How to Speed up Weight Loss

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.

Steps

Method 1 Eating the Right Foods

1. 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.
   • Complex carbs like those found in green vegetables are far better for you than refined or processed carbs. ^[1]
   • 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. 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.^[2]
   • Eight glasses of water a day will spark faster weight loss. ^[3]
   • People who drink sugary sodas find it hard to lose weight. Water is a much better choice.
3. 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.
   • 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]
4. 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.^[5]
5. 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 is better than fruit juice.
    
6. 6 Eat hot peppers. Jalapeno and cayenne peppers 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. ^[6][7]
   • Capsaicin is a compound found in hot peppers that increases adrenaline.
7. 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 every three to four hours to keep your weight loss moving. ^[8]
8. 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.^[9]
9. 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.^[10]
   • 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. ^[11]
10. 10 Drink green tea. Green tea will give your metabolism a quick boost. As with hot peppers, it's a natural way to spark the body's inner furnace to burn higher. And that's how you lose weight. ^[12]
    • Green tea can cause you to burn 70 extra calories a day. That might not sound like a lot, but over a year's time, it can cause you to lose more than 7 pounds. ^[13]
    • Green tea has been called the healthiest drink available. It is filled with antioxidants known to produce weight loss, and it also has less caffeine than coffee. ^[14]
11. 11 Pick foods known for weight loss properties. You want to head for the produce and spice aisle in the store, but know what you are looking for. Certain foods are well-known for weight loss effects.^[15]
    • Barley, spinach, cinnamon, and cilantro are some foods that can kick start weight loss.
    • Salmon has many healthy nutrients.
    • Anything leafy and green is a good bet.
    • Nuts make a great snack, and studies have shown they boost the metabolism. They can be higher in calories, though, so a small handful to stave off hunger is the best choice. ^[16]

Method 2 Getting the Right Exercise

1. 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.
   • 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. ^[17]
2. 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. ^[18]
   • Indoor rowing, burpees, and jumping rope are all big calorie burners. ^[19]
3. 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. ^[20]
   • 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. ^[21]
4. 4 Exercise 200 minutes a week. This is a minimum, but it's a good number to shoot for. However, don't think you can exercise without monitoring your diet and lose weight fast. Both play a key role.^[22]
   • 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. ^[23]
   • 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. ^[24]
5. 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. ^[25]
   • Swinging a kettlebell can burn 400 calories in 20 minutes.
   • Kettlebells range from 2 to 100 pounds, so you should be able to start with one that works for you. ^[26]
   • The overarm swing is one good way to use a kettlebell. ^[27]
6. 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. ^[28]
7. 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. ^[29]
   • 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. ^[30]

Method 3 Finding Creative Solutions

1. 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.
   • Sleeping less than four hours a night reduces metabolism. ^[31]
   • Cherries contain a chemical that helps you sleep better.
2. 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. ^[32]
3. 3 Try a cleanse. There are cleanses that will jump start your weight loss. You can easily create many at home. One of the most common cleanses involves using fresh lemons, cayenne pepper, and distilled water and drinking it throughout the day.
   • Cinnamon tea and ginger are other possibilities. ^[33]
   • It's important to find a healthy cleanse to detox your system. Some cleanses allow you to eat more solid foods, such as banana shakes with low-fat milk and honey. ^[34]
4. 4 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. ^[35]
   • This means you can have a glass here or there, not a bottle a night.
5. 5 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 studies show it works.
   • Smell peppermint or an apple when you're hungry, and the cravings might go away. ^[36]
   1. 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.^[37]
6. 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 in your mouth.^[38]
7. 7 Weigh yourself daily. This will allow you to spot small increases in weight and take corrective action before you have a lot more to lose. If you never weigh yourself, you might be way off when guessing your weight.^[39]
8. 8 Watch less television. Some studies have found that people who watch less television, weigh less. That's because they're more active. Sedentary people don't burn as many calories.^[40]
   • Studies have found that just one hour of television watching each day can be linked to weight gain. ^[41]
9. 9 Chew sugar-free gum. Especially if you chew gum after a meal, your brain will make you feel less hungry. It's a quick psychological attempt to trick the brain into helping you not want to eat.^[42]
   • Sugar-free gum has about 5 calories per stick, and it can stop cravings. ^[43]
   • 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. 10 Take a photo. Make it realistic, though (no angle tricks). What do you really look like? And then use the photo as motivation. Admit what you really weigh. ^[44]

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