When you pull out last year's bathing suit to get fired up for summer and find out that it does not fit quite as well as it did last season, it is time to take action. If your goal is to lose weight quickly, you must make some major alterations to your current lifestyle. This plan of attack does not include supplements and miracle weight loss formulas. Instead, it involves hard work and discipline.
Step 1
Refrain from eating for three hours before going to bed. Nighttime calories equal daytime pounds. When the sun has gone down and you are lying back watching TV before bed, your metabolism slows down, according to an article in ConsumerAffairs.com. If you want to look good for summer, leave the snacks in the cupboard and fight the urge to binge.
Step 2
Create a deficit. Weight loss occurs when you eat fewer calories than you burn off. To lose a pound of weight, you need a 3,500 calorie deficit, according to Calories Per Hour. To lose a pound a week through your diet alone, cut your daily intake by 500 calories.
Step 3
Eat nutrient-rich foods rather than energy-dense foods. Avoid foods that are low in nutrients and fiber and high in fat, sugar and sodium. Avoid cakes, cookies, ice cream, fast food and commercial baked goods because they all fall into this category. Eat a diet of healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products, nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans, to boost your metabolism.
Step 4
Give up drinking alcohol. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram. That's the good news. The bad news is that drinking high amounts of it can lead to liver damage and weight gain. If you are trying to lose weight quickly for summer, you are not going to get it done if you drink four to five beers per night while watching the basketball game. Avoid alcohol completely, along with any other beverage that is high in sugar and calories. Drink water instead as it has no calories and it can also help keep you hydrated.
Step 5
Eat like a race horse. Grazing is a dietary approach where you eat a small meal every two to three hours throughout the course of the day. This will help increase your metabolism and sustain your energy levels. It can also prevent you from overeating. Design meals that balance proteins and carbs.
Step 6
Go for a run. If you want to lose weight quickly for summer, you must be willing to do cardio exercises and burn calories. Perform cardio activities three times per week, on alternating days, for 45 to 60 minutes. Things you can do include running, spinning, elliptical training, swimming, rope jumping, stair climbing and rowing.
Step 7
Work out with weights three times each week. Weight training will build muscle, which in turn can increase your metabolism. Do exercises that target your whole body, including chest presses, shoulder presses, back rows, triceps dips, biceps curls, squats and crunches. Do 12 to 15 repetitions with moderate weights and repeat for three to four sets. Do your three sessions on alternating days.
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