How to Lose Weight Fast
If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.
If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.
For instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise
for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or
more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut
calories any further -- that's dangerous.
Limiting salt and starches may also mean losing more weight at first -- but that's mostly fluids, not fat.
"When you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid
retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get
started," says Michael Dansinger, MD, of NBC's The Biggest Loser show.
Dansinger recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added
sugars, and animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss,
he recommends focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products,
skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95%
lean meat.
Here are more tips from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet :
Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
Drink plenty of water.
Get tempting foods out of your home.
Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
Don't skip meals.
Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.
"Even if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the
act of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a
very effective tool for weight loss," says Bonnie Taub Dix, MA, RD,
author of Read It Before You Eat It .
Besides jotting down what you ate, and when, you might also want to note
how you were feeling right before you ate it. Were you angry, sad, or
bored? We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions
are a huge part of our eating habits.
If you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating, please
consider talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in
finding other ways to handle your feelings.
Exercising for Fast Weight Loss
It's time to move more! Losing weight requires close to an hour a day of moderate exercise, one study shows.
Plan to do cardio and strength training.
"Cardio burns the most calories, so it is ideal for fast weight loss,
but afterward you need to include a few hours a week of strength
training," Dansinger says. To burn the most fat, try to break a sweat
after your warm-up and keep sweating for the entire hour, Dansinger
says.
If you're not exercising now, and you have a chronic condition or a lot
of weight to lose, it's wise to check in with your health care provider
first. They'll be rooting for you! And they'll make sure that you're
ready to work out.
Pace yourself. Don't do too much, too soon -- work your way up to help prevent injury.
One way to step up the intensity is to do interval training -- brief
bursts of high-intensity, followed by a more mellow pace, and repeating
that pattern throughout your workout.
"Interval training allows people to work harder without having to spend
the entire time at the higher level, and over time, the more you do it,
the easier it becomes to burn more calories," Blatner says.
Fad Diets and Crash Diets
I know how tempting diet crazes can sound, especially if you have a lot
of weight to lose. You hear about stars who did it and look incredible.
But remember, if a diet plan sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Also, please skip any programs that promote detoxification pills,
laxatives, fasting, or potions, and any that promise weight loss faster
than 2-3 pounds per week.
The truth is that cutting calories below 1,050-1,200 per day is
counterproductive, because you need strong muscles to be able to
exercise effectively.
"When you eat too few calories, you lose fat but also precious muscle,
which is the worst thing you could do because it slows your metabolism
and makes it more difficult to increase exercise intensity or duration,"
Dansinger says.
Fad diets also set you up for failure by depriving you of what you want.
You can't eat like that for long, and it's too likely that you'll rebel
and end up back where you started. You deserve better than that!
So by all means, attack your weight loss goal. Put it on the fast track.
But please, do it right so you set yourself up for lasting success.
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| Lose Weight with Green Tea |
Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.
People
sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra
calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.
"If
you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or
brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no
calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American
Dietetic Association.
Best Diet Tip No. 2: Think about what you can add to your diet, not what you should take away.
Start by focusing on getting the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
"It
sounds like a lot, but it is well worth it, because at the same time
you are meeting your fiber goals and feeling more satisfied from the
volume of food," says chef Laura Pansiero, RD.
You're
also less likely to overeat because fruits and vegetables displace fat
in the diet. And that's not to mention the health benefits of fruits and
vegetables. More than 200 studies have documented the
disease-preventing qualities of phytochemicals found in produce, says
Pansiero.
Her suggestion for getting more: Work vegetables into meals instead of just serving them as sides on a plate.
"I
love to take seasonal vegetables and make stir-fries, frittatas,
risotto, pilafs, soups, or layer on sandwiches," Pansiero says. "It is
so easy to buy a variety of vegetables and incorporate them into
dishes."
Best Diet Tip No. 3: Consider whether you're really hungry.
Whenever you feel like eating, look for physical signs of hunger, suggests Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry?
"Hunger
is your body's way of telling you that you need fuel, so when a craving
doesn't come from hunger, eating will never satisfy it," she says.
When you're done eating, you should feel better -- not stuffed, bloated, or tired.
"Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so it takes just a handful of food to fill it comfortably," says May.
Keeping your portions reasonable will help you get more in touch with your feelings of hunger and fullness.
Best Diet Tip No. 4: Be choosy about nighttime snacks.
Mindless eating occurs most frequently after dinner, when you finally sit down and relax.
"Sitting
down with a bag of chips or cookies in front of the television is an
example of eating amnesia, where you mindlessly eat without being
hungry, but out of habit," says American Dietetic Association
spokesperson Malena Perdomo, RD.
Either
close down the kitchen after a certain hour, or allow yourself a
low-calorie snack, like a 100-calorie pack of cookies or a half-cup
scoop of low-fat ice cream. Once you find that you're usually satisfied
with the low-cal snack, try a cup of zero-calorie tea, suggests Perdomo.
