Losing weight fast is everybody's dream. For most people, however, it involves crash dieting and avoiding certain food groups. While this may work in the short term, it usually results with people gaining the weight back a few weeks later. Also, crash dieting works only for the first week or so. After that, the body adjusts to the low calorie content, and the weight loss will stop. Instead of an extreme diet, making small but permanent changes can result in weight loss that is not only fast but also permanent.
Make It Painless
Set up a meal plan for the week, so you can easily follow it without having to guess what you're going to eat next. Use a calculator such as the one available at FreeDieting.com, where you can input your height, target weight and activity level to figure out how many calories you should be eating to lose weight. If you can live with the repetition, eat the same meals over and over, so you don't need to keep guessing calorie content. Mix and match for variety, but choose simple foods that can be repeated and combined to provide variety without affecting your weight-loss efforts.
Eating at home will also make it easier to stick to a specific meal plan. Specially at the beginning of your diet, avoid takeout or restaurant food, since you can't easily guess how it's made and how many calories are in there. Instead, cook simple meals with as few ingredients as possible. Base all your meals on a piece of lean protein, such as chicken, fish or eggs. Add a serving of whole grains and one or two servings of vegetables. Change to different ones throughout the week, but maintain the basic menu.
Don't Drink Your Calories
Liquid calories are one of the most commonly overlooked sources of calories. Sodas, fruit juices, gourmet coffee drinks and smoothies all contain a high amount of calories and little to no nutritional values. Eliminating those from the daily diet will result in weight loss without much effort on your part. Sport drinks are not appropriate for most people, as they are high in carbohydrates. For those running long distances or following a long and intense workout (90 minutes or more), sport drinks will provide fuel and energy. For everybody else, they are a source of too many calories. Also, be careful with full-fat milk or sweetened soy milk. Instead, switch to skim or sugar-free soy milk.
Make Yourself Accountable
Finding a workout or diet buddy will make it easier to keep going when you lose your motivation. This can easily be done by inviting a friend or family member to join your weight-loss efforts or using an online partner, whom you can find through sites like MyDietBuddy. Keeping a food diary can help you account for your food intake, while weighing yourself every day will help you get back on track if you see the scale creeping back up.
If you're having a hard time sticking to daily workouts, consider hiring a trainer or mixing up exercises so you don't get bored. Go to the gym one day, take a yoga class next and then go outdoors for a bike ride or a hike. When you achieve a goal, reward yourself with something other than food. Get a manicure, buy yourself a scarf or go out to watch a movie. Don't do this until you achieve that goal, and that will make it easier for you to keep going.
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