Our instructors recently compiled a list of the most commonly asked fitness questions they received in the gym and the overwhelming winner came from women asking how to lose weight fast and, more importantly, how to keep it off afterwards. Today we answer this with five simple yet extremely effective steps for you to apply.
The first thing to do if you've been trying and failing to lose fat for a while now is to change your mentality. We say this because once you get sucked into that awful celebrity magazine culture where results are promised instantaneously and without effort, it becomes easy to get addicted to the 'next big thing' in your quest for the miracle pill that doesn't exist. These rules will work, it's as simple as scientific fact.
There is a way around it, however. No matter what your current situation, weight loss is not impossible.
The trick to a long term diet is within it's foundation. The following rules will help you set these foundations:
1) A calorie deficit is necessary to lose weight but it must be done correctly or it will not work. This means cutting your daily calories by around 100-200 per day until you reach your target number each day as opposed to suddenly dropping your food by 50% and hoping for the best. The former will increase weight loss and make your diet far easier to stick to, whereas the latter will force your body into starvation mode where it stores fat. That's right, drop your calories too drastically and you'll be storing more fat even though you are eating way less. This step is where so many 'yo-yo' dieters and celebrity magazine followers go wrong.
2) Eat more protein and you'll ensure that you'll not only lose weight but it will be good weight. Regardless of your overall goal the one place you don't want to be is losing muscle and keeping fat. Believe it or not, the more muscle your body has the more fat you will burn. As you drop your fat and carbohydrates be sure to increase your protein and you'll absolutely nail this great weight loss technique.
3) Protein has far less effect on the body's fat storage systems than both carbohydrates and fat. So when you fancy a snack it makes sense to first look at the available protein sources such as chicken or fish. This is also why protein shakes are increasingly popular.
4) Pack your lunch. This is not perhaps what you'd expect but it will make sense and is a real favorite at the gym among those who get results. When you are out all day at the office there is huge temptation coming from the resident chocolate store or vending machine. We've all been there. Pack a few small tubs with 50 to 100 kcal meals and you'll beat this temptation. The snacks are too small to impact your daily diet anywhere near enough to make a significant difference and it will help you avoid fatty, bad foods.
5) Taking a day off from your diet is a great way to prolong results. You read that correctly! Have you ever done a weight loss plan where you felt like you were punishing yourself, living on 'rabbit food' and avoiding everything you like? If so, where did it lead you? If you are like most people it led you directly to falling off the wagon and reaching 'I'll start over next month' territory.
You are free to have a day off every single week. In fact we advise you to even if you don't want to, because it helps. Your moral goes up, it gives you a target if you are having a tough week at work or feel down, and you can also use it as a kind of reward for your hard work without worrying about eating bad calories. This helps you far more than it hinders you.
While we all like the idea of losing weight instantly we all know it's silly and, deep down, we also know that gradual weight loss is the way to go if you are looking to actually keep it off once it's gone, as opposed to piling it all back on and more like so many do. The five points above will help you a lot. Apply them starting tomorrow and you will be blown away by the results.
The first thing to do if you've been trying and failing to lose fat for a while now is to change your mentality. We say this because once you get sucked into that awful celebrity magazine culture where results are promised instantaneously and without effort, it becomes easy to get addicted to the 'next big thing' in your quest for the miracle pill that doesn't exist. These rules will work, it's as simple as scientific fact.
There is a way around it, however. No matter what your current situation, weight loss is not impossible.
The trick to a long term diet is within it's foundation. The following rules will help you set these foundations:
1) A calorie deficit is necessary to lose weight but it must be done correctly or it will not work. This means cutting your daily calories by around 100-200 per day until you reach your target number each day as opposed to suddenly dropping your food by 50% and hoping for the best. The former will increase weight loss and make your diet far easier to stick to, whereas the latter will force your body into starvation mode where it stores fat. That's right, drop your calories too drastically and you'll be storing more fat even though you are eating way less. This step is where so many 'yo-yo' dieters and celebrity magazine followers go wrong.
2) Eat more protein and you'll ensure that you'll not only lose weight but it will be good weight. Regardless of your overall goal the one place you don't want to be is losing muscle and keeping fat. Believe it or not, the more muscle your body has the more fat you will burn. As you drop your fat and carbohydrates be sure to increase your protein and you'll absolutely nail this great weight loss technique.
3) Protein has far less effect on the body's fat storage systems than both carbohydrates and fat. So when you fancy a snack it makes sense to first look at the available protein sources such as chicken or fish. This is also why protein shakes are increasingly popular.
4) Pack your lunch. This is not perhaps what you'd expect but it will make sense and is a real favorite at the gym among those who get results. When you are out all day at the office there is huge temptation coming from the resident chocolate store or vending machine. We've all been there. Pack a few small tubs with 50 to 100 kcal meals and you'll beat this temptation. The snacks are too small to impact your daily diet anywhere near enough to make a significant difference and it will help you avoid fatty, bad foods.
5) Taking a day off from your diet is a great way to prolong results. You read that correctly! Have you ever done a weight loss plan where you felt like you were punishing yourself, living on 'rabbit food' and avoiding everything you like? If so, where did it lead you? If you are like most people it led you directly to falling off the wagon and reaching 'I'll start over next month' territory.
You are free to have a day off every single week. In fact we advise you to even if you don't want to, because it helps. Your moral goes up, it gives you a target if you are having a tough week at work or feel down, and you can also use it as a kind of reward for your hard work without worrying about eating bad calories. This helps you far more than it hinders you.
While we all like the idea of losing weight instantly we all know it's silly and, deep down, we also know that gradual weight loss is the way to go if you are looking to actually keep it off once it's gone, as opposed to piling it all back on and more like so many do. The five points above will help you a lot. Apply them starting tomorrow and you will be blown away by the results.
About the Author:
About the author: Russ Howe is a qualified and respected Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor. If you are lost with your diet, be sure to also watch our free video guide to how to lose weight today.
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