If you have spent any decent amount of time searching the internet for fitness advice, you have probably come to realize, the one thing the industry does not lack is “Tips”, but something it does lack is useful tips.   These days, it is far too easy to just claim expertise in a subject, and start giving out advice. You would not believe some of the “advice” I have heard other people give out after personally being involved in fitness over the years.

I have heard everything from: 

“If you do 1000 crunches every day you will have rock solid abs in 2 weeks no matter what you eat” to “You can eat as much as you want before 6pm and you will still lose weight.” 

I hope that if you have read some of my other articles you can see the major flaw in both of these tips, but a lot of people fall for this kind of advice everyday. The only reason I can think of that people would fall for such bad advice is out of pure desperation, people are more desperate than ever to find “short cuts” to their goals, and getting healthy through fitness is no different.

To give you a break from a seemingly endless stampede of incorrect or just bad advice, I have included 10 of my own fitness tips that will really make a difference in your life.

Calculate Your RDA of Calories

If you are really trying to lose fat or gain muscle and not getting any results, you should find out your recommended daily amount of calories. Why finding out this number is so important is that if you know how much calories your body burns naturally per day, you can eat below that number each day to be in a calorie deficit and lose weight. Alternatively, you could eat slightly above that number, along with weight training to build muscle.

Be active for at least 30 minutes a Day

The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of some sort of physical activity per day to best help promote weight loss and a generally healthy lifestyle.

Don’t Neglect Stretching

One of the first parts of their program people will drop from their daily routine is stretching; this can be a big mistake for your overall health as light daily stretching can be very beneficial for you.   Regular stretching if done correctly will improve your joint flexibility, increase blood circulation throughout your body, and even improve your posture.

Keep a Fitness Journal

One of the biggest motivators to stay on track for a lot of people is a fitness journal.  You can log anything from your workout regimen to your daily diet in a journal and look back on it anytime to see what worked for you.

Snack Smart

For many people snacking choices can either make or break their diet, but if you snack smart, you can make snacking a real asset to your weight loss goals.  The key is to pre package healthy snacks for you to eat throughout the day while you are in town, at work or at home.  Pick out a few healthy snacks you like such as fruits, vegetables, 100 calorie snack packs or pretzels (Watch for large amounts of sodium though).

Stay Consistent

Remaining consistent in a fitness program is what I consider the key thing to remember. Whether you are trying to improve for a sport, lose weight, or build muscle. If you are constantly missing workouts or cheating on your diet then you will not get the results you deserve and you will likely give up altogether.

Strive For Progression

In every form of exercise you do constantly strive for progression. If you jogged 2 miles last week, this week do 2.1.  If you benched 165 5 sets of 12 last week, go for 170 5 sets of 12 this week. Progression is what keeps the body working to improve; your body will have no choice but to progressively get stronger and leaner to keep up with your increased workload. Of course do not try to progress too soon, as this can lead to injury, just always look for ways to progress when you feel ready.

Get Others Involved

Like almost anything in life, you will likely see better results in your fitness training if you get your friends, family, or even co-workers involved.  It will give you other people to talk to about your own goals and to motivate you.  If your whole family knows you are trying to lose 10 pounds for example, they will be quicker to help you from slacking on your diet or workouts. Moreover, they will be there to cheer you on when you succeed.

Don’t Be Afraid To Change It Up

One of the most common reasons people stop a program is they simply get bored of it. If you are doing the exact same routine of squats, lunges, leg extensions and curls for months who can blame you for getting bored?  The key is keeping your workouts changing and dynamic to keep your intensity up , this can be done by simply changing the order of exercises or  picking up a new program altogether.  This is also beneficial for your progress physiologically as your body will not be able to adapt to your routine and you can continue pushing it.

Take Time Off

This will probably be the easiest tip for a lot of people to follow as it just requires taking a break from your workouts.  If you continue working out day after day, week in and week out, it can be very taxing on not just your muscular system but your central nervous system as well.  This is why it is beneficial in the long run for you take a SCHEDULED week or so off every 3-6 months.  When you return to your normal routine or maybe a new one like tip 9 recommends, you will feel more refreshed then ever. Who knows you may even break a few new personal records.

The party season is fast approaching. There is always the last minute rush to get the remaining presents, some extra decorations and that outfit you so much wanted for the string of parties to come.

Everybody wants to look good in a party and in the outfit they want.  With only a few weeks away before those parties start here are some tips to look your best.

1. Concentrate on 1 goal.

Well you don’t have a lot of time and the preparation for the festive season can be stressful as it is without weight loss managements. What is it about your weight or body that concerns you the most? Is it tummy fat, firming your bottom, losing a couple of inches from your waist, or a couple of pounds in general? You can’t get everything in a few weeks and you will not jump 5 dress sizes in 4 weeks (unless you use magic) that is a fact.

If you overload yourself with trying to achieve too much in too little time you will most probably setting yourself up to fail and you will be getting stressed. Set 1 goal, for example to lose a couple of inches from your tummy and work on that one thing.

2. Be realistic

Like I mentioned above you don’t have bags of time so be realistic in your goals. Set one final goal and then divide this to smaller goals for each week. Think to yourself is that possible to be achieved with my circumstances? Using the above example you want to lose let’s say 3 inches from your waistline and you have 4 weeks to do it. Then set your goals for each week, i.e. aim to lose 1lb per week which could translate to just under an inch per week.

You may have a week which you lose more or less. Always account for your own personal circumstance. You neighbour or work colleague may have gained a 6 pack in 2 weeks, but you are you and you have your own body and your own personal circumstances and what works for your neighbour may not work for you.

In general it is not recommended to lose more than 1-1.5kg per week. Although the amount of weight which is within a healthy range will depend on personal circumstances characteristics. However, in general terms if you try to lose a lot of weight too fast you could be losing muscle and possibly dehydrating your body.

3. Go strict

To make it clear strict does not mean starvation tactics or radical unsafe diet regimes. Strict means keeping to your regime. Make a plan and set your goals and stick to it. Well we will not prosecute you if you don’t stick to it but the only way to get some results in a limited amount of time is to be strict with what you do.

4. Don’t go too low on calories

This is the usual mistake a lot of people do. They think they don’t have a lot of time so the best way is to starve. First is not healthy. Moreover, if you crash diet for longer than 2 weeks you are likely to slow down your metabolism. This in turn translates into actually burning less calories and therefore losing less weight.

In general it is not recommended for people to drop below 1500-1200 kcal daily intake. The amount of calories your body needs will depend on a number of things, including gender (men tend to need more calories), body size and physical activity. If you exercise for example your body needs extra calories to fuel the exercise.

5. De-stress

Easier said than done but do pay attention to your stress levels. The countdown to Christmas can be a very stressful affair with usually spending more money than you got, winging kids, preparing for the dreaded family gatherings, food shopping, remembering the Xmas cards and dodging the long queues in just about everywhere. Do you feel as if the whole world is sitting on your shoulders? Well then is time to de-stress.

Stress can make you put on weight in many ways. With stress we crave sweet and fatty foods, so watch those cravings they probably not trying to tell you that you need food but rather that you need to relax. There are also a number of metabolic and hormonal processes which take place in the body when we are stressed which make you store fat easier especially in the abdominal area.

If that doesn’t convince you people don’t tend to look good when they are stressed.

6. Cook in bulk

You may be one of the super organised ones who has finished Xmas preparation by August and you just relax and enjoying your time now. However, for the rest of us the closer you get to Christmas the crazier the days get and cooking seems like a distant thought.

When you are cooking meals at home try to cook more than you actually need, then freeze the excess. This way you can have healthy, home cooked food which you can just take out of the freezer and reheat.

It is all too tempting to pick the take away box on your way home when you had a crazy day.

7. Do not pre-sample the Christmas sweets

This time of the year there are sweets everywhere. If you work someone has send a box of sweets as a Xmas thank you, if you go to the shops there is some kind of sweet sampling going on (try our Xmas cookies etc), your partner may be doing a trial Xmas cake cooking session and so on.

It is hard to say no if it is right in front of you all the time and is easy to lose count of how many sweets you have eaten especially if they are little pieces of this and that. Just make a rule about sweets and keep it. Either don’t eat them at all or have a daily allowance of 2-3 per day. Not 2 – 3 boxes or whole cakes, but little portions.

You will have the 2 weeks of Christmas to fill in the chocolate and sweets.

8. Make a New Year’s resolution

The story usually goes like this:

Xmas approaching and you want to shed the extra weight so you can look good for the parties or just to make room for the festive binge. You spend about 3 weeks (start Xmas early, finish late) eating and drinking anything and everything. Then you start from January in the gym and dieting to get a new you. That’s it you will do it this year! You give up by March only come May – June you start panicking about the holiday season. So you diet and exercise to get a flat tummy etc. Post holiday cocktails or just the blues you give up on that wicked top and the Baywatch body. Come November Xmas is approaching.

Do you spend all your life in a circle dieting- eating dieting what you’ve eaten – eat what you lost – then diet ….and so on…

If you feel tired and confused reading it imagine how your body feels doing it. Don’t just lose weight for a party but make a decision to have a better lifestyle, maybe be more active, eat healthy and keep those pounds off. Make a plan for life and you will look good and feel good not just for Christmas.

Have you ever heard someone say I am having a fat day today? Well apart from the psychological aspect of a ‘fat day’ there are other reasons which can influence how we fit in our clothes and how our body feels. So if one day you fit just right in your jeans and the next they feel claustrophobic it could be that you have water retention.

What is water weight?

Water retention (water weight) or fluid retention is when your body will retain excess fluid in the tissues and/or the cavities of the body beyond the normal standards. There are a number of different reasons why your body will retain water. Water retention can be visible such as oedema which is associated with the retention of fluids beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body and it usually causes swelling.

As there are a number of different reasons why your body will accumulate excess fluids there are different ways to lose the excess fluids and water weight.

1. Fast very low calorie diets

Not a recommended way to lose water weight. People on fast low calorie diets which usually last one week tend to lose mostly water. However, that is not a recommended way to go about losing water weight. If you haven’t really got water retention and you just need to look good in that dress for one night you may just achieve that with following a fast diet. However, you will have most probably dehydrated your body and as soon as you start eating normally it will all come back on.

This is without saying that you will most probably be stressing out your body and could have health risks. In addition a weight loss diet is not always what your body needs. Water retention can be cause due to malnutrition and very low calorie intake (especially if consuming less than 1200 kcal). In other words you could be just exacerbating the problem. Most of all water retention could be the symptom of an underlying health condition and it may need medical attention.

