by Melanie Marten

Created on: August 06, 2008

There are many reasons why people want to lose weight fast: last minute invitations to a party, an up-coming reunion, or just to catch the eye of the hot new co-worker. While losing weight fast is not recommended for health reasons, you can still safely shed the pounds in a short amount of time. The secret is to choose a healthy regimen that includes calorie restriction and exercise to maximize weight loss fast.

Lose Weight Fast - Beverage Choice

The first thing to do when faced with the challenge of fast weight loss is to change your beverage choices completely. Stop drinking lattes, soda, juice, and sweet tea. Drinking a large amount of fresh, cool water every day will reduce calorie consumption and assist in flushing fat and toxins out of your blood stream. Non-caloric, diet sodas and drinks that include artificial sweeteners have been shown in some studies to slow down weight loss. Pure water is best.

Lose Weight Fast - Plan Meals

Every weight loss journey should start with a good breakfast. Not only does it give you the nutrients you need for energy throughout the day, it raises your metabolism shortly after you wake up. Raising your metabolism to help burn fat is one of the most important things to accomplish if you want to lose weight fast.

A quality, low-calorie breakfast might include high-fiber cereal, yogurt, and fruit. Breakfast is a great time to get a large portion of your daily fiber quota in. Protein helps keep you full longer and can reduce the total amount of calories you consume during the day.

Both lunch and dinner should also include lots of vegetables, including leafy greens, and lean protein such as chicken breast or fish. Nothing will help you lose weight faster than concentrating the bulk of your meals around vegetables.

Lose Weight Fast - Exercise

Exercise is an essential part of any weight loss journey, and is especially useful if you wish to lose weight fast. While strength-building exercises are ideal for long-term health and toning, if you only goal is to lose weight fast, hold off on these for now. Aerobic exercise burns more calories in a shorter amount of time.

Depending on your fitness level, begin by walking, jogging, riding a bike, or other aerobic exercise for at least half an hour each day. If you are already quite fit, you might need to up that time to an hour. Do not overwork yourself, avoid injury, and always consult your doctor before beginning.

Losing weight fast is not recommended by most professionals, but there are always times in your life when you just need to drop ten pounds for a special event. Drinking lots of water, focusing your meals on vegetables and lean protein, and doing aerobic exercise will help you achieve your goals.

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