Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » Lose Weight Fast » How to Lose Weight Fast – 14 Ways to Drop 5 Pounds in a Week

If you want to lose five actual pounds by next weekend, listen up: Losing weight fast, though possible, is almost always unhealthy. That's because aiming to lose five pounds in a week can set you up for binge-eating and fluctuations that interfere with long-lasting results, which basically defeats the whole point, right?

Its also super hard! "For most people, its very, very difficult to lose more than one to two pounds of body fat in a week," says Philadelphia-based weight-loss physician Charlie Seltzer, MD. Instead, you're more likely to shed water weight before actual fat. And while a decrease in water weight translates to pounds lost, the change is temporary, says Elizabeth Mayer-Davis, Ph.D., a registered dietician and chair of the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Hey, FYI, we're doing this SUPER IMPORTANT survey on anxiety. Do us a solid and check it out here.

Even if you do meet your goal by Friday, it's nearly impossible to keep the weight off over the long term, says Dr. Seltzer. He explains that the intense calorie restriction required to lose that much fat would make you so hungry that you'd want to eat everything in sight...because survival.

And since calorie restriction can slow your metabolism, per research published in the journal Obesity, your body will be less prepared to burn the foods you (inevitably) binge on, he adds. That could mean gaining more than you lost in the first place.

Still, there are effective and healthy ways to kick off your weight lossand, yes, it will take time!all without starving yourself, wasting money on sketchy supplements, or punishing your body with exercise.

Instead, try a few of these safe, proven tips. And remember: Youll get the best, longest-lasting results from changes that dont leave you exhausted and dreaming of pizza.

"If you expend more calories than you take in, you should lose weight," says Alicia Romano, RD, LDN, a clinical registered dietitian at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at Tufts Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts. But you dont want to be so hyper focused on calories that you skip out on a wholesome diet, she says.

If you focus on the quality of food, theres a good chance youll eat more nutrient-dense options that leave you satiated, says Lauren Sullivan, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinics Center for Human Nutrition.

First, remember that no food is inherently good or bad, Dr. Seltzer says. And if the idea of jotting down everything you eat in a day makes you feel guilty or anxious, just skip this entirely.

That said, people who track what they eat tend to be more successful in losing weight because it raises awareness about what they're noshing on, says Dr. Mayer-Davis. In fact, a series of studies published in the Journal of Personalized Medicine suggest that those using apps to monitor their diet and activity were more likely to experience an increase in weight loss.

Obviously, these apps (you know the ones) arent going to work if you dont input everything you eat, says Dr. Mayer-Davis. You've gotta be consistent and honest about what you consume.

A 20-year study of more than 100,000 people, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found those who ate more whole grains instead of refined grains, incorporated more fruits and veggies than sweets, and preferred tea and coffee to sweetened drinks and juices, gained less weight long-term.

In another (small-ish) study of more than 1,000 people, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers found those following vegetarian and vegan diets, rich in whole grains, fruits, produce, nuts, and legumes, lost more weight than dieters on other planseven the low-carb Atkins dietover the same time span.

Because fiber (like protein and fat) slows the digestion process and optimizes fullness and nutrient intake at mealtime, a plant-based diet can help you feel satiated longer after eating, says Romano.

A foods glycemic index (GI) refers to how quickly sugar from food enters the bloodstream and how slowly the food is digested. Foods with a glycemic load measuring less than 55 (i.e. green vegetables, most fruits, raw carrots, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils and bran breakfast cereals) enable your metabolism to run at a more consistent pace, which can positively impact weight loss, says Sullivan. Foods that rank 70 or higher (potatoes, white bread and short-grain rice) potentially slow your metabolism, which may make it harder for you to shed weight.

In a study of more than 100,000 people, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers linked diets with a high glycemic load to increased weight gain.

The best way to support sustainable weight loss is to incorporate small changes into existing habits, according to The European Journal of Obesity. So instead of giving up your daily BLT bagels in favor of an egg-white wrap, try ordering your sandwich on an English muffin. Or say you eat a snack bar every afternoon: Swap your 300-calorie bar for a 150-calorie alternative. "When we commit to small food swaps, we actually adapt new behaviors," says Romano.

Whatever you choose, just make sure your focus is on "small manageable changes," that way youre more likely to follow through for an extended period of time, rather than just a few days or weeks, says Romano.

