It seems that everyone who is on a diet wants to lose weight quickly, despite the fact that fast weight loss isn’t considered safe.
In short, the quickest way to lose weight is to eat less. Consuming less food equals consuming less calories, which ultimately leads to weight loss no matter how the concept is viewed. Even though eating less will make the pounds fall off, there is a right and wrong way to go about it. Going about it the wrong way will ultimately result in any lost weight coming back eventually.
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Eating Healthy to Lose Weight Fast
A person who is wondering, “What is the quickest way to lose weight?” can certainly benefit from eating less. However, it should be noted that the foods that are eaten need to be healthy. Eating less of the same things that caused a person to gain to weight to start with, such as greasy, sugary foods, sodas, and overly processed things, will likely backfire.
This is because these foods tend to make people want more of these same foods. They’re like empty calories that are really of no benefit. A person who drinks a soda will probably be craving something else within 20 minutes.
It’s a vicious cycle. Replacing unhealthy foods with healthy foods tends to make people feel fuller longer, which eliminates the need to continue binge eating on things that are unhealthy. People who continue eating the same things as before, only less of these same things, will have a very hard time sticking to their weight loss plan.
Understanding the Speed of Healthy Weight Loss
People who begin diets often lose a lot of weight to start with no matter what eating plan they are on. This is usually because the body is busy shedding water weight. A lot of people get very excited because they are able to lose seven pounds in one week on their new diet.
They expect this to continue and then become disappointed when it doesn’t. Once this initial water weight is shed, weight loss might slow down from anywhere to one to three pounds per week. Many people lose their enthusiasm for weight loss at this point and give up trying, allowing their old habits to sink in.
What people don’t realize is that one to three pounds a week is the safest amount of weight they can realistically lose. Continuing to lose seven pounds a week every week would be incredibly unhealthy and dangerous, and most people’s bodies are not going to continue to let go of that much weight all at once.
The Quickest Way to Lose Weight at a Healthy Rate
A person who wants to lose weight as fast as what is considered safe should consume lots of water every day, get in 30 minutes of exercise at least three times per week, and try to eat six small meals a day made up of equal portions of fat, carbohydrates and proteins.
Eating six small, healthy meals every two or three hours should help to stave off cravings, and as long as the meals are healthy, weight loss should continue at a normal pace. Losing one to three pounds per week is not slow weight loss — it’s as fast as the body of the average person can safely lose weight.
If weight loss stops or slows down to less than one pound per week, it is likely that a plateau has occurred. People who hit weight loss plateaus should continue with their diet and exercise plan and battle through the plateau. Weight loss will start up again, but it is vital that people continue with their new habits for this to occur rather than just give up.
Anyone can lose weight if they eat less, but losing weight at a rapid pace will backfire eventually if proper eating habits aren’t practiced. Lifestyle changes are a must. Ten pounds per month is realistic for most people, although it is possible that more weight will come off during the first month of weight loss. It is important that a person on a diet does not get discouraged and give up when weight loss slows down. This is the quickest way to ensure that the weight will hang around for good.
