When it comes to losing weight fast, there are options. Read this short, compiled list of the 3 best options out there today for taking off the pounds.
Each year, 45 million Americans try a diet and spend $33 billion on weight loss products. After decades of research, there’s no real consensus on weight loss that works for everybody.
Losing weight isn’t easy for anyone, but it can be simpler with some help. We looked into three options for losing weight fast.
We start with the nuclear option, then a mid-level option, and finally discuss how to get back to basics with weight loss to finally shed those pounds.
What are the best three ways to lose weight? Keep reading to find out.
1. Weight Loss Surgery
If losing weight fast is your sole mission, then there are few better options (in terms of pounds per week) than weight loss surgery.
Weight loss surgery, or bariatric surgery, is for a select group of patients who need extra help kickstarting their weight loss. It helps you lose weight in two ways.
First, it limits the amount of food you can physically eat, which limits the number of calories consumed.
Second, it can shorten or skip some of your small intestine, which otherwise absorbs calories.
Bariatric surgery is more common today than ever before, and it now comes in four procedures:
- Gastric bands
- Gastric bypasses
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Duodenal switch
Although weight loss surgery is the fastest way to lose weight, it’s not for everyone.
According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the best candidates meet at least one of the following criteria:
- 100 pounds overweight or a BMI over 40
- BMI over 35 and at least one co-morbid disease (type II diabetes, heart disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, etc.)
- Unable to lose weight and sustain weight loss
The National Institute of Health believes that despite these surgery’s popularity, you should always seek out a board certified surgeon with experience in the field. You also want a surgeon who works with an experienced team to provide follow-up care, like the team at Next Level Weight-Loss.
2. Try Hypnotherapy
If you aren’t a candidate for bariatric surgery, but diet and exercise alone doesn’t work, try an alternative therapy.
Hypnosis is a tool now commonly used for weight loss. It’s not as hokey as television programs make it sound, particularly when provided by a licensed psychologist and practitioner.
The goal of hypnosis is to break into the unconscious mind and change habits, like sugar addiction and overeating.
Two studies of the therapy found that those on hypnotherapy lose more weight than those who try diet and exercise alone.
At the same time, you don’t expect to shed pounds on a therapist’s sofa. After all, it may train your brain, but hypnosis alone doesn’t burn calories. And you need to burn calories to lose weight. Diet and exercise (and your metabolism) continue to play a role.
What is hypnotherapy like?
It starts with an explanation of the process and a discussion of your goals. Your therapist then helps you feel relaxed and state to allow your brain to become more receptive. Then, you’ll learn words or phrases that help you visualize your goals.
3. Stick to (around) 1,200 Calories
The first two options for losing weight are more involved and are ideal for those who tried to lose weight but are unable to get the pounds to budge.
For many people, though, losing weight means you need to go back to basics: diet and exercise.
It’s now understood that “abs are made in the kitchen,” which means you can’t out-exercise a poor or calorie-heavy diet.
Counting calories and getting real about how many calories you need vs. how many you consume is essential for losing weight. You can use online calculators to help you determine roughly how much you need for maintenance and what to cut to lose weight.
You also need to know what’s in the food you eat. Counting calories often means measuring and counting all the food you eat. Knowing the true number and comparing it with your needs can be a true eye-opener.
If you’re not assessing, you’re guessing. So if you want to lose weight fast, then knowing and using these numbers is the best way to start.
Reducing Calorie Intake Safely
Reducing your caloric intake helps you lose weight. However, there is a right and wrong way to do it.
The right way is to lower your calorie intake gradually and remain among a safe level (usually 1,200 to 1,500 for women and 1,500-2,000 for men). It also means using your calories wisely by choosing nutrients that support your body. For example, protein is a nutrient that gives you the calories you need while keeping you satisfied and increasing your metabolic rate.
Stripping calories from your diet in an attempt to limit your food intake entirely is unhealthy. It may result in initial weight loss. However, the weight will pile back on and you can do damage to your metabolism in the process.
Finally, remember that calorie counting should be an informative tool, not a way of life. It gives you an idea of what your body wants and needs so that you can avoid patterns like eating more than your body desires.
Beware of Calorie Counting
If you have ever struggled with an eating disorder, be wary of counting calories – even for only a few days.
As we mentioned earlier, calorie counting can give you insight into the number of nutrients found in a cup of rice or chicken. However, it can not only trigger eating disorder relapses but even become an eating disorder in and of itself.
If you find that eating gives you anxiety or you are preoccupied with food to the extent that it impacts living your life, then consider speaking to a professional about how you feel or get in touch with the National Eating Disorders Association.
Losing Weight Fast – It’s Possible
Are you one of the millions of Americans who try a new diet each year? Sometimes, losing weight isn’t about a new fad but about getting back to basics – and asking for help when you need it.
Starting with an understanding of your body and the nutrients will set you up for healthy eating no matter what other methods you try.
Have you tried a diet and found that getting back to basics was all you needed? Share your weight loss stories below.