Rapid weight loss is often dangerous because of the severe dietary restraints and rigorous exercise regimen required to lose several pounds in a short period of time, according to MayoClinic.com preventive medicine specialist Donald Hensrud, M.D. The body is deprived of vital nutrients and can experience an electrolyte imbalance. In addition, the weight loss may be from water or lean muscle instead of fat. Therefore, a weight-loss goal of 1 to 2 pounds a week is a healthy objective that can be maintained over an extended period of time.
Select a Practical Regimen
Many people take drastic weight-loss steps for a short period of time, and then return to their old habits, not realizing that the plan utilized to lose pounds must be continued to maintain the weight loss. In your quest to lose 15 pounds quickly, only incorporate changes that you can live with. Martin Binks, director of behavior health and research at Duke University’s Diet and Fitness Center states, "people want to lose 10 pounds a week or exercise till collapse like they see in popular TV programs or commercials. While I do think that it's important to focus on ambitious goals, its best to realize that they can't reach those goals overnight.”
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Put Your Drinks to Work
One of the fastest, easiest and most healthy ways to see immediate weight loss is to replace all of your alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks with water. Sodas, fruit juice, lattes, and alcoholic beverages contain several hundred calories. On the other hand, water contains no calories, and it flushes fat and waste out of your system. FitWise.com recommends that you drink 0.6 ounces of water per pound of weight. For example, if you weigh 170 pounds, multiply your weight by 0.6 to find you need to drink 120 ounces of water per day.
Eat a Healthy Breakfast
Skipping breakfast causes you to be hungrier — and consume more calories during the day. "Good Housekeeping" recommends the consumption of eggs, which are loaded with protein and will make your stomach feel fuller for a longer period of time. According to the site, a study of 30 overweight women who ate two scrambled eggs — along with two slices of toast and low calorie fruit spread — ate less food over the next 36 hours than women who ate a bagel breakfast containing the same amount of calories. Denise Foley notes in "Good Housekeeping" that 78 percent of people who have lost weight and kept it off eat breakfast each morning, which usually consists of cereal and fruit.
Eliminate Excessive Calories and Fat
Another way to see quick weight-loss results is to substitute some of your regular foods with healthier choices. Switch to lean cuts of meat, such as sirloin, tenderloin, round or chuck, and MayoClinic.com recommends selecting “choice” or “select” over the more fattening “prime” cuts. When selecting poultry, the skinless breast is the leanest part of the chicken. In addition, forgo adding butters, creams and sauces to your meals, because these are high in fat and calories.
Incorporate Exercise
Exercise burns calories, which is essential in weight-loss efforts. If you don’t normally exercise on a routine basis, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of exercise a week, spread out over four or five days. For example, you can exercise 30 minutes a day for five days a week, or even take a brisk 10-minute walk three times a day, for five days a week.
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