The Right Way to Lose Weight Quickly
There are many ways to lose weight quickly.
Depending on the approach you take, your success could be short lived, or last a lifetime.
If your goal is to lose weight for a specific event and then gain it all back again afterward, don’t bother even reading this. There are a million other resources that will help you do just that.
If you’d rather lose weight (or cut fat... see the difference here) and keep it off, read the rest of this article in its entirety.
Seen Any Good Movies Lately?
If you need proof that bodies can be transformed in no time at all, take yourself on a date to the movies and see actors who do it all the time.
One of my favorite examples is Christian Bale.
This is an extreme example. It obviously isn’t healthy. I’m sure some actors resort to drugs or other questionable tactics.
That doesn’t mean it has to be done this way, but the point is that it can be done.
There are countless ways to do it, but I’m breaking them down into two categories: “The Quick Fix” and “The Integrated Approach.”
Not understanding the difference might be what keeps you from getting the body you want in a reasonable timeframe.
The Quick Fix
This is any type of diet, exercise, pill, etc., based solely on the premise of getting quick results.
It’s appealing if you aren’t crazy about the idea of dieting and/or exercising. This approach promises limited use of willpower. But it comes with its own set of problems.
Your first problem is that a lot of these methods flat out don’t work. You’ll have to filter through the cacophony of the billion dollar fitness industry just to find a system with any validity.
Once you’ve found one that works, you face some other problems:
You might lose weight, but in an unhealthy manner, doing more harm than good overall.
The strategy is so extreme you can’t stick to it long enough to see results.
If you do stick to it and get results, once you’re done you have no choice but to fall back to your old ways and weight gain.
Some are so extreme they mess with your metabolism, making the subsequent weight gain come back faster, and future fat loss more difficult.
You can see why we don’t believe in quick fixes.
While most options boasting of fast weight loss should be automatically disqualified, there’s still another option.
The Integrated Approach
So how do you lose weight quickly but avoid the problems produced by a “quick fix?”
By having a long-term plan.
It might seem counterintuitive to talk about “losing weight quickly” and a “long-term plan” at the same time, but integrating the two is the most effective approach.
Here’s how:
Start a long-term plan that teaches you how to eat on a daily basis according to your individual needs. (Like this one.)
Once you’ve mastered the basics, spend a 2-4 week phase utilizing strategies for rapid weight loss.
Go back into your long-term plan.
You’ll be tempted to start with the accelerated phase.
Don’t.
It’s far too easy to get caught in a cycle of just doing the first phase over and over, continuing to lose weight and gain it back again.
Always Ask Why
You might be disappointed this wasn’t a step-by-step diet guide on how to lose weight quickly.
But why?
If it’s because you don’t feel like spending time making the effort, the unfortunate truth is that you’ll never accomplish anything.
(And in the context of making a transformation that changes the rest of your life, we’re talking about very little time. Read last week’s blog to see how long it takes to get in shape.)
If it’s because you have an event coming up you’d like to lose weight for, that’s a different story.
Let’s talk.
Some people use events like that as an excuse to attempt a quick fix.
But if you’re ready to commit to working with us on a long-term plan, we’re happy to integrate an accelerated phase into your program to meet a (reasonable) deadline.
This is not an unconditional offer. It’s determined on an individual basis.
There isn’t a quick solution to a long-term problem, but If you show us you’re ready for real, lasting change, we can make it happen.
Learn more about how our online coaching can help you here and let’s start the conversation.
