How to Lose Weight Fast

If you want to lose weight, you're not alone. Almost half of all Americans are trying to lose weight at any given time. While there are many things you can do to shed pounds, losing weight too quickly can be dangerous. Fad diets, diet pills, and fasting may help you reduce the number on the scale, but these methods can cause severe health complications.

However, if you are generally healthy and you're determined to drop several pounds quickly, there are some techniques and tips you can adopt to help you reach your short-term goals.

Fad Diets

The purpose of most fad diets is to promote rapid weight loss that you can see almost overnight. Fad diets are short-term solutions; if you stay on a fad diet for more than a few days, you could cause your body serious harm. You should always consult your healthcare provider before beginning any kind of weight loss program to make sure your body can take the added strain to its system. Here are some popular fad diets with simple instructions that claim to result in fast, short-term weight loss.

The Water Diet. This diet involves drinking a daily total of about 64 fluid ounces (8 cups) of cold (preferably refrigerated) water, at regular intervals. 

• Drink a glass of water before each meal and before each snack to suppress your appetite by making you feel fuller.
• Do not add sweeteners or flavorings to your water.
• Do not replace meals with water.
• Take a daily multivitamin to replenish the nutrients lost through more frequent urination.

Juice Detox Diet, Juice Fast, or Hollywood Diet. Although there are many variations on a juice detoxification fast or crash diet, they generally last for one to three days.

You can only drink fruit and vegetable juices on this type of fad diet.

Some variations of this diet involve taking vitamins or nutrients along with the juices, while others let you have a single meal per day.

The juices are meant to help your body flush out toxins and eliminate several pounds of (mostly) water weight from your system.

The Master Cleanse, Maple Syrup Diet, or Lemonade Diet. This fad diet is a liquid-only diet.

• Drink between 6 to 12 glasses of a special mixture of lemonade, cayenne pepper, water, and maple syrup each day.
• You will also drink a cup of herbal laxative tea twice a day.
• There is an optional period of easing into this fad diet, as well as an easing-out process.
• It should only be done for very short-term weight loss and is supposed to function as a detoxifying cleanse rather than a strict weight-loss routine.
• There is also an optional salt-water flush that can be incorporated into this diet.

The Cabbage Soup Diet. This diet claims it can help you lose up to 10 pounds in one week.

• It involves eating a low-fat, high fiber diet.
• You mainly eat a special type of cabbage soup, but you can also have moderate portions of certain fruits and vegetables, occasional meats and rice, a minimum of 4 glasses of water and a multivitamin each day.
• This diet lasts 7 days and is not recommended as a permanent solution for long-term weight loss because of the lack of nutrients you consume on it.

The Salt-Free Diet. This diet helps you lose water weight by eliminating water retention in the body.

• On this diet, you cannot have any salt, which includes not only table salt, but also all the added sodium found in pre-packaged and prepared foods.
• This involves preparing sodium-free products at home or avoiding processed foods all together, which also means avoiding to eat out at restaurants.
• It also involves drinking up to 2 liters (about 8 cups) of water each day to replenish essential bodily fluids, although green tea is also allowed in moderation.
• Many prepared foods have as much as 30% of your daily value. You get your daily requirement of sodium from a healthy diet; too much can cause you to retain water weight.
• Because some dietary salt is essential for good health, the Salt-Free Diet should not be followed for more than one to two weeks.
• It's important to note that this diet is more effective for those people who tend to retain water more easily than others. If you're not sure whether you're particularly prone to water retention, pay attention to your hands and feet the next time you eat something salty. If your rings are more difficult to take off, or your shoes become tighter after a salty meal, those are signs that your body is sensitive to sodium.

The HCG Diet. This diet combines injections or supplements of HCG (human chorionic gonaotropin) with a severely restricted calorie intake.

• The calorie restriction alone (only 500 to 800 calories per day) is enough to promote weight loss in most people; it is significantly under the recommended daily calorie allowance, even for people attempting to lose weight.
• HCG is not monitored by the FDA, and can have unpleasant side effects in many people.
• Those who follow this diet typically gain the weight back immediately after stopping it.

