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Fastest Way to Lose 15 Pounds

When it comes to losing weight, the harder you are willing to work, the better the results you will reap. While it is best to lose weight gradually to increase your ability to keep it off, you can improve your weight loss efforts by committing to a healthy eating program and an exercise program that includes high-intensity workouts. If you stick to your plan, you will quickly see changes in your weight.

  1. A Healthy Diet

    • First take a few days and write down everything you eat. Use this information to determine the approximate amount of calories you consume on a daily basis. From here, plan to reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories each day; however, do not consume less than 1,200 calories a day.

      Commit to eating a healthy diet by reducing your consumption of packaged, processed foods. This includes anything you make from a bag or box or snacks that come from the grocery store shelves. These foods contain excess calories and preservatives that your body does not need. Switch to whole, fresh foods including fruits and vegetables and lean protein sources such as poultry, fish, beans and tofu. Grains will be one packaged food for which you should make an exception. Choose whole grain pastas, black rice, quinoa, wheat berries and steel-cut oats for a few options.

      Design your meals for what works best to meet your hunger and fuel your body. You may choose three meals and two snacks per day, or six mini-meals. When eating a meal, fill your plate half full of fruits and vegetables, a fourth full of a lean protein source and a fourth full of whole grains. For mini-meals, be sure each contains a balance of carbohydrate and protein and about 250 calories each if you are on a 1,500-calorie plan.

    Regular Exercise

    • For the fastest weight loss, plan to incorporate cardiovascular activity five to six times per week for at least 45 minutes each session. Choose those activities that result in high-calorie burn such as indoor cycling, the elliptical trainer or running. Include some type of strength training two to three times per week. This can be in the form of lifting free weights or joining a sports conditioning or muscle conditioning class. Challenge your body in new ways and include types of exercise you've never done before such as martial arts, yoga or a cultural dance class. Incorporating new exercises will lead to successful toning and weight loss.

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