How To Lose Weight Quickly, Per The Experts

There are various reasons why people want to lose weight, and many of them fall victim to fad diets that promise quick and effective results. While it’s possible to speed up your weight-loss efforts, it’s crucial to realize that doing so too rapidly can backfire.

Safe, effective, and sustainable weight loss is more about the process than it is about a finish line based on a scale with an impending deadline, just like so many other aspects of life. For professional tips on how to lose weight and keep it off, continue reading.

Fast ways to lose weight

Although the myth of the “lose 5 pounds in a week” diet is seductive, there are numerous reasons why rapid weight loss may potentially be harmful.

First off, people who lose weight quickly, especially on fad or crash diets, are frequently unable to keep it off since their weight loss is typically made up of more water and muscle mass than fat mass.

According to Connie Bennett, a certified health coach and author of Sugar Shock and Beyond Sugar Shock, “maintaining lean muscle is important in weight loss because it plays a key role in metabolism.” “Muscle increases calorie expenditure. However, when you lose weight too quickly, your body starts to burn calories more slowly, and you start to lose muscle. Even a permanent slowdown of the metabolism can result from rapid weight reduction.

Order Now

The dreaded yo-yo weight cycling that many chronic dieters suffer is frequently brought on by rapid weight loss. A study of previous participants on NBC’s weight reduction television program “The Biggest Loser” revealed that the participant’s metabolism slowed the faster they lost weight. The candidates significantly gained back the weight they had lost in the six years after the competition, according to the study.

While dieters in the trial lost the same amount of weight, a second Australian study of 200 individuals in The Lancet found that the group that dropped weight gradually lost 10% more body fat and 50% less lean muscle than the group that lost weight quickly.

Rapid weight loss makes it even harder to maintain weight loss because it frequently increases appetite and slows metabolism. According to research in the journal Obesity, for every pound we lose, our bodies tell us to eat 100 calories more per day.

Popular fad diets sometimes lead to vitamin deficits as well. “And rapid weight loss—especially when you cut carbs—is often largely water,” writes registered dietitian Ellen Albertson, Ph.D., author of Rock Your Midlife. Furthermore, because muscle mass is metabolically active, the body may use it as fuel if daily caloric intake is minimal, which would lower metabolism even further.

The bottom line: The best course of action is to lose weight responsibly. Experts often advise losing between half a pound and two pounds each week as a safe rate. Here are some tried-and-true strategies to lose weight and keep it off permanently with that objective in mind.

15 Expert-Recommended Steps for Safe and Long-Term Weight Loss

1. Make long-term changes to your lifestyle and behavior

Fast ways to lose weight

Albertson advises against using the word “diet” when attempting to lose weight. When you’re attempting to lose weight, you don’t want to be continuously thinking about food because dieting can be unpleasant and make you hungry. Instead, she advises prioritizing taking care of your body and viewing weight loss as a component of becoming healthier.

According to Albertson, “Weight loss is difficult, and you don’t completely control the number on the scale, but you do have control over what you eat, how much you move, and other things that affect weight, like stress and sleep.” She advises creating SMART (specific, measurable, and realistic) goals.

An alternative way to lose weight>>>

2. Pay attention to the First 5 to 10%

Consider the health advantages of even small weight loss rather than telling yourself, “I need to lose 25 pounds,” and overwhelming yourself with what seems like an impossible goal.

Set more manageable goals, Bennett advises. Only losing 5% to 10% of your body weight (TBW) can have a significant positive impact on your health and reduce your chance of developing conditions including type 2 diabetes, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and several types of cancer.

3. Consume fewer highly processed carbs and sweets.

Fast ways to lose weight

According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, what you consume is crucial for weight loss. If you increase the caliber of the meals you consume, the weight will drop off more quickly.

Click Here to Order

Getting less sugar and quickly digested carbohydrates into your diet is one of the best methods to lose weight, according to Bennett. You should avoid or significantly reduce your consumption of items with a high glycemic index, such as sugary snacks, processed carbohydrates, and soft drinks. You’ll lose weight more quickly if you avoid or consume fewer foods like French fries, chips, and crackers.

4. Eat more plants

Fast ways to lose weight

A plant-based diet is simpler to maintain than a low-calorie diet, according to research, which also suggests it improves weight loss. Additionally, it is nutrient-rich and offers a host of health advantages.

According to Albertson, produce aids with weight loss because it is high in fiber and water, both of which have no calories but fill up your stomach and make you feel full. A Brazilian study identified a link between better weight loss and increased fruit and vegetable consumption.

