Try setting aside a few hours one night a week

to plan and prepare your meals so that in the

morning you can just grab your lunch and go.

SUMMARY

Studies show that meal planning and

eating home-cooked meals are associ

ated with improved diet quality and a

lower risk of obesity.

8. Sleep Longer

Going to bed a bit earlier or setting your alarm

clock later to squeeze in some extra sleep

may help increase weight loss.

Several studies have found that sleep

deprivation may be associated with an

increased appetite

(20Trusted Source, 21Trusted Source).

One small study found that sleep restriction

increased hunger and cravings, especially for

high-carb, high-calorie foods

(22Trusted Source).

Lack of sleep has also been linked to an

increase in calorie intake.

In one study, 12 participants consumed an

average of 559 more calories after getting

just four hours of sleep, compared to when

they got a full eight hours

(23Trusted Source).

Establishing a healthy sleep schedule is a

critical component of weight loss, along with

eating well and exercising. To maximize your

results, aim for at least eight hours of

sleep per night.

SUMMARY

Studies show that sleep deprivation may

increase appetite and cravings, as well as

calorie intake.

9. Switch up Your Commute

While driving may be one of the most

convenient ways to get to work, it may not be

so great for your waistline.

Research shows that walking, biking or using

public transportation may be tied to a lower

body weight and reduced risk of weight gain.

One study followed 822 people over four years

and found that those who commuted by car

tended to gain more weight than non-car

commuters (24Trusted Source).

Similarly, a study including 15,777 people

showed that using public transportation or

active methods of transport, such as walking

or biking, was associated with a significantly

lower body mass index and body fat

percentage, compared to using private

transportation (25Trusted Source).

Changing up your commute even a few times

per week may be a simple way to ramp up

weight loss.

SUMMARY

Walking, biking and using public

transportation have all been associated

with less weight gain and lower body

weight and body fat, compared to driving

to work.

10. Start Tracking Your Intake

Keeping a food diary to track what you eat can

be an effective way to help boost weight loss

and keep yourself accountable.

One study tracked weight loss in 123 people

for one year and found that completing a food

journal was associated with a greater amount

of weight loss (26Trusted Source).

Another study showed that participants who

regularly used a tracking system to self-

monitor their diet and exercise lost more

weight than those who did not regularly use

the tracking system (27Trusted Source).

Similarly, a study of 220 obese women found

that the frequent and consistent use of a

self-monitoring tool helped improve long-term

weight management (28Trusted Source).

Try using an app or even just a pen and paper

to record what you eat and drink, starting

with your first meal of the day.

SUMMARY

Studies have found that using a food diary

to track your intake can help increase

weight loss.

The Bottom Line

Making a few small changes to your morning

habits can be an easy and effective way to

increase weight loss.

Practicing healthy behaviors in the morning

can also get your day started on the right foot

and set you up for success.

For best results, make sure you combine these

morning habits with a well-rounded diet and

healthy lifestyle.

How to Lose Weight Fast in 3 Simple Steps

How to Lose Weight Fast in 3 Simple Steps

Calorie calculator

Calorie Counter

Units:

U.S. (Imperial)Metric

Gender:

SelectFemaleMale

Age:

Years

Height:

Feet

Inches

Weight:

Pounds

Activity:

SelectSedentary lifestyleSlightly

activeModerately activeActive lifestyleVery

active lifestyle

CALCULATE

This calculator is for informational purposes

only, you should consult a healthcare provider

before making any health decisions

. The calculator is based on the Mifflin-St.

Jeor equation, a formula that has been shown

to be an accurate way of estimating calorie

needs in numerous studies.

How many calories should you eat on

average?

The answer to this question depends on

numerous factors, including your age, height,

current weight, activity level, and metabolic

health, among several others.

When trying to lose weight, a general rule of

thumb is to reduce your calorie intake to 500

fewer calories than your body needs to

maintain your current weight. This will help

you lose about 1 pound (0.45 kg) of body

weight per week.

Below are average calorie ranges that consider

these factors (4Trusted Source).

Women

The average, moderately active woman

between the ages of 26–50 needs to eat

about 2,000 calories per day to maintain her

weight and 1,500 calories per day to lose

1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight per week.

Women who are active and walk more

than 3 miles per day will need to consume

2,200 calories or more daily to maintain their

weight and at least 1,700 calories to

lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) of weight per week.

Young women in their early 20s have higher

calorie needs. They require

about 2,200 calories per day

to maintain their weight.

