Need to lose 10 or 15 pounds fast? Each of the tips below has been proven to help people lose weight quickly. If you combine all of them the pounds will fall off your body so fast your head will spin. And don't worry, this is a healthy, practical method for quick weight loss. No starvation diets, difficult exercise programs, or expensive weight loss pills involved...
1. Drink LOTS of water.
Water is your friend, especially when you're trying to lose pounds fast. Drink it constantly throughout the day. Shoot for a gallon or more of pure water and/or calorie-free tea per day.
2. Eat mostly unprocessed foods.
95% of your diet should be unprocessed foods. This means lean proteins (including lean meats, fish, etc.), raw or lightly cooked vegetables, fresh fruits, raw nuts and raw seeds. Avoid anything with processed/refined sugars, flours, fats, etc. Eating like this will help you lose fat quickly while also boosting your overall energy level.
3. Avoid starchy carbs.
One way to make losing weight faster and easier is to cut starchy carbs out of your diet. This means no breads, cereals, crackers, pasta, potatoes, etc. If you feel like you must have some starches, stick to beans, legumes, sweet potatoes, and whole-grain oatmeal. Try to eat them no more often than every 2 days or so.
4. Eat lean protein at every meal and snack.
Protein helps to speed up the metabolism while controlling hunger and stabilizing blood sugar/insulin production. Include some form of lean protein in every meal/snack and you'll burn fat faster.
5. Focus on healthy fats.
You need to eat fat to burn fat. But you must choose the right fats. These include monounsaturated fats (e.g. virgin olive oil) and omega-3 fats (e.g. cold water fish and fish oil supplements). You may also want to include virgin coconut oil in your diet, a very tasty and extremely healthy saturated fat that may boost metabolism and calorie-burning.
6. Perform short, intense exercise sessions.
You may be able to lose 10 pounds fast just by working out the "right" way. The best fat-burning workouts are short but intense. They stimulate the metabolism for hours and produce hormonal changes in the body that help it burn off fat while building muscle at the same time. One of the best options is "interval" training which involves doing short bursts of high-intensity activity (e.g. sprinting) with brief "rest" periods to allow the body to recover. Research shows that as little as 7 minutes of high-intensity interval training can dramatically increase fat loss and improve overall body composition quickly.
7. Rest and recovery is vital.
Allowing and helping the body to recover is extremely important for fast weight loss success. Shoot for at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Consider taking an afternoon nap every other day or so. Use whey protein powder after workouts to fuel fast muscle recovery, boost fat-burning, and improve overall health. Consider taking a high-quality multi-vitamin/mineral supplement and a fish oil supplement to assist the body even more.
Remember, focusing on your goals at all times and staying motivated is key to improving the way you look quickly. Keep a "mental image" of your ideal body in mind as much as possible. That, combined with the powerful steps outlined above, will allow you to lose 10 pounds, 15 pounds, or more within just few weeks!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Diet Tips for Getting a Flat Belly Fast
Are you in interested in losing your extra belly fat and getting flatter, more defined abs... or even those elusive "six pack" abs? It's really not that hard to get rid of abdominal fat quickly if you know what you're doing. Try these powerful diet strategies for getting a leaner midsection fast...
1. Fill up on fiber.
When it comes to losing your belly, fiber is one of your best friends. You should try to eat at least 25 grams of the stuff each day. Why? First because it helps you feel fuller, without adding calories. Second, it can dramatically improve the entire digestion process, helping to move food along your digestive track more quickly. This can aid in reducing bloating and weight gain. Finally, high-fiber foods tend to be more satisfying and reduce the chances of overeating at any one meal.
2. Choose your carbs wisely.
You need to make very smart carb choices if you want to get a flat belly fast. That means avoiding pretty much all "processed" carbohydrates and eating only "smart" carbs. Simply put, avoid any carbohydrate food that was created by humans... and stick to natural carbs such as vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes, and small amounts of healthy grain foods (e.g. whole-grain breads and oatmeal). Anything that contains refined flours and/or refined sugars must be avoided at all times.
