Search Weight Loss Topics:

Home » How to lose weight safely » How to lose weight fast (safely!) – WebMD Boots

WebMD Medical Reference

There are many reasons why someone may want to lose weight fast, such as a wedding or a beach holiday. However, it is important to take a healthy approach to weight loss and to avoid putting the pounds back on again after a fad diet.

The tactic is not without its pitfalls. The British Dietetic Association carried out a survey in 2004. A third of people questioned said they had ended up heavier than before they went on a diet. The BDA says that is probably because fad diets are so popular these days.

If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. Be wary of diets that insist on avoiding whole groups of foods. Diets that tell you to eat only specific foods (like cabbage) are another sign of a fad diet. Be sceptical about claims that certain foods (such as grapefruit) have magical fat-burning qualities. You should also be careful about any diet that focuses on how good you will look rather than on how much more healthy you will be.

You can safely lose over 2lbs (1.3 kilos) a week at home with a healthy diet and lots of exercise, says dietician and weight loss counsellor Katherine Tallmadge.

In fact, having a goal like looking good at a wedding or reunion can be a great motivator, as long as you follow a weight loss plan that you can keep up after the special event. However, you need to plan ahead and allow enough time to make changes to your shape.

Losing weight is a simple concept: you need to burn more calories than you eat. The British Nutrition Foundation recommends a sensible weight loss of 1-2 lbs (approximately 0.5-1.0 kg) a week. This could mean cutting energy intake by about 500-1000 kcals a day. However, the actual reduction will depend on how much weight needs to be lost, how active the person is and whether they are male or female.

If you want to lose weight faster, you'll need to eat less and exercise more. Essentially, you need to eat no more than 1,050 to 1,200 calories per day (for important health reasons calorie intake should not be lower than this) and take one hour of exercise a day. On this type of plan, you can expect to lose 2-4 lbs (1.3-2.25 kg) in the first week, or more if you weigh over 18 stone (114 kg).

But the British Nutrition Foundation says there are advantages to not being over-ambitious about how much weight you lose. A measured approach is preferable it says because:

More:
How to lose weight fast (safely!) - WebMD Boots

Your Full Name
Your Email
Your Phone Number
Select your age (30+ only)	30313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990919293949596979899100101102103104105106107108109110111112113114115116117118119120
Select Your US State	Select Your StateAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington,DCWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming
Program Choice	Select Your ProgramInjectable HGHInjectable TestoteroneInjectable SermorelinInjectable Weight LossInjectable HCG DietInjectable Vitamins
Confirm over 30 years old	Yes
Confirm that you resident in USA	Yes
This is a Serious Inquiry	Yes
Message:

Home » How to lose weight safely » How to lose weight fast (safely!) – WebMD Boots