Can You Lose Weight Fast?
You want to lose weight now. You want to do it safely. But how?
Losing Weight Safely
Many experts recommend losing weight gradually. It is more likely to remain off. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shedding pounds too quickly causes muscle, bone, and water loss rather than fat loss.
The academy’s advice: Aim to lose 1-2 pounds per week and avoid fad diets or items that make unrealistic claims. It’s best to base your weight loss goals on long-term changes.
For faster results, consult with a doctor to ensure that you stay healthy and receive the nutrients you require.
Make a weight loss plan.
You’ve heard the saying “calories in, calories out” — which means you just need to burn more calories than you consume.
However, many people can attest to the fact that it is not so straightforward.
When it comes to weight loss, both nutrition and exercise are essential. Eating fewer calories has a more immediate impact, but keeping active will help you keep the weight off. Exercise, of course, provides several health and mental benefits, regardless of whether you are attempting to reduce weight.
Your metabolism, or the rate at which your body converts calories into fuel, is also important. If you remove too many calories, you not only miss out on nutrients but also slow down your metabolism, making weight loss even harder in the long run.
There are many healthy strategies to begin losing weight without drastically reducing your caloric intake. You can:
Reduce portion sizes.
Determine how many calories you consume daily and reduce the amount you consume slightly.
Read food labels to see how many calories are in each serving.
Drink more water to feel less hungry.
Whatever approach you choose, you should prioritize healthy foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean protein. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach to good eating.
Working with a nutritionist is a smart idea to create a plan that addresses your individual needs. When you create a healthy weight loss strategy, it’s critical to stick to it. To achieve and maintain good health trends have to continue — not just for a week or a month, but for the long term.
That means you need one thing: motivation. What are your motivations for trying to reduce weight and sticking to the plan? According to research, people are more likely to maintain weight loss when they have their motivations rather than simply following their doctor’s suggestion.
So consider your arguments. Are you at high risk for heart disease or diabetes and want to avoid it? Do you want to feel better about your clothes? Play more readily with your grandchildren? Whatever it is, write it down and place a reminder somewhere you will see it every day.
According to research, setting goals along the road and rewarding yourself for achieving them increases your chances of staying motivated.
Weight Loss Support
Many applications can help you keep track of what you consume. You may utilize your smartphone to stay on track with your strategy because you are most likely carrying it with you at all times. Alternatively, keep a pen-and-paper food log detailing what you ate and when.
You’ll also want folks to support you and keep you recommended. So ask your family and friends to help you lose weight.
You might also wish to join a weight loss support group where you can share your experiences with others who can relate. Or chat with someone you know who has healthily lost weight. Their support is contagious in a positive way.
Eating Habits For Weight Loss
Food is primarily a source of energy. It provides you with the energy to do things. But relatively few people eat only for that purpose. There is food at every social event. And it is where many of us go when we have a bad day.
You’ll need to understand what makes you desire to eat when you’re not hungry and devise a strategy for those occasions. You should also incorporate some of the other weight-loss routines that are effective.
Find out what motivates you to eat.
What are your triggers? Do you crave food when you’re stressed, angry, anxious, or depressed? Is food your primary reward when something good happens?
Try to identify when those feelings arise and prepare a plan to do anything other than eat. Could you take a walk? Text a friend?
Reward yourself for making better choices.
Get yourself a bouquet or see a weeknight movie. Just don’t provide food as a reward.
Eat more often.
This may sound counterintuitive, but eating 5-6 times a day can help you avoid hunger. You might distribute your calories evenly across all of those mini-meals, or make some larger than others. You’ll need to arrange your portions so you don’t overeat.
Eat more carefully.
Enjoy your food. Note how it smells, tastes, and feels in your mouth. Notice when you begin to feel full. Being mindful of your food in this way may help you lose weight while also making dining more enjoyable.
Limit your portion sizes.
If you consume a lot of restaurant meals or are accustomed to overflowing platters of food at home, you might be surprised to learn what nutritionists consider a proper portion size. A serving of protein, such as a hamburger patty or chicken breast, should be the size of a deck of cards. Half a cup is the serving size for cooked pasta. Sticking to smaller meals like this can help you lose weight.
Use small plates.
Serving modest quantities on smaller dishes helps them appear larger. Some research, although not all, suggests that this is an effective weight-loss technique.
Eat more slowly.
According to research, slow eaters consume fewer calories and are less likely than quick eaters to be obese.
Avoid eating late in the night.
People who eat late at night are more likely to develop obesity. According to some studies, eating at night might delay calorie expenditure, increase fat accumulation, and make you feel more hungry throughout the day.
Accept setbacks in stride.
Weight loss setbacks are natural and expected. Even people who are consistently losing weight often reach a plateau after a few months, and almost everyone deviates from their food or exercise routines on occasion. If this occurs, try to take a modest step back toward your goals. Call on your support network for encouragement. Try not to become mired down in negative ideas.
Diet for Fast Weight Loss
You don’t have to go vegan, gluten-free, or avoid any one food group to lose weight. If it’s something you can live with in the long run, you’re more likely to lose weight permanently.
Despite the need for quick weight loss, fad diets and plans that promise immediate results are not the solution. You are unlikely to continue with them, and they may deplete you of essential nutrients.
However, it makes sense to significantly reduce or eliminate empty calories.