Weight Loss Spa Treatments

Another easy way to get fast weight-loss results is to get beauty treatments specifically designed to help you shed inches quickly. By visiting a spa, sauna, or wellness clinic offering weight loss beauty services and procedures, you can have your pick of numerous beauty treatments and spa services that are designed to help you lose weight quickly or to alter your appearance by reducing bloating, tightening your skin, or removing body fluids. These processes only involve temporary weight loss, but the results are immediate and do not involve dieting or exercise.

Ask about a mineral body wrap. Some mineral wraps claim to help you slim down by literally making you “lose” inches off of your waist, thighs, and arms. The process involves a mineral-based cleanse that is supposed to detoxify your body, helping you shed weight, reduce cellulite (fat near the surface of your skin), and tone and firm your skin almost instantly.

Get a lipase body wrap. Lipase body wraps are another quick-slim beauty treatment that follow a two-step phase.

• First, an enzyme wrap is applied to rid your body of fat tissue near the surface of the skin.
• A second mineral wrap is then applied, designed to tighten and smooth your skin.

Get a European body wrap. European body wraps are another potential option for spa services aimed at dropping inches off of trouble spots. This procedure is supposed to firm and tone skin, reduce the appearance of cellulite or stretch marks, and temporarily promotes weight loss.

Get a hot body wrap. Heat-based body wraps are perhaps a more well-known spa treatment, designed both to detoxify your body and stimulate smooth, toned skin. The heat and massage involved in most heat or steam treatments is targeted at improving circulation and helping your body slim down quickly.

Go to a sauna. Saunas may result in a loss of a pint of sweat in just a quarter of an hour.

• You should hydrate by drinking a few glasses of water after spending time in a sauna to reduce the risk of dehydration.
• Keep in mind that time in saunas must be limited, preferably to no more than one 15- to 20-minute session per day.
• People with blood pressure or heart problems should not use saunas, nor should young children

Get a colonic. Some spas offer colonic irrigation treatments, which involve physically flushing your colon with large amounts of water to remove fecal accumulation.

• This process may help some people who suffer from bloating, gas, and constipation and claims to spur weight loss in some individuals

Liposuction can shed pounds instantly. Liposuction is a surgical option for fast, targeted weight loss, generally only recommended for people with one or two specific areas of highly fatty tissue but otherwise relatively healthy body weight.

• Because it is a surgical procedure, it carries significant health risks and should only be performed by a licensed professional.

Healthy Eating Habits

Change general nutrition and lifestyle habits. Adopting a number of simple but significant dietary and behavioral changes can be enough to jump-start weight loss for many people. Combining the suggestions below with your short-term diet plan will enhance your chances of reaching your weight-loss goals faster and maintaining those results in the long-term.

Develop a healthy and personalized meal plan. Figure out how much you should be eating by scheduling a consultation with a dietitian or a physician to discuss your weight loss goals, special dietary needs, current eating habits, and potential areas for improvement.

Choose meals that have a healthy balance of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean proteins. A typical dinner plate should be filled with half vegetables or fruits, half whole grains and lean protein.

Plan your meals in advance. This can help you incorporate more nutritious foods into your diet and limit your calorie intake.

Determine your daily calorie needs. Your individual calorie needs will vary based on age, gender, height, and activity level. Knowing exactly how much your target daily intake is will help you stick to your diet.

Monitor the number of calories and grams of fat you consume each day and try not to exceed USDA guidelines.

Keep a food diary. Write down every meal, snack, and drink you consume as well as the approximate quantities for an entire week.

• When possible, write down the number of calories in each food you eat as you eat it.
• Keep in mind that the recommended serving size is often considerably smaller than the serving you actually eat.
• Don’t forget to include coffee mix-ins, condiments, and other additions to your daily diet.
• Once you have done this, you should be able to estimate your typical daily calorie intake and compare it to your goal with an online calorie calculator.

Identify your food triggers and plan accordingly. Careful planning can help you avoid trigger foods and empty calorie traps you may have identified in your food journal. If you don’t purchase these foods or if you plan meals in advance, you will be less likely to sabotage your diet when pressed for time.

Watch your portion sizes. Look for healthy, delicious meal and snack ideas online or in cookbooks, and create a menu for the week. Make a list of what you'll need for these meals, and don't stray from your list when you get to the grocery store. Looking at market circulars can also give you ideas and even cut costs by buying weekly sale items and seasonal produce.

