How to Lose Weight Fast for Summer
With less than one month until summer, many are trying desperately to get their summer body in check (yes, including me). We all knew this time was coming and maybe we started our efforts months ago. Maybe we fell into the trap of a few fad diets that were unrealistic because we managed to lose a few pounds, but it was only a matter of time before we gained it right back. So take the time to congratulate yourself for finding this article and taking the first real step towards a healthier you.
There’s often a misconception when it comes to weight loss that you must consume less food and endure a lot of cardio. This is false. The most important factor to your weight loss efforts is your diet. It’s very important that you eat all meals a day when doing high intensity workouts. The key is that you master portion control by eating smaller portions of healthier meals throughout the day. Eat more often, do not eat more.
Drink water only. Cut out all artificial fruit juice and soda.
Cut out junk foods and anything that is greasy, fatty, or sugary.
Choose leaner proteins and load up on vegetables. Examples of lean proteins include white fish, plain Greek yogurt, skinless white-meat poultry, lite tofu, powdered peanut butter, and egg whites.
Cut out white (or simple) carbohydrates and consume complex carbohydrates in moderation. You may even want to consider cutting out all carbohydrates for a short period of time. Simple carbohydrates are low in fiber and nutrients, have empty calories that turn into fat, and cause you to feel more tired. Examples include artificial fruit juices, white and brown sugar, and white grains. Complex carbohydrates are high in fiber, boosts your metabolism, and cause you to feel full longer and faster. Examples include starchy vegetables (beans, potatoes, corn, chickpeas, lentils, peas), whole grains (brown rice, wheat bread and pasta, quinoa, and oats), and sugary fruits (lychees, passionfruit, cherries, pears, pomegranates, mangos, bananas, grapes, and guavas).
Snack on “negative calorie” foods. Examples of negative, or zero, calorie foods include arugula, romaine, asparagus, beets, broccoli, broth (vegetable or chicken), Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, celery, spinach, chord, cucumber, fennel, garlic, onions, kale, peppers, zucchini, lemon and limes, watermelon, grapefruit, strawberries, and clementines.
If you must, have a cheating session rather than a cheat day. A day of cheating on your diet is extremely ineffective and may end up being a big setback. Aim to take 60 minutes in the middle of the day to consume whatever you’ve been craving. Setting those 60 minutes in the middle of the day ensures that you’ll be able to work most of it off throughout the day. After those 60 minutes are over, go back to your healthy diet for the rest of the week. (Remember not to overfeed yourself in that 60-minute span. Consume only what you have room for.)
Avoid late-night binging. Intermittent fasting, or setting a time each day in which you do not eat will help ensure your weight loss. For example, refrain from eating between the hours of 8PM-8AM.
Get a full night’s rest. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep will help you feel more energized and ready for the day ahead. It can also help reduce stress and allow you to concentrate on completing your daily tasks.
Get several hours of moderate to vigorous exercise each day. Aim to lose between 200-600 calories per hour of exercise. Cardio is important for weight loss, but implementing a combination of strength training and cardio has the greatest affect on weight loss. This combination increases your metabolism, allowing you to burn off more calories while doing nothing and coming down from your workout.
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Most of us don’t really enjoy fast food, but we seek it because of the convenience. Meal prepping ensures that you stay on track with your diet and it reduces the chance of stress that trying to decide what to eat for dinner can cause. Keeping a workout planner allows you to clarify and plan your future workouts. It also allows you to keep track of your progress.
Don’t weigh yourself everyday. Weighing yourself daily can cause discouragement. Our weight fluctuates day-to-day in either direction due to glycogen levels and/or water retention. Weigh yourself once per week at the same time each weigh-in.
Make the commitment and hold yourself accountable. Constantly remind yourself of your goal and why you decided to start this process. Consider purchasing a clothing item in the size you wish to be or hang up a picture on your bathroom mirror of your ideal body. Taking progression pictures are also great to remind yourself how far you’ve come.
Keep it up! Don’t stop your efforts on June 21st. Keep the momentum going throughout the entire summer and so forth.
Make it enjoyable. Staying motivated is hard if you don’t actually enjoy anything that you’re taking part in. Try new, healthy dishes. Make your workouts a group effort and see it as a chance to hang out with friends. Listen to this great playlist that’ll get you moving!