3. Don't drink calories.
What you drink can have a huge impact on the amount of belly fat you're carrying around. Many people make the mistake of eating healthy foods but then drinking large amounts of calories in the form of high-sugar soft drinks, coffee drinks, and alcohol. When trying to lose fat, you should drink only zero-calorie beverages... mainly water and sugar-free teas. If you need a caffeine fix be sure to choose diet sodas and diet/no-sugar-added energy drinks.
4. Include lean protein and healthy fats in every meal.
Every meal and snack you eat should contain some lean protein and healthy fat. This will make you feel more satisfied and less likely to overeat. It will also help to avoid spikes in blood sugar and insulin production... so you don't store extra calories as fat. You also won't experience the energy and mood swings that often accompany low-quality meals. Both lean protein and healthy fats help to speed up the metabolism while fueling the body for optimal performance.
1. Fill up on fiber.
When it comes to losing your belly, fiber is one of your best friends. You should try to eat at least 25 grams of the stuff each day. Why? First because it helps you feel fuller, without adding calories. Second, it can dramatically improve the entire digestion process, helping to move food along your digestive track more quickly. This can aid in reducing bloating and weight gain. Finally, high-fiber foods tend to be more satisfying and reduce the chances of overeating at any one meal.
2. Choose your carbs wisely.
You need to make very smart carb choices if you want to get a flat belly fast. That means avoiding pretty much all "processed" carbohydrates and eating only "smart" carbs. Simply put, avoid any carbohydrate food that was created by humans... and stick to natural carbs such as vegetables, fruits, beans/legumes, and small amounts of healthy grain foods (e.g. whole-grain breads and oatmeal). Anything that contains refined flours and/or refined sugars must be avoided at all times.
3. Don't drink calories.
What you drink can have a huge impact on the amount of belly fat you're carrying around. Many people make the mistake of eating healthy foods but then drinking large amounts of calories in the form of high-sugar soft drinks, coffee drinks, and alcohol. When trying to lose fat, you should drink only zero-calorie beverages... mainly water and sugar-free teas. If you need a caffeine fix be sure to choose diet sodas and diet/no-sugar-added energy drinks.
4. Include lean protein and healthy fats in every meal.
Every meal and snack you eat should contain some lean protein and healthy fat. This will make you feel more satisfied and less likely to overeat. It will also help to avoid spikes in blood sugar and insulin production... so you don't store extra calories as fat. You also won't experience the energy and mood swings that often accompany low-quality meals. Both lean protein and healthy fats help to speed up the metabolism while fueling the body for optimal performance.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
7 Proven Ways to Lose Weight and Get Fit Faster
Interested in burning fat, losing weight, and getting fit faster? Then follow these 7 proven steps for fitness success...
1. Run hills.
Running up and down hills is one of the best ways to burn fat and get yourself fit really really fast.
2. Do HIIT training.
High intensity interval training has been proven to dramatically speed up the metabolism, burn fat, and increase overall fitness quickly.
3. Do full-body conditioning.
Workouts that involves all of the major muscle groups burn more calories and boost the metabolism... so give them a try!
4. Strength train.
If you include strength training (e.g. weightlifting, bodyweight training, etc.) in your workouts you'll burn more fat and get into better shape than if you only do cario/aerobic training.
5. Drink LOTS of water.
By now it's practically cliche but the truth is that drinking large amounts of water throughout the day helps you burn fat faster, stay energized for workouts, and just feel better all around.
6. Eat more plants.
A diet that includes large amounts of fresh and lightly-cooked plant foods (i.e. vegetables and fruits) will keep your feeling full while detoxing your body and helping you lose weight faster.
7. Cut the crap.
Stop consuming "bad" foods such as: simple sugars, refined flours, trans-fats, fried foods, and alcohols. You'll feel better and quickly look better as well.
1. Run hills.
Running up and down hills is one of the best ways to burn fat and get yourself fit really really fast.
2. Do HIIT training.
High intensity interval training has been proven to dramatically speed up the metabolism, burn fat, and increase overall fitness quickly.
3. Do full-body conditioning.
Workouts that involves all of the major muscle groups burn more calories and boost the metabolism... so give them a try!
