How can I lose weight fast?

by Hara Hagikalfa · 8 comments

A lot of people many times wonder: “How can I lose weight fast?” This is one of the million dollar questions. Unfortunately there are no quick and easy ways for healthy weight loss. The easy answer to the question of why we gain weight is because we eat a lot of food and we do not exercise. With the same thinking, in order to lose weight we should increase our physical activity and reduce the calories consumed daily by our food.

The classic definitions of weight gain and weight loss sound very nice and easy to follow. But if in fact it was so easy to lose weight, why obesity is increasing rapidly and tends to become a global epidemic?

The World Health Organization warns that obesity is in both developed and developing countries, the main risk to public health. According to some statistics, more than 76% of adults over 25 have more weight than what would have been ideal. The percentage of people in the population considered obese because their body weight is 20% more than the ideal weight for their body is ranging from 30 to 55%.

What are the causes of obesity?

Of all the factors, two appear to be the main reasons for the current situation of the people regarding their weight: Their profession, the type and method of diet.

Nowadays, the number of people who have sedentary jobs have increased significantly and continue to grow. In the old times people had more manual work, dealing with agriculture and other productive work requiring physical activity.

Today, such jobs have declined substantially. Modern technology in all areas has reduced the requirements for human manual work. Now we need more work with the mind rather than with the muscles.

This of course is good for productivity and business. It is not good for our weight and our health. In old times, there was no need to plan and find some time for physical exercise because it was usually an integral part of professional activity. Now we have to devote hours after our normal work, to do exercise, to walk or run and do some sport.

If you do not plan these things and commit that you will not neglect the physical exercise, then the equation (eat less + exercise = weight loss) is no longer valid. You will end up in only gaining weight and not loosing.

We get more and more weight and obesity becomes an integral part of your life with all the serious and harmful effects.

A second social phenomenon that is becoming global also affecting our weight loss efforts is the change in our diet. Today’s dinner table has nothing in common with the old good times balanced family table with the well cooked healthy meals with more fresh fruits and vegetables. We now rely on quick and ready-made food that is found anywhere and we buy them in every opportunity as not to waste time cooking. The industries with well-known restaurant chains that provide any kind of quick food have flooded the cities of the world. From childhood the boxes of processed food are particularly popular and are now a key component in our table. Even at home, time is limited for good cooking and so the easy solution of fast food is preferred. This habit only helps in us gaining more weight and unnecessary calories.

How easy is actually the weight loss process and how can I lose weight fast?

Do not have hallucinations and do not get carried out by marketing campaigns and magic diets: There are no quick and easy ways to loose weight (at least as they are advertised by several diets)

In practice, it is true that the hard way of weight loss in the long run is the best and healthy way to lose weight, and also is the way most likely to create results that last.

Most people now understand that the marketing campaigns of all sorts of diets, programs and other forms of fast weight loss do not lead to weight loss that lasts for a long of time. Of course there are exceptions to this rule, like the 20 rapid weight loss tips presented in this blog.

Just as you think that you have become a good professional and a great parent within a few days just because you read a book, so you cannot restore your health in a short time. You need a long-term sustained effort with patience and consistency. When you realize that physical activity should be done daily from the valuable time as you take for example bathing or washing your teeth, then you are on the right track. When the time you fill your plate with food, you automatically give it the same attention, as when you cross the road, then you will achieve results in weight loss that will last in the long term.

The importance of the ‘after the weight loss’ stage

It appears from the various surveys that the percentage of people who take back their weight after severe or «miracle» diets are too high (around 90%), which is a major concern for scientists around the world.

Assume you start the famous Attkins diet or the fashionable zone diet or a chemical diet or a protein diet, etc. These diets exclude wholly or partly starch by converting indirectly our organism into a diabetic. We «burn» in the weight loss process proteins instead of glucose (starch) and thus loose weight rapidly, but not correctly (the protein tissue is heavier than fat and also large quantities of water are removed). After several weeks of eating only chicken or fish with salad, pasta or a little roll, and because we have no idea how to eat those foods and not get fatten, but mainly because our metabolism has been very low because of the protein diet we get back quickly and easily all the weight we have lost plus a few more.

And what we do in response? We go to another “self dietician” and follow the astonishing and promising diet, which is the easiest, the fastest weight loss diet. They may also do a blood test to see our blood group and prohibit us from eating certain foods, because supposedly we have intolerance to them. Eventually we may lose weight, from little to a lot but still we have not learned what to do after the end of the diet and once more we will gain the weight we lost.

