There will always be a reason why you still haven’t shed those few extra pounds you have packed on. A few cookies here and a donut there, and the next thing you know is the weighing machine displaying a panic-inducing number.

Michelle Obama, First Lady of the United States

Healthy weight loss is a gradual process, that much is true. But incorporating small changes in your lifestyle can show really fast results, in as less as 10 days.

The focus should be on cutting back calories, incorporating healthier foods into your diet, and working out.

Table Of Contents

Eat More Fiber
Reduce The Intake Of Carbohydrates
Eat Healthier Fats
Incorporate A Workout Regimen Into Your Schedule
Cut Out Empty Calories
Choose Better Snacks
Get Rid Of Junk
Eat Smaller Portions
Cook Your Own Meals
Drink More Water
Don’t Give Up
A Diet Plan


1. Eat More Fiber

The best way to reduce calorie intake is by incorporating more fiber into your diet. The recommended amount is about 30 grams a day, but most people don’t consume enough fiber.

How Is It Helpful?

Fiber is of two types, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber absorbs water and transforms into a gel during digestion. Insoluble fiber remains undigested as it passes through your system. Both types of fiber slow down the process of digestion, and helps you feel fuller for longer (1).

2. Reduce The Intake Of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are a staple in the diet of many. In fact, of all the food groups, the amount of carbs consumed is the highest. This poses a problem because every gram of carbohydrate contains four calories. And most foods that are rich in carbs barely possess any other nutrients.

How Is It Helpful?

Filling yourself up with carbs adds a lot of calories to your diet, which is why cutting back on carbs can be a great step towards weight loss.

3. Eat Healthier Fats

There is this prevalent misconception that fats are bad for you. That isn’t entirely true. There are healthy fats and there are the unhealthy ones. You need to make sure that the fats you eat are good for your health.

How Is It Helpful?

Most junk foods contain unhealthy or saturated fats. They are the ones responsible for an array of diseases. But unsaturated fats, which is found in avocado, olive oil, and nuts, can help lower cholesterol and the risk for heart diseases when had in moderation.


4. Incorporate A Workout Regimen Into Your Schedule

Exercise and weight loss go hand in hand. While it might not be possible to start working out an hour a day overnight, you can start by doing small things at a time. A 15 minutes walk, or taking the stairs instead of the elevator are good ways to start.

How Is It Helpful?

Even if you don’t end up working out a lot, a little exercise is better than no exercise. Regular exercise helps burn calories and boosts your metabolism. It also helps in maintaining your muscle mass, and since muscles need more calories than fat, you end up burning a substantial amount of calories every day.

5. Cut Out Empty Calories


How Is It Helpful?


6. Choose Better Snacks

Three meals a day can leave you feeling hungry in between. And that’s where most of us slip up. Even if we try eating meals that are healthy, we end up binging on snacks that are anything but. And this has a huge impact on our weight, so we should opt for better snack options.

How Is It Helpful?

The biggest culprit that causes weight gain is our habit of unhealthy snacking. Fries and chips and cookies do nothing to fill us up, but add a lot of carbs, sugar, and fat. It is also difficult to stop at one or two because we still feel so hungry. So opt for snacks that have a high fiber content.

” I do a lot of things with little weights—like, I’ll put on a song that I really like and I’ll do [bicep curls with] 5-pound weights for the duration of the song and just try to burn out. ” – Beyonce, American Singer, Songwriter

7. Get Rid Of Junk

Most of us find it difficult to let go of our favorite foods. Chips and cookies might be fattening and unhealthy, but we still end up having them. Which is why not buying junk food is a good step towards losing weight.

How Is It Helpful?

The reason we eat so much junk is because we buy it, and keep it available and accessible. You know the saying, ‘out of sight, out of mind’. Purging your pantry and fridge of high-in-calories and low-in-nutrients food can help you cut back on unhealthy snacking.

8. Eat Smaller Portions


How Is It Helpful?


When you see more food on your plate, you tend to eat more (4 ). So it makes sense to serve yourself smaller portions. This way, you know you’re not overeating. And it can help you lose weight, and without you having to give up your favorite foods.

9. Cook Your Own Meals

With work and miscellaneous other tasks demanding our attention, cooking your own meals can seem like too much of a chore. But if you are looking to lose weight, this is a great step you can take.