2. Consult a medical professional

As mentioned above water retention could be a symptom of a health condition so it is very important that you consult a medical professional first before you look at any option. Some of the medical reasons which can lead to water retention include:

·            Diabetes

·            Kidney disease

·            Cardiovascular disease

·            Thyroid dysfunction

·            Hormonal imbalances

·            Pre-menstrual Syndrome

There are a number of other health reasons why your body may retain water and it is most important to follow a correct medical investigation. It is always highly recommended not to try to home remedy or follow box standard diets designed for losing water if are suffering or have concerns that you may be suffering from any health conditions as it could have detrimental effects for health.

3. Drink plenty of water

You wouldn’t think of it but dehydration itself can lead to water retention. Your body is designed for survival and if you deprive it from what it needs it will hold on for dear life in what it’s got. Drinking plenty of water will also help circulation and clearance of fluids from the body.

It is a misconception to think that since your body holds on to water is better to avoid water.

4. Low salt diets

Eating too much salt can lead or exacerbate water retention. Although it is suggested that excess consumption of salt is unlikely to cause a massive amount of water retention, it definitely will not help with the problem and it is also not recommended for health. It could also exacerbate other health conditions responsible for water retention such as kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases.

Sodium, which is a component of salt, tends to regulate water balance in the body. Sodium is necessary for a number of functions in the body, but as with everything else when in excess can lead to dysfunctions.

A large amount of salt consumed from the diet does not necessarily come from the salt shaker. Processed foods, takeaways, tin food and junk food in general contain large amounts of sodium and salt. Cutting down on such foods, or reading the labels on foods and making healthier choices will decrease your salt intake by a lot more than just not adding salt in your food.

5. High protein diets

Water retention can be a symptom indicating that the body lacks of protein. Usually very low calorie diets followed for long period of times and vegetarian or vegan diets inadequate in good quality protein can lead to protein deficiencies.

Being protein deficient does not necessarily mean that someone will be underweight as protein deficiency does not always reflect body weight but quality of everyday diet. Someone who is obese could be protein deficient if the everyday diet they follow is high on carbohydrates and sugars and very low on protein.

6. Low GL diets

As mentioned earlier water retention can be a reflection of the quality of the diet someone follows. Diets high in carbohydrates and Glycemic Load have been associated with increased risk of inflammation, obesity and high risk of development of conditions such as metabolic syndrome, and diabetes.

Such conditions can lead in water retention and oedema. On the other hand diets low in carbohydrates, sugars and glycemic load have in general been associated with promoting positive health outcomes. In particular Mediterranean dietary patterns have been suggested by a number of studies as providing a healthy balanced dietary style and decreasing the risk of developing such health conditions as mentioned above, and/or helping to improve health outcomes. Mediterranean style diets constitute of ample fruit and veg, moderate protein intake and fats such as olive oil and fish oils. Such components are rich in antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and omega fats.

7. Ample of fruit and vegetables

As mentioned above, fruit and vegetables contain a number of antioxidant components, minerals and vitamins which help to improve the body’s functions and promote health. They also contain a large amount of water which will further help in keeping hydrated.

Inflammation and obesity largely constitute in water retention. Aiming for weight loss with a healthy balanced diet can make miracles for your body.

8. Monitor your diet for food intolerances and allergies

Do you feel bloated after you have eaten certain foods? The problem may simply come from an intolerance or allergy to specific foods. Intolerances and/or allergies do not necessarily lead to big allergic reactions but it could be subtle symptoms such as bloating, feeling sick or water retention amongst others.

Allergies and intolerances if unnoticed can lead into chronic inflammations and high amounts of histamine in the body. Apart from the fact that it is not good for your health and can lead to other serious problems, it could lead to water retention. Avoid the foods which irritate your digestive system, make you bloat or just don’t agree with you. If unsure and you have concerns consult a medical professional who can properly assess you for food intolerances and allergies or other metabolic functions.

9. Exercise

Lack of movement will affect blood circulation amongst others and can lead in water retention and oedema. Exercise will improve blood circulation and aid with lymphatic function which in result can help in reducing water retention.

You don’t have to rush and join the gym, but you can take a walk, pilates, or use the stairs, cycle or swim. In simple words start moving around.

10. Elevate your legs

If you spend a lot of time standing up (in your job for example) or after a long flight you may noticed that your legs feels swollen. Elevating your legs preferably above the heart can help to alleviate the swelling and oedema. Just put your feet up after a long day and place your legs on a stool when you are sitting down.

This may also be helpful for people who suffer with bad circulation. Think of gravity.

11. Medication

Medication can have a dual effect. There are certain types of medication which encourage water excretion such as anti-diuretic tablets. These are usually prescribed by a medical professional as part of treatment for certain health conditions. It is not advised to source the internet to try to find them in the black market in order to help you lose water weight. As with every medication they carry risks and they can have serious complications if taken inappropriately.

On the other hand there are some types of medications which could lead to water retention. Your medical professional should be the one to advise you regarding medications and how to deal with side effects. Always read the leaflets provided with the tablets for side effects or other information provided and if you have any further concerns advise your doctor.

You have spent considerable amount of time trying really hard to lose those extra pounds. You climb on the scales and the moment of truth has come; to your relief and joy you did it. You reached your weight loss goal. What a great moment. But how long does it last?

Often the weight lost doesn’t stay away for too long and it slowly creeps back. Another diet cycle follows, or you convince yourself that the only way is to be on a diet for eternity, or just give up.

If only you knew that maintaining weight loss is not that hard after all. Well for most of the cases. Read on to find out how and why.

Which diet?

Weight maintenance will depend on which diet did you follow to begin with and how much weight did you lose? To put it blandly if you did a 7 day radical – starvation regime and you lost a couple of pounds it is likely that you will put the weight back on. How to maintain the weight? Choose a better diet next time.

Any weight loss resulting from fast (a few days – 1 week), radical, very low calorie diets is mainly water, glycogen and some not significantly measurable fat. The minute you go back to your usual dietary patterns the weight will go back on as water, glycogen and some fat. You can also read how to lose weight fast but healthy for a step-by-step guide on how to lose weight and never get it back.

Think ahead

Plan for the after-the-weight-loss period before you even start a diet. For whatever reason you chose to lose weight and follow a weight loss diet, don’t just treat it as a blip moment in your life which now is over and thank god for that. Treat your weight loss as a time in which you will make lifestyle changes.

Is always best to choose a healthy balanced weight loss diet which will allow you to lose the weight you want and also teach you how to eat healthy and balanced post diet. These little habits which you will pick up on the way are the ones which will help you to keep the weight off.

A lot of the diet regimes these days do contain sections of how to go about it post-weight loss. Take the time to look into them. They may have valuable advice on what to do next.

Find your weight gain nightmares

Well what does make you put on weight? The simple answer for majority of people would be too many calories, the wrong foods and too little physical activity. Look into more specific reasons such as ‘which foods do you tend to eat more’? Is it too many takeaways, too much sugar, big portions and so on? For each person may be a different combination.

The principle however, is one. Whatever made you put on weight to start off is what will make you put on weight again if you don’t change it.

Keep a foods and drinks diary for a week

A foods and drinks diary is usually the best way to find those little weight gain nightmares mentioned above. It will provide you with the information of what do you eat, when and how much and you may find patterns which you didn’t know were there.

It is also helpful to include your emotion as well. For example how were you feeling –sad, happy, stressed etc- and what did you eat. You don’t have to be an emotional eater but you may choose specific foods based on your emotions. For example, you have those biscuits in the office every time you are stressed or you have that extra cake every time you meet your friends and are having fun chats.

Don’t deprive yourself

Changes your dietary habits or your lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean deprive yourself from specific foods forever. Do have a takeaway day, or a chocolate moment or a cocktails night. Well maybe not have a ‘day’ everyday. For example have a takeaway day once a week or once every 2 weeks or keep those threats for when you go out. Allow yourself a piece of chocolate or an ice cream, biscuit etc once every so often.

You can still enjoy the things you like, only in moderation.

Keep a plan

Following from above, set your own plan on when you will be having a takeaway for example. This will help you keep more control on the foods you eat. Be flexible about it, your plan doesn’t have to be setting stone. For example if Friday is a takeaway night doesn’t mean that you can’t have it on a Tuesday instead or that Friday you may choose to eat something else.

The point is more like saying Tuesday was a takeaway night and Friday I fancied a pizza and Saturday we visited some friends and they ordered some food…..Well you either end up losing count and control or when you do want a pizza to feel as if you depriving yourself when you have to say no.

Don’t make food special

Food is food and is a fundamental need for life and that all it is. Some foods can have harmful effects to health or affect your weight, some foods taste better (depending on peoples taste) some foods have health benefits and so on. However, don’t start putting food in terms of treats or special or any other category. Foods are not rewards, or treats. A takeaway or cake or whatever else you like is a food item which you enjoy and you occasionally include in your diet. Connecting food with emotions can create emotional cycles and can make food items more important than they are.

A lot of people may say I achieved something today or this week so I earn a takeaway or I will treat myself to a piece of chocolate. If you want to treat yourself choose something else you enjoy such a pampering session, or a dress or fishing trip if you are man or a ticket to a game. There are loads of different things you can do and you can find ideas which they will not necessarily break the bank.

Keep an eye on your portions

Apart from what kinds of foods we eat what is also important is how much we eat. Use a smaller plate and avoid layering the food. If you are still hungry is best to have a little bit more once you finished what you have in your plate. We often pile the food in our plates and eat more than we actually need or past the point of satiety. Also a half empty big plate can make us feel as if there is not enough food but a full smaller plate may not even if the two plates have the same amount of food. See also: how many calories to lose weight

Think of the speed of your hands

A friend recently said to me that how much we eat does not depend only on how fast our mouth processes it but also how fast our hand puts it in our mouth. This is actually a very valid point. It is easy to lose control on how much you have eaten when your fork goes with 100miles per hour and you pile the food into your mouth. Take your time and put your fork down every so often between takes. Give your brain a chance to realise how much food you eat.

How to do you lose weight fast? Search no more, find all the information you need in one place. The guide includes step-by-step instructions, a diet, lifestyle tips, exercise advice and everything you need to learn how to lose weight fast but healthy.

Losing weight fast is not something bad provided that you do it healthy. There are many ways to lose weight quickly but most of them generate short term results. The requirement in this case is not just to lose the pounds fast and gain them back as soon as you terminate your efforts but to lose them and keep them off. The only way to achieve fast but permanent weight loss is the healthy way; healthy does not mean that it cannot be fast, it simply means that you are not going to engage into any fad diets or products that are not safe.