Albertson advises beginning with five daily portions of produce and working your way up to seven to nine daily servings. “Start your day with a green smoothie, eat fruit for snacks, and have a salad or cut-up vegetables for lunch.”

Easy ways to lose weight>>>>

5. Increase your protein.

Increasing your protein intake can decrease your appetite and aid in stopping muscle mass loss.

“Eating around 25 to 30 grams of protein—two scoops of protein powder or 4 ounces of chicken breast—per meal can improve appetite control and manage your body weight,” claims Dr. Albertson. The ideal strategy is to make sure each meal includes one serving of high-quality protein.

Additionally, according to Albertson, women over the age of 50 require 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily, substantially higher than males and younger women (who only need 8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily). Women need extra protein after the age of 50, especially as menopause approaches, since lower estrogen levels cause skeletal muscle growth, strength, and regenerative capacity to decline.

6. Drink a lot more water

More water consumption has been linked to weight loss, regardless of diet or exercise, according to research. Drinking plenty of water will help reduce sugar cravings and boost satiety. Water is also required for the body’s process of burning fat for energy, known as lipolysis.

Jordan Morello, a Florida-based celebrity trainer who works for the fitness platform Sweat Factor, recommends drinking 8 ounces of water eight times a day as a minimum water consumption. Once they include this guideline in their daily routines, my clients are frequently amazed by how much it may reduce cravings and help them feel fuller for the rest of the day.

Added water trick again? Consider consuming two glasses of water before every meal. Studies have revealed

7. Consume a Balanced Breakfast

Listen up, skippers of breakfast. Avoid cutting back on your morning fuel if you’re attempting to lose weight. Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between skipping breakfast and being overweight or obese.

Click Here to Order

Additionally, a study published in the Proceedings of the Nutrition Society discovered that people who skip breakfast generally have diets of poor quality and consume fewer minerals like vitamin D, calcium, and iron.

However, any breakfast won’t do. “You want a well-rounded, blood-sugar-balanced first meal of the day with ample protein, healthy fats, and what I call quality carbs like fresh berries,” advises Bennett. “This will help you think more clearly, perform more effectively, and be in better moods.”

8. Get Up and Move Around More

Increasing your non-exercise activity Thermogenesis (NEAT)—the energy used for everything you do that is not eating, sleeping, or exercising—is one of the simplest methods to lose weight. Small adjustments like pushing a cart instead of carrying your goods, parking further from the mall entrance, using the stairs instead of the elevator, or even tapping your toe can result in hundreds of more calories being burned.

Or try to stand more often than you sit. Switching from sitting to standing increases daily energy expenditure, directly translating into more calories expended and eventually weight loss, according to a study.

For instance, if you weigh 160 pounds and alternate between sitting and standing, you can burn an extra 35 calories every hour, or an additional 280 calories per day, 1,400 calories per week, and almost 70,000 calories annually.

“Set a timer on your phone, Fitbit, or computer to remind you to get up and move around every hour,” advises Albertson. You’ll burn more calories and maybe reduce your chances of heart disease and blood sugar problems.

9. Hit the Weights

Compared to fat, muscle burns more calories. So, how can you increase your muscular mass? exercising your muscles.

In addition to the calories you’ll burn while exercising, resistance training is a wise addition to any weight loss program because of the “afterburn effect.”

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, or EPOC, is a measure of how long oxygen intake is raised following exercise to aid in muscle recovery. The metabolism is boosted both during and following strength training sessions by this rise.

Furthermore, your resting metabolic rate (RMR) increases when you add muscle to your frame. The number of calories your body requires to function at rest is determined by your RMR. The more you can consume without gaining weight, the higher your RMR must be.

Although it’s frequently stressed, strength training is essential for losing weight and keeping it off, especially beyond age 50 when muscle mass, which burns calories, falls at a rate of 1% to 2% per year. Strength training helps halt the loss of muscle mass.

A more effective way to lose weight>>>

10. Exercise Moderation

Fast ways to lose weight

Working out nonstop or significantly reducing calories can have the opposite effect on weight loss. The majority of individuals believe that drastic steps must be taken to lose weight, but giving oneself enough time to recover is more beneficial.

According to certified personal trainer Rob Darnbrough, CEO and co-founder of The Smart Fit Method in California, “many people will double down on the stressor (i.e., catabolic phase) that they are doing when they get frustrated that they haven’t lost weight.” For instance, they might increase the number of miles they run, the amount of time they spend working out, or the amount of food they consume. However, the preceding actions only produce the desired outcomes while the anabolic recovery period is in full swing.