4. Strength train.
If you include strength training (e.g. weightlifting, bodyweight training, etc.) in your workouts you'll burn more fat and get into better shape than if you only do cario/aerobic training.
5. Drink LOTS of water.
By now it's practically cliche but the truth is that drinking large amounts of water throughout the day helps you burn fat faster, stay energized for workouts, and just feel better all around.
6. Eat more plants.
A diet that includes large amounts of fresh and lightly-cooked plant foods (i.e. vegetables and fruits) will keep your feeling full while detoxing your body and helping you lose weight faster.
7. Cut the crap.
Stop consuming "bad" foods such as: simple sugars, refined flours, trans-fats, fried foods, and alcohols. You'll feel better and quickly look better as well.
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Wednesday, November 7, 2007
5 Ways to Burn Body Fat Faster... Starting Right Now!
It's not easy to start a fat loss program... but if you want to look and feel better you might as well start right now. Today is the best day to begin an intensive fitness/weight loss program that involves healthy eating and regular exercise. Within just a few weeks you could see a dramatic change in the way you look... not to mention a big improvement in how you feel!
Here are 5 tips for burning off that extra fat and getting the body you want to have... faster!
1. Find an exercise you love. If you take away nothing else from this article, understand that learning to enjoy exercise is the key to both short-term fat loss and long-term health and fitness. You absolutely must find some form of exercise that you enjoy doing and even look forward to doing. When you feel bad because you've missed a workout you know you've found something good.
2. Begin strength training. Doing strength training on a regular basis can quickly help you lose body fat while building muscle. It's one of the best things you can do to create a better-looking body fast. You don't need to lift weight. Pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats are very effective exercise anyone can do anywhere.
3. Do interval training. Interval training can help you burn fat, keep muscle tissue, and build a great-looking body quickly. Combined with strength training it will help you lose the weight and get fit in short amount of time.
4. Avoid the sugars, starches, bad fats, and alcohol. There's no way to get around it: if you want a healthier, stronger body you need to avoid certain foods and beverages. Anything made with refined sugars and/or flours should get tossed. The same goes for anything made with trans fats or anything that is fried. Finally, avoid beer, wine, and liquor for the fastest possible fitness and fat loss results!
5. Eat 4-6 small meals per day. Focus on eating several small meals and snacks made up mostly of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. Forget about the typical "dieting" routine and just focus on eating those food groups. If you begin craving starches have some low-fat beans/legumes and/or a small portion of 100% whole-grains. You'll feel better, have more energy, and lose fat all at the same time.
Here are 5 tips for burning off that extra fat and getting the body you want to have... faster!
1. Find an exercise you love. If you take away nothing else from this article, understand that learning to enjoy exercise is the key to both short-term fat loss and long-term health and fitness. You absolutely must find some form of exercise that you enjoy doing and even look forward to doing. When you feel bad because you've missed a workout you know you've found something good.
2. Begin strength training. Doing strength training on a regular basis can quickly help you lose body fat while building muscle. It's one of the best things you can do to create a better-looking body fast. You don't need to lift weight. Pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats are very effective exercise anyone can do anywhere.
3. Do interval training. Interval training can help you burn fat, keep muscle tissue, and build a great-looking body quickly. Combined with strength training it will help you lose the weight and get fit in short amount of time.
4. Avoid the sugars, starches, bad fats, and alcohol. There's no way to get around it: if you want a healthier, stronger body you need to avoid certain foods and beverages. Anything made with refined sugars and/or flours should get tossed. The same goes for anything made with trans fats or anything that is fried. Finally, avoid beer, wine, and liquor for the fastest possible fitness and fat loss results!
5. Eat 4-6 small meals per day. Focus on eating several small meals and snacks made up mostly of lean protein, fresh fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. Forget about the typical "dieting" routine and just focus on eating those food groups. If you begin craving starches have some low-fat beans/legumes and/or a small portion of 100% whole-grains. You'll feel better, have more energy, and lose fat all at the same time.