Eating at regular intervals during the day optimizes your blood sugar control, meaning you avoid the spike and crash that comes with eating a big meal on an empty stomach, says Romano. When you avoid eating when you're hungry, youre welcoming hunger pains, food cravings and drowsinessall of which can lead to snacking on foods high in fat and sugar.

Plus, when you run out of calories before going out to dinner with friends or satisfying a bedtime craving, youre more likely to fall victim to what Dr. Seltzer calls the "f*ck it" effectwhen you break one "rule" and give up for the rest of the night.

Dietary protein is one of the most important tools in your weight-loss arsenal, partly because you expend more energy digesting protein versus carbs and fat, Dr. Seltzer says. But its often packaged with naturally-occurring fats that amp up the calories of each serving.

Its why, according to the Harvard School of Public Health, leaner protein sources like chicken breast, white fish, and low-fat dairy have fewer calories than alternatives like bacon and burgers. Greek yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese also make smart choices.

When you combine a carbohydrate (like toast) with protein and/or healthy fats (peanut butter), it slows digestion, which makes you feel fuller than you would eating the carb alone, Sullivan says. Next time youre craving sugar, pair some dark chocolate with nut butter and call it a day.

Like protein, fiber slows the rate at which your body plows through carb calories so you feel full for longer and maintain steadier blood sugar levels, one reason why research consistently links fiber intake to weight loss. That means fibrous whole grain bread tends to be a better choice than white bread and also explains why fruits, which contain fiber and valuable vitamins in addition to sugar, beat straight-up candy every time.

Skimp on fluids, and your body will release an antidiuretic hormone that leads to water retention that could affect the scale, Dr. Setlzer says. While this sneaky effect is one reason why the scale is a poor measure of body mass loss, you can outsmart it by drinking moreparticularly if you fill your glass with water or non-calorie alternatives like unsweetened coffee and tea.

Booze delivers seven calories per grammore than carbs and protein (four calories per gram)without filling you up or delivering essential nutrients. And because it chips away at your inhibitions, it makes those French fries at the bar look way better, and that late-night pizza stop a go.

In other words? "Drinking makes you more likely to eat sh*t," Dr. Seltzer says, referring to drunk foods. At the same time, he stops short of asking patients to quit alcohol cold-turkey to lose weight. Plus, research suggests you dont have to, as long as your intake is moderatei.e., less than about a drink a day. "If you drink a glass of wine every night and notice you eat more afterward, eat less early to account for this," he says. "Or, if youre drinking four glasses of wine a week, drink three instead so youll wont feel such a big difference."

This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

"Anytime youre stressed, you probably go for food," Dr. Seltzer says. (Have we met?!) Thats because cortisol, the stress hormone, stokes your appetite for sugary, fatty foods. No wonder its associated with higher body weight, according to a 2007 Obesity study that quantified chronic stress exposure by looking at cortisol concentrations in more than 2,000 adults hair.

Its why no weight-loss journey is complete without a stress-management tactic: Maybe its meditation, calling your mom after work, or chilling out with music. Just make sure its hunger, not stress, that leads you to the kitchen.

"Por sleep is associated with slower metabolism, and the more youre awake the more hours you have to eat," Dr. Seltzer says. Whats more, the sleep deprivation activates the same brain receptors responsible for the marijuana munchies, according to a 2016 SLEEP study.

Although its way more fun to take up a tolerable activity (i.e., watching Netflix on the elliptical) than it is to drop tasty foods from your diet, "exercise wont help you lose weight in one week," Dr. Seltzer says.

After all, "resistance training might initially contribute a pound or two due to the bodys inflammatory response, and people who do low-intensity exercise might burn calories, but they often end up eating more or subconsciously moving less throughout the day to conserve energy," he saysand research supports the theory.

Real talk: It could take weeks or months to see the metabolic effects of exercise on the scale, and even then, building muscle, which is denser than body fat, could lead to weight gain. "Do what you like because its good for you," Dr. Seltzer says, noting the way exercise is awesome for your heart, mental health, and moreand that not all measure of progress can be seen on the scale.

In what is perhaps the biggest buzzkill of all time, sex doesnt quite count as cardio or burn a significant amount of calories: Women burn about 3.6 per minute. "Its still a good idea," Dr. Seltzer says, citing the activitys other benefits, like increasing the output of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, which naturally reduce food cravings.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

See the original post here:
How to Lose Weight Fast - 14 Ways to Drop 5 Pounds in a Week

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » Lose Weight Fast » How to Lose Weight Fast – 14 Ways to Drop 5 Pounds in a Week