10 Best Ways to Lose Weight Like Crazy, According to a Celebrity Trainer
Do you want to lose weight like crazy? You can do it even if you have a crazy life. I did it in my own life losing more than 10 pounds, and over the past five years I've simplified weight loss for hundreds of thousands of people through my 21 Day Fix program for Beachbody. Along with my programs, I've also come out with a new book that'll help you, too. It's called Lose Weight Like Crazy Even if You Have a Crazy Life! published by my friends at EatThis.com and Galvanized Media.
Ready to lose weight like crazy? Kick it off with my top 10 tips.
Practice portion control.
This is huge. If you master this, you've won the battle. We tend to overeat every day. Everything is supersized. The best thing you can do is cut down those portions. And I'm talking about everything. You can even overeat salad, consuming way more calories than you need. Be aware of everything that you put on your plate.
Clean out your pantry.
Start with the boxes and bags. Get rid of all those processed foods. As you toss it into the wastebasket, have a look at the ingredients list and nutrition facts. See what's there? Sodium, sugars, processed flours, and a whole bunch of ingredients (i.e. chemicals) that you can't pronounce. If that junk isn't there to tempt you, you won't eat it. Clean house!
Drink water.
Make sure you are drinking water all day long. It's super important for health, fitness, and performance to stay hydrated. Here's the goal: Drink half of your body weight in ounces of water per day. If you are a 200-pound man, you should be drinking a minimum of 100 ounces of water per day. More if you are physically active! Can't remember to drink often? Then set an alarm for every hour on your smartphone as a reminder.
Pile on the veggies.
If you are hungry or you sit down to lunch or dinner, start with veggies first, not protein. You hear a lot about the importance of protein in keeping you satisfied. It's true. But if you are looking to lose weight like crazy fast, I want you to fill up on vegetables first before moving to the proteins. It will help you from overeating other stuff.
Skip the salt.
You get enough salt if you eat the typical American diet. So you don't have to shake more onto your meals. Sodium makes you retain water and leaves you feeling and looking bloated. Plus, it's terrible for your heart and blood pressure. Avoid processed foods, especially salty snacks and baked goods, which carry a lot of sodium.
Nix the added sugars.
Food manufacturers hide sugars in everything. This is another reason to avoid processed stuff. Be especially diligent about avoiding HFCS—high fructose corn syrup—which increases inflammation and can raise your blood sugar, eventually putting you at risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Want something sweet? Eat whole fruit. You'll get all the nutrients, vitamins, and fiber that sweets won't provide. Once the sugar is gone, you'll see the abs emerge.
Adjust your attitude.
Shoot for progress, not perfection. If you find yourself getting frustrated due to slow progress, remind yourself that slow progress is progress! If the scale isn't moving, look for other indicators of success, what I call "non-scale victories." Here are a few:
- Your clothing feels better or fits looser
- You have more energy
- You are sleeping better at night
- Your skin is clearer
- Your bowel movements are more regular
- You think more clearly
How's that for proof things are going your way?
Bust through plateaus with a 3-week challenge.
If your body hits a plateau and you don't seem to be losing weight, that's no reason to quit what you are doing. It happens. Here's one way to push through it to jumpstart weight loss again: Cut out all alcohol for 3 weeks and see what happens. Cocktails can be very high in calories and when you drink alcohol, you tend to eat along with it. By cutting out the drinking for 3 weeks, your body will respond in many healthful ways, including on the scale.
Have a plan.
When we don't have a plan, when we don't have a go-to option, we often default for the easy and most comforting thing to do when we're frustrated or stressed—open the fridge or cupboard and grab some edible relief. Plan for those challenging times. Have a vision. If you feel yourself gravitating toward the ice cream, go for a brisk walk. If you feel yourself getting sad, call a friend. So, when you are tired and hungry, if you have a plan, you'll already know how to respond without using food as the answer.
Use my best weight loss tip ever.
Stop buying the junk and bringing it into your house. Remember, food doesn't control you. You control what you eat and how much. So when you shop, avoid those interior aisles where all the processed food, snacks, and sweet junk foods are typically found. Don't put that tempting stuff in your cart. If it's not in your fridge or pantry, you won't be tempted. If the junk's not there, you'll reach for the veggies and fruits. Suddenly, your control muscles will be much stronger.
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