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Thursday, November 1, 2007
How to Lose Fat Faster... and Keep it Off
Interested in losing your body fat in a fast but healthy way? How about losing it and then keeping it off over the long term? The key to both fast "short term" fat loss -- as well as long term "weight maintenance" -- is learning how to burn fat and calories without losing muscle tissue (and slowing down your metabolism).
And no, the right way to lose weight and body fat quickly isn't to go on some extreme low-calorie diet. Sure, many of the popular fad diets out there can help you lose some fat within a few weeks. But much of the weight loss experienced during pure dieting comes from water loss as well as muscle tissue loss.
When you end up giving up on the diet (as the vast majority of people do) you'll end up gaining back all the fat and then some, due to the fact that you'll have less muscle and a slower metabolism. This is the primary cause of the infamous "yo yo" dieting syndrome that plagues so many people!
If you want a leaner, healthier, better-looking body in less time stick to the proven tips listed below:
1. Forget about "dieting!"
Again, dieting alone normally won't lead to effective fat loss, in the short term nor the long term. Focus instead on developing healthy eating habits that are focused on eating balanced meals which consist mainly of high-quality whole foods.
2. Kick out the sugar.
Refined sugars are probably the worst thing you can eat, both for your health and for your waistline. If you really want to lose your fat fast and keep it off you're going to need to pretty much give up eating all refined sugars. Avoid any foods that contain ingredients ending in "ose"... especially anything with fructose, sucrose, or glucose. Also avoid anything made with corn syrup as this is just a cheap (but extremely popular) simple sugar used in many foods these days.
3. Eat often.
Forget about starving yourself by eating only 1 or 2 meals per day. One of the keys to fast, healthy weight loss is to eat a small meal or snack every few hours. This keeps your metabolism revved up while preventing hunger and overeating at the same time. Shoot for 3 small, balanced meals and 3 to 4 high-fiber, filling snacks each day. Every meal and snack should contain a form of protein and preferably a serving of fresh vegetables and/or fruit.
4. Choose the right fats.
Low-fat diets are not a good way to lose body fat or keep it off. The human body needs a good amount of fat in order to function properly AND shed body fat. Yes, believe it or not, but without dietary fat it's extremely difficult to burn body fat. However, you must choose the right fats and avoid the wrong fats. The right fats include nuts and nut oils as well as seeds and seed oils. Olive oil is also an excellent fat as is avocado. But the healthiest and most powerful "fat-burning" fat comes from fish and seafood. Make sure to include some in your diet every week!
5. Find a form of high-intensity exercise that you enjoy.
Finding a form of high-intensity -- but "fun" -- exercise is extremely important in order to lose fat quickly and then keep it off over time. Many people find that they hate going to the gym and running on a treadmill but they absolutely love playing volleyball/basketball/tennis/etc. Other people have a great time running outdoors with their dog. The key is to find something you actually enjoy doing so you'll not only not hate it but you'll actually look forward to doing it each day!
And no, the right way to lose weight and body fat quickly isn't to go on some extreme low-calorie diet. Sure, many of the popular fad diets out there can help you lose some fat within a few weeks. But much of the weight loss experienced during pure dieting comes from water loss as well as muscle tissue loss.
When you end up giving up on the diet (as the vast majority of people do) you'll end up gaining back all the fat and then some, due to the fact that you'll have less muscle and a slower metabolism. This is the primary cause of the infamous "yo yo" dieting syndrome that plagues so many people!
If you want a leaner, healthier, better-looking body in less time stick to the proven tips listed below:
1. Forget about "dieting!"
Again, dieting alone normally won't lead to effective fat loss, in the short term nor the long term. Focus instead on developing healthy eating habits that are focused on eating balanced meals which consist mainly of high-quality whole foods.
2. Kick out the sugar.
Refined sugars are probably the worst thing you can eat, both for your health and for your waistline. If you really want to lose your fat fast and keep it off you're going to need to pretty much give up eating all refined sugars. Avoid any foods that contain ingredients ending in "ose"... especially anything with fructose, sucrose, or glucose. Also avoid anything made with corn syrup as this is just a cheap (but extremely popular) simple sugar used in many foods these days.
