10 Ways to Speed up Weight Loss

Eating fewer calories and working out are the best ways to lose weight, but if you are already doing these and would like to see the pounds shifting a little bit faster, these tips may help you to get results that little bit quicker.

1. Eat more snacks and smaller meals

Eating more meals in a day may not seem like the best advice if you are trying to lose weight.  However, eating smaller frequent meals is thought to speed up the metabolism and help you to burn more calories.  Eating every three to four hours also prevents you from getting very hungry and overeating or eating the wrong types of food.

The key to snacking and eating frequent meals whilst still losing weight is that the snacks must be small, healthy options.  Your main meal sizes must also decrease in size or calories to compensate for the extra calories you are consuming in the form of snacks.

If you still eat the same quantity of food for your main meals and also add in snacks, it is likely you will consume more calories, leading to weight gain rather than loss.  Ideal between meals snacks include fruit, low fat natural yogurt, nuts and seeds, salads or a small can of tuna in water on whole grain crackers.

2. Eat soup before meals

Studies have found that participants that consumed soups before their main meal tended to eat fewer calories overall when compared with those who ate only the meal.  Soup is based on water and has the effect of filling you up, meaning you generally eat less in the meal that follows.

Many soups are also low in calories and so make an ideal way to fill up without consuming too much extra energy.  For the most nutritious option, choose soups based on vegetables or clear broths rather than creamy versions.

3. Add weight training to your workout

To burn more calories at rest you need to increase your muscle mass.  This can be done by incorporating some form of resistance training into your workout along with cardio exercise.  Lifting weight, using resistance bands or even just using your own body weight to workout can all be beneficial in increasing your muscle and therefore your resting energy expenditure.

This means you are burning more calories when you are at rest, which can help to speed up weight loss.

4. Increase your workout intensity

If you are working out already but want to see quicker results, it may be a good idea to step up the pace.  High intensity workouts have been shown to burn more calories in a shorter time period than steady state workouts, so not only can you speed up your weight loss, but also save a bit of time too.

5. Move more

Every time you move you burn calories.  If you feel you do not have the time or energy to work out more, try to add more incidental exercise into your life to speed up your weight loss.  Walk up stairs, leave the car at home and cycle or walk to work or the shops, play with the kids in the park, clean the house or even fidget in your seat at work, these activities all help to burn more calories.

6. Change your workouts

Our bodies adapt quickly to routines, so if you always do the same workout, your body will become less efficient at burning calories.  To get the ball rolling and kick start your metabolism; try something new in your workout.

Whether it is a completely different sport or simply adding in some new resistance exercises or high intensity intervals, it can be enough to burn a few extra calories and speed up your weight loss.

7. Eat more water based foods

Foods that have high water content tend to be lower in calories than other foods and so make an excellent choice when you are trying to cut your calories down further.

When you are dieting, the thought of eating less to get faster weight loss can be a daunting prospect and can also leave you hungry, but by increasing your intake of water based foods such as fruit, vegetables and soups and cutting back on foods with a higher energy density you can still eat plenty and get the nutrient you need while at the same time taking in fewer calories.

8. Drink more water

Drinking plenty of water is essential for a healthy body, healthy skin and for weight loss.  Being well hydrated is thought to speed up metabolic rate, meaning you burn calories more efficiently and it also fills you up without contributing any unwanted energy to your diet.

9. Ditch unconscious eating

People who are dieting are often surprised that they are not losing weight faster as they feel they have cut their calories sufficiently and are burning enough to result in good weight loss.  If this is the case for you, take a good look at your eating habits and make sure there are no extra calories creeping into your diet that you are not considering in your intake.

Nibbling leftovers from the fridge, licking the bowl whilst baking or eating the scraps from the children’s plates all contribute extra calories and should be avoided where possible.  Keep a food record of everything that goes into your mouth for a week to pick up on any potential problem areas that might be slowing down your weight loss.

10. Set eating challenges

By setting yourself eating guidelines and challenges you can stay in control of your weight loss and even give it a bit of a boost.  If you find yourself often reaching for seconds, make a rule that you will only allow yourself a second portion once a week.

If you don’t eat enough vegetables, challenge yourself to eat a salad every day for a week.  By setting achievable challenges you will be motivated to continue and this motivation can help you reach your goal more quickly.