How Is It Helpful?

The best way to determine if the meal you are eating is healthy for you is by making it yourself. That way, you get to experiment with what you like and what you don’t. You also get to try out low calorie alternatives of your favorite dishes. This helps you control to your portions.

” I eat like a caveman. I’ll be the only actress who doesn’t have anorexia rumors. I don’t want little girls to be like, ‘Oh, I want to look like Katniss, so I’m going to skip dinner’ … I was trying to get my body to look fit and strong – not thin and underfed. ” – Jennifer Lawrence, American Actress

10. Drink Enough Water

Drinking enough water is really important for your health. Insufficient water intake could actually be impacting how much you weigh.

How Is It Helpful?

Sometimes, thirst can be misinterpreted as hunger pangs by your brain. So, to gauze whether you are really hungry or not, try drinking a glass of water before eating anything.

11. Don’t Give Up

There are times when temptation gets the better out of us, and we end up binging on junk. Or we go to a party and end up eating way more than what we had planned.

There will always be instances where we fall off the wagon. And it can seem all too easy to give up on the whole notion of losing weight. But even if you slip once or twice (or a hundred times), go back to sticking to your diet.

How Is It Helpful?

Experts agree that going off your diet is bound to happen. But they also agree that you should go back to it if you want to keep off the weight that you had lost in the first place (5 ).

A Diet Plan

A low calorie diet doesn’t have to be the ordeal it is made out to be. If you stick to three meals and two snacks a day, you ought to stay full.

There are plenty of recipes that you can try for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that not just aid in weight loss, but are delicious to boot.



But skipping meals is never a good idea, because it brings with it a plethora of health issues. So, when weight loss is on your mind, you can go for good old oatmeal or try out a high fiber, super-healthy smoothie.

1. Mixed Berries Smoothie

Ingredients Needed

1/3 cup blueberries
1/3 cup strawberries
1/3 cup raspberries
1 banana
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup fat-free yogurt
3/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
How To Make

Add all of the ingredients in a blender, and blend until it is smooth.
2. Frappuccino Oats

Ingredients Needed

½ cup oats
½ cup skim milk
½ cup water
¼ tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon instant coffee
How To Make

Combine all the ingredients in a pot.
Place over medium flame and bring it to boil.
Wait for the oats to cool down a little before consuming.
Lunch And Dinner

Lunch is the most important meal of the day. What you have for lunch should get you through the day, all the way to dinner, with maybe a snack in between. Which is why it should be filling, but healthy and low in calories.

If you get your lunch on the go, make sure that you opt for options that don’t contain high-fat dressing or empty calories. Something along the lines of grilled chicken on whole grain bread is ideal.

Your dinner, while not too heavy, should be able to sustain you through the night. A stew, served without bread or rice, should work very well.

3. Chicken Stew

Ingredients Needed

2 cups cooked boneless chicken, cubed
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup sweet corn
1 cup peas
5 cups chicken broth
How To Make

In a large pot, combine all the ingredients.
Stir together, and cook for half an hour or till the vegetables are tender.

4. Spiced Tofu

Ingredients Needed

1/2 kg reduced-fat tofu, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
How To Make

Heat the oils in a pan, and saute the tofu till it is golden brown.
Remove the pan from the flame, and add the soy sauce and vinegar.


5. Peanut Butter And Apple Sandwich

Ingredients Needed

1 medium-sized apple
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
How To Make

Spread peanut butter over each four of the slices. Cover them with the leftover slices.

6. Baked Chickpeas With Spices

Ingredients Needed

1/3 cup chickpeas
½ teaspoon mixed spices (garlic powder, onion powder, paprika)
A pinch of salt
How To Make

Wash and drain the chickpeas.
Marinate it in the spices.
Place in a preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes.
Crash Diet For Losing Weight In 10 Days


But if your are looking to lose weight real quick, maybe for an important function or to fit into a dress you haven’t worn in a while, you can lose a substantial amount of weight quickly by following a strict diet. But a word of caution before you dive deep, you may put back the weight you’ve lost once you go off the diet plan.

A lot of us have struggled with our weight at one point or another. So comments and suggestions and tips that have worked for you are always welcome.

Image: Flickr