There are many ways to lose weight fast. You could pick up any diet book, follow it word by word, and accomplish your end goals.
But, you and I both know that it’s not as simple as it sounds.
Weight loss takes time, consistency, and persistence.
And a lot of the times, it’s really hard to stick to it.
After a few weeks you quickly become discouraged by the lack of change on the scale.
And in those moments of discouragement, it is all too easy to say “screw it” and go to the nearest fast food place.
These moments make losing weight feel impossible.
So, what’s the secret? Is there a secret to any of it?
What I’ve learned from my own weight loss journey is there is endless knowledge out there.
You already know what you need to do, and if not then Google is one click away.
There Is No Secret to Losing Weight
All diets work the same, by switching around the amount of macronutrients to consume.
The Keto diet reduces the amount of carbs you eat, while increasing protein and fats.
Other diets focus on increasing carbs and protein, while reducing fat.
All of them work for different reasons, and you will see results if you stick to any diet.
What Makes This Time Different?
You already know what you need to do, and I have a list of 10 ways to lose 10 pounds fast just in case.
What’s going to make this time different from all the other times you tried to lose weight is recognizing what needs to change.
Your mindset and your habits have to change.
This is the hardest part about sticking to any diet. It changes up your lifestyle in ways that you have to gradually grow accustomed to.
On Sundays you may feel inspired to go to the store and meal prep for the week, but if you fall off the wagon by Wednesday, it doesn’t have anything to do with lack of preparation.
It has to do with your lifestyle.
The habits that are so deeply ingrained in your mind.
Look around at your life and aim to identify the things that increase stress, take away time, and kill any motivation you have.
Pay attention to the times you get cravings, and what is causing them.
Before you begin any journey to losing weight, you’ll want to get to the bottom of what is holding you back.
Is your job preventing you from reducing stress in your life?
Do you have too much on your plate to put your health first?
Recognize these things first before adding a challenging goal to your life, like losing weight.
How to Lose 10 Pounds Fast
Once you’ve recognized some possible habits that you need to change, you can then focus on losing those 10 pounds.
This is a plan I’ve followed myself to lose weight, and have found it to be helpful and efficient.
1. Plan Ahead
Whether you’re starting after the holidays are over or are ready to get fit for summer, it’s important to plan.
This isn’t hard and doesn’t need to be extensive.
But, you have to keep yourself on track and stay accountable.
Choose one day each week to plan out the week ahead.
What meals will you have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner? When will you work out?
Meal prepping does help to reduce chances of giving up on your goal, and be sure to set aside time each week to prep.
Same goes for working out, when is the best time for you? Before work, or late at night?
Planning ahead will make it as easy as losing weight can be, because it saves you during the times when you’re too exhausted or too busy to think.
2. Detox
Start by detoxing your body for 24 hours.
Eat your last meal at 5pm the night before, then avoid eating until 5pm the next day.
Only drink water if you can. Black coffee and green tea are allowed, as well.
Doing detoxes like this helps rid your body of toxins and gets you started off on the right foot.
I personally love detoxing at the start because I feel the effects almost instantly.
You can also choose to do intermittent fasting 1-2 days a week.
A good test is to stop eating after 7pm, and not eat until 11 am the next day.
3. Eat Large Portions of Vegetables
After your detox, make yourself a dinner full of yummy vegetables.
This can either be a salad or a large plate full of broccoli, asparagus, and a small piece of salmon.
You will likely be very hungry by this point, so be sure to consume vegetables first to help fill you up.
This Cucumber Tomato Salad is yummy and so good for you!
4. Take Your Vitamins
Be mindful of the types of vitamins you’re using to aide in your weight loss goals.
Some people get it confused and think they can just take a magic pill and their weight will fall off.
The purpose of vitamins are to guide you towards fat loss, by keeping you energized and motivated to keep moving forward.
Check out InVite’s targeted nutritional programs. Their Core Nutritional Program is what I took to help me lose over 30 pounds! I noticed a big change in my energy levels and overall lower stress levels.
5. No Sugar or Alcohol
Take a break from both sugar and alcohol for 5 days or more.
Allow your body to break the cravings and tolerance.
We consume way too much sugar on a regular basis, because it’s hidden in everything!
Your body is probably so used to having sugar, and it could use a break.
This might be the hardest part for you, since sugar is in everything, and it will feel like you’re being deprived.
But, those feelings of deprivation and cravings for sugar will pass after a few days.
Test it out for 3 full days. Start out small, and if you can keep going, then see how long you can go.
If by the 3rd day you are dying for something sweet, grab a piece of fruit.
Then, go another 3 days without sugar.
It’s time to break away from the hold sugar has over us.
6. Workout At Least 3 Times a Week
High intensity workouts, full-body workouts, and running are all great during this time that you’re trying to lose weight.
Getting your heart pumping gives you long-lasting energy, which helps you stay motivated to stick to your goals.
Also, it’s a great alternative when you’re at home feeling bored and want something to eat.
Go for a run instead, or do a quick HIIT workout in your bedroom.
Aim for 30 minutes 3 times a week.
I suggest working out because it really does help you feel better about yourself, and I find it to be a great way to reduce stress and manage your mental health.
Related: 10 Simple Exercises That Burn Belly Fat
7. Reduce Carbs
It’s been shown that reducing your carbohydrate intake will help you lose weight.
Eat fresh vegetables, like broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes.
Don’t eat any processed carbs, like bread, pasta, or rice.
During the moments you feel really hungry, add more vegetables to your plate.
Avoid eating any carbs for the first week while you work on losing weight.
8. Drink Water
You want to be sure you’re staying hydrated.
Water not only keeps your body functioning properly, it also helps to give you energy throughout the day.
Aim for 55-64 oz of water a day.
This is on the lower end, because if you’re eating a lot of vegetables then you’re most likely getting a good amount of water through them.
Also, it’s not always easy to drink water so this is a good starting point.
9. Reduce Stress
Stress affects your hormones, which can make losing weight a lot harder.
And if you’re often stressed, you’re more likely to turn to comfort foods or alcohol to manage it.
Make sure you are paying attention to your stress levels.
Throughout the week, take time for yourself.
Whether that’s taking a bath, reading a new book, writing out your thoughts, or hanging out with your closest friends.
Include self-care to your week.
By taking care of yourself this way, you won’t feel the need to snack on high calorie foods to feel better.
10. Track Your Progress
Each week, weigh yourself and make a note of how the week went.
This helps in many different ways.
First, you will be able to measure how you’re doing. Each week you can see what needs to improve and what is going well.
Also, it helps you stay more in tune with yourself.
Instead of blindly going into this and wanting to lose 10 pounds, you will know what works for you.
Maybe you really enjoy the detox, or you hate a specific type of vegetable.
Keep track of these things and evaluate them each week, to see what you can do differently next week.
This is my favorite journal from Amazon and I’ve found that it really works to help me stay on track and remind me of the goals I have:
This is how you develop better habits that you love, and it’s how you create a permanent healthy lifestyle.
Losing 10 pounds is a lot easier physically and mentally than losing 60 lbs. Set a series of 10-pound weight-loss goals until your target weight is reached.
A few small changes can be enough to see real results.
Just add a few of these tips to your life, and work at being consistent with it. The results will amaze you.
For your best results, take your time and make permanent changes to your habits.
