How to Lose Weight Fast in 10 Easy Steps

Losing weight can be tedious and frustrating, but it does take time to get used to the lifestyle change. With loosing the weight as the long-term goal means that the pounds will come off slowly and steadily, resulting in the likelihood that you will keep them off. These are a few ways to help kick start your metabolism so that the calories will burn off and you will lose weight a bit more quickly. Following is a guide on how to lose weight fast.

1. Green tea is your friend

Green tea contains antioxidants that enhance your metabolism and can help you burn an additional 70 calories in a 24 hour period. This adds up to a total of 7.3 pounds of fat per year. It is also a tasty alternative to plain water, and a lighter alternative to coffee.

2. Don’t drink your calories

The body does not register calories from liquids the same way that it registers calories from solid food. Having a large blended coffee drink won’t give you the same full feeling that you will get from eating a bowl of pasta. Juices, sodas, and coffee drinks can all give you the extra calories but will not make you feel full, so you will still want to eat. Alcohol can even suppress the metabolism of fat which makes it harder to burn those calories off.

3. Five pound weights

Training with these will help you build lean muscle tissues which burn excess calories whether you’re working out or resting all day. With the increase of lean muscle the faster you can slim down. Where do you start? Do some push-ups or a few squats and lunges. Utilize the free weights to do simple bicep curls and triceps at work or at home. Doing this 3 to 4 times a week will allow you to see a rapid improvement.

4. Limit the salt

Salt and sodium can contribute to the retention of water, which makes you feel and look bloated. The daily suggested value of salt is no more than 2400 mg of sodium per day. Most people actually get twice that amount. Just keep an eye on your sodium intake and the foods it can be hidden in, like soups and drinks.

5. Add some spice

Eating hot peppers can boost the basal metabolism, thanks to the capsaicin. This is found in cayenne and jalapeno peppers, and can increase the body’s release of hormones like adrenaline what speeds up the metabolism and the ability to burn calories. Peppers can also reduce ones appetite and help curb cravings. Add spice to your veggies, salad, and baked potatoes.

6. Get more sleep

Sleeping the full eight hours means that you likely have a faster metabolism than someone who only gets four hours of sleep. So in short sleep deprivation can make you fat. Who doesn’t want to sleep more, anyway? Get into bed a bit earlier every night if you’re usually a night owl and it will become a habit.

7. Start walking

Exercise is good at any time. But when you find yourself with a limited amount of time, evening activity is particularly beneficial, there are lots of benefits to walking. Your metabolism can slow down toward the end of the day and having just 30 minutes of aerobic activity a few minutes before dinner increases your metabolism and keep that increase for about two or three hours. In turn, the calories from dinner have less of a chance of staying when you taking the time to exercise prior.

8. Don’t skip a meal

Skipping a meal actually backfires big-time. It tricks your body into thinking that food is in short supply. Your body then slows the metabolism down to conserve energy. Overtime this means that when you eat, even if it’s the same food as always, your body will use the calories slower and this creates the addition of unwanted pounds. If you find yourself having days that are hectic and you can’t sit down for a meal, stash a piece of fruit or energy bar in your briefcase or purse. This is better than nothing.

9. 20 minutes of exercise a day

Even if you’re already exercising to lose weight, you should add an extra 20 minutes per day. It doesn’t have to be something big, it can be something as small as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking instead of taking transit, gardening, and even housecleaning. This does not mean you have to go for a jog but 20 minutes of moderate exercise per day translates to about 700 cal being burnt.

10. Using Water as Detoxifying Agent

Drinking the full 64 ounces of water a day is quite possibly the easiest way to enhance the time of losing weight. Water is necessary to efficiently metabolize stored fat. When your water supply is cut short this slows down the process makes it difficult to burn calories. Only eight glasses a day keep this running smoothly. Drink up!