Perhaps ultimately the secret on how can I lose weight fast lies in the “after the diet / weight loss” stage. This should be our primary goal from the beginning of a weight loss process. In other words our goal should be how to improve our behaviour towards food, and how to learn what and how to eat.

All studies agree that the best way to address the issue of weight loss is to change our dietary behaviour, coupled with a diet low in calories. In simpler words, in order to loose weight fast and to maintain a stable weight is necessary to identify the mistakes made in nutrition and find ways to change or limit their consequences when they are unavoidable.

To do so, the dietician using «tools», such as weekly food diaries, identifies the nutritional mistakes and with the patient tries to find the right ways to deal with them. For example, if the problem is the consumption of sweets, it is suggested the consumption of chocolate as a snack twice a week.

At each meeting the dietician adjusts the diet according to the characteristics, preferences, health and needs of the patient for each hour of the day instead of trying to convince him to adjust his life in a structured and stable diet, which gave his former client.

Eat the right food

To eat when in hunger is a good idea, as long as you know what foods to eat. Suitable snacks can include fruits, vegetables, sandwiches, toast and low fat yogurt.

Walk more

Small changes in your walking habits are enough to make a really big change with time. Even walking to the coffee machine at the office or to the kitchen every day for several weeks, may have a result.

Go shopping with a shopping list

There is nothing worse than to stand in front of the shelves of supermarkets in an empty stomach. Then you tend to load the cart with dishes that do not really need and which is usually full of sugar or fat. The shopping list will help you to avoid drifting.

Do not be deceived by the marketing diets

Low fat does not necessarily amount to fewer calories, as many products advertise, especially sweets, have less quantity of fat but increased sugar.

Get Support

This is really important to fight weight loss long term. Good idea is to be surrounded by people who follow the same diet with you and encourage you to lose weight. Probably would help if you find someone in your environment that will boost your morale about diet and help you start a fitness program.

Attention to food portions

The next time you go out observe the quantity of food consumed by your friends. Perhaps you will see that your volumes exceed the portions of others. As mentioned, it is important to eat fruits, vegetables and starch and less protein, dairy and foods containing high fat and sugar.

Set easy and realistic targets

This is important because you have something to wait and you will feel very good when you manage to achieve you goal. Then you can reward yourself with something you like or a night out with friends.

Solve your problems and not depend on food

Sometimes we refuge in the refrigerator for addressing our problems and to relieve the stress, even when not hungry.

There are no good or bad food, but there are good and bad diets

This means that you can ‘steal’ some of the prohibited food and have flexibility in the restrictions, e.g. eating some chocolate.

Check the quantity of food and physical activity

It is a good start to record what you eat and how much you exercise. This allows you to understand when you are in ‘a danger period’, on a daily basis, as for example when relaxing in the evenings watching television. When you find what are your actual risks, you may be able to avoid them. For example, instead of watching TV you can go for a walk, read a book or take a warm bath.

Do not rely only on the change of diet to lose weight

Research has shown that the best and fast way for weight loss is a combination of exercise and changing eating habits.

Do not forget breakfast

The classic way of thinking when making a diet is to restrict calories omitting breakfast. However, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the omission may lead you to a snack later, which probably is not the most appropriate and healthy.

Do not get obsessed with food that you consume

If you feel you are constantly on a diet, ask yourself why. There is no meaning to go out for dinner and feel bereft. You need to consider coping strategies, so that such activities are as much pleasant as possible.

Do not postpone it, start your weight loss efforts today

Each time you have some time to thing about your personal goals and targets you recall your decisions to improve the physical status of your health and you remember your weight loss goals. Many of these decisions were not implemented and are still desires that you want to fulfil.

Each time you attempt to loose weight it is more difficult than the last time.

The decision to loose weight and improve your physical and mental condition is a decision that will change your life. No more sitting endless hours in front of the TV or PC. Changing in the lifestyle and way of thinking is what will help you change and improve your body weight.


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Hara Hagikalfa
About the author

Hara Hagikalfa completed her BSc(Hons) in Health and Exercise Science, Sports Science and Medicine. She is a certified Personal Trainer and Pilates instructor. You can learn more about Hara and connect with her on Facebook