What Is a Fast & Easy Way to Lose Weight?

What Is a Fast & Easy Way to Lose Weight?
Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

When you want to lose weight, it's understandable that you'd want the pounds to come off as quickly as possible. A steady rate of weight loss that's still safe is no more than 1 to 2 lbs. a week, so keep that in mind when setting your weight loss expectations. Talk to your doctor before starting a new diet or exercise plan to ensure you're in good enough health for such a change.

Choose Good Foods

Making healthy food selection is important for losing weight quickly and easily. You can do this by selecting foods that have a low-energy density, according to MayoClinic.com. This means eating foods that provide ample nutrition without ample calories such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fish. Low-density energy foods also keep you feeling fuller for longer, which helps prevent overeating.

Determine Your Caloric Needs

Cutting the number of calories you consume each day is also vital for losing weight quickly and easily. To do this, you need to first figure out how many you need to eat to maintain your weight. Use a calorie calculator to establish calorie intake and subtract 500 calories from this amount. Paired with exercise, a 500-calorie daily deficit should help you burn enough calories to lose 1 lb. a week. For reference, 3,500 calories is equal to 1 lb.

Workout Regularly

Regular exercise is essential for losing weight at a moderate pace. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, you need between 60 and 90 minutes of cardiovascular activity five times a week to burn enough calories to lose weight. You can separate these workouts into 30-minute sessions throughout the day if need be. Swimming, jogging and cycling are especially effective.

Stick To Your Routine

If you really want to lose weight as quickly and easily as possible, you have to create a routine and stick to it. This means you can't indulge in fast food every week or skip workouts all the time. You need to eat right and exercise consistently to see the results you want. If you do stick to a routine and still don't see results, consult with your doctor to ensure an underlying medical condition isn't holding back your weight loss progress.

References

Article reviewed by Tina Boyle Last updated on: Mar 7, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments