The Basics of Losing Fat Fast (the Healthy Way)

So you want to lose some body fat. And you want to do it fast. Right? The good news is that -- for most people -- it is definitely possible to lose 10 to 20 pounds of fat in just a month. And you can even do it without going on some kind of crazy diet or enduring grueling workouts that involve hours of pain.

The bad news is that, like most things that are worth doing, it's going to require a good amount of focus and hard work on your part. Also, if you do it wrong or try to take shortcuts (ala the typical "quick weight loss" program) you could end up losing a significant amount of muscle tissue and/or damaging your metabolism in the process.

This article will cover the basics of losing body fat fast but in a safe, healthy manner that minimizes the risk of muscle tissue loss and keeps your metabolism going strong.


Fast Fat Loss Basic #1: Motivation and Focus Are Everything

The first step in accomplishing any worthwhile goal is to get yourself into the proper "success" mind-set.. and then stay there. Anyone can get themselves psyched up to start a difficult endeavour (such as losing a significant amount of body fat in a short amount of time). The people who succeed are the ones who are able to stay motivated even after they lose that initial burst of energy and motivation.

The bottom line is that you must learn how to focus your mind, stay motivated, and maintain intensity for the duration. I highly recommend reading the classic success book "Think and Grow Rich" as well as the ebook Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle, which includes a fantastic guide to getting and staying motivated to lose body fat.


Fast Fat Loss Basic #2: Avoid Bad Carbs

In order to shed body fat quickly you must learn to identify and avoid all "bad" carbs. These include pretty much all processed carbohydrate foods as well as white potatoes and white rice. Anything made with refined sugars and/or refined flours is your enemy. For the fastest weight loss results possible avoid all grain products, even "100% whole grain" products. There are many reasons for this but the bottom line is that the human body isn't designed to process grains very well... so you're better off just avoiding them when trying to lose weight quickly.


Fast Fat Loss Basic #3: Go Crazy on Lean Proteins, Veggies, and Beans

There are certain foods you can literally eat as much of as often as you'd like. These foods are: lean proteins, raw and steamed vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat beans/legumes. Almost all your meals should be based around these foods, mainly due to the fact that your body can process them extremely well and it's difficult to overeat any of them. Lean proteins such as lean meats, low-fat cheeses, and whey protein can actually boost your metabolism and help you burn more fat. Veggies and beans are packed with healthy nutrients and belly-filling, hunger-reducing fiber. If you need something sweet go with fresh, raw fruits... but limit yourself to 1 or 2 servings per day due to their natural sugar content (which will slow fat loss).


Fast Fat Loss Basic #4: Get Those Good Fats

Eating some "good" fats each day is absolutely vital to losing weight in a healthy way. The human body needs some fat to function properly and, as has been proven over and over again, low-fat diets rarely lead to fast fat loss nor long-term weight loss success. The best fats come from raw nuts and seeds, avocados, olive oil, and fish. Make sure to include these foods in your meals often!


Fast Fat Loss Basic #5: Watch What You Drink

Many people drink a huge amount of calories every day in the form of high-sugar/high-fat sodas, soft drinks and coffee drinks as well as beer, wine, and liquor. To lose fat quickly you should limit yourself to water, sugar-free teas, sugar-free coffee, and diet sodas. Ideally you want to drink a lot of water when losing weight in order to keep your metabolism and energy levels up. In terms of alcohol intake, limit yourself to 1 or 2 glasses of red wine per day (which may have extra health benefits not found in other alcoholic beverages).


Fast Fat Loss Basic #6: Short, Intense Exercise Burns Fat Faster

Perform shorter, higher-intensity workouts on a consistent basis (2-6 times per week) and you'll watch the fat melt off your body. Long slow cardio exercise (such as slow jogging and bike riding) might help to improve heart health but it's not great at burning body fat quickly. For best results do some form of strength/resistance training 2-3 times a week and cardiovascular/aerobic exercise 3-6 times per week.


Fast Fat Loss Basic #7: Take a Break

One day a week, take a break from both diet and exercise. Eat pretty much whatever you want and don't do any form of exercise. It feels like "cheating" but in reality it serves a very important purpose. First, being able to eat whatever you like will help maintain motivation and curb cravings. Second, you'll give both your mind and your body some much-needed rest and recovery time. Finally, there is evidence that spiking calorie-intake once a week helps to keep your metabolism "off-balance" and prevents your body from adapting to a lower-calorie diet (and slowing fat loss).


Obviously, there is quite a bit more to fast, healthy fat loss (and they'll be covered here eventually) but the above basics can allow anyone to start down the road to a leaner, better-looking body in less time.


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