Our comprehensive guide is divided into four sections with each section representing a crucial stage in weight loss. In particular: the preparation, implementation, post-implementation and maintenance stage.

The preparation stage is about the principles of how to lose weight fast and how to get your body and mind ready for this task, the implementation is the stage that explains what to do to actually save calories and accelerate weight loss. The post-implementation stage explains the lifestyle changes you need to make to ensure that you will not get the weight back and the maintenance stage will help you stay on your new weight forever.

How to lose weight fast – The 4 basic principles
15 Tips to lose weight fast and healthy
Lose weight fast – The Diet
How to lose weight fast and keep it off
How to lose weight with exercise

How to lose weight fast – The 4 basic principles

Step 1: Set your SMART weight loss goals

Define in your mind what you mean by “I want to lose weight fast”. Do you want to lose 10 pounds in a week, 20 pounds in a month? What is your real goal? Write it down on a piece of paper and then make sure that it is a SMART goal, for example:

Specific: I want to lose the weight by the end of this year

Measurable: I want to lose 20 pounds

Attainable: Is it possible to lose 20 pounds by the end of this year provided that the maximum amount of weight you can safely lose in a week is 2-3 pounds?

Realistic: Are you willing to make the effort? Losing weight fast is not the easiest thing to do and will require a lot of sacrifices. Are you ready to change your lifestyle, habits, eating pattern, exercise habits and get into the lane of rapid weight loss?

Timely:  If you weigh 200 pounds and you want to lose 50 pounds in a month because you have a wedding or a special event to attend then this is not possible. Make your goal achievable and reasonable.

Step 2: Decide on the approach to follow in order to lose weight

Decide how you will approach the whole weight loss process. Are you going to follow a commercial diet and exercise program or you are going to make a plan and define your milestones? We are not against commercial diets or weight loss programs that are based on healthy principles but these days such programs are hard to find. It is important that you choose a program and stick to it for a reasonable period of time (say 2-3 weeks) rather than switching from one diet to the other. To help you identify which programs are good or not read weight loss with crash diets. Is it possible?

Step 3: Find on average how many calories you consume per day

To lose weight fast you need to know how many calories to consume per day in order to lose the weight in the time period you specified. It is important that you analyze your current eating habits and calculate on average how many calories you already consume. So, before staring a diet keep a diary (food journal) for a week and calculate the amount of calories you consume. Also start an activities diary to record how many calories you burn through exercise and activity.

Step 4: Calculate how many calories you need to consume in order to lose weight fast

When you have worked an average for how many calories are coming in and how many calories are going out it is easier to calculate how many calories to lose weight. In simple words weight loss means to use more calories than you eat. This can take place by either decreasing the amount of calories coming in or increasing the calories going out (i.e. with exercise) or both together.

In simple terms 1 pound of fat is equal to 3500kcal. So in order to lose 1lb of fat per week you need to eat 500kcal less per day than what actually need (3500kcal / 7 days = 500kcal per day). In general it is recommended not to lose more than 2-2.5kg per week and not to go below the range of 1000kcal per day.

IMPORTANT: When you lose weight fast you don’t just lose pure fat. You will lose some water, some glycogen (stored sugar) and some protein along with fat.

So let’s demonstrate with a real example:

1. Assume that you consume around 3000 kcal per day and your energy needs are 2000 kcal you have a 1000 kcal excess which leads to you putting on weight.
2. What you should do as a starting point is to go to at least to 2000 kcal dietary intake in order to have energy balance and not put on weight.
3. If you want to lose weight fast you need to consume less than 2000 calories per day (this is your energy needs)
4. Work out your diet to fall in the calorie range of 1500 kcal per day and you will be losing an average of 1 lb of fat per week (as mentioned above be aware that in reality you will not be losing just pure fat).
5. If you want to lose weight faster (i.e. more than 1 lb per week) then reduce your daily calorie intake but make sure that you do not go beyond 1000 calories per day since this is NOT healthy.

So far we have seen how to set your weight loss goals, how to access your current situation and how to calculate the amount of calories you need to eat daily in order to lose weight. Our next section is the Implementation stage where you will learn how to save on calories and lose weight.

15 Tips to lose weight fast and healthy

1. Have a Delayed breakfast.  I always recommend this tip so you may have seen it before. Delay having your breakfast in the morning but do not skip it all together. Our body tends to burn fat as a fuel in the morning when blood sugar is at its lowest. If you delay having food for 30min then you burn the fat more efficiently
2. Have a protein breakfast. Protein will make you feel full for longer and can keep your blood sugar more stable. Apart from the health benefits you will be less likely to feel hungry half way through the morning and have fewer snacks.
3.  Healthy cooking practice. You can have all nice fresh and healthy ingredients but the minute you throw them in the deep fryer or drown them in ketchup, mayonnaise or butter there is nothing healthy about them. Not to mention the calorie count. Foods can still taste as good if you grill instead of frying or if you use olive oil instead of mayonnaise. A simple meal like chicken and salad can become a health and calorie hazard in no time. Try roasting with herbs, or garlic, or a touch of lemon and mustard and you will see that it may even be tastier.
4. Use oil spray. An easy way to control how much oil you use when cooking is to use an oil spray. When I refer to oil spray I mean olive oil. Unfortunately a lot of the oil or cooking sprays are vegetable oils which can contain a lot of trans fats or increase their trans fat content when cooked. Yes they may be hugely advertised as being very healthy as they can be low in saturated fats however they do forget to mention the trans fat issue and in comparison the trans fats may be worse for your health than the saturated fats.
5. Remove the skin from the chicken and the fat from meat. Some chefs will argue that cooking meat with the skin or the fat will add taste. Fair enough but that does not mean that you have to eat it after. Apart from the calorific value of fat and chicken skin, it is also not very good for your health.
6. Prepare your lunch box the night before. We all know that juggling work, family, social life, pets etc can be hard work. But even if you don’t have all the added pressures not many people like to wake up an hour early in the morning just to get the lunch box ready. Lunch boxes are usually full of sandwiches, crisps or you just limit yourself in the canteen which hardly has any healthy options or the corner shop. Why not cook an extra portion of the meal you having for dinner. Take that extra portion and put it ready in your lunch box for the day after. Your lunch box will be a lot more interesting than sandwich every day and you don’t have to spend a lot of time on it.
7. Tackle the size of your portion. This does not mean stay hungry or skipping meals. Instead use smaller size dinner plates and fill them once without going for multiple layers. Did your mum tell you to eat all your food when you were little and to this day you can’t help but empty your plate even if you are stuffed? Go for a small portion and if you do finish and want more then have some more. However, don’t fall in the trap of eating a little bit and then a little bit more and then a little bit more…until you managed to eat a whole cow for lunch.
8. Beware of emotionally eating. If you are an emotional eater it could be that your emotions are dictating your hunger. With emotional eating it is not always that you are actually hungry but you do tend to crave specific foods which reflect your emotional state. For example you feel sad you want something to comfort you. There are a number of techniques which can help you to determine if you are emotional eating and/or can help you break the emotional eating cycle.
9. Cut down on sugary drinks. You will be surprised but ‘sugary drinks’ does refer to a large number of drinks. Hot drinks such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate etc. They may not seem as a lot of sugar however, if you do add a spoonful of sugar every time you have a drink by the end of the day you may have just consumed the whole jar. Do you have 3 – 4 cups of hot drinks through the day? In addition, drinks such as squash, ice tea, coke, lemonade, soda, milkshakes etc do contain a lot of sugar. Some fizzy drinks do come in sugar free versions however, there has been a lot of debate regarding the use of sweeteners and to be on the safe side is best to drink them in moderation. Fruit juices seem innocent but they as well do contain a lot of sugars. The 0.5g of sugar in a fruit juice will not tip the scales but when added to all the drinks and sugars you have consumed all day then it does make a difference. See also 5 foods to avoid while dieting.
10. Have a packet of nuts in your bag. Dried fruits and nuts can contain quite a lot of calories. However, they are very nutritious and can make you feel full. Have a packet in your bag, and if you are stack in the tube or traffic, or in the office and you are hungry or just bored have a small handful. They are great in satisfying that sweet or hunger craving and save you from the crisp and biscuit danger.
11. Sleep well. The body needs sleep to re-fresh and re-organise itself. Chronic lack of sleep can lead to hormone dysregulation and imbalances which can lead to weight gain. In addition, when tired people tend to crave sweet and high in calorie foods. It is called beauty sleep for a reason but also there are health aspects in having a good night’s sleep. Aim for both quantity and quality of sleep. Broken, restless sleep can be as bad as not sleeping. Try to follow some of the relaxation and de-stress techniques / ideas to help you enjoy a good night’s sleep.
12. Get a weight loss buddy. Studies suggest that the success of weight loss clubs is not necessarily due to the diet regimes they use but because of the support they receive. In addition, studies suggest that people tend to have more success with weight loss goals if they receive support from their family circle. A weight loss buddy may help you motivate when you need it, you can have someone to talk to about your plans, progress, problems etc; not everybody wants to hear for the 10th time that you lost 4lbs and how or how much you are struggling to say no to a biscuit. For others it may create a bit of competition which may be the element that keeps them want to continue. However, just don’t let it over consume you.
13. Eat the last meal of the day at least 2 hours before going to bed. Eat your last dinner at least 2 hours before going to bed. If possible have a 10 minute walk after dinner as this will aid digestion and leave your body with less work during your sleep time.
14. Drink plenty of water. In general it is recommended to consume an average of 2 litres of water per day. I prefer to say make sure you are well hydrated especially if you are exercising and/or you are in hot weather.
15. Say no to fast food restaurants. During the period of your diet try to minimize the consumption of fast food. They may advertise it as healthy and ‘diet friendly’ but in reality fast food is processed food which contains a lot of calories, fats and sugars.

Lose weight fast Diet

The following meal plan is part of our own diet that guarantees fast but healthy weight loss. The combination diet is a balanced diet, based on Mediterranean diet principles, and it is a perfect diet to follow if you want to lose weight fast. It is not restrictive and this makes it easy to follow by anybody who cannot stand crash diets and starving weight loss programs.  The week plan below is in the range of 1000-1300 calories per day but you can adjust it for your own needs and requirements.

As a first step follow our guidelines as explained in the Preparation stage and then start our diet for at least 2 weeks and evaluate your results. You can always contact us if you have difficulties or if you cannot get the results you want and our weight loss experts (the authors of the Combination diet) will give you personalized advice and support.