Women over age 50 generally require fewer

calories. The average moderately active

woman over 50 needs about 1,800 calories

per day to maintain her weight and 1,300

calories per day to lose 1 pound

(0.45 kg) per week.

These estimates do not apply to women who

are pregnant or breastfeeding,

as they have significantly

higher calorie needs.

Men

The average, moderately active man between

the ages of 26–45 needs 2,600 calories per

day to maintain his weight and 2,100 calories

per day to lose 1 (0.45 kg) pound per week.

Active men who walk more than 3 miles per

day may require 2,800–3,000 calories per day

to maintain their weight and 2,300–2,500

calories per day to lose 1 pound (0.45 kg)

of weight per week.

Young men ages 19–25 have higher energy

needs.

They require an average

of 2,800 calories per day to maintain their

weight and up to 3,000

if they’re active.

To lose 1 pound (0.45 kg) per week,

moderately active young men

should consume 2,300–2,500 calories daily.

Energy needs decrease as men age.

Between the ages of 46–65,

moderately active men need an average

of 2,400 calories per day.

After 66 years, the average man’s

calorie needs decrease

to about 2,200 calories per day.

Children

Children have widely varying calorie needs

based on their age, size, and activity level.

Whereas the average toddler

requires 1,200–1,400 calories per day,

the average moderately

active teenager requires 2,000–2,800 calories

per day. Active teenage

boys require even more.

Children who are growing and developing

normally and engage in regular physical

activity usually don’t need to count calories.

When they’re provided with a range of

healthy options to eat, most moderately

active kids naturally eat the amount of food

their body requires.

What are calories?

A calorie is a unit that measures energy.

Calories are usually used to measure the

energy content of foods and beverages.

To lose weight, you need to eat

fewer calories than your body

burns each day.

How to reduce calorie intake

Calories are simply a measure of energy.

To gain weight, you need to consume more

calories than you expend.

Conversely, you lose weight

if you use more calories than you consume.

That said, cutting calories without considering

which foods you eat is usually not a

sustainable way to lose weight. For example,

choosing more nutrient-dense foods will

benefit your health

more than opting for nutrient-poor ones.

Though it works for some people, most

end up hungry and eventually revert

to their old habits.

For this reason, it’s highly recommended

to make a few other permanent

changes to help you maintain

a calorie deficit in the long term,

without feeling starved.

The following evidence-based eating and

lifestyle changes have been shown to help

people lose weight.

1. Eat more protein

When it comes to losing weight,

protein is the king of nutrients.

Adding protein to your diet is a simple,

effective way to lose weight

with minimal effort.

Studies show that protein both increases your

metabolic rate and helps curb your appetite

(5Trusted Source, 6Trusted Source,

7Trusted Source, 8Trusted Source).

Because protein requires energy

to metabolize, a high protein diet

can increase the number of calories

you burn by 80–100 calories per day

(7Trusted Source, 9Trusted Source,

10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source).

Eating protein helps you stay fuller longer

and may help you consume fewer calories

throughout the day.

One older study showed that

people who ate 30% of calories

from protein ate 441 fewer calories per day

(12Trusted Source).

In other words, you can increase

the number of calories you burn

and decrease the number

of calories you consume simply

by adding protein to your diet.

Protein can also help fight cravings.

In one 2011 study,

consuming 25% of daily calories

from protein reduced obsessive thoughts

about food by 60%, as well

as the desire to snack late at night by 50%

(13Trusted Source).

If you want to lose weight

sustainably and with minimal effort,

consider increasing your protein intake.

It may not only help you lose weight

but also prevent or reduce weight

regain (14Trusted Source,

15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Increasing your protein intake can boost

your metabolism, fight cravings, and

significantly reduce appetite.

This can help you lose weight

and keep it off.

2. Avoid sugary soft drinks and fruit juices

Another relatively easy

change you can make

is to eliminate liquid sugar

calories from your diet.

This includes sodas, fruit juices,

chocolate milk, and other

beverages with added sugar.

Your brain doesn’t register liquid calories

in the same way it registers solid calories.

For this reason, drinking sugary soda doesn’t

make your brain automatically compensate

by having you eat smaller amounts

of other things

instead (17Trusted Source,

18Trusted Source).

Studies have shown that sugary drinks are

strongly linked to an increased risk of obesity,

with one study in children showing a 60%

increased risk for each daily serving

of a sugar-sweetened beverage

(19Trusted Source, 20Trusted Source).