• Incorporate appropriate portion sizes into your meal plan. For instance, a healthy snack of almonds and dried cranberries can turn into a huge calorie source if you don’t pay attention to quantities. Also, preparing pre-apportioned healthy snacks can help you avoid mindless overeating and can make it convenient to grab a healthy snack.

Don’t skip meals. Eating a healthy breakfast increases your rest metabolic rate earlier in the day, keeps your energy levels high, and may help you resist the urge of high-calorie snacks throughout the day. Plan to eat a snack or meal every 2 to 4 hours to keep your metabolism active. Eating regularly also keeps your blood sugar stable and reduces unhealthy calorie binges or deviations from your meal plan.

Select smart substitutes for unhealthy sources of fat, sugar, and calories. Most foods have healthier counterparts that will allow you to enjoy your favorite foods without unnecessary fat, sugar, and calories. Exchanging high-calorie and high-fat foods and drinks for healthier alternatives can help you lose weight faster.

Snack smartly. Swap potato chips and candy bars for snacks that are nutrient-rich and low in calories and fat. Avoid processed and packaged foods when possible, or buy snacks that have single-serving packets of 100 to 200 calories. Healthy and easy snacks include nuts, rice cakes, fresh or dried fruits, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, and so on. Vegetables are generally very low in calories, very high in fiber, and full of flavor and nutrition, but avoid fatty dressings or dips. Fruit provides a good source of soluble fiber, releasing energy more slowly and keeping you feeling full longer. Low-fat dairy products, such as yogurt or cheddar cheese, can also be healthy snacks in moderation. Try combining string cheese with a handful of grapes, spreading peanut butter on a few crackers, or dipping sliced red pepper into a few tablespoons of hummus.

Sip on low-calorie 100% fruit juice, seltzer, or water instead of soft drinks, energy drinks, flavored coffees, and martinis. Cutting calories with substitutions can be a lot easier than you might think. For example, a tall latte in the morning may pack 500 calories. Since a pound of body fat (lost or gained) is roughly equivalent to 3,500 calories, replacing that rich beverage with black coffee can help you lose a pound per week. If you eat salad frequently, try substituting a low-fat vinaigrette for your ranch or blue cheese dressing. Similarly, cook with a tablespoon of olive oil instead of butter, for instance, or opt for skim milk instead of whole.

Choose lean meats. Poultry and fish are naturally low in fat, and certain fish like salmon, sardines, and fresh tuna are an excellent sources of antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to your health. Ask your butcher for lean cuts of beef or pork if you choose to buy them, and trim visible fat from meat before cooking. Consider eating vegetarian a few days each week. By replacing meat with nutritious foods like beans, tofu, or lentils, you can cut significant amounts of your daily calorie intake while adding many nutrients to your diet.

Replace high-calorie side dishes with healthier alternatives. For instance, exchange cheesy pasta or mashed potatoes with steamed vegetables or salad.

Drinking water instead of soda, coffee, alcohol, juice, or milk may help you cut hundreds of calories per day. Increasing your water intake can also help your body efficiently use nutrients, keep you energized, get the most benefit from your exercise routine, and feel full longer. If you can handle substituting water for all other drinks for a week, you can expect faster weight loss and see dramatic improvement in energy levels and even appearance very quickly.

Avoid tempting grocery aisles. Avoid the areas in the grocery store that stock sodas, cookies, ice cream, pizzas, and other fattening and highly processed foods, so that you are less likely to purchase unhealthy options.

Prepare your meals at home instead of buying fast food.

The Mayo Clinic Diet. This plan was developed by the world-renowned medical research and treatment clinic to jump-start weight loss and promote a long-term plan for healthy and sustainable weight loss. It advertises a possible weight loss of up to 10 pounds in the first week, although results slow afterwards. This is one of the few diet plans with immediate weight loss results that are healthy to maintain in the long-term. It focuses on breaking unhealthy habits, creating healthy habits, and learning to eat and exercise well for life.

Exercise More

Remember, you can lose weight either by decreasing your calorie intake or increasing the number of calories you burn. Any health strategy should include both, but if you want to lose weight fast, exercise is essential. Small changes to your activity level can add up over the course of a day, and can start making an impact on your weight within as little as a week.