Click here to download the diet in PDF format for easy printing

How to lose weight fast and keep it off

So you have managed to lose the weight, now what? It is time to enter the post-implementation and maintenance stages to ensure that you will not gain the weight back. The best way to achieve this is by changing your lifestyle.

As with every weight loss regime I will say that if you don’t change your lifestyle and diet, those things which make you put on weight then you will put the weight back on post diet. This may sound like a glooming prospect; however, weight loss diets should not be seen as the ‘magic pill’ in a vicious cycle. You put on weight and when you want or need to you go on a ‘magic pill’ then you lose the weight so you can go back on putting on weight and pick a ‘magic pill’ when you want or need to….and so on…and on. I am sure some of you may have gone down that street a few times and you may feel fed up with it already.

Tips for a Transition to a Healthier Lifestyle

Tip 1. Look at the food and drinks diary you have kept in the week prior to starting your weight loss attempts. This can provide a valuable education and insight in respect to what you eat and drink every day. Find the things which you could change, remove or replace with a healthier option.

Tip 2. Treat the dieting period as the beginning of a healthier lifestyle and weight rather than a 2 week prison sentence you have to do in order to fit in that dress. If you set yourself up to not enjoy it you will not enjoy it.

Tip 3. Write a list of all the reasons why YOU want to lose weight or have a healthier lifestyle. All the people of the world may tell you about the benefits however, it is your life and it is your body. If you do not want to make those changes for yourself and for your own reasons you will not really be getting anywhere.

Tip 4. Keep the list with your reasons for losing weight and making lifestyle changes in your bag. Use it to motivate yourself and/or remind yourself when you want to give in to temptation.

Tip 5. Keep in mind that once you have managed to lose weight fast, your body will have adapted to eating less junk food, less sugars etc. You will not crave high sugary and calorific foods as much and once you have a high sugary and calorific food your body will let you know that it doesn’t like it.

Tip 6. If you struggling to keep variety in your diet invest in a recipe food which provides healthy eating ideas. Once you get the hang of it use your imagination and you can make food as interesting or as plain as you like.

Tip 7. Make a list of foods which you want to replace with healthier options. Your list can include olive dressing instead of salad cream, olive oil instead of margarine, mixed fruit and nuts instead of a biscuit and so on. This however does not mean that you cannot enjoy all foods. The occasional takeaway or having chips once every week or 2 weeks with a bit of mayonnaise will not kill you. It is the everyday practice which makes a difference.

Tip 8. Make sure that your cupboards are not full of snacks and junk food. If it is there looking at you day in day out you will just go for it. On a lazy day you may think “do I make 2 boiled eggs or just grab a packet of crisps from the cupboard?” Well I know what I am more likely to do…

Tip 9. Introduce physical activity whether it is exercise or just taking the stairs instead of the lift. It can do miracles for your health and weight.

How to lose weight fast with exercise

Why exercise? Yes, you can lose weight with a diet alone but adding exercise to any weight loss regime can help to achieve your goals faster and easier. It is also the best way to ensure that you will not get the weight back. Some people may argue that exercising is not exactly ‘easy’. I must admit that if you have never exercised before the first few days will be hard, but do not despair if anybody else can do it so do you.

Going back to exercising, in order to lose weight fast, exercise can increase the calories you burn daily. This takes place while you exercise and when you rest. You do need to use calories to fuel any physical activity, and the amount of calories you use will depend on the kind of exercise and intensity. Moreover, your body will be using some extra calories after you have finished exercising as it will need to recover and build the muscles you just used. On top of all this as you increase the muscles you have in time, your metabolic rate increases which means that in general you burn more calories.

Apart from the weight loss benefits exercise can have added health benefits. By exercising may improve your immune, cardiovascular and respiratory systems, mood and general wellbeing not to mention that you will look good. I couldn’t praise exercise enough and I am sure a lot of you have heard over and over again how important it is to exercise.

Is it hard to exercise? My answer will be yes and no. If you hardly ever used your muscles or if you are obese then even a small walk around the corner may feel like climbing a mountain. If you are relatively active then walking around the corner could feel easy. It is true that in order to have fitness gains you will need to work above the level you are however this does not have to translate to undertaking an army style boot camp regime. I am sure that a number of ‘weight loss’ related television programs do have their participants taking an exercise regime of that sort. However that is television.

My suggestion is to start from your own level. If you have never walked further than going to the car, then take a walk around the block not around the city. This is as good enough a challenge for your muscles and you don’t have to suffer for it. Start slowly and build up on what you have. Exercising should be enjoyable and not a torture if you want to stick to it (unless a torture is what you like which again would be enjoyable in that case). If you suffer and hate it you will not do it or you will give up eventually. Same as with a diet I always recommend to choose the type of exercise you like and work to the level you feel most comfortable with. This way it will feel not as hard and all the ‘after-pain’ should be a lot less.

Do you have to join the gym or follow a set exercise program? No you don’t. For some people it works to go to the gym for but others it doesn’t. Similarly some people find it easier to follow a fitness DVD at home or an exercise class or even have a personal trainer. The choice of exercise is a personal matter and you should opt for what suits your preferences and lifestyle.

Moreover, exercising doesn’t have to be a set program as any physical activity, even playing in the park with the kids is as good. Walking the dog, cycling to work or in the park, swimming, taking the stairs instead of the lift and a game of football with kids are all some of the numerous examples you can exercise without having to put additional time on the side. You can also read: how to lose weight with pilates

To sum up, learning how to lose weight fast is not as difficult as you may have imagined. In this comprehensive guide you have all the information you need in one place. We gave you the basic principles of fast weight loss, tips to lose weight fast, a healthy diet that works and advice to switch your lifestyle to healthy living. Now it’s your turn, set your goals, find your motivation sources and get started today!

References

1. Ascherio, A. Willet, W.C. (1997) Health effects of trans fatty acids. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 66 (suppl):1006S-lOS.
2. Aspden, W. Caple, F. Reed, Rob. Jones, A. Weyers, J. (2011) Practical Skills in Food Science, Nutrition and Diatetics. Pearson
3. Brill, J. B. (2009) The Mediterranean Diet and Your Health. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. 44 – 56
4. Blackman, M.C. Kvaska, C.A. (2011) Nutrition Psychology. Improving Dietary Adherence. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
5. Clark, C. Clark, M. (2007) The New High Protein Diet. Vermilion.
6. Truby, H. Baic, S. deLooy, A. Fox, K. R. M. Livingstone, B. E. Logan, C.M. Macdonald, I. A Morgan, L. M. Taylor, M. A. Millward D. J. (2006) Randomised controlled trial of four commercial weight loss programmes in the UK: initial findings from the BBC “diet trials”. British Medical Journal. BMJ, doi:10.1136/bmj.38833.411204.80

Are you desperate to lose weight quickly but you do not know where to start? Every time you climb on the scales or look in the mirror you think I need to lose weight. Time goes on and you still need to go on a diet but to be quite honest you don’t know where to start. It’s not laziness, it’s not that you are avoiding the matter is simply you just don’t know how.

People assume losing weight or going on a diet is a simple straight forward affair. We very well know that this is not the case. Whether being breaking the habits, or choosing the best diet for yourself, or what is a good diet or not, it is not as easy as it sounds.

In this article, I have summarised some steps and tips to help you start on the weight loss mission.

Step 1 - Consult a medical professional

Before you even think about any diet, if you suffer from any medical/health condition or have any health concerns consult the appropriate medical professional. Even if you know that losing weight is necessary due to a specific medical condition, do not just follow any diet, ask if the diet you are thinking of is appropriate or just ask for general guidance.

Not all weight loss regimes are appropriate for everybody and for some people changes in the diet may have detrimental effects to their health. Do not let the fact that you are desperate to lose weight take on your logic and force you into desperate measures. Your health is very important.

Step 2 - Find how much weight you want to lose.

It may sound not important but knowing how much weight you want to lose can help you decide on the type of diet regime you can follow. So do you want to just lose a couple of extra pounds, a few more or half of your current body?

Obviously the more weight you want to lose the longer it is going to take. Therefore, you should be looking at diet regimes that are designed for long term rather than shorter versions and vice versa. This does not mean that you cannot follow a long-term diet for a couple of months; the aim is to be realistic about your goals and stay away from desperate weight loss measures.

Step 3 - Be realistic about what your weight loss goals.

When choosing a weight loss regime be realistic in what you can expect from it. Yes there are hundreds of diets or methods which do promise the world and amazing weight loss results in less than 2 weeks etc. There may be exceptions (see also: How to lose weight in 2 weeks) and there may be some people whose body may work in extraordinary ways but in general do not expect to lose 10 lbs. in a week. If you have a lot of weight to lose, be prepared that it will take some time and there may be weeks which are slow, weeks which are fast or weeks where nothing is happening.

Each individual is different and each and every one will progress in a different way.

Step 4 - Keep a foods and drinks diary for a week

Record what you drink and eat for a week and you will learn a lot from it. You may already know that you eat too much or the wrong things but sometimes if you see it in writing and in detail you can find things which you never thought mattered. Keep it as detailed as possible as it is the small little things, such as the 2 sugars with coffee, or the sneaky biscuit in the office, which add up.

I remember a work colleague once who used to say to me that her big problem is picking. She would make the kids school lunch and have a packet of crisps or steal a couple of chips from the dinner plate and a piece of this and a piece of that….when she added them all up it was a big calorie surprise. You can keep such a diary by using Calories4 Weight loss our online food and fitness journal.

Once you have the foods and drinks diary find how many calories you need to eat to lose weight.

Step 5 – Find out your own diet style.

Let’s be clear here. No matter how good or healthy or successful a diet regime or method is, if it does not suit your needs it will not work. You may discipline yourself and follow it for a while but you will soon get fed up and hate the whole thing and eventually give up.

Losing weight can be hard to do for some people, so imagine if you are doing it in a way which is wrong for you. By all means even if you are desperate to lose weight, I would never recommend following a regime which may be harmful to your health just because it suits your style, so don’t go swallowing any tape warms in a hurry.

Ask yourself the questions: ‘What foods do I like to eat?’ ‘Do I have a busy schedule and eat out a lot?’ ‘Do I hate cooking and depend on ready meals?’ ‘Do I like a strict specific diet or do I prefer something more flexible?’

Ask as many questions you can think which will help you determine which way is the best way to go about losing weight. If you feel you can’t do it without support then maybe you should consider a diet club such as ‘weight watchers’ or ‘slimming world’ and so on.

