The Best Ways To Lose Weight Quickly

When you commit to the idea of losing weight, you want to see immediate results. Real, sustainable weight loss takes a dedicated approach to your diet and an emphasis on movement. "Fast," in terms of weight loss, usually means about 2 lbs. per week. This may not be as fast as you desire, but it is a manageable rate of weight loss that will peel off fat--not just water and lean muscle.

Reduce Calories

Consume 3,500 calories fewer than you burn to lose 1 lb. of weight. Create a 7,000-calorie deficit in a week, or 1,000 a day, to lose 2 lbs. of weight a week. Determine how many calories you burn in a day using the Calories Per Hour website--then trim 1,000 calories off that number to determine your daily consumption goal for weight loss. Do not consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day as a woman or 1,500 as a man. The National Institutes of Health note that these minimum numbers prevent nutritional deficiencies and ensure adherence. If cutting 1,000 calories a day puts you below these numbers, increase activity or establish a less aggressive rate of weight loss.

Burn Calories

Weight loss occurs more quickly if you couple your dieting efforts with exercise. The "International Journal of Obesity" published a review of over 33 studies in 2005 on the effectiveness of diet and exercise on weight loss, which concluded that dieting along with exercise resulted in effective weight loss. The Harvard School of Public Health notes that the one best weight loss mantra is "exercise, exercise, exercise." Ninety-four percent of members of the National Weight Control Registry--a group of 5,000 people who have successfully sustained a weight loss averaging 66 lbs.--reports increasing their physical activity to induce weight loss.

Try Higher Protein

A diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates does help reduce weight faster than other diets, as shown by a study in "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2007. In this study, 311 obese women were assigned one of four diets with varying ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Those following the Atkins diet--the one highest in protein and lowest in carbohydrates--lost more weight at the end of 12 months than did any of the other participants. Follow a higher protein diet in a nutritionally wise manner. Choose proteins low in saturated fat and augment them with small servings of fiber-rich whole grains and fresh vegetables.

Eat More Dairy

Increasing your intake of low fat dairy to five servings per day results in faster weight loss. This conclusion, drawn by lead researcher Wendy Chan She Ping Delfos, M.D., from Curtin University's School of Public Health in Australia, showed that when following a low-calorie diet participants who ate five servings of cottage cheese, low-fat milk and yogurt experienced greater weight and fat loss over a 12-week period than those who ate just 3 servings.

Cut Out the Junk

Limit your consumption of processed foods, fast foods, sodas, candy and refined flours. These foods offer little nutrition for a large number of calories. Eat at home often to control your ingredients and portion sizes. Choose oatmeal or whole grain bread with eggs for breakfast; salads with grilled chicken or clear soups with a whole grain roll for lunch; and broil salmon or flank steak with green vegetables for dinner. Snack on fruits, hummus with carrots or yogurt.