Counting calories may not always help with successful weight loss. This method only provides short-term results (1), (2). But fret not – here’s a curated list of the 30 ways you can shed fat fast and get a toned body easily. Give yourself 2-3 weeks, and you will be amazed at how slim your body looks and how great you feel. Continue reading.
30 Proven Ways To Get A Slim Body
1. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is loaded with antioxidants called catechins (EGCG, EGC, and ECG) (3). Catechins detox the body by scavenging the harmful free oxygen radicals and reducing inflammation. Green tea catechins have also shown promising results in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer (4). Drink two cups of green tea per day to flush out toxins, speed up weight loss, and improve your health.
2. Add Protein To Meals
Adding protein to each meal helps improve lean muscle mass (5). The muscles, which are made of protein, contract and relax to allow movements to occur. Since the muscles work constantly, they contain more mitochondria (the organelles that convert sugar to energy) (6). Research shows consuming a high-protein diet aids more weight loss compared to a standard protein diet (7). Here’s a list of proteins sources: Protein Sources – Eggs, skinless chicken breast, mushroom, ground turkey, fish, tofu, lentils, beans, soy, nuts, seeds, and milk.
3. Consume Fruits And Veggies
Increased consumption of fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight fast (8). They are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fruits and veggies are low in calories, and they increase satietyi XA state of being full and an inability to consume any more food after having eaten to one’s maximum capacity. , reduce hunger, and lower BMI (9).
4. Try Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting is a popular strategy to lose weight quickly (10). You can eat anything you want in a window of time and then fast for the rest of the day. Fasting intermittently also helps lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels (11). You may try the 16/8 intermittent fasting or try other types of intermittent fasting according to your convenience.
5. Avoid Added Sugar
Avoid refined sugar to lose weight quickly. Avoid foods that contain added sugar, like soda, diet soda, cakes, pastries, cupcakes, milk chocolate, white chocolate, candies, waffles, pancakes, peanut butter cups, bagel, marshmallows, candied apple, and foods containing fructosei XAlso referred to as fruit sugar, a naturally occurring sugar present in many plants that is frequently linked to glucose. , sucrosei XA sweetening compound derived from the subunits of glucose and fructose found in many plants, including sugar cane or beet. , and HFCSi X A sweetener obtained from corn starch that is also referred to as high-fructose corn syrup or glucose-fructose syrup. . Sugar also tends to increase inflammation in the body (12). This, in turn, leads to inflammation-induced weight gain.
6. Avoid Processed Foods
Processed foods, like salami, ham, frozen foods, ready-to-eat, canned foods, and packaged fruit and vegetable juices, contain high amounts of salt, sugar, preservatives, and artificial coloring agents. Avoid junk foods like potato chips, burgers, pizza, fried chicken, and fries. These contain high calories, sugar, salt, and trans fats, which lead to quick weight gain (13). Avoiding these foods will help you shed fat fast and prevent you from regaining the weight.
7. Drink Water
Staying hydrated is key to staying ahead in the weight loss game. A lot of times, we mistake thirst for hunger. Drinking water when you feel hungry at odd times will reduce your food intake and increase lipolysis (fat breakdown) (14). A study found that drinking 500 mL water before meals led to greater weight loss in middle-aged women (15). Drink 2-4 liters of water per day, depending on your activity level and the climate you live in.
8. Consume Healthy Fats
Healthy fats are foods containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Consume nuts, salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, or carp, olive oil, sunflower seeds, and melon seeds. Omega-3s help balance the omega-3 and omega-6 ratio in the body, thereby reducing inflammation and weight gain (16). Omega-3s also help prevent muscle loss and insulin resistancei XA condition where the body’s muscles, and fat and liver cells do not respond adequately to insulin and cannot absorb glucose from the blood. (17).
9. Cook Your Meals
Cooking your meals at home will help prevent you from consuming too many calories. Restaurant foods often contain hidden calories in the form of sauces, dips, salad dressings, and taste enhancers. Consuming these every day can be harmful. Make yourself a delicious salad with olive oil dressing or prepare soup for a quick meal. You may also grill chicken/fish/tofu/mushrooms with veggies, or make daal soup with veggies. You will also be able to monitor the amount and quality of oil, amount of salt, and use veggies of your choice.
10. Practice Portion Control
Controlling the portion size reduces calorie intake (18). This, in turn, is a great way to lose weight. The rule of thumb is – half of your plate should contain veggies, one-fourth of the plate should contain a source of lean protein, and the remaining one-fourth of the plate should contain whole grains. Also, eat in a smaller plate.
11. Pay Attention To Your Food
Pay attention to what and how much you are eating. It will give your brain a cue about the amount of food you have consumed. You will not feel hungry right after eating. Turn off the TV, laptop, and mobile for a while and enjoy your food.
12. Eat Slowly
Do not rush when you eat. Eat slowly, chew the food, and taste the flavors. Eating slowly and chewing well prevents overeating and increases satiety (19). A study showed that slow eating also helped people with type 2 diabetes reduce weight (20).
13. Drink Black Coffee
Black coffee contains caffeine. Studies have found that the caffeine in black coffee might help reduce BMI and promotes fat loss (21). A research study showed that 4 mg/kg and 8 mg/kg caffeine increased metabolic rate in people with obesity (22). Another study on lab animals showed better glucose tolerance and prevented weight gain (23). Consume two cups of black coffee per day to burn fat. Avoid it if you are caffeine sensitive.
14. Avoid Alcohol
Frequent and excessive alcohol consumption causes weight gain (24). It is best to avoid consuming alcohol for at least two weeks to shed the fat fast. You may consume a glass of wine at the end of Week 2 to celebrate your new lifestyle.