Step 6 - Research about diet regimes

There are hundreds of weight loss programs out there and there are some ‘Diet reviews’ as well. Read what each diet has to offer, how does it work and what scientific evidence is there for it. Once you know all the above, like how much weight you need to lose and what style of diet suits you then look what diets are out there.

It may sound long winded but there are some important points here:

1. You are actually following something you like,

2. To the best of your ability you have found something which is safe and does not have massive health risks.

3. You are not wasting your money or energy in the process.

Step 7 - Plan

Ok, you worked out most of the above and you have found a nice little regime for you self or maybe you want something simple healthy and flexible. Before you start getting confused or lost in the process, plan.

When are you starting the diet? Usually at the beginning of the week is best but if for other reasons it doesn’t suit you set a day. Be realistic however, don’t start a diet the week you have that dinner party, or wedding or holiday trip etc but don’t use it as an excuse either. If you have more reasons not to start the diet constantly well maybe you should go back to square 0 and find if you really want to lose weight.

Make a list of the foods / menus / your diet plan and pin it in the kitchen & keep a copy in your bag. Whether it is a set diet plan or a flexible one or a DIY one have it pinned in the kitchen. You can refer to it any time you need. Keep it in your bag so if you are out you can have an idea about what your diet plan suggests etc.

Write your shopping list and do your shopping. What ingredients do you need for your meals for the week? Make sure you have them all as not having what you want on the day can make you get frustrated or deviate from your diet.

Step 8 - Exercise

Exercise can help you lose weight and also benefit your health and if that doesn’t really matter to you eventually you do look good. Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean join the gym. As with a diet regime choose the type which suits you best. Find what you like, and if you are unsure about it try different things. A lot of gyms do free day passes for trial or you may be able to buy one or two passes individually.

Other ideas include trying a sport such as football, basketball, tennis etc. Alternatively you can try exercise classes, dancing classes, cycling clubs. There are all sorts of options and activities on offer to choose from.

If money is an issue you can sill exercise for free. Try going running or even just walking, use the stairs instead of the elevator, go cycling in the park.

Points to remember:

1. Consult a medical professional. Similarly with dieting, if you suffer from any health conditions/complaints or have any concerns consult a medical professional.
2. Do you need to diet? For some people exercise alone may be enough to help them lose weight and/or sustain their current weight. If your issue is a couple of pounds and in general you follow a balanced healthy diet exercise may just balance that extra biscuit now and then.
3. Exercise alone is not the answer for everybody and for all your problems. Well just because you started exercising or do exercise doesn’t mean that you can get away with a nutritional murder. At the end of the day if you do consume more calories than you use, you will put on weight (unless there are underlying health issues or the gifted few who never put on weight).

In addition, if you are desperate to lose weight and have more than a couple of pounds to lose exercise alone may be a slow process or may not be enough.    

Step 9 - Which is the best way to go?

You worked everything out but still you are not sure which one is the best way to go? The healthy way is a balanced healthy diet however, for many people it doesn’t really explain anything and is general and confusing.

In general a healthy balanced diet is one which includes all nutrients and from a variety of sources. In simple words it has a little bit of everything. Opt for fresh ingredients and avoid takeaways, fast food, deep fried foods, processed foods etc. 

Step 10 - Lifestyle approach

A weight loss regime, no matter how good it is, will only achieve what is meant to achieve, weight loss. But this is what you wanted, yes? Well whatever the reason was making you put on weight in the first place will still the same unless you remove that reason. Is it too much food to blame, or the wrong kind of food, or sedentary lifestyle or all of the above?

Looking at weight loss as a way to change your lifestyle towards a healthier way rather than a magic temporary pill will probably have a lot more long term benefits. When making decisions and choices is always best to look at the long term goals.

I am a 42yr woman that is having the most difficult time losing weight.  I am in need of major help.  I joined a gym on 03-12-11.  It is now 05-22-11 and I have only lost 5lbs.  I currently weigh 210.  I am going to the gym every day after work.  I am on the elliptical or treadmill for 45-60 min, then I do the weights (every muscle group) for at least 30-45 minutes.  I am consuming around 1300 calories a day, and I am trying to drink at least a gallon of water a day.

I would like to know what I am doing wrong, or what I need to change.  Is there anything you can suggest? I really want to lose weight.

Thanks for listening.

Thank you for your question. First, is hard to calculate your BMI and if you are overweight as I do not have your height. From reading your email I wonder if you actually doing too much. Too much exercise can have the opposite effect, as it can place a lot of stress and strain to your body. I can make the following suggestions:

First of all it may be a good idea to consult your doctor and have a hormone check such as thyroid hormones. It may be good to check your hormones for possible pre-menopausal issues. Such issues could be slowing down your weight loss. Pre-menopause could start as early as 10 years before the actual menopause and it also be influencing body weight. Sometimes the changes could be minimal and may not be detected or you may not have any other menopausal symptoms.

Reduce your exercise. You need to allow some time for your body to recover from the exercise and also to rebuild its self. Also over-exercising can lower your immune system, decrease your muscle fitness and make you feel fatigued and run down. Moreover, it could increase the stress in your body which could be leading in hindering your weight loss. Decrease your gym days to 5 days a week and have two days for rest. You can still be active during those two days just avoid the gym. In addition, is best to do the weights first and aerobic exercise after your weight session. Your body uses glycogen to fuel the weight session and then having been depleted (or low reserves left) it uses fat to fuel aerobic exercise. You may feel a bit tired to start off but after a couple of sessions your body should adjust to burning more fat.

I would not recommend that you reduce your calorie intake any more as you are exercising and you do need the energy. However, you can make a few adjustments such as: 1. Have a delayed protein based breakfast. Increase your protein intake such as meat, fish and lower your carbohydrate intake such as bread, and pasta. Have carbs after you exercise. You need some carbs for your exercise; however, if you have carbs just before you go to the gym you could be burning those carbs. Well you do burn fat as well but you increase your fat burning. It may be also helpful to keep a diary of foods and drinks for a weeks as there could be things that you may not realize and add to your calorie intake (i.e. fizzy drinks, throat sweets).

Another thing to consider is that with exercise you would have increased your muscle which can be heavier than fat. It could be that you have lost some fat from your body but it does not show up as total body weight loss due to the increased muscle weight. After 2 months in the gym some muscle adaptations should have started taking place.

With the information provided these are the things I can suggest so far. There are a number of factors that can influence weight loss such as the amount of excess weight we carry. The more weight the harder weight loss can be, or things like lack of sleep can increase weight gain. I hope the suggestions are of help, and if you have any further questions do contact me again.

Keeping a diet and fitness journal is the first step towards a healthy weight loss. By having a clear picture of how many calories you consume daily and how many calories you burn through exercise and activity you can easily set your weight loss targets. If you take into account that 1 pound = 3500 calories and that an average woman needs about 1500-2000 calories per day for normal work activities and an average man needs 2000-2500 calories per day, you can make your calculations and find out how many calories you should consume daily in order to lose weight. A diet and fitness journal is a great way to monitor your progress until you reach your target weight.

Download our diet and fitness journal. It is free and no registration is required.

The benefits of having a weight loss journal

1. You can record the actual number of calories consumed and not the number of calories you think you consume. Many studies show that for many people the number of calories actually consumed was different from the number of calories they thought they consume. By not counting each and every food/drink you put in your mouth you cannot have a precise picture on the calories you consume. By keeping a diet journal for a couple of weeks you will be able to calculate the average number of calories consumed daily and the average number of calories burn daily through exercise and activity.

2. A diet journal can help you identify which food items to remove or replace from your diet. By analyzing your daily diet journals you can easily identify the food items that carry a lot of calories and remove them or replace them with low calorie items.

3. A fitness journal can expose the lack of exercise and activity. If after analysing your journal you notice that the time/calories burn through exercise and activity are minimum or zero then you have just discovered the most important reason as to why you are overweight! Many people believe that they exercise but seeing the results on paper can help you view the ‘real’ picture about your activity levels.

4. Sleep, Water, Work and rest. Our diet and fitness journal allows you to record the number of hours you sleep per day, the number of water glasses you drink, the time you spend resting and watching TV and the time spend working. These numbers are very important when it comes to losing weight. A successful weigth loss is not only about dieting and exercise but is also about finding the right balance between rest, activity and work. The information you record in our journal will be valuable if you decide to get expert advice and assistance.

Tips of using a weight loss journal effectively

1. Print 14 copies of the journal to cover at least 2 weeks. During this period try to record anything that you eat and drink as well as any exercise and activity. Do not forget to fill the hours you sleep, work, rest and the number of water glasses.

2. Position the journal somewhere you can see it every day. The fridge, your office, your car are suggested places.

3. Do not lie. The purpose of the journal is to help you access your current situation so do not lie when filling up the numbers. Try to write correctly the items you eat and the activities you do.

4. Do not rush into conclusions Fill up the diet and fitness journal for at least 2 weeks and then sit down and analyse the results. Calculate your average daily calorie consumption and your average daily calorie burning. Identify areas you need to improve and re-assess your situation after 2 weeks.

You can also read:

How to lose weight if you have a slow metabolism
How many calories to lose weight
How many calories can you burn in 30 minutes?

Finally, do not forget that you can contact us with your questions or queries and one of our dedicated weight loss/fitness experts will reply to your concern.

Some people reside to surgery to lose weight. This is because either they cannot lose weight naturally or because they need faster results. One of the most popular surgeries is the Lap-Band surgery. One must be very careful before choosing such weight loss methods and certainly it should be after the close examination of a certified doctor. There are many parameters to examine before you are allowed to undergo surgery and it should be understood that weight loss surgeries are not applicable for all people. Let’s see below more details about Lap-band surgery as a way to lose weight.

What is Lap-band surgery?

Lap-band is an adjustable gastric banding system that helps you consume less quantities of food and this gradually leads to weight loss. It is applied through a surgery procedure with all the risks associated with surgeries. Lap-bad is an FDA approved system but not for all people. You must be at least 30 pounds above your normal weight and must not suffer from other more serious conditions or diseases.

Who can use Lap-band surgery for weight loss?

1. Men and Women who are at least 18 years old

2. Overweight people having more than 30+ pounds (for a period of more than 5 years) above their normal weight with a BMI of at least 40 (learn how to calculate your BMI here).

3. People who have already tried to lose weight healthy but for various reasons have not succeeded. Healthy weight loss is always the recommended way to lose weight.

4. People who are not alcoholics

5. People who have a good state of health and not suffering from other diseases.

Who cannot use Lap-band surgery for weight loss?

