intensity interval training, or HIIT, choose three aerobic activities and perform each for eight minutes, using two minutes between to drink water and prepare for the next exercise. Using HIIT, you burn a lot of calories and keep metabolism boosted throughout the day. In contrast, perform one aerobic exercise at a low-intensity for 45 minutes to an hour. Not only does this burn fat, the slow pace helps protect your joints from repetitive high-intensity stress that can result from HIIT. Shapefit.com recommends that you alternate between intensities each exercise session for optimum results.

Change Your Diet

A healthy diet will contribute to the caloric deficit required to shed pounds. Make dietary changes gradually, which will help you maintain your goals longer. Replace empty-calorie foods, like sugary snacks and drinks, for healthier, low-calorie alternatives, such as hot tea and fruit. Make more replacements as time passes. Also, eat five or six small meals instead of three. This leaves you feeling full throughout the day and reduces your likelihood for overeating during meals. When making dietary changes, consider your current health, diet, fitness level and predispositions to certain illnesses, such as diabetes. Consult a dietitian for diet recommendations based on your specific lifestyle.

Considerations

Weight loss takes time, but not just months or weeks. If you want long-term success in weight loss, your dietary and exercise habits must become a permanent way of life. Be honest with what lifestyle factors inhibit your weight loss, and make an effort to gradually change those habits. For instance, you may respond to stressors by eating or indulge in guilty foods when you are out with friends. These occurrences will happen, so choosing healthier responses, like making hot tea when you are anxious or choosing the low-calorie version of your guilty pleasure, will lead to long-term weight loss. Setbacks are likely, but instead of punishing yourself, start fresh the next day.

References

Article reviewed by Eric Lochridge Last updated on: Mar 7, 2011

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