How to Lose Fat Fast

Mitzi Dulan, US News & World Report’s science writer, has some great tips to help you jump start your diet and improve the odds that you’ll look great in your bathing suit this summer:

 

Eat lean protein at every meal: It will help you stay satisfied longer and will boost your metabolism. To lose weight, aim to eat about seven grams for every ten pounds of body weight. Sources of lean protein include poultry, fish, lentils and beans, and Greek style yoghurt.

 

Don’t drink your calories: Ditch those sugary drinks (including all that zero-fiber fruit juice!) and the alcohol! Instead, drink lots of water – stay hydrated to avoid food cravings and to detox your body. How much water should you drink? Divide your body weight by two – that’s the number of ounces of water you should drink every day. Add some lemon or lime slices to your water bottle for a healthy, no-cal, drink!

 

Write it down: It sounds so simple because it is! Writing down everything you eat keeps you honest and accountable!

 

Ditch the after-dinner snack: Stop eating after dinner! Your body should be burning fat while you sleep, not that late night chocolate cake! This is a key part of losing weight quickly.

 

3 healthy meals per day, not 5 or 6 smaller ones: Eating three healthy meals each day, with plenty of lean protein and whole grains, vegetables and fruits, will help you get into the calorie deficit zone that you need to start losing body fat.

 

Try High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): Interval training is an excellent way to help you lose fat – getting your heart rate above 75% of its maximum rate has been shown to increase metabolism and, therefore, the number of calories that you’ll burn. HIIT burns nine times more fat per calorie than does low-intensity exercise.

 

Keep up with your strength training: It will help shape and define your muscles! Try lifting weights three to four times per week for at least thirty minutes to see results