Lap-Band surgery is not recommended if:

1. You have gastrointestinal problems, heart problems or other chronic diseases

2. You are addicted to alcohol or other drugs

3. You are allergic to certain materials used by the lap-band system

4. Women who are pregnant

5. Generally people with a history of disorders or problems that prohibit them from going under any type of surgery.

Your doctor or surgeon can examine your health condition and make recommendations as to whether you can use lap-band or any other weight loss surgery.

How much does lap-band surgery costs?

Lap-band surgery and after treatment follow up may cost you up to $30,000. This depends on many factors but many patients stated that the overall cost is close to this amount.

Should I use Lap-Bad surgery for weight loss?

Now that we have gathered all the facts about lap-band the next question is: Should I consider lap-band for weight loss?

By definition we are against any non-natural ways to lose weight and this also includes lap-band or any other surgery. Only in exceptional cases should someone reside to such risky measures especially when there are many ways to lose weight naturally, safe and healthy. You may read that the method is safe but it is still a surgery and it is still non-natural. Why go under all this trouble and take all the risks and costs when you can safely lose weight?

Remember that there are no short-cuts when it comes to losing weight. You many need more time if you decide to do it healthy but you are sure that you are doing a step towards a healthier life. Even if you do the surgery you still have to change your lifestyle if you want to keep the weight off. Surgery will not give you a permanent and effort-free solution to your weight loss problems. Many people have also reported side effects after surgery which made their situation worse than before. Our recommendation is not to consider surgery before trying to solve the weight loss problems in a healthy way.

To lose one pound of fat you need to take a number of factors into account. First you need to understand the role of fat in the body, what it takes to lose fat and why fat is the cause of a number of diseases. There are many ways to do that and in this article we discuss the 5 most effective ways to lose one pound of fat.

What is fat?

Fat is unused energy stored in the body. This is a very simple explanation of fat but is enough to understand that fat is the result of excess energy (calories) consumed through food that is not burned in the body and as a result gets accumulated in the muscles and body organs. When we consume food our body processes it and takes the energy needed to carry out the normal body functions as well as give us energy to cope with our physical activities. When the calories we consume through food are too many and not used by the body as energy they are stored in the fat reserves.

Fat is not necessarily bad, on the contrary it is vital for the normal functioning of the body as it is used for building up cells, producing hormones and keeping the temperature of the body at normal levels. What is not needed is excess fat that is the cause of a number of cardiovascular diseases and the major cause of obesity.

How to lose fat?

How to lose one pound

In mathematical terms one pound of fat is about 3500 calories. In other words when you consume more calories than your body burns and this number is above 3500 you gain one pound, on the other hand when you consume 3500 calories more than you consume you lose one pound. It is a straightforward calculation and to lose one pound of fat you need to ensure that the number of calories burned are constantly more than you consume. For example if you can manage to create a 500 calorie deficit per day then in one week you will lose one pound. If your target is to lose 10 pounds in 2 months then you need to burn 580 calories more per day (10 pounds x 3500 calories = 35000 / 60 days). Have in mind that the minimum number of calories your body needs per day is about 1800-2000 so it is not recommended to go beyond this number. (see also calories to lose weight). Here are 5 of the best ways to lose one pound of fat.

1. Avoid full fat foods

Since the only source of energy is the foods and drinks we consume, by minimizing the calories we eat and drink we increase our chances of losing weight and fat. So, try to avoid full fat foods, processed foods or foods that contain sugars and artificial substances. Instead prefer low-fat foods, sugar free drinks and lots of fruits instead of snacks and sweets. Read carefully the food label of each food you consume and ensure that it is low in fats, calories and sugars. Organic and natural foods are by definition healthier and have less calories and fat than non-organic food items.

2. Prefer fat burning foods

Although there is no such thing as fat burning foods, you can give preference to foods that are fat friendly. For example low fat milk and low fat dairy products, almonds, fish, oats, whole grain, lean meat and green tea are foods that have minimum amount of fats and they are recommended for a healthy diet. Some of these can even help you burn more calories by eating them than the calories they contain and they usually called negative calorie foods.

3. Fiber, fruits and vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber, vitamins and minerals; Fiber has the special characteristic of keeping you full for longer periods and is also wasted from the body without adding to the fat reserves. This is the reason that all diets and weight loss programs suggest that you eat 5-6 servings of fruits daily. With fruits you keep your stomach full and away from other full fat foods.

4. Cardio and fat burning exercises

Dieting is the best way to protect your body from consuming fat but the best way to lose the accumulated body fat is through exercise. Exercise is the only way to accelerate the fat burning process and burn more calories. Not all exercises are equal when it comes to fat loss since exercises that accelerate the heart beat rate generate better results. The most common form is cardio exercises (walking, running, aerobics, cycling, swimming, tennis, squash, climbing etc.). For even better results you can combine strength training exercises with cardio. Remember your goal is to increase your fat burning process so what is needed is less but more intense repetitions of the exercises (with minimum breaks) and not long repetitions with long breaks. Your goal is to push yourself to the limits so that the body will utilize the fat reserves for energy. This action is needed to actually lose more calories and in turn fat from the body. Exercising does not only make you weigh less but also look better.

5. Consistency is the key for fat loss

We mentioned above that in order to lose fat you need to constantly generate a calorie deficit between the amount of calories consumed and the amount of calories burned (remember 1 pounds = 3500 calories). The key for long term success is not to do that only once or a couple of days per week but to constantly keep the calories burned more than the calories consumed. So you need to create a diet and exercise plan and stick to that plan for some time (at least a couple of months). Make sure that you exercise 4-5 times per week for at least 45 minutes per session. Combine your cardio exercises with weight lifting and strength training exercises and ensure that you follow a healthy balanced diet with moderate consumption of fats and carbohydrates. If you do that consistently for a number of weeks you will notice results both when you weigh in and in your appearance.

Many people have the misconception that losing weight is impossible but this is not necessarily the case. If you follow our simple guide on how to lose weight below you can understand that it is possible, effective and healthy.

Step 1: Set your weight loss goals

This is the first step of the process. You need to set clear and realistic weight loss goals. How many pounds you want to lose and when? What is your desire target weight? Your goals should provide answers for all these questions. Remember that you have to be realistic. Your goals should not be very easy to achieve but should not be too hard either.  Having these numbers in mind will help you create a plan you can actually follow. You can also read: I want to lose weight, where do I start.

Step 2: Find out how many calories you need to consume in order to lose weight

Based on the goals you have set above the next step is to calculate how many calories you need to deduct from your daily diet in order to lose weight. In real terms to lose weight you have to burn more calories than you take in. There are basically 2 ways to do this. The first is to limit your calorie intake and the second is to burn more calories through exercise. If you want to lose weight fast then you need to consistently burn more calories than consumed. You can calculate how many calories you currently consume and how many calories you burn though exercise and activity. Based on the number of pounds you want to lose you can adjust your calorie intake. You can find out more here: how many calories to lose weight.

Step 3: Eat Healthy

Healthy eating does not only promote good health but is also the safest way to lose weight fast. By eating healthy we mean giving preference to food items that are natural, low in calories, fat and sugars. There are many alternatives in the market you just have to do a bit of research before going to the groceries.  You can also do clever food substitutions that can play a big difference in your weight. For example choose fish instead of meat, water instead of soft drinks, avoid alcohol, sweets and full fat dairy products.

Step 4: Plan your meals

If you want to successfully learn how to lose weight fast then you need to take this step very seriously. Planning your meals is a very crucial step. People are always busy and they tend to buy fast food because it is easier, faster and cheaper. By doing so, you literally destroy your efforts to lose weight. Instead you should plan your meals in advance and if possible prepare them at home using healthy ingredients. Do some rough calculations and find out how many calories your meals contain and make the necessary adjustments so that this is in accordance with your weight loss targets. You can also read How to lose weight in a week to get more ideas on how to better plan your meals.

Step 5: Create an exercise schedule

Many people say that the fastest way to lose weight is through intensive exercise and they are correct. Diet alone cannot give you fast results. For quick weight loss you need to exercise and in general be active. Do not just concentrate on which exercise schedule to follow but see this as a great opportunity to change your lifestyle. Include in your weekly schedule 3-4 sessions for cardio exercises (aerobics, walking, and running) and 1-2 days for weight lifting exercises. In general try to be active by moving, engaging into sports and outdoor activities.

Step 6: Stay Motivated

Motivation is perhaps the secret key for losing weight fast. If you are not motivated enough and if you do not believe in yourself then you are not going to succeed no matter what diet or exercise plan you follow. Before starting your weight loss journey try to think of the reasons you want to lose weight and have these in your mind until the end. Write them down, visualize them and make sure that every time you face difficulties or when you are not getting the results you want, you find comfort and courage to continue.

Step 7: Lose weight and keep it off

So you have finally made it! After weeks of hard work you managed to reach your target weight. The last thing you want now is to start gaining the weight back. In order to avoid this undesirable situation you need to ensure that you continue to exercise regularly and that you continue to follow a balanced diet. Do not return to your ‘old’ eating habits and not resort to any other fast track methods like taking weight loss pills or other supplements.

These 7 steps can give you a good idea on how to approach the whole process of ‘How to lose weight fast’. You can browse through our weight loss articles and guides and get more detail information for each step and also learn other ways to lose weight healthy.

Have you considered losing weight in a month and don’t have much of an idea how to do it? Don’t worry, most people do and feel the same way as you. Weight issues are common but the solutions are becoming abundant but in a bad way. It takes time to really find out reliable ways to lose weight and you can get confused in the ramble. You don’t have to worry though because you can actually get your way through it. Planning to lose weight in a month is an achievable goal. Check out some useful tips below.

A good plan

First you need a good plan. No matter how you start or no matter what diet you use, you need to have a clear and solid plan. The plan doesn’t have to be perfect right from the beginning but should indicate clearly your goals, milestones and timeframe. You don’t have to worry too much about the details at this stage since the plan will be dynamic and you can adjust it as you go along. What is important is to try and follow the plan and meet your deadlines.

Follow your intuition in choosing healthy foods

When you think about food what comes to your mind? Studies have shown that when you eat foods without substantial nutritional value, there is a tendency to eat more. The main reason is that you don’t really target the real needs of the body, which are the nutrients, mineral, and vitamins. You may already have observed this when you eat processed or fast food. Instead of feeling active and full of energy, you feel weak and even resort to sleeping after such heavy meals. The combination of ‘high calorie – low nutrients’ for some foods will only increase your appetite and worsen your weight problems.

