What Is the Quickest Way to Lose 15 Pounds?

Television shows such as "The Biggest Loser" (NBC) and "Bulging Brides" (WE) can make losing weight look like an attainable goal for people with a few extra pounds. In fact, it is possible to lose 15 pounds in just a few weeks by embarking on a fairly hard-core regimen of diet and exercise. With effort, you can drop a couple of sizes before a big event.

Make a Commitment

• Plan to work hard. Quick weight loss is definitely possible, but it requires a serious investment of energy. Set up a meeting with your health-care provider to talk about your weight-loss goals. Ask your doctor for his recommendations. He may suggest that you try to minimize cholesterol, as well as calories, or he might recommend that you come in for regular check-ups as you step up your exercise routine.
  Start a diet and exercise journal where you can record your daily eating and activity habits. A Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research study found that people who wrote down their daily food consumption lost twice as much weight as those who didn't keep a journal. Keep track of your weight-loss plan to make yourself accountable for meeting your goals and to increase your likelihood of success.

Change Your Diet

• Lose five pounds fast by eliminating all starches and salt. Starchy foods---including bread, pasta and potatoes---and salt encourage water retention. (Even healthy whole grains cause water retention.) Eliminate them, and you'll see results within a week.
  To lose about two pounds per week, reduce your daily calorie intake to 1,200 calories per day. Don't drop lower than that, or you might find that you don't have the energy you need to follow through on the exercise portion of your weight-loss plan. Choose your daily 1,200 calories from foods that pack maximum nutritional benefits: Fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and nonfat dairy products are all good choices.
  Plan at least three meals and one snack for each day. Eating throughout the day will help keep you from getting hungry on a restricted diet.

Add Exercise

• Get one hour of cardiovascular exercise every day to lose about one pound per week. Choose heart-pumping cardiovascular exercise because of its calorie-burning power---no other form of exercise delivers such effective weight-loss results. Try an aerobics or spin class at a gym or health club if you don't like the idea of running or biking.