Make time for exercise. By making time for exercise and other healthy, productive activities, you can avoid temptation to overeat.

• Make chores exercise opportunities. Do your own gardening, wash your car to burn calories and get things done around the house.
• Don't pick the most convenient parking spot. Park further from the entrance when you go shopping.
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator.

Be realistic about the type of exercise you can do when starting a new program.

• Don’t be discouraged if you have to start out slowly; you can always adjust your routine as you gain skills and confidence.
• Even short time intervals of circuit training that combine cardio and fat-burning activities can trim inches off of your waist, arms, and thighs in 2 weeks or less. Participants in Chris Freytag’s 2 week trial[17] lost up to 10 pounds and as many inches when tested by Prevention magazine readers, with up to 5 pounds lost in the first week after only 6 sessions of 20 minutes each. Many women’s and health magazines as well as personal trainers offer similar condensed workout routines designed to maximize weight loss and visible physical slimming within only a few days of beginning the regimen.

Adopt a targeted exercise program.

• Fat-burning cardio routines can help you lose fat quickly, while weight and resistance training can trigger your metabolism to use energy more efficiently.
• Fat-burning exercise routines help you drop fat quickly by targeting fat loss. Having a healthy and balanced diet in combination with moderate fat-burning exercise is essential to prevent muscle loss. Try routines that are heavy on cardio. In order to lose a pound of fat, you must burn 3,500 calories. The most effective fat-burning routines contain short bursts of high-intensity workouts with interspersed periods of rest. These are also called interval workouts.

Variety in an exercise regimen is especially important, and can help both those who have reached a weight plateau and those who are just beginning the weight loss process stick with it.

Perform low impact aerobic activities. Moderate aerobic workouts incorporating brisk walking, cycling, aerobic machines, or swimming not only burn calories they also keep your heart healthy. Swimming is great, especially if you are quite overweight or have joint problems, because you can get the same benefits of running typically burning even more calories with much less stress on your joints. Try to get at least 30-40 minutes of aerobic exercise at least three or four days per week.

Pump some iron. Resistance training, weight training, can help both men and women stay lean by building muscle and raising metabolism. Weight loss strategies that incorporate both aerobic and weight training boost calorie burn significantly. If you gain muscle, your body's resting metabolism (the amount of calories you burn when you're just sitting still) increases. Studies have shown consistent weight training to raise the body's metabolism by 15%. This means an average woman might burn 200-300 more calories at rest every day. Weight training can also tone flabby “trouble” spots, giving the appearance of weight loss by simply tightening and slimming your body.

Make exercise enjoyable. Choosing physical activities that you like to do will make you much more lucky to succeed at maintaining your exercise regimen.

• Start a hobby that involves moving around a bit, even if it doesn't sound like "exercise." Gardening, building small projects, working on cars, or playing with animals are all great ways to burn calories.
• Remember that games like volleyball, tennis, and even Frisbee can help you burn calories while having a blast, making exercise a social and fun activity you will want to enjoy everyday.
• Find what you like and don’t be afraid to try new things. Many forms of exercise can help you reach your weight loss goals, even home-training programs such as Wii Fit, which guides you through yoga, aerobics, strength training, and balance exercises in the comfort of your own home.
• For more adventurous athletes, programs such as P90-X can also provide dramatic weight loss benefits through exercise.

Get enough rest. Being properly rested will help you maintain sufficient energy throughout the day, making you less likely to overeat and less prone to injury during physical activity.

• Rest at least 24 to 48 hours between strength training sessions on the same muscle group (for instance, work out your biceps and abs on alternating days), and take one to two days off from exercising each week.
• Know how much sleep you need, since sleep deficiency impairs your ability to lose fat.

Try cooking with olive oil instead of other unhealthy types of oils if possible. One of the major benefits of olive oil is that it's a great source for monounsaturated fats which can help lower Low Density Lipoprotein also known as LDL. This can help protect against atherosclerosis. In addition to this, monounsaturated fats can actually lower the risk of heart disease. The reason for this is because these types of fats do not affect the levels of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL), which are also called “good cholesterol”.