So better start by adding healthy food items to your diet, but don’t worry about their type. Instead, you should follow your intuition in choosing healthy foods. Before you buy or eat anything you should think if such the particular item benefits your weight loss or not. Practice this and you’ll see great improvement in your food choices.

Healthy eating pattern

If you are used to skipping breakfast, don’t. You will only ruin your metabolic flow at the start of the day and not to mention your morning for feeling hungry. Always start the day with a simple meal of fruits or vegetables or cereals, taking coffee alone may not be enough. You don’t have to make it a large breakfast as this will make you feel lazy early in the morning. Having frequent small meals instead of three major meals for the day will boost your metabolic rate and also provide less occurrence of hunger pangs.

Exercise

Never be afraid to do exercise. The truth is that people want to lose weight in a month, but are afraid of exercising. Exercise is not something you should fear from but something to gain benefit. You don’t have to do intense workouts to lose weight. Strength training and all those weight lifting exercises are not the same with fat burning activities. To lose weight in a month you will have to give more preference to fat burning exercises. Better focus more on your regular jogs, brisk walks, swims, and those activities that can be done outside the gym. Consistency and quality is a must, so dedicate 40 minutes or more for cardio exercises and make sure you do it properly. It should definitely make you sweat, and that means a lot!

Sleep well

With a good night sleep you can improve the hormonal balance of the body which promotes weight loss. Lack of sleep has been proven to alter cravings and satiety balance, allowing you to eat more and feeling hungry more often. So rest well and sleep well. Don’t overdo anything and make sure you manage your time efficiently and allow for proper sleep.

Get rid of stress

How to get rid of stress? Simply by doing more physical activities and being positive! Slumping down will only mean more stress. We might not know it but stress can increase your weight, because it affects your digestion and also your way of eating. Stress and anxiety may either make you skip meals or eat large amount of foods.

The above tips maybe simple but they can be of great help. What’s good about them is that they are definitely doable. So what are you waiting for? Start your weight loss journey today.

Learning how to lose 20 pounds in a month is indeed very challenging. A month is a long period of time, but in terms of weight loss one month is quite short. Though the goal is not actually impossible, in fact a lot of people have been successful with losing 20 pounds in a month. What you need is willpower and a good plan. You don’t have to spend endless hours in a gym or spend your money on any new supplements or crash diets to look great and slim. Rather what you need to do is to focus on how to promote and accelerate weight loss. Remember that failure is minimized once you commit to yourself and to your plan. Let’s leave it to the thought that there is no best plan without commitment.

Step 1: Understand what we mean by losing 20 pounds in a month

To get started you first need to understand that basic concepts behind weight loss. The ratio between pounds and calories is 1 pound = 3500 calories, in other words it takes about 3,500 calories to get a pound. Doing the math you will need to burn 70000 calories (20 pounds X 3500 calories per pound), which is the calories equivalent to 20 pounds. It may seem a huge amount, and indeed it is, but you can still try it out and see how many pounds you can lose in month.

Caution: You need to consult your doctor first before attempting to lose 20 pounds in a month. The recommended amount of weight to lose per month is 6-8 pounds and anything above that should be after the approval of your doctor.

Take note that your body burns calories daily in order for it to function. The number of calories burn depends on your BMR or basal metabolic rate. Basically BMR is based on your current weight, height and also the level of activity. The usual range is 1,600 to 1,800 calories for men and 1,300 to 1,500 calories for women. You can use our BMR Calculator to find out your BMR. The bottom line is that you need to focus on a plan that can help you burn more calories and increase your resting metabolic rate. These are the key factors that consistently help you deduct from the stored calories and lose weight.

Since we know what to focus on, it’s time to get into action and discuss the approach you can follow in order to learn how to lose 20 pounds in a month which basically has to do with diet and exercise.

Step 2: Adjust your diet

Eating small but frequent meals

This is not like any sort of fasting or restricting, you will only have to eat minute meals composed of varieties of food, preferably with low calories, and take them in small intervals. This maintains an increased metabolic rate since the body takes the signal that your stomach is having food so the digestion process continues. Even though you only eat in small amounts, you will less likely starve because you eat frequently enough to keep your satiety.

Don’t resort to eating just anywhere

Sometimes thinking about what to eat helps you get to your ideal weight. Most people work on hectic schedules resorting to fast food diets and other easy access processed foods to sustain them. Unplanned meals may either get you in trouble or may take a lot of your bucks. The best way to handle this is to plan ahead or even prepare food ahead. It is better to have a healthy meal in the middle of the work day when you most need it. It can be a healthy fruit snack, a wheat sandwich or packed vegetable salad for main meals.

Make it half or go small

If you can’t really let go of your high calorie fast food items like your regular hamburgers, then one technique that may work is cutting food into half or going for small sized meals. If you are able to resist the temptation and go over small size, then that will be good enough, but if you can’t then cut it into half, make sure you spare the other half for later. Sometimes it is even good to tag a friend with you when eating; you may share the other half to him or her and that will leave you with fewer calories.

Water and fiber

Water and fiber rich foods are the safest food items to take. Both will help you cleanse your body and get you closer to your ideal weight. Fiber may help increase your resting metabolic rate as well and it makes you feel full for longer period of time. Water definitely clears clogs and helps metabolism in cellular level.

Step 3: Exercise more

Every minute counts

This means that you can spread the time you spend on your weight loss exercises throughout the day. This may consist of cardio exercise to target calories or weight lifting exercises to build more muscles.  A good start gives you motivation to finish it. So starting the day with just a simple brisk walk will be enough and it may even improve your morning. Finishing one simple task is rewarding. Make sure you complete your 40 minutes of daily cardio, though you may increase it to an hour if you only do brisk walks.

Do some variations

You don’t have to stick to one cardio exercise; do some other variations that you can easily enjoy without bothering you. There are a lot of activities that may include sports, hiking, trekking, walking, dancing and many more.

Build muscles and increase basal metabolism

It has been proven that the bigger muscle mass you have the greater is the increase in the metabolic rate. More muscle means more need for calories for it to function. So it is a good plan to have at least 3 times a week to practice some strength training and weight lifts. You may start with the basics like targeting the core muscles and with the help of a trainer move onto more difficult and effective exercises.

Give yourself a rest and a treat

Always have days of rest for your muscles to grow and to replenish. Weight lifts are strenuous and you should focus on alternating days, say two days in between workouts or at least a day.

As we said at the beginning, learning how to lose 20 pounds in a month is not easy and actually going through such a process is challenging. Following these simple tips won’t guarantee that you will lose 20 pounds in month but it is a step towards the right direction. All you have to do is to focus and continue doing it until you meet your targets. It may take more than a month but at least the tips suggested above are both safe and effective.

What is your take? Did you ever tried to lose weight fast in a period of a month?

People have been successful in losing weight in just two weeks or a month. Anyone can use a lot of resources out there and they can be found by a click of the mouse. Quick weight loss tips or crash diets like the  Atkin’s diet, other low carb diets, other food  restrictions, shake diets, extreme workouts and many more are frequently used. All of these diets that help you lose weight over a  very small amount of time have given no thought to what happens when you achieved your target  weight.This is where the problem usually occurs.

Why crash diets fail?

Most people naturally stop the diet plan and return to their normal diet, but end up gaining the weight they had prior to the plan in just  a few days, and what’s worse is that they  get even bigger than before! There is actually a good explanation for this one. Once you go on a food restricting diet, or any forms of starvation, your body will be placed in a state of shock. It compensates for  your actions and begins to work differently. That’s how smart and automatic our body is. So, when you were restricting some food groups ,or you were having food in different preparations like shakes and liquids, your body’s metabolic function changes in such a manner as to protect you. This means you feel less hungry or close to starvation, even though you have a low intake due the decreased digestive and metabolic function. Sometimes the body will stall. This can continue for the rest of the dieting  period which usually lasts for a week or two.

Of course no one person could stay forever on those crash diet plans and by the time you return to your regular diet, your metabolic rate and digestive function will still be stalling and  this means your body will store more calories and thus more weight. What’s ironic is the rapid increase of weight. This is really frustrating for some and most people don’t know what to do in that state.

How to avoid weight gain after you stop dieting?

There are ways to prevent that kind of scenario from occurring. This method could have been used for weight loss also. Nonetheless, if you are at your ideal weight and used crash diet plans to achieve that, then slowly shift to the natural plan, which will be the best thing to do.

Since you will absorb more calories in this period you will have to choose food items that give you nutrients and are complete, but don’t give you too many calories. The food items may include green vegetables and fruits rich in fiber, fish, meat except pork or beef, whole grain products rather than white flour or other simple carbs, low fat yogurts and dairy products, olive oils instead of regular oils, and many more. Slowly shift to this diet and add items one at a time. These food items, whilst not only being complete, will definitely help you maintain your weight.

To compensate and to maintain calories that you have eaten, you will have to do some cardio exercise. Cardio exercise is considered as the safest form of exercise and it doesn’t ask much out of you in either cost or time.You can have a jog or brisk walk around the neighborhood and that’s good enough, also you can give as little as 30 minutes to these types of activity, and you will maintain your ideal weight already. Remember that the 30 minutes can be divided equally throughout the day, so you can do 10 minutes in the morning, noon and before sleeping, or however you would like to spread the time.

Also, take note that when you reach an ideal weight, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have achieved a good looking body.  You don’t have to lose more weight since you are in the range, but what you can do is to workout and firm up your body. This is one reason you should maintain strength training and weight lifting as these exercises help you get a firmer look. Crunches, leg raise, dumbbells and more are very important, and you can do them as many as three to four times a week. Don’t overdo it though.

Of course if you want to maintain your weight you should refrain from your previous eating pattern. That could include too much alcohol , fast food products, sweets, salts, and all that food with high calories.Maintain a natural and healthy diet and you will see that you can improve your health, how you look, and how you feel about yourself. It is actually the beginning of something great. Good luck!

If you take a look at the advertisements for weight loss, you’d notice that they all concentrate on how to lose weight fast. This is because people want to lose weight fast—so fast indeed that things such as fad diets have been invented just to cater to the “wants” of these people. There are a few reasons why a person would want to lose weight fast. It might be because they’re getting married (I’d look so fat in my wedding dress!) or they’re attending a high school reunion (what would my class think?). Let me tell you though that losing weight quickly is never ideal, and here are some reasons why.

IT’S UNHEALTHY

Losing weight quickly such as going through fad diets will cut your system off fat, but also from vitamins and nutrients. When you lose weight, it’s not ideal to just shed the pounds off; you also need to develop your muscles to ensure a healthy and fit body. Some people want to be supermodel- thin, but that may not be the idea. Losing weight without developing your muscles may be too much for your system, and you might end up sick because of being underweight.