Click Here to Order

According to Darnbrough, the body gains muscle mass and sheds fat mass during the anabolic phase as it recovers from the stressor. Put as much effort into resting as you would into pushing yourself to the limit, because doing so will only result in overtraining and subpar results.

11. Check in with a Partner for Accountability

Although losing weight can occasionally feel lonely, you don’t have to go it alone.

Accountability is effective. According to research, two-thirds of participants who signed up for a weight-loss program with friends kept the weight off for six months after the meetings finished, compared to only a quarter of those who went alone. Many organizations advise having a sponsor or champion along your weight-loss journey.

Checking in daily with an accountability partner is one of the best ways to regularly eat better and lose weight gradually, Bennett advises. Your best friend, favorite coworker, or romantic partner does not have to be your accountability partner. Find someone who shares your objectives for losing weight. You do not need to converse daily. Just let each other know via text that you’re maintaining your diet of nutritious foods. You can rely on your partner if you find yourself enticed by unhealthy foods. You might wish to give them a call at that time.

12. Reduce your TV viewing

The more television someone watches, the more weight they gain; therefore, couch surfers who want to lose weight should turn it off.

In a study that gathered information from more than 50,000 middle-aged women over six years, it was shown that participants had a 23% higher chance of obesity and a 14% higher risk of acquiring diabetes for every two hours they watched television daily.

The main reason why excessive television viewing is linked to extra weight is that it’s a sedentary pastime that frequently also results in mindless eating. So, shut it off or perhaps switch to an exercise program on the television.

13. Regain Awareness of Your Satiety Cues

Speaking of mindless eating, by reconnecting with your body’s natural “I’m hungry” and “I’m full” cues, you can rewire your brain to lose weight.

“Dieting coupled with eating while multitasking—driving, watching TV, using your phone—can disconnect you from your natural signals of hunger and satiety,” claims Albertson. Additionally, we were taught to finish our meals rather than stop eating when we were full as kids. Consistent overeating results from the size of portions having increased significantly—by as much as 60% for things like snack foods.

Instead, Albertson advises that you try to eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full, rather than stuffed. To reconnect with these cues, try tracking your hunger before, during, and after meals rather than your food intake.

14. Sleep more.

One of the finest things you can do to keep your weight in check and your general health is to get a good night’s sleep. According to studies, getting too little sleep can lead to weight gain and other health problems. Researchers found that those who slept little more than five hours per night had a 15% higher risk of obesity than those who slept seven hours per night when they examined 16 years’ worth of data on 68,183 middle-aged American women.

The hormones ghrelin and leptin, which control hunger, may be affected by insufficient sleep, making people feel more ravenous throughout the day. Additionally, lack of sleep makes cortisol rise, which makes it more difficult to eliminate body and belly fat.

“Counting back seven to nine hours from the time you have to wake up is a great tip,” says Darnbrough. “Most of us can’t control what time we have to get up, but we can control when we go to bed.” To optimize your deep sleep and REM, “I also encourage the 3-2-1 rule, which means stop working three hours before bed, stop eating two hours before bed, and stop using digital stimuli one hour before bed.”

15. Discover Non-Edible Alternatives for Self-Motivation

There is a purpose for the term “comfort food.” However, emotional eating has the potential to completely wreck any weight-loss plans.

“Raise levels of oxytocin, the love hormone, either by soothing touch, playing with a pet, or receiving a hug,” advises Albertson. “When you feel stressed, which raises cortisol levels, instead of reaching for food to feel better—since eating triggers the release of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine—oxytocin, the love hormone,”

Oxytocin has been shown in animal experiments to lower calorie intake and improve metabolism [15]. In addition, a tiny human trial revealed that administering men oxytocin for eight weeks aided in weight loss.

A self-compassion break will enable you to give yourself the care you need, so you will be less inclined to eat, according to Albertson. “While more research is necessary to understand precisely how increasing oxytocin can impact weight and appetite, it will allow you to give yourself the care you need, so you will be less likely to eat,” she adds. ‘HALT,’ which stands for ‘hungry, angry/anxious, lonely, and exhausted,’ should be kept in mind. Eat if you are physically hungry. Ask yourself, “What do I need?” when you are going through a difficult emotional period, and then offer yourself that. It’s not food if you aren’t hungry.

Discover The Method For Long-Term Weight Loss

Learn how to lose weight sustainably and create enduring habits. To access a personalized weight loss program that will help you manage your health, complete Noom’s 5-minute quiz.