How To Speed Up Your Weight Loss

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Trying to lose weight? If you are the person on the Internet night after night searching for a way to lose weight fast, this article may help. Fad diets aren't the way to do it. Experts say that consistency and lifestyle changes are the way to lose weight, and keep it off. You can jump start your metabolism and lose weight immediately, though, by following some key tips. Here's how to speed up your weight loss.

1
Avoid processed carbs. The body doesn't really need these. There are good and "bad" carbs. Bad carbs cause spikes in blood sugar. The key is choosing carbs that are high in fiber so the body absorbs them more slowly. Avoid carbs that are low in fiber.^[1]
- Complex carbs are far better for you than refined or processed carbs. Foods with complex carbs include green vegetables, whole grains, quinoa, oatmeal, and popcorn.
- Avoid white foods. That's one of the best ways to figure out which carbs are in the "bad" category. Rice, potatoes, and white bread are processed, refined carbs that are bad for you. Eliminate them, and you will see weight loss fast.
- Eat a lot of green vegetables. Many diets allow you to eat as many of these as you want. They're healthy for you, they fill you up, and they are low in calories. Broccoli, kale, and green beans are great choices. Anything green, fresh, and a vegetable is likely a "good" carb.
2
Drink a lot of water. Water is good for you, period. It will rev up your metabolism, so drink it constantly throughout the day. This is one of the top secrets embraced by people who are able to lose weight fast. Think of metabolism as being like a furnace. You need to keep the furnace burning to lose weight.
- Eight glasses of water a day will spark faster weight loss.
- People who drink sugary sodas find it hard to lose weight. Water is a much better choice.
- If you are sick of water, you can drink green tea instead. Like water, it will reduce your appetite, and it is sugar-free and low in calories.
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3
Eat breakfast. It's true. Many studies have found that people who eat breakfast are more likely to keep weight off. So skipping an early meal can actually backfire later.^[2]
- You'll likely want to eat less later in the day if you eat breakfast.
- Eat the right breakfast, though. Steel-cut oats, fresh fruit, or even eggs can keep you full. The worst choice: Sugary breakfast cereals in boxes, which are basically empty calories.
4

Keep a food diary. This one is very important. People who keep track of what they eat lose more. You may discover that you eat more than you thought you did. Writing down what you actually eat every day can help you track calories and monitor what you're really putting into your body.^[3]
5
Limit juice. Some foods that you might think are healthy, aren't. Use labels. Even better, avoid things in cans and packages, and go for fresh. And don't build your diet around juice. A lot of people mistakenly think fruit juice will help you lose weight. It can be loaded with sugar that will sabotage your weight loss.
- If you must have juice, it's better to choose a homemade, green juice built largely from vegetables (remember, though, that even carrots and sweet corn can be loaded with natural sugar. Green vegetables are better.)
- Fresh fruit has fiber and other nutrients that juice does not. If you are craving fruit, try buying some fresh fruit instead.
6
Eat hot peppers. Jalapeno and cayenne peppers may slightly boost your body's metabolism. They can be added to drinks or solid foods to give your weight loss a needed boost.
- Studies have found that chili peppers increase what is called "brown fat." The more brown fat you have, the more weight you are likely to lose.
- Capsaicin is a compound found in hot peppers that increases adrenaline.
7
Choose smaller portions several times a day. This keeps your metabolism burning. It's a myth that you will lose weight and keep it off by starving yourself or confining your meals to one per day. It's better to eat less, more often.
- Experts suggest eating small meals or snacks every three to four hours to keep your weight loss moving.
8

Don't eat late in the evenings. You're likely using less energy at night, so eating then is a bad idea. If you eat late at night - and especially if you eat the wrong things at that time - expect to put on the pounds fast and sabotage any attempts at weight loss.^[4]
9
Watch alcohol consumption. It's not just calories. The problem with alcohol is it depresses your central nervous system, which means you will lose less weight. You also might be more likely to binge on your favorite comfort foods when under the influence.
- Alcohol consists of "empty calories." That means it has no nutritional value.
- The other problem with drinking a lot of alcohol is that the body will burn it off first. So you're wasting energy that otherwise might have burned off fat.
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1
Burn calories and track them. This matters. The math is really simple here, actually. You have to burn more calories than you take in. It's a simple equation. Sometimes people make weight loss too difficult.^[5]
- It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound. So, if you burn 500 extra calories a day, you're on track to lose 1 pound per week. That might not sound like a lot, but over a year, it is.
- Your basal metabolism will burn some calories (that means what you burn just from living and moving). You can calculate your basal metabolism using online calculators.
2
Know how many calories different exercises burn. You can find calorie calculators online that will provide a detailed estimate. Don't lose weight by guessing.
- Indoor rowing, burpees, and jumping rope are all big calorie burners.
3
Go for cardio. Experts say that cardio exercises burn more calories than strength training does. Rowing, running, walking, or riding a bicycle are all cardio activities.
- Switch up the intensity of the workout.
- Cardio is a great weight loss technique because it requires the body to use fat as its first fuel burning source.
4
Exercise 60 minutes a day. You should aim to do 60 minutes of exercise a day about five or six days out of the week. However, don't think you can exercise without monitoring your diet and lose weight fast. Both play a key role.^[6]
- Take enough steps. Buy a Fitbit to track your steps, and try to get in 10,000 steps a day.Take the stairs when you could take the elevator. Walk to work, instead of driving. Spend some time in the garden. Little things will add up.
- Strive for consistency. It's key. You can't exercise once in a blue moon and think that will matter. Build exercise into your daily life.
- Drink coffee before you exercise. A cup of coffee before your workout will give you a boost of energy that will make you work harder, and burn more. But skip the sweeteners and cream.
5
Use kettlebells. Kettlebells are bowling-ball size weights that are made out of cast iron. They're used for strength training. They're great for your core, and they provide a full body workout.
- Swinging a kettlebell can burn 400 calories in 20 minutes.
- Kettlebells range from 2 to 100 pounds. Start with one that works for you.
- The overarm swing is one good way to use a kettlebell.
6