KEEPING A FIT BODY TAKES A LIFETIME COMMITMENT

People who goes through fad diets think that they could starve themselves for a few weeks and get to stay sexy forever—there’s no way that this will ever happen. There’s just no way that you can go on a diet for a couple of weeks and stay slim all your life. If you’re serious about having a fit and sexy body, you’d need to work out a few hours per week and follow a healthy eating pattern. It’s about eating right than eating less. Following a healthy eating pattern is a problem for a lot of people, but this is the only way that you’d have a fit body and stay healthy at the same time.

METABOLISM IS A FACTOR

Metabolism is when your body burns off fat. The faster your metabolism is, the faster it is for your body to lose weight. When you rapidly lose weight, your metabolism also slows down. This is a fact, which is why losing weight quickly also means you’d gain the weight back after a few weeks. This is why it’s better to let your metabolism adjust to how your body loses weight rather than shock it and gain the weight you just lost.

Many teenagers and especially girls often find losing weight a very tedious task and it seems like it will take forever to see some results. A lot are also worried that trying to lose weight may be too dangerous for their health. What many do not know is that there are ways to learn how to lose weight fast but in a healthy and secure way.

By sticking to the following health guide, you will see admirable outcomes within weeks of doing non- stressful, super easy weight loss methods. Some of the tips are well know and we have repeatedly mentioned them in our articles but still a lot of young people fail to follow them correctly.

How to lose weight for teenage girls

1. Be sure not to skip any of the three main meals everyday plus adding mid-meal snacks in between. When your body get used to this eating habit there is a lesser chance of you getting hungry before the next meal. Hence you eat less during each meal cutting out the excess calories you get.
2. Choose an exercise that you enjoy doing. Even if it is just the easiest routine among other types of exercises, as long as you enjoy doing it, it will keep your body moving and your excess calories burning. Simple exercises like brisk walking and jogging are the best exercise for people who don’t have the time to go to the gym. You can even integrate exercise while at school or even when shopping by taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or just merely getting up to change the channel instead of using the remote. Having an active body burns a lot of calories and if you want to lose weight the healthy way just remember to stay active everyday.
3. Limit your intake of carbohydrates and sugars. Carbohydrate rich foods are the culprit of having those extra calories. Oftentimes you choose what you eat wrongly. By limiting your intake of carbohydrates and sugars you are also cutting down the number of calories in your diet. Choosing fresh fruits as snack items instead of donuts and other sugary pastries will definitely cut down your calorie intake.
4. The 8 glasses a day trick still works. Water is still the most accessible element when you want to lose weight fast and easy. Instead of drinking a can of soda and other sugary drinks, aim to consume at least 8 glasses of water a day. Water does not only keep your body cool and refreshed it will also diminish your craving for anything sweet and will also help you feel full thus diminishing the amount of the food you eat. In addition to that, water also boosts your metabolism for a faster yet healthier weight loss.
5. If all else fail, prepare for a back up. Hiring a personal trainer is not a bad idea. There are really times that you lose your motivation to do something that you feel you really can’t do on your own. A personal trainer will prepare a program that is tailored-fit on you, thus increasing your weight loss success rate. However, you may need a significant amount if you opt for this (and you will need the financial help of your parents) because personal trainers could be quite expensive, but if you take care of your weight now that you are a teenager you will save a lot of money, trouble and disappointment as you grow up.

These methods are not that hard to follow. When you want to lose weight fast and healthy you need to be prepare yourself for some changes; sedentary to active lifestyle and high calorie diet to balanced diet.

Calories are everything that we eat. Its amount varies on what kind of food we actually take in. The heavier the content of the food is in terms of carbohydrate, protein, and fat content, the larger the amount of calories it contains. The amount of calories that a person needs everyday varies, this depends on your age, weight, height, and the activities you do. When you over eat and your calorie count is surging way too high than what you need, weight gain occurs.

How many calories to lose weight?

Counting may be too much a task to some people especially those who have really busy schedules. But if counting would mean losing some of those extra pounds fast then it may be worth a try. This technique had been proven to be very safe and effective especially if you really watch how much you eat every meal.

The first step to calorie counting is to know how much calories you need to consume in a day. You may use online calorie calculators to do so or manually compute it using the Harris-Benedict Equation.

When you have already established your daily calorie requirement, the next step is to learn how much calories your food contain. Learning caloric contents of your food is easy. You can make use of the nutrition guide which is usually found at the back of each food container that details the amount of calories each food serving contains. This is not hard to find because almost all food have this label because it is being mandated by the law. This is to ensure that consumers are aware of they are eating.

Then there’s what we call calorie burning. Walking, jogging, swimming, and any other activities help burn the calories we have consumed. Cardio exercises are the top pick for people who wish to lose weight fast because energy expenditure is quite high when doing activities that increase your vital signs.

Now let’s do the math:

Subtract the amount of calories you want to spare everyday from your daily calorie requirement to get your weight loss caloric count. Do remember that the calorie-pound ratio is 3500:1. This mean, losing 500 calories a day can make you lose one pound in a week.  Burning another 500 will make you lose two pounds in one week. Burning or cutting your calorie intake by 500 to 1000 calories a day is generally considered safe; going beyond that may need medical supervision.

But then again, it is advisable to seek medical advice before undergoing any weight loss plan. Your doctor is the best person to tell you which is the best and safest method for you. This goes especially true to people who are morbidly obese because rapid weight loss could be very dangerous.

Overall, eating less and exercising more is still the best way to lose weight. In addition to that, counting the amount of calories you take in daily will help keep you on tract.

Calorie counting is simple don’t you think?

To lose 20 pounds fast seems impossible. But over the years dietitians, fitness experts and medical practitioners have proven that an effective diet and workout plan would definitely help you lose weight fast. The following tips are proven to be effective, particularly with people who really aspire and in dire need to shed off 20 pounds fast.

First: Make a meal schedule for six small meals a day and stick to it.

Limiting yourself to three large meals a day – breakfast, lunch, and dinner – will not help you lose 20 pounds fast. It’s not about the frequency of the meal but it’s all about the quality and quantity of the meal.

Experts agree that eating five to six small low calorie meals a day are much healthier because it allows your body to have constant supply of energy. In addition to that, this weight loss strategy will also prevent mid-meal hunger thus you get to unnecessary eating. It may seem hard to get used to this eating schedule but once your body had adjusted to it, you will notice that you are actually eating less than the usual and that your goal of losing that excess 20 pounds is just a few short weeks away.

Second: Increase your fluid intake.

Drinking lots of fluids is a really good way to make yourself feel full quickly and make you want to eat less and lose those excess pounds you have. However, not all fluids are good for you. If you want to lose 20 pounds fast avoid Carbonated, sweetened, and fruit-flavored drinks because they are loaded with calories which could make you gain a lot pounds. The healthiest drink in the world is water, eight glasses or more a day will keep you hydrated, boost of the metabolism, and could keep you full resulting to decrease food intake. In addition to that, plain distilled water contains zero calories, thus you do not have to worry of drinking a glass more each day.

Regarding the best water temperature, there are two opposing hypothesis about it: Some people say cold water is the best choice of fluid if you want to lose a few pounds because cold water needs to be warmed up to as it enters the body to coincide with the body’s normal temperature, thus calories are converted to energy to do just that. On the other hand, others say that warm water is better because cold water could coagulate the fatty food that you just consumed; imagine a melted butter placed in the fridge. Cold or warm – the bottomline is drinking eight glasses of water a day will surely help you to lose weight.

Third: Move as much as you can.

Eating just the right amount of food and increasing your fluid intake is not enough if you wish to lose 20 pounds fast. You need to add exercise in your weight loss routine. Keeping your body active makes you burn and lose calories. Low to moderate impact exercises, when done regularly, would definitely help you shed excess calories. To speed up the process, make it a habit to allot 30 minutes to one hour a day for workouts.

Most, if not all, of us know that exercise is the best way to burn calories, lose weight and get into shape. However, most of us are too lazy to do so. Many people hate running and biking because they feel like they are running out of air after exercising. For those people there is a solution to lose calories and pounds and this is by walking. Even though it does not burn as much calories compared to running, it could also help burn a fair amount of calories and it is safer especially to those people who have joint problems.

The amount of calories burned through walking varies on the speed, the type of terrain and the amount of load carried by the person. Obviously, walking in top speed, uphill, and with a heavy load allows a person to burn more calories than a normal walk in the park. This article enumerates the amounts of calories burned by a 70 kilogram man with each variety of walk.

You may also find interesting our previous articles, how many calories are in a pound and how many calories to lose weight.

How many calories are in a pound? 3500 calories make one pound. Calories and weight gain are closely associated because excess consumption of calories while living a sedentary lifestyle could make anyone gain weight in no time. However, calories are not necessarily that bad, weight gain is actually caused by the people who have no control of their caloric intake.

When we talk about the calories found in food, we are actually talking about the unit of measurement for energy. For example, a person needs 100 calories to walk a distance of 100 meters, that simply means he needs to eat a food that contains 100 calories so he can successfully accomplish the task. Eating a food less than the said requirement will prompt the body to burn its energy reserves, also known as body fat, to compensate for the lack of energy from the food, thus a person loses weight. On the other hand, if the person consumes more calories than what the body needs, the body will store the excess calories in the body as fat deposits causing the person to gain weight.

There are about 3,500 calories in one pound. This applies to the calories from the food you eat and on the calories you burn through exercise or any activity that requires energy.

This means that each time a person loses 3500 calories, s/he become a pound lighter. However, losing 3,500 calories in one day is not only unhealthy but it is also impossible, thus you must get rid of the 3,500 calories in an installment basis. For example, 500 calorie deficit everyday is equal to 3500 calories in one week which is synonymous to one pound lost per week. You simply have to increase you daily calorie deficit if you want to lose weight faster. See also how many calories to lose weight.

If you want to watch your caloric intake, you can check the nutrition facts label which is mostly located at the back of food containers. Take note that every food has different amount of calories, fruits and vegetables for example are great source of vitamins and minerals but contains very little amount of calories compared to dairy products which contains high amount of fats.

Food nutrients also have different calorie contents. Carbohydrates and protein have 4 calories per gram each, fat has 9 calories per gram, and alcohol has 7 calories per gram.

So, if you aim to lose weight fast and healthily, you simply need to reduce you daily calorie intake or do activities that require your body to burn more calories.