Weight loss is a multi-billion dollar industry for a reason - as
obesity rates skyrocket and movie stars get skinnier, there's a huge
disconnect between what we look like and what we feel we SHOULD look
like. The result? Many weight loss programs, promises, and claims that
draw consumers in like flies to honey. While I'm about to share with you
5 tips for quick weight loss, it's important to recognize that, one,
weight loss is a journey, and you won't lose 100 pounds in a week, and
two, losing weight too quickly is even less healthy than not losing it
at all.
That said, there are legitimate physical and psychological reasons to exceed the recommended "healthy," rate of weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week for a short time, either for an upcoming event of to give yourself a psychological boost into a positive attitude around your new weight loss program. Nothing in this article would be a healthy long-term approach. In that spirit, here are a few tips:
1. Go Low Carb
Low carb diets are difficult to stick to over the long term, often lack the veggies and fiber that keep the body healthy, and can be hard to work into a busy schedule, even so, they work pretty well. The first few weeks on a low carb diet will be the most successful when it comes to weight loss. That being the case, they can be a great way to jump-start your loss as you enter a new fitness or weight loss program. Even today, when I hit a plateau or start putting on weight, the first thing I do is institute a low carb, low glycemic diet for two weeks, with great results.
2. Hit the Cardio
Cardio is a calorie-burner. Whether those calories are fat or muscle is an important consideration, but a secondary one if you're looking for quick results. Intense cardiovascular exercise not only burns calories while you do it, but punches your metabolism into overdrive for hours afterward. If your focus in strictly on weight loss and not physical performance, try to wait at least an hour after a cardio session before eating, forcing your body to feast on itself in order to recover from the stress.
3. Meal Replacement
A no-brainer readily available in every grocery store and nearly all convenience stores and gas stations is the meal replacement product. Brought into the modern zeitgeist by Slim-Fast shakes, meal replacement products are just what they sound like - these bars or shakes are consumed in place of one, two, or all three meals daily. On the down-side, they're boring. On the up side, they're packed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, so are less likely to leave you deficient in something your body needs than, say, a lemonade fast.
4. Fad Diets
From cabbage soup to lemons and maple syrup, fad diets abound. While some of them may be medically questionable, they seem to get the job done. Just about any fad diet works by creating a huge caloric deficit. Because they shake up your routines so completely, they are often easy to follow for a week or two out of pure excitement and novelty. After that period, though, they get deadly boring and tend to make you hungry. If you need to keep losing quickly for longer than two weeks, you may consider two things - first, go to your doctor and make sure your plans are safe; second, try stacking a couple fad diets back to back to re-invigorate your sense of change and novelty while continuing your weight loss.
5. Double Up
A simple one - combine any and all of the tips above into a double-whammy weight loss approach. Double cardio (morning and evening), low carb meal replacements - the combinations are nearly endless!
Whatever approach you take to fast weight loss, and whatever your reasons for pushing the limits, listen to your body. Losing weight too quickly can be dangerous, and should be avoided, especially over the long-term. Hopefully these tips will help you to see the results you're looking for.
That said, there are legitimate physical and psychological reasons to exceed the recommended "healthy," rate of weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week for a short time, either for an upcoming event of to give yourself a psychological boost into a positive attitude around your new weight loss program. Nothing in this article would be a healthy long-term approach. In that spirit, here are a few tips:
1. Go Low Carb
Low carb diets are difficult to stick to over the long term, often lack the veggies and fiber that keep the body healthy, and can be hard to work into a busy schedule, even so, they work pretty well. The first few weeks on a low carb diet will be the most successful when it comes to weight loss. That being the case, they can be a great way to jump-start your loss as you enter a new fitness or weight loss program. Even today, when I hit a plateau or start putting on weight, the first thing I do is institute a low carb, low glycemic diet for two weeks, with great results.
2. Hit the Cardio
Cardio is a calorie-burner. Whether those calories are fat or muscle is an important consideration, but a secondary one if you're looking for quick results. Intense cardiovascular exercise not only burns calories while you do it, but punches your metabolism into overdrive for hours afterward. If your focus in strictly on weight loss and not physical performance, try to wait at least an hour after a cardio session before eating, forcing your body to feast on itself in order to recover from the stress.
3. Meal Replacement
A no-brainer readily available in every grocery store and nearly all convenience stores and gas stations is the meal replacement product. Brought into the modern zeitgeist by Slim-Fast shakes, meal replacement products are just what they sound like - these bars or shakes are consumed in place of one, two, or all three meals daily. On the down-side, they're boring. On the up side, they're packed with all kinds of vitamins and minerals, so are less likely to leave you deficient in something your body needs than, say, a lemonade fast.
4. Fad Diets
From cabbage soup to lemons and maple syrup, fad diets abound. While some of them may be medically questionable, they seem to get the job done. Just about any fad diet works by creating a huge caloric deficit. Because they shake up your routines so completely, they are often easy to follow for a week or two out of pure excitement and novelty. After that period, though, they get deadly boring and tend to make you hungry. If you need to keep losing quickly for longer than two weeks, you may consider two things - first, go to your doctor and make sure your plans are safe; second, try stacking a couple fad diets back to back to re-invigorate your sense of change and novelty while continuing your weight loss.
5. Double Up
A simple one - combine any and all of the tips above into a double-whammy weight loss approach. Double cardio (morning and evening), low carb meal replacements - the combinations are nearly endless!
Whatever approach you take to fast weight loss, and whatever your reasons for pushing the limits, listen to your body. Losing weight too quickly can be dangerous, and should be avoided, especially over the long-term. Hopefully these tips will help you to see the results you're looking for.
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