3. Eat often.
Forget about starving yourself by eating only 1 or 2 meals per day. One of the keys to fast, healthy weight loss is to eat a small meal or snack every few hours. This keeps your metabolism revved up while preventing hunger and overeating at the same time. Shoot for 3 small, balanced meals and 3 to 4 high-fiber, filling snacks each day. Every meal and snack should contain a form of protein and preferably a serving of fresh vegetables and/or fruit.
4. Choose the right fats.
Low-fat diets are not a good way to lose body fat or keep it off. The human body needs a good amount of fat in order to function properly AND shed body fat. Yes, believe it or not, but without dietary fat it's extremely difficult to burn body fat. However, you must choose the right fats and avoid the wrong fats. The right fats include nuts and nut oils as well as seeds and seed oils. Olive oil is also an excellent fat as is avocado. But the healthiest and most powerful "fat-burning" fat comes from fish and seafood. Make sure to include some in your diet every week!
5. Find a form of high-intensity exercise that you enjoy.
Finding a form of high-intensity -- but "fun" -- exercise is extremely important in order to lose fat quickly and then keep it off over time. Many people find that they hate going to the gym and running on a treadmill but they absolutely love playing volleyball/basketball/tennis/etc. Other people have a great time running outdoors with their dog. The key is to find something you actually enjoy doing so you'll not only not hate it but you'll actually look forward to doing it each day!
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
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.
Related:
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.
Related:
Thursday, July 26, 2007
A Week of Weight Loss
Are you interested in losing a few pounds quickly? By making a few simple diet and exercise changes, you can boost your metabolism quickly and burn off some fat... in just 1 week! Try the 7-day "Week of Weight Loss" below to learn how to lose some flab and tone up your body quickly...
Monday
Do a short morning workout involving 20 minutes of bodyweight strength exercises (such as pushups, pullups, squats, crunches, etc.) followed by 10 minutes of interval cardio training. This will really help to jump start your metabolism and have you burning fat and calories for hours after the workout is completed.
Also, eat a very clean diet based on lean proteins, fresh veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and healthy fats. Avoid all refined sugars and flour... as well as anything made with potatoes or white rice. Also avoid all fried foods. Stick with this diet throughout the week for best results.
Tuesday
Drink a couple of cups of green tea to boost your metabolism and burn extra fat. Then go do at least 30 minutes of "fun" cardio exercise. Make sure it's something you really enjoy. Play a "high intensity" sport such as basketball, soccer, or tennis. Go for a bike ride outdoors. Go swimming. Do 10 minutes on 3 different exercise machines. Just make sure you keep your heart rate up and stick to the "conversation" rule: if you can comfortably have a conversation with someone next to you, you're not exercising hard enough!
Wednesday
Do a "circuit training" style workout where you choose 5 or 6 different exercises, do a set of 10-12 reps for each exercise with no rest between sets, then rest for no more than 3 minutes before starting a new circuit. Do 2-4 circuits depending on your fitness level. The best exercises for circuit training workouts are either bodyweight exercises or weight lifting done with relatively light weights. Weight machines can also be used if you have access to a gym. This type of workout will really blast your fat stores while helping to tone up your muscles at the same time.
Thursday
Go for a brisk walk, bike ride, or swim -- 30 minutes maximum. This is a day for "active recovery" so you want to take it relatively easy intensity-wise while also helping your muscle tissue recover from the workouts of the previous 3 days. Make sure to eat super "clean" today since you'll burn fewer calories. Consider taking extra vitamin C as well as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. You might want to consider going "low carb" today where you eat nothing but protein, good fats, and fresh or lightly cooked vegetables.
Friday
Do a strength training workout that involves doing just one "work" set for each of 3-4 different exercises. This basically involves warming up well by doing some light cardio and then doing a few very light "warm up" sets of each exercise followed by one "heavy" set. Again, bodyweight exercises work very well for this. A sample workout might look like this:
* 10 minutes of light jogging
* 2 light warm up sets each of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats (Note: A "light" warm up set for a difficult exercise like the pullup might involve doing only 2 or 3 reps, or 10 reps of assisted pullups.)
* 1 heavy set each of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats (Basically do as many reps as you can, or until you reach "muscle failure.")
