Working on weight loss? Then you probably want results -- fast.
Let
me save you some time: skip the fad diets. Their results don't last.
And you have healthier options you can start on -- today!
You
can safely lose 3 or more pounds a week at home with a healthy diet and
lots of exercise, says weight loss counselor Katherine Tallmadge, RD.
How to Lose Weight Fast
If you burn 500 more calories than you eat every day for a week, you should lose about 1-2 pounds.
If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more.
For
instance, if you take in 1,050 to 1,200 calories a day, and exercise
for one hour per day, you could lose 3-5 pounds in the first week, or
more if you weigh more than 250 pounds. It's very important not to cut
calories any further -- that's dangerous.
Limiting salt and starches may also mean losing more weight at first -- but that's mostly fluids, not fat.
"When
you reduce sodium and cut starches, you reduce fluids and fluid
retention, which can result in up to 5 pounds of fluid loss when you get
started," says Michael Dansinger, MD, of NBC's The Biggest Loser show.
Diets for Fast Weight Loss
Dansinger
recommends eating a diet that minimizes starches, added sugars, and
animal fat from meat and dairy foods. For rapid weight loss, he
recommends focusing on fruits, veggies, egg whites, soy products,
skinless poultry breasts, fish, shellfish, nonfat dairy foods, and 95%
lean meat.
Here are more tips from Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, author of The Flexitarian Diet:
- Eat vegetables to help you feel full.
- Drink plenty of water.
- Get tempting foods out of your home.
- Stay busy -- you don't want to eat just because you're bored.
- Eat only from a plate, while seated at a table. No grazing in front of the 'fridge.
- Don't skip meals.
Keeping a food journal -- writing down everything you eat -- can also help you stay on track.
"Even
if you write it down on a napkin and end up throwing it away, the act
of writing it down is about being accountable to yourself and is a very
effective tool for weight loss," says Bonnie Taub Dix, MA, RD, author of
Read It Before You Eat It.
Besides
jotting down what you ate, and when, you might also want to note how
you were feeling right before you ate it. Were you angry, sad, or bored?
We often focus so much on foods and calories, but our emotions are a
huge part of our eating habits.
If
you see a persistent pattern in your emotional eating, please consider
talking to a counselor about it. They can be a big help in finding other
ways to handle your feelings.
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