The harmful effects of sugar go beyond weight

gain. It can have negative effects on

metabolic health and raise your risk

of many diseases (21Trusted Source).

Eating fruit, which also contains fiber

and other important nutrients,

isn’t associated with the same negative

effects as drinking fruit juice

or other sweetened beverages.

However, eating large amounts

of added sugar and sugary drinks

can harm your health

in a variety of ways.

There’s no physiological need

for these beverages,

and the long-term benefits

of avoiding them can be enormous.

SUMMARY

It’s important to avoid sugary soft drinks

and fruit juices, as liquid sugar is the

single most fattening aspect of the

Western diet.

3. Drink more water

One very simple trick to increase weight loss

is to drink more water.

Studies have suggested drinking water

can increase the number of calories you burn

for up to 90 minutes

(22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source).

Drinking about eight, 8-ounce glasses

(2 liters) of water per day

may make you burn about 96 more calories.

However, recent studies

suggest drinking water may

not increase the number of calories you burn

(24Trusted Source).

The timing of when you drink water

may be even more important.

Drinking water immediately before meals

may help reduce hunger

and make you eat fewer calories

(25Trusted Source).

In one 12-week study, drinking 17 ounces

(0.5 liters) of water half an hour before meals

made people lose 44% more weight

(26Trusted Source).

When combined with a healthy diet,

drinking more water, especially before meals,

appears to be helpful

if you need to lose weight.

Drinking caffeinated beverages,

such as coffee and green tea, may also boost

metabolism slightly, at least in the short term.

Doing so is associated with losing weight

and keeping it off

(27Trusted Source,

28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source,

30Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Some studies have shown that drinking

water may boost metabolism.

Drinking it half an hour before meals

can help you eat fewer calories.

4. Exercise and lift weights

When you eat fewer calories, your body

compensates by saving energy,

making you burn fewer calories.

This is why long-term calorie restriction can

significantly reduce your metabolism.

Plus, it can lead to a loss of muscle mass.

Muscle is metabolically active, so this can

reduce your metabolism even further.

The only proven strategy to prevent this effect

is to exert your muscles by lifting weights.

This has been repeatedly shown to prevent

muscle loss and stop your metabolism

from slowing during long-term

calorie restriction (31Trusted Source).

When trying to lose weight,

it’s important to maintain

or strengthen your muscles

in addition to losing fat.

If you can’t get to a gym,

consider doing bodyweight exercises,

such as pushups,

squats, and situps, at home.

Doing some cardio,

including walking,

swimming,

or jogging,

can also be important —

not necessarily for weight loss

but for optimal health and general well-being.

What’s more, exercise has a variety

of other benefits that go beyond weight loss,

such as increased longevity and energy

levels, a lower risk of disease,

and simply feeling better

every day

(32Trusted Source, 33Trusted Source,

34Trusted Source, 35Trusted Source,

36Trusted Source).

SUMMARY

Lifting weights is important,

as it reduces muscle loss

and prevents

your metabolic rate from slowing.

5. Reduce your refined carb intake

Cutting carbs is a very effective way to lose

weight, as it reduces appetite

and makes you eat fewer calories

(37Trusted Source, 38Trusted Source).

Studies have shown that eating a low carb diet

until fullness can make you lose about two

to three times more weight

than a calorie-restricted, low fat diet

(38Trusted Source, 39Trusted Source).

What’s more, low carb diets have many

other benefits for health,

especially for people with type 2 diabetes

or metabolic syndrome

(40Trusted Source, 41Trusted Source).

Yet, you don’t have to go low carb.

Simply ensure that you eat quality, fiber-rich

carb sources, focusing on whole,

single-ingredient foods.

If you stick to whole foods,

the exact composition of your diet

becomes less important.

SUMMARY

Cutting carbs may aid weight loss

by reducing your appetite

and making you eat fewer calories.

The best online calorie counters

Many websites and apps can help you track

your calorie intake.

Try using a calorie counter for at least a few

days to see how many calories, carbs,

protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals

you’re actually eating.

Seeing the numbers like this can often

be eye-opening.

The bottom line

How many calories you need per day depends

on whether you want to maintain, lose, or

gain weight, as well as various other factors,

such as your gender, age, height, current

weight, activity level, and metabolic health.

Reducing calories does not mean starving

yourself.

A few simple dietary and lifestyle changes,

including exercising,

properly hydrating, and increasing your

protein intake, can help you lose weight

and feel satisfied.

How to Lose Weight Fast in 3 Simple Steps

How to Lose Weight Fast in 3 Simple Steps