15. Consume Probiotics
Probiotics are good gut bacteria that help in digestion and reduce the risk of obesity and metabolic defects (25). Consume plain yogurt, probiotic drinks, kimchi, and sauerkraut to increase the number and variety of good gut bacteria.
16. Consume Healthy Snacks
Feeling hungry between meals is normal. You must be careful with the snacks you choose to consume to lose weight fast. Consume healthy snacks, like carrot, cucumber, baked chips, hummus, fruits, coconut water, buttermilk, and freshly pressed fruit juice. Avoid unhealthy snacks at all costs.
17. Consume Dinner Early
Have your dinner by 7 PM. You will get 2-3 hours to digest the food before you hit the bed. Eating late and sleeping right after prevents proper digestion. Also, if you choose to consume carbs, have your dinner before 7 PM.
18. Take A Walk After Dinner
Take a stroll after dinner. It will help digest the food and use up some calories as you walk. You can do it with your friends, spouse, colleagues, alone, or with your dog. Walking will also relax your mind.
19. Avoid Late-Night Snacking
Do not stay awake more than 2-3 hours after your dinner. You will feel hungry and might end up snacking, which will prevent you from losing the extra inches. Brush your teeth and read a book or listen to soothing music to help you fall asleep on time.
20. Run!
Running is a great cardio and helps you shed fat from the whole body. It also helps improve stamina and lung capacity. You must run if you want to get slim. All you need are running shoes, workout clothes, and a treadmill or a running track near you. You must also be careful about your running posture. If you are not too sure about how to start running, here’s a detailed post.
21. Try Other Aerobics
Apart from running, you must also try other aerobics. Aerobic exercises use oxygen while using glucose, glycogen, or protein as fuel. You may go for Zumba, step aerobics, swim, a spin class or kickboxing, walk, or do yoga.
22. Do HIIT
HIIT or high- intensity interval training is an anaerobic exercise (does not use oxygen). HIIT burns fat rather than glucose or glycogen. Bouts of high-intensity exercises with equally spaced rest phases help burn more calories than moderate-intensity exercises. Studies found that HIIT reduced 28.5% fat compared to moderate-intensity exercises and increased glucose tolerance (26), (27). Do HIIT at least twice a week for 30-45 minutes, and you will shed fat and get a chiseled body.
23. Do Strength Training
Strength training is all about strengthening and toning your muscles. You may lift weights, do bodyweight workouts and isometric exercises, and use resistance bands and TRX bands. However, do not only restrict yourself to strength training. To lose weight, you must do 4-5 hours of cardio in the first 3-4 weeks and then start 2-3 hours of strength training per week.
24. Play A Sport
Play an outdoor sport. You will burn calories, sweat, improve lung capacity, balance, mobility, brain and muscle coordination, get shots of “feel good” hormones, be more energetic, and make great friends!
25. Enjoy A Cheat Meal
If you adhere to a healthy lifestyle for a week, you will earn one cheat meal. Cheat meals act as “caloric shock” and prevent the body from adapting to a new diet and reaching a weight loss plateau. On a cheat meal day, you will consume an extra 500 calories in one of the meals. But not exceed the 500-calorie limit. You may consume any food of your choice. You can also check out our highly recommended Fast Metabolism Diet to kickstart your metabolism.
26. Take The Stairs
If you want to get slim quickly, change a few habits that you don’t even realize you have. For example, taking the elevator. Start taking the stairs and burn a few extra calories. You will be happy and thankful for choosing stairs over the elevator. Note: Avoid the stairs if you have a knee injury or are recovering from surgery.
27. Get Proper Sleep
Research shows that sleep deprivation also causes weight gain (28). Get at least 7 hours of sleep every day. Sleep helps to rejuvenate your mind and repair the muscles in the body. If you do not get a good night’s sleep, your brain will be stressed out and cannot function properly. When that happens, you will be more prone to eating unhealthy and gaining weight. Go to sleep within 2-3 hours of having dinner. Push away all the worries by reading a book or listening to music. Get up early so that you have time to work out and prepare a good breakfast.
28. De-stress Regularly
Take out at least 30-45 minutes every day for yourself. Uses that time to de-stress and unwind. Do the things that you like to do – draw, paint, read, write, listen to a podcast or your favorite music, or just stargaze! Try not to get bothered about work, school, or anything else. Practice deep breathing.
29. Seek Help
We often tend to not discuss our problems and avoid being open. This not only causes you to gain weight due to the mounting stress but also puts your health at risk. Talk to your bestie or anyone you consider close. You can also seek professional help if something is bothering you too much and is hampering your day-to-day life.
30. Take A Break
Take a break from your routine. Go on trips, learn a few new skills, or watch movies to break the monotony. A change of place and activity will release the “feel good” hormones that fill us with a sense of satisfaction. This will make us stop depending on comfort food to feel better. What should I drink before bed to lose weight? Check out the infographic for the 12 most important things you should be doing without any compromise if you want to achieve your weight loss goals. You may drink milk, grape juice, chamomile tea, cinnamon tea, green tea, or fenugreek water. Some of these induce better sleep, while others improve metabolism or digestion. Does drinking hot water reduce belly fat? There is no evidence to suggest that drinking hot water reduces belly fat. However, drinking sufficient water, regardless of its temperature, is essential for weight management. Is being hungry good for weight loss? Staying hungry for long periods may send your body into starvation mode and lead to reduced metabolism. Low metabolism is not good for weight loss. Can I skip breakfast to lose weight? You may skip breakfast to lose weight. However, be mindful not to overindulge during the meals that follow.