Best Diet Tip No. 5: Enjoy your favorite foods.
"I think putting your favorite foods off limits leads to weight gain because it triggers 'rebound' overeating," says Sass.
Instead
of cutting out your favorite foods altogether, be a slim shopper. Buy
one fresh bakery cookie instead of a box, or a small portion of candy
from the bulk bins instead of a whole bag.
"You can enjoy your favorite foods, but you must do so in moderation," says Sass.
Best Diet Tip No. 6: Enjoy your treats away from home.
When
you need a treat, Ellie Krieger, RD, host of Food Network's Healthy
Appetite, suggests taking a walk to your local ice cream parlor or
planning a family outing.
"By
making it into an adventure, you don't have to worry about the
temptation of having treats in the house, and it is a fun and
pleasurable way to make it work when you are trying to lose weight,"
says Krieger.
And
for those times you just can't get out? Krieger stocks her kitchen with
fresh fruit, which she thinks can be every bit as delicious as any
other dessert.
Best Diet Tip No. 7: Eat several mini-meals during the day.
If
you eat fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. But when
you're hungry all the time, eating fewer calories can be challenging.
"Studies
show people who eat 4-5 meals or snacks per day are better able to
control their appetite and weight," says obesity researcher Rebecca
Reeves, DrPH, RD.
She
recommends dividing your daily calories into smaller meals or snacks
and enjoying as many of them as you can early in the day -- dinner
should be the last time you eat.
Best Diet Tip No. 8: Eat protein at every meal.
Protein is more satisfying than carbohydrates or fats, and thus may be the new secret weapon in weight control.
"Diets
higher in protein [and] moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of
regular exercise, have an excellent potential to help weight loss," says
University of Illinois protein researcher Donald Layman, PhD.
Getting
enough protein helps preserve muscle mass and encourages fat burning
while keeping you feeling full. So be sure to include healthy protein
sources, like yogurt, cheese, nuts, or beans, at meals and snacks.
Best Diet Tip No. 9: Spice it up.
Add spices or chiles to your food for a flavor boost that can help you feel satisfied.
"Food that is loaded with flavor will stimulate your taste buds and be more satisfying so you won't eat as much," says Perdomo.
When you need something sweet, suck on a red-hot fireball candy for a long-lasting burst of sweetness with just a few calories.
Best Diet Tip No. 10: Stock your kitchen with healthy convenience foods.
Having
ready-to-eat snacks and meals-in-minutes staples on hand sets you up
for success. You'll be less likely to hit the drive-through or call in a
pizza order if you can make a healthy meal in 5 or 10 minutes.
Sass stocks her kitchen with:
94% fat-free microwave popcorn (20-25 calories per cup, and you can make it in two minutes or less)
Frozen vegetables
Bags of pre-washed greens
Canned diced tomatoes
Canned beans
Whole-grain wraps or pitas
Pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts
A few containers of pre-cooked brown rice
Within minutes, she can toss together a healthy medley.
Best Diet Tip No. 11: Order children̢۪s portions at restaurants.
"When
you are eating out, order a child's pizza or a small sandwich as an
easy way to trim calories and get your portions under control," suggest
Perdomo.
Another
trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look like more,
and if your mind is satisfied, your stomach likely will be, too.
Best Diet Tip No. 12: Eat foods in season.
"If
you don't love certain fruits or vegetables, it could be because you
ate them out of season when they have little taste or flavor," says
Pensiero. "When you eat seasonally, fruits and vegetables are more
flavorful, at their best, and I promise you won't be disappointed."
At
GiGi's Trattoria, her restaurant in Rhinebeck, N.Y., she serves simple
fruit desserts, like naturally sweet strawberries topped with aged
balsamic vinegar, or low-fat yogurt or fresh berries in a compote.
Best Diet Tip No. 13: Swap a cup of pasta for a cup of vegetables.
Simply by eating less pasta or bread and more veggies, you could lose a dress or pants size in a year.
"You
can save from 100-200 calories if you reduce the portion of starch on
your plate and increase the amount of vegetables," says Sass.
Best Diet Tip No. 14: Use non-food alternatives to cope with stress.
Sooner
or later, you're going to be faced with a stressful situation. Instead
of turning to food for comfort, be prepared with some non-food tactics
that work for you.
Sass
suggests reading a few chapters in a novel, listening to music, writing
in a journal, practicing meditative deep breathing, or looking at a
photo album of loved ones.
Best Diet Tip No. 15: Be physically active.
Although
it may seem counterintuitive, don't use exercise either to punish
yourself for eating or to "earn" the right to eat more.
"When you do, it sets up a negative thought pattern, which is why so many people say they hate to exercise," says May.
Instead,
focus on how great you feel, how much better you sleep and how much
more energy you have when you exercise. Physical activity is good for
you whether you are trying to lose weight or not, so keep it positive
and build a lifelong habit.