Use ropes. Battling ropes can burn a lot of calories, and it's a common fitness technique found at gyms. You can burn as many as 10.3 calories per minute with rope battles. You hold a thick rope in each hand and perform different motions with it.
7
Try circuit training. Switch up the exercises in quick intervals. You'll lose weight faster that way than standing in the same place on a treadmill.
- Circuit training sessions often contain exercises like mountain climbers, squats, bicycle crunches, and lunges.
- Because you are constantly switching exercises, circuit training is less boring for many people.
- You will burn 30 percent more calories with a circuit training workout than other types of workouts.
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1
Get enough sleep. If you're tired all the time, and you can't sleep, this can actually impede your weight loss. Many studies have found a link between sleep deprivation and weight gain. Aim for at least seven hours of sleep every night.^[7]
- Sleeping less than four hours a night reduces metabolism.
- Cherries contain a chemical that may be able to help you sleep longer.
2
Choose to be happy. Stress increases cortisol, which is a hormone that can lead to weight gain. Sometimes, mood affects more things than we realize. Weight can be one of them.
- Cortisol is produced when you don't exercise, too.
3
Drink red wine in moderation. It's linked to weight loss in some studies, but that doesn't mean you can guzzle a lot of it.If you do so, the calories will get you.
- Red wine contains a chemical called ellagic acid, which helps you burn fat faster. It's also found in grape juice.
- Women should only drink about 5 oz or less of wine a day while men should drink less than 10 oz a day.^[8]
4
Activate all of your senses. The sense of smell. The sense of sight. Activating these can help you feel less hungry. This might sound silly, but it may help.
- Smell peppermint or an apple when you're hungry, and the cravings might go away.
5

Look at something blue. Blue is a color that suppresses appetite. So look at it a lot, and you will eat less. Eat on blue plates or paint your kitchen walls blue.
6

Brush your teeth. If you brush your teeth after a meal, you'll eat less. That's because you'll be less inclined to put more food or drink in your mouth after you have already cleaned your teeth.^[9]
7

Weigh yourself daily. This will allow you to spot small increases in weight and take corrective action before you gain much more weight. If you never weigh yourself, you might be way off when guessing your weight.
8
Watch less television. Some studies have found that people who watch less television, weigh less. That's because they do not sit as much, and they are more active. Sedentary people don't burn as many calories.
- Studies have found that just one hour of television watching each day can be linked to weight gain.
9
Chew sugar-free gum. If you are still hungry after a meal, try chewing sugar-free gum. Doing this will make you feel less hungry. It's a quick psychological attempt to trick the brain into helping you not want to eat.
- Sugar-free gum has about 5 calories per stick, and it can stop cravings. ^[10]
- Don't use gum as a substitute for a good diet, though. If you're shoveling unhealthy things in your mouth on a daily basis, chewing gum the rest of the day won't matter.
10

Take a photo. Taking pictures of yourself will let you track your progress. This can help motivate you by showing you how far you have come.

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Question

How many times should green tea be drunk per day?

Claudia Carberry is a Registered Dietitian specializing in kidney transplants and counseling patients for weight loss at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She is a member of the Arkansas Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Claudia received her MS in Nutrition from the University of Tennessee Knoxville in 2010.

Master's Degree, Nutrition, University of Tennessee Knoxville

Expert Answer

Green tea can be drank every day. It is low in caffeine and high in antioxidants. Avoid sweetening it to get maximum benefits from green tea.

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If you have a meal or even a day that is unhealthy, start eating right again as soon as possible to minimize its effect on your diet.
The best way to boost your metabolism is to build muscle mass.
Don't skip meals. Doing so will kill your metabolism and make weight loss harder.Any short-term weight loss will be compromised fast because your body will go into "conservation mode," and your metabolism will drop.^[11]

Consult your doctor before you make any major changes to your diet or if you are starting a new exercise regimen.

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