* 5 minutes of "cool down" exercise such as walking or light jogging
Saturday
Do 30 minutes of your favorite higher-intensity cardio exercise... or a type of cardio/aerobic exercise you've never tried before. Just make sure it's something fun and try to stay out of the gym if possible.
Sunday
Depending on how you feel, either rest or do 10-20 minutes of light exercise. If any muscles are sore, don't do any form of strength or resistance training. Rest and recovery is important for both muscle-building and fat loss. Try to eat a large serving of omega-3 fats for better recovery and faster fat loss. Fish is obviously one of the best options here. Also take some extra vitamin C.
Well that it's! By now you should have lost a few pounds and you should be feeling pretty good about your effort. Now just make regular exercise and healthy eating a habit and you'll have a fit, lean, and sexy body in no time!
Monday
Do a short morning workout involving 20 minutes of bodyweight strength exercises (such as pushups, pullups, squats, crunches, etc.) followed by 10 minutes of interval cardio training. This will really help to jump start your metabolism and have you burning fat and calories for hours after the workout is completed.
Also, eat a very clean diet based on lean proteins, fresh veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, whole grains and healthy fats. Avoid all refined sugars and flour... as well as anything made with potatoes or white rice. Also avoid all fried foods. Stick with this diet throughout the week for best results.
Tuesday
Drink a couple of cups of green tea to boost your metabolism and burn extra fat. Then go do at least 30 minutes of "fun" cardio exercise. Make sure it's something you really enjoy. Play a "high intensity" sport such as basketball, soccer, or tennis. Go for a bike ride outdoors. Go swimming. Do 10 minutes on 3 different exercise machines. Just make sure you keep your heart rate up and stick to the "conversation" rule: if you can comfortably have a conversation with someone next to you, you're not exercising hard enough!
Wednesday
Do a "circuit training" style workout where you choose 5 or 6 different exercises, do a set of 10-12 reps for each exercise with no rest between sets, then rest for no more than 3 minutes before starting a new circuit. Do 2-4 circuits depending on your fitness level. The best exercises for circuit training workouts are either bodyweight exercises or weight lifting done with relatively light weights. Weight machines can also be used if you have access to a gym. This type of workout will really blast your fat stores while helping to tone up your muscles at the same time.
Thursday
Go for a brisk walk, bike ride, or swim -- 30 minutes maximum. This is a day for "active recovery" so you want to take it relatively easy intensity-wise while also helping your muscle tissue recover from the workouts of the previous 3 days. Make sure to eat super "clean" today since you'll burn fewer calories. Consider taking extra vitamin C as well as an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. You might want to consider going "low carb" today where you eat nothing but protein, good fats, and fresh or lightly cooked vegetables.
Friday
Do a strength training workout that involves doing just one "work" set for each of 3-4 different exercises. This basically involves warming up well by doing some light cardio and then doing a few very light "warm up" sets of each exercise followed by one "heavy" set. Again, bodyweight exercises work very well for this. A sample workout might look like this:
* 10 minutes of light jogging
* 2 light warm up sets each of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats (Note: A "light" warm up set for a difficult exercise like the pullup might involve doing only 2 or 3 reps, or 10 reps of assisted pullups.)
* 1 heavy set each of pushups, pullups, and bodyweight squats (Basically do as many reps as you can, or until you reach "muscle failure.")
* 5 minutes of "cool down" exercise such as walking or light jogging
Saturday
Do 30 minutes of your favorite higher-intensity cardio exercise... or a type of cardio/aerobic exercise you've never tried before. Just make sure it's something fun and try to stay out of the gym if possible.
Sunday
Depending on how you feel, either rest or do 10-20 minutes of light exercise. If any muscles are sore, don't do any form of strength or resistance training. Rest and recovery is important for both muscle-building and fat loss. Try to eat a large serving of omega-3 fats for better recovery and faster fat loss. Fish is obviously one of the best options here. Also take some extra vitamin C.
Well that it's! By now you should have lost a few pounds and you should be feeling pretty good about your effort. Now just make regular exercise and healthy eating a habit and you'll have a fit, lean, and sexy body in no time!
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