20 Ways to Lose Weight Fast

Everyone wants to look smart and healthy. But the life is too busy today to even think about doing exercise. So, how to lose weight fast? This is so ironic that people fall for frequently advertised liposuction methods and weight control pills. They waste a lot of their time and money and end up with no results at all. Why go to a doctor when you can lose weight fast by making simple changes to in your routine life?

Change of diet, habits or environment can help you look smart and healthy. Take a deep breath and read the top 20 simple and effective ways that can help you lose that ugly looking weight of yours in a simple yet effective way.

Drink lots of water

You might have frequently heard or read that consuming water is very important for a healthy and balanced life. You might have also heard that drinking water can actually help you lose weight. You might be skeptic at this point that how can something as simple as drinking water help you lose weight?

This is absolutely true and this is how water helps in weight loss:

• Water is required to keep the metabolism going and dehydration makes it slow.
• Adequate supply of water means adequate amount of blood. And blood is needed to supply the cells with the raw material required for speedy metabolism.
• Water also helps in proper digestion.

So every time you feel thirsty go for plain water instead of alcohol and other carbonated drinks.

Use salad

You might be a meat lover but eating one bowl of salad once a day is not going to hurt you. Lettuce, spinach, carrots, red cabbage, celery and onions are available throughout the entire year. All these vegetables are extremely rich in fibers, complex carbs and antioxidants.

Moreover, they are extremely low in fat and cholesterol - the harbingers of weight gain. In simple words there can’t be anything better for your weight loss plans than eating a bowl of fresh vegetables and fruits salad once a day.

Use Coffee

Coffee is a double edged sword. When consumed within normal limits it can do wonders for your health but when you start consuming it excessively it starts to dement your health.

But how can coffee help in losing weight?

This is due to an ingredient present in coffee called caffeine. Research has proved that caffeine can boost your metabolism and can start the process of turning fat into energy.

But be careful!

Excess of everything is bad. 1-2 cups of coffee each day are good for health but as soon as you cross this limit you’ll end up having diarrhea, severe stomach upset and disturbed sleep.

Use stairs

Among all the exercises, walking is perhaps the best for weight loss. But who has got time to go for a walk, right? If this is the case then here is an alternative for you. Whether you are at your office or reaching your apartment just skip the elevator and go for stairs. Only this change of habit can help you burn hundreds of calories each day.

Avoid overeating

This is easier said than done. If some diet plan asks you to limit the intake of your food all of a sudden then this is the most unrealistic thing.

Here are some simple tricks that can help you eat less:

• Use small plates instead of large ones. This is will help you eat less.
• Instead of eating 2-3 large meals in one day, eat 5-6 small meals.
• Instead of eating variety of foods try to eat only one or two types of foods because when you’ve a variety to chose from you end up eating more.
• Drink water before and during your meals. This will give you a feeling of fullness.

Eat nuts and seeds

Everyone loves snack when watching TV or movies. Instead of eating fat laden chips and popcorns go for healthier options like nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are extremely rich in unsaturated fats, the key ingredient that can help boost your metabolism and lose weight. Here are some nuts and seeds that you can choose from:

Almonds: Almonds contain omega-3, fibers and proteins. All these elements make almonds the number one source of losing weight. You feel full after eating almonds.

Pistachios: Pistachios are low calorie nuts. In 50 pistachios nuts there are only150 calories. Two ounces of nuts are sufficient in losing weight. Salted and cooked nuts are not suitable for weight loss. Go for plain varieties.

Walnuts: Walnuts also contain omega-3, fibers and proteins. All these help you lose weight and get rid of bad fat and cholesterol.

Set your targets

Set smart targets to keep yourself motivated. Don’t make unrealistic choices that you can’t achieve. Take it slow and reward yourself once you’ve achieved one target.

Be Specific: Decide very clearly what you want to achieve. Measure your progress: Your goals should be measurable. Measure your progress on regular basis. Make a diary and write down your progress.

Be Smart: Be smart and start with small tasks and then push yourself to harder tasks.

Be Realistic: Don’t set those goals that are harder to achieve.

Stay determined: The progress might come in slowly but stay determined and don’t give up.

Use fork

This little thing can help you lose lots of calories. This is quite evident that when you use a fork instead of a spoon, you end up eating less. If by any chance you end up eating something that you’re not supposed to eat then go for a fork so that you can’t eat much.