Foods to Limit for Weight Loss:
Foods with added sugar. These are the sugars found in cookies, cakes, drinks with sugar, and other products, rather than the sugars found naturally in fruits. Sugary foods typically include a lot of calories but few nutrients. Aim to consume fewer than 10% of your daily calories in added sugars.
Carbohydrates of lower nutritional value. You do not have to avoid carbohydrates, but you may be picky about your selections. Whole grains, for example, are preferable to highly processed foods since processing removes vital minerals such as fiber, iron, and B vitamins — though some may be added back, as in “enriched” bread.
Additionally, look for foods with a low glycemic index, which means they digest more slowly and are less likely to spike your blood sugar. Green vegetables and most fruits have a low glycemic index, but potatoes and white grains have a high one.
Drinks with high calories. One simple strategy to lose weight quickly is to avoid liquid calories like soda, juice, and alcohol. Replace them with calorie-free beverages such as lemon water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee.
When compared to sugary beverages, diet drinks contain fewer calories. However, if you grab a cookie or other treat because you are still hungry or believe you have saved enough calories for it, your plan fails.
What to eat to lose weight:
Protein. It’s enjoyable and will help you maintain your muscles. Vegetarian and vegan options include nuts, beans, and soy, as well as lean meat, chicken, fish, and dairy.
Most Americans consume enough protein, but it could come from leaner sources. You might already have plenty in your diet. Your protein requirements vary depending on your age, gender, and level of physical activity.
Good fats. Small amounts of fat can make you feel more satisfied and less like you’re on a diet. Better alternatives include seafood, nuts & seeds, and olive oil. These contain unsaturated fats, particularly polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.
Fiber. Fiber can be obtained from vegetables, whole grains, and fruits; any plant diet will include it. Some possess more than others. The top sources are artichokes, green peas, broccoli, lentils, and lima beans. Raspberries rank first among fruits.
Meal replacements. If you do not make up the calories elsewhere, these smoothies, bars, and other goods will keep you on track. They are convenient and eliminate the guesswork associated with dieting. However, if you stop eating meal replacements, you will need to change your eating habits to maintain your weight loss.
Fasting for Weight Loss.
You might think that fasting is a quick approach to losing weight. But not all fasts are the same. A fast occurs when you do not eat or drink for several days at a time. Prolonged fasts can be harmful and accomplish nothing to change ordinary eating habits. They are not an effective weight-loss approach.
But many people these days are talking about something else: intermittent fasting. That is when you select specific times of day or days of the week to eat nothing or significantly less than normal. In some forms, you simply stop eating at night; in others, you only eat for six or eight hours per day. Some regimens call for eating regularly on most days but just having one tiny meal a couple of times each week.
Some tiny, short-term research suggests that intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss. However, there has been little research on the long-term effects of intermittent fasting on weight or health.
People with diabetes or eating problems, as well as those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, should avoid fasting regularly. Even if you don’t fall into those categories, you may find that fasting isn’t for you because it causes headaches, crankiness, low energy, or constipation.
If you choose to fast, drink plenty of water and take a daily multivitamin. Consult your doctor, especially if you take medication that may require adjustments.
Takeaways
No matter how you start your weight loss journey, the best way to keep it off is by long-term lifestyle changes such as a healthy eating plan and physical activity. If you are unclear about where to begin, how many calories to decrease, or how to do it safely, you should consult a trained dietitian.
Related: Fat Burned: What Happens Inside Your Body When You Lose Weight.
How to Lose Weight Fast FAQs:
How does sleep affect weight loss?
Getting too little sleep can have a significant impact on your weight. According to research, a lack of sleep can cause you to snack more on high-fat and carbohydrate items, as well as consume more calories in general. If you sleep too little or get poor-quality sleep, losing weight may be more difficult.
How can I drop 20 pounds fast?
If your concept of quick weight reduction is to lose 20 pounds in a week or 20 pounds in a month, experts suggest losing 1 to 2 pounds each week is a more realistic and sustainable objective. It may take 10 to 20 weeks to safely lose 20 pounds using tried-and-true tactics such as portion control, drinking more water, increasing physical activity, and learning to manage unhealthy eating cues.
What’s the fastest way to lose drastic weight?
Doctors consider anything more than two pounds per week to be a fast loss of weight. In some situations, such as when an obese person is preparing for weight loss surgery, a doctor may prescribe a very low-calorie diet. On such a diet, you may consume as few as 800 calories per day from meal replacement shakes, bars, or other goods, and lose 3 to 5 pounds per week. Most experts do not recommend following this diet for more than 12 weeks, and never without medical supervision.
Many consumers seeking the quickest way to reduce weight will turn to fad diets that promise immediate results. You can lose 10 pounds or more in one week by significantly lowering calories, but you’ll lose water and muscle rather than fat, and you’ll eat so few calories that your body will respond with a rise in hunger. You will most likely feel weak and weary. It is doubtful that you will stick to that plan or lose weight.
What is the healthiest way to lose weight?
A healthy weight can be maintained with a lifestyle that includes appropriate eating, regular physical activity, and stress management. People who lose weight gradually and steadily—about 1 to 2 pounds per week—are more likely to maintain their weight loss than those who lose weight quickly.
What is the healthiest weight loss per month?
So what is the magic number to lose weight and keep it off? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it’s 1 to 2 pounds per week. That means, on average, that aiming for 4 to 8 pounds of weight loss per month is a healthy goal.
