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.
You do not have to carry on being miserable about your weight. No matter what your goal is, it is certainly achievable. We know this because it's our job to do so.
The five steps below are the benchmark of a good, proven diet:
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) More protein means more fat loss. Protein is usually associated with building muscle but don't worry you're not going to suddenly hulk up into Arnold Schwarzenegger! Between the three macronutrients protein has the least effect of fat storage, so if you need a snack think fish, chicken or a protein shake.
4) Our favorite weight loss technique is tried, tested and endorsed by just about every personal trainer worth his salt. The next time you head off to work simply pack your bag with a few small containers alongside your lunch. These containers are snack boxes and should be only large enough to pack in a light meal of about fifty calories. This isn't enough to impact your overall diet, whereas it is enough to help you avoid the craving for the quick carbs and bad fats of the vending machine. There are fantastic long term weight loss results to be had here.
5) Take a day off every Sunday or any other day which works best for you. How many friends have you known who have crashed off a diet two weeks in because they were avoiding all of their favorite foods and living on boring salads? We know where this leads. They promise to start a new routine next month, only for the same effect to take hold again. Enjoying a day off is a key part in helping you stick to your diet.
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.
Always remember that losing weight gradually is far superior to losing weight drastically, because once it's off it will stay off. These five tips today will help you to begin enjoying those effects.
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.
You do not have to carry on being miserable about your weight. No matter what your goal is, it is certainly achievable. We know this because it's our job to do so.
The five steps below are the benchmark of a good, proven diet:
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) More protein means more fat loss. Protein is usually associated with building muscle but don't worry you're not going to suddenly hulk up into Arnold Schwarzenegger! Between the three macronutrients protein has the least effect of fat storage, so if you need a snack think fish, chicken or a protein shake.
4) Our favorite weight loss technique is tried, tested and endorsed by just about every personal trainer worth his salt. The next time you head off to work simply pack your bag with a few small containers alongside your lunch. These containers are snack boxes and should be only large enough to pack in a light meal of about fifty calories. This isn't enough to impact your overall diet, whereas it is enough to help you avoid the craving for the quick carbs and bad fats of the vending machine. There are fantastic long term weight loss results to be had here.
5) Take a day off every Sunday or any other day which works best for you. How many friends have you known who have crashed off a diet two weeks in because they were avoiding all of their favorite foods and living on boring salads? We know where this leads. They promise to start a new routine next month, only for the same effect to take hold again. Enjoying a day off is a key part in helping you stick to your diet.
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.
Always remember that losing weight gradually is far superior to losing weight drastically, because once it's off it will stay off. These five tips today will help you to begin enjoying those effects.
About the Author:
Author: Russ Howe is a qualified and much followed Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor. If you are lost with your diet, be sure to also watch our exclusive video step-by-step to how to lose weight today.