Avoid sitting after taking meals

Most people end up gaining weight if they’re in the habit of sitting down immediately after taking their meals. This is the gift of the modern ways of life. We are so busy in our office work that we like to have our meals at your desks. We’re not even willing to get up and take a walk before or after our meals. When we get back home we’re so tired that we prefer sitting after meals instead of going for a small walk. This is where the problem lies. When we talk about walking after meals we don’t ask you to walk miles. Just go into your lawn and walk for 5-10 minutes. This will help your food to be digested in a better way and this will boost your metabolism as well. Don’t go for a walk immediately after meals as you’ll end up having heartburn this way. Wait for 5-10 minutes before going for a walk.

Sleep tight

Our routines are more hectic than they were ever before. We are so busy in our routines that we forget to get adequate sleep.

But how can getting enough sleep help you with your weight loss plans?

Here is the answer to this question:

• Adequate sleep helps to keep your metabolism running. When you’re deprived of sleep your metabolism becomes slow and you end up gaining weight.
• Improper sleeping behaviors are also associated with abnormal eating patterns like binge eating.

Double your protein

The problem with most dieting plans is that they totally exclude meat and meat products from normal diet. This is a bit unrealistic. If you’re a meat lover then this might be impossible to eat vegetables all the times. Don’t be upset as this point is for you. The key here is to limit the intake of red meat (lamb, beef and mutton) and consume more white meat (turkey, chicken and sea food). Also go for alternate protein sources like beans. Also while cooking these protein sources make use of plant oils instead of animal fats. The basic approach here is to consume as much protein as possible and consume as less fat as possible. Proteins are not stored inside your body unlike fat and don’t cause any increase in weight.

Sniff peppermint or an apple when it’s your meals time

Most people gain weight when they eat when they’re supposed not to eat. If you could nip the evil in its bud, you’ll eat less and will gain less weight this way. We suggest that you sniff peppermint, an apple or a banana when you’ve an urge to eat before your meal time. This might sound insane but this really works. In a research conducted by Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, 3000 volunteers were inducted in smell therapy. They were asked to sniff different foods whenever they felt hungry. Results were astonishing. The volunteers lost 30 pound of weight on average over the period of some months.

Meditate

Things couldn’t get any simpler than this. Choose a calm corner of your home or room and sit down on a mat. Stretch your back and breathe peacefully and periodically. You can listen to soothing music during this process.

Focus on your breathing and fill yourself with positive emotions and thoughts. This is meditation. Research has shown that people who meditate regularly are more likely to lose weight as compared to those who don’t.

Try to make meals yourself

You might not have enough time for this but this will help you a lot. Whatever you buy from outside is full of unhealthy ingredients and is cooked in a lot of unhealthy fats. When you cook your meals yourself, you become more conscious about what your food contains and tend to include healthy and nutritious things in your meal.

Avoid processed foods

Avoid processed and ready to eat meals. When a food is processed too much, all its nutritious value is lost.

Take wheat for example. The ordinary bread we eat is made of processed flour. White bread (made from processed flour) is full of simple carb, which are afterwards converted into fats. Brown bread, on the other hand, is full of unprocessed, complex carbs that are digested slowly and are not converted into fats. So next time you go for buying groceries, make sure to fill your trolley with whole food instead of processed ones.

Oatmeal for breakfast

First thing is don’t skip your breakfast and second what you eat in your breakfast is also very important. Oatmeal must be your first choice while deciding a breakfast menu.

Here is how oatmeal is going to help you:

• Oatmeal is full of fiber that gives you a feeling of fullness and you feel less hungry throughout the day.
• The fiber present in oatmeal improves your digestion.
• Oatmeal is also full of complex carbs that are released slowly into your blood and are less likely to be converted into fats.

So eating a bowl of oatmeal garnished with seasonal fruits is the best you can have for breakfast.

Add spice to your diet

Add a little spice to your diet with chilies, salsa and hot sauce. All these ingredients are full of substances that can generate energy by activating the contraction of muscles (thermogenesis). But be careful in the use of these spices if you’re suffering from heartburn or any other condition involving stomach distress as eating spices in such conditions can do more harm than good.

An apple a day!

An apple a day keeps the calories a bay. Apple is full of pectin. This gives you a feeling fullness and you end up eating less. The best time to eat apple is in the morning or before night meals. This way you’ll eat less throughout the day.

Stay active

Stay as much active as you possibly can. Walk, exercise and move around. When we ask you to stay active, we don’t ask you to work out like a marathon runner. Even walking for as much as 30-45 minutes 3-5 times a week can do the trick for you. All your efforts are a waste unless you burn the calories you consume in an effective way.