Keys to Losing Weight Fast

Technically, losing weight boils down to a simple equation: burn more calories than you eat. But to lose weight quickly also means you must intensify your workouts without burning out, and consume enough calories to keep you energized, yet on track toward weight loss. In addition to stepping up your diet and exercise routines, you'll need to incorporate healthy habits that keep you motivated.

Lower Your Calorie Intake

To kick-start the diet portion of the weight loss equation, you'll need to eat clean, healthful foods that will help boost your metabolism. According to Web MD, weight loss experts advise cutting around 500 calories daily to lose weight. To lose weight quickly yet safely, people should cut their daily caloric intake to about 7 calories per pound of body weight. For example, a 200-pound individual would cut back by 1,400 calories per day to shed pounds. Scaling back below 1,200 per day at any weight is not recommended. A fat-burning diet should include mostly vegetables, fruits, lean meats, seafood, egg whites and non-fat dairy. Drinking lots of water every day will also help speed weight loss, as hunger is sometimes confused with thirst, and liquids can help flush out excess calories.

Burn More Than You Eat

Regular exercise is crucial for rapid weight loss. If you are not already exercising regularly, you should begin moderate cardiovascular exercise for at least an hour per day with two hours of weekly strength training. As you become more fit and accustomed to working out, you should increase the intensity and frequency of exercise. If you've already started an exercise routine, you must intensify existing workouts for quick weight loss. While "cardio" is key for burning calories rapidly, adding strength training will allow you to increase your muscle definition while speeding your metabolism. This will help burn calories even faster. To lose weight even more quickly, you may double your current amount of exercise. This could mean getting in two workouts per day (one in the morning and one in the evening, for example) or intensifying sweat sessions to burn enough calories for two workouts. An excellent way to burn fat quickly without overdoing it is through interval workouts, where you repeatedly alternate exercising at a moderate pace for a few minutes with intense exercise for 30 to 60 seconds.

Healthy Monitoring Habits

Developing and sticking to healthy habits is critical to rapid weight loss. You can start by clearing your kitchen and pantry of sugary or fattening foods (anything with more than 5g of sugar per serving should go) to help avoid temptation. Staying occupied in order to avoid mindless munching can also help weight loss. Practice mindful eating: don't eat standing up, only while seated, and from a plate. One of the most useful weight loss reinforcement tactics is keeping a food journal where you'll jot down everything you eat and how many calories are in each food. This should give you a clear picture of what you consume, and help prevent overeating by giving you a feeling of control and accountability in relation to your weight. Weigh yourself daily to track progress and see whether your current weight loss tactics are working.