The Best Workouts to Lose Weight Fast

When deciding to lose a few pounds, no one wants wait six months or a year to be slimmer. Workout programs that focus on attaining gradual results may be all well and good, but they do not reflect the real-world needs of dieters. Losing weight quickly is possible, but understand that you will have to work that much harder in the gym to accomplish your goals. If you manage to put in the effort on one of these rapid weight-loss programs, your reward will be getting a few steps closer to your ideal physique.

Escalating Density Training

One of the quickest ways to burn more calories in the gym, thereby burning more fat, is to increase exercise density. Exercise density simply refers to the amount of work performed during a given period of time. Understanding this fact, and that no one wants to endure two-hour workouts just to see results, coach Charles Staley has designed the EDT program for fat loss.

EDT workouts are 60 minutes long, dividing into three training blocks of 15 minutes each. The final 15 minutes are separated between the various sections to provide the body with a rest. During each 15-minute "block," you will be given a pair of exercises. Alternate between the exercises, taking rest as needed, with the goal of completing as many reps as possible during the time period. Each subsequent week, attempt to break your previous week's record. By constantly striving to force more work into the same time frame, your body will adapt by gaining muscle and shedding fat at a rapid pace.

A sample EDT workout might be:

First 15 minutes:
1. Step-ups with right leg
2. Step-ups with left leg

Rest 5 minutes, then second 15 minutes:
1. Incline dumbbell press
2. Seated preacher curl

Rest 5 minutes, then final 15 minutes:
1. Seated calf raise
2. Russian twist

Tabata Method With Weights

The Tabata method is perhaps the fastest workout on the market. Yet despite this, very few people are performing Tabatas on a regular basis. This is because Tabatas will force you to work harder than you ever have before, stimulating rapid and sustainable fat loss. If you think you are up to the challenge, then this is the workout for you.

To perform a Tabata workout, choose one compound exercise that works multiple joints, such as the squat or push press. Choose a relatively light weight, because you will be performing four minutes of non-stop activity. Have a clock or stopwatch nearby, because time is of the essence. Alternate between 20-second periods of activity, during which you grind out as many reps as quickly as you can, and 10-second periods of rest. Perform a grand total of eight work-rest sets, then feel free to lie down on the floor and collect yourself for a few minutes while your body recuperates. Perform Tabatas at least three times a week for maximum fat loss. Just remember that while this system might look easy on paper, try it before you make judgments. But if you are willing to pay the price, Tabatas can take you to your ideal physique faster than almost anything else.