What is the quickest way to lose weight? This question has led to countless books, exercise videos, fad diets, supplements, and other products, every one of them promising to provide you with miracle results without having to put in the work. All you have to do is buy their product, eat their food, and you too can be just like them by using their products and weight loss tips…or can you?
All these conflicting products and promises can be very confusing, especially when many of them are direct opposites of each other. Some of them insist that quick ways to lose weight are all based on not eating any carbohydrates. Others claim that you need to eat lots of carbohydrates, but have to cut out the fat. The problem with modern weight loss tips provided by big names and slapped onto most books is that they are just too complicated.
The quickest way to lose weight fast is to keep things simple and stick to them. The problem that most of these fad diets have is that they are too complicated for the average person with a life and a job to realistically stick to for any length of time. This is the reason that these diets tend to have such high dropout rates when they are being studied. Someone who is working full time and has a family will not have the time or energy to count how many carbs are in each meal, whether or not those carbs count, what kind of fats they are eating, or how much fiber is in their salad.
Instead of all these crazy draconian rules, here are a few simple guidelines to help guide you toward losing weight:
Photo Credit: Ariel da Silva Parreira
Of course, the quickest way to lose weight fast is going to pair proper nutrition with physical activity. When these two are combined, not only does it result in a healthier, more energetic body, but it also increases the speed at which you lose weight. There are two different types of exercise that you will be engaging in: cardiovascular and strength training.
Strength training is important, but cardiovascular exercise is going to be the “meat and potatoes” of your weight loss workout routine. Aim for thirty to sixty minutes per day of moderate to high-intensity cardiovascular exercise five or six days per week. If you are not sweating or if you can talk easily while you are exercising, you are not working out hard enough. For maximum effect, change your exercise routine every few weeks to prevent your body from adapting to it.
The quickest way to lose weight fast is not going to be found in a pill, in the pages of a fad diet book, or on an infomercial. It will be found in the everyday common sense approach that doctors and fitness experts have been using for decades. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and stick to it. It’s as simple as that.