19 Ways to Drop a Few Pounds Really Quick

Are you trying to lose weight fast? The bad news: Most get-slim-quick tactics aren’t sustainable. Most experts recommend losing one to two pounds per week by following a healthy diet and exercise routine. However, if you are in a hurry to lose weight really quickly, several habits can help you get the job done. Here are 19 things to do if you want to drop a few pounds really quick, according to experts.

When You Lose Weight Fast, It’s Usually Water Weight

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Fitness coach Jenna Rizzo (@jennaaaamariee) explains that you can lose a few pounds fast, but it isn’t fat you are losing. “If I have a last minute trip coming up or like a surprise photo shoot and I just wanna tighten up for it really quick, this is what I do,” she says in a video, revealing that most quick fixes are “most likely a scam,” but “that being said, I do have a couple of tricks up my sleeve if something pops up and you just wanna tighten up for it really quick. So we're talking like a couple pounds of water weight, not 20 pounds of fat loss.”

Drink Lots of Water

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“Number one, I'm going to make sure I'm drinking a ton of water,” says Rizzo. “Now, I know a lot of times people think that drinking a ton of water is gonna cause you to retain a ton of water, but it actually does the opposite. You can kind of think of it as flushing out your system.”

Decrease Carb Intake

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“Number two, I'm gonna be eating slightly lower carbs. So, have you ever heard of when people do keto, and they magically drop five pounds in like two days, and everybody thinks it's magic? Well, this is because when you eat carbs, your body's gonna hold onto a certain amount of water weight because of it. So when you cut back on your carbs, your body's gonna be able to let go of a decent bit of water, which again will help us look a little bit tighter and leaner,” Rizzo continues.

Amp Up Fiber and Probiotic Intake

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“Number three, I'm eating at least 30 grams of fiber and getting some good probiotics in. So this is gonna be really good for your gut help, help keep you regular, if you know what I mean. Gonna help cut down on any inflammation and bloating you might have in your gut,” she says.

Sleep More

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“And number four, I'm getting as much sleep as I possibly can, and if you know me, you know, I prioritize sleep over almost everything when it comes to weight loss because most people truly aren't getting enough. But in this particular instance, I'm getting good long, deep sleep to help cut back any inflammation and unwanted water weight,” Rizzo concludes. What are the other health benefits of sleep? According to the Sleep Foundation, getting enough z’s is a mood booster, promotes heart health, regulates blood sugar, improves mental function, restores your immune system, and helps relieve stress in addition to aiding in weight loss.

Walk More

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Mandy (@mandymfit) reveals that her go-to habit to “slim down fast, like for an event or something that you have in like a week” is to amp up her steps. “8,000 to 10,000 steps a day every single day. Like you need to be walking a lot,” she says. “This is because walking is low impact and also is cardio, so it's just gonna shred that right off your body. I feel like not a lot of people know how great walking is for you and that it's actually considered the best exercise you can do to lose weight fast. Like it's actually better for you than running in certain ways.” Science endorses walking for weight loss. A 2018 study published in the journal Obesity found a link between walking 10,000 steps a day and weight loss and weight management.

Pilates

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Ariana (@earthangelariana) is another fitness influencer who has a few tips on diet and exercise for losing weight fast and clearing up her complexion. “For exercise, I do Pilates. I love it. It's not super intense. It's not like making me breathe and feel like I wanna die. It's honestly kind of like a meditative thing once you get used to it,” she says. Why is Pilates a good workout? According to the Mayo Clinic there are lots of benefits to the workout, as it “strengthens the body's inner core while increasing its flexibility resulting in improved overall health.” It can also promote longer, leaner muscles, injury prevention, relief from stress and back pain, enhanced athletic performance, and heightened mind-body awareness.

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Avoid Saturated Fats

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As for eating, Ariana doesn’t believe you need to be super restrictive. “You don't need to restrict yourself from eating a lot. You just need to eat the right things. Most of us are eating things that are so rich in saturated fat and calories, and that's literally why we eat like a small thing and gain weight,” she says.

Meal Prep

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Ariana also encourages planning out your meals ahead of time. “I am literally in the process of meal prepping, and I'm gonna be having three meals per day, and I'm going to literally lose so much weight. It's gonna be crazy,” she says. “You might say, ‘I don't have the time for that.’ You don't have the time for that because you don't meal prep. You don't have the time because you're not organized.”

Eat Lots of Low-Calorie Food

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Ariana tries to load up on low-calorie food. For example, she will have dairy-free Greek yogurt in the morning from Trader Joe’s and then put “coconut flakes, freeze-dried strawberries, blueberries, whatever I wanna put in there that is not high in calories,” she says. “Granola, no.” For lunch, she will fill up on a cucumber salad with dressing made from the same Greek cashew yogurt, “So it's literally so low in calories. Like the whole thing is probably gonna be like a hundred calories,” Ariana says.

She also eats “like little fruits here and there throughout the day,” followed by dinner, “either whitefish, cod, chicken, or eggs and chickpeas, and I'm gonna pair that with a Greek salad dinner altogether, maybe max 500 calories,” she says. Her base meals total around 1,000 calories, “and that's just like the base. I can literally have wine. I can have a little bit of chocolate here and there. I can add on to that because my goal is just personally, my goal, guys, is just to stay under 1,700 to 1,500 calories,” she says.

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No Gluten

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Ariana maintains a gluten-free diet. “Gluten will literally inflame you so much. Go search it up right now on TikTok, people who literally cut out sugar, dairy, and gluten for a week,” she says, revealing it helps keep her skin clear.

Calculate Your Caloric Limits

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John Schaefer (@johnschaeferhealth) recommends starting by calculating your target caloric intake. Take your current weight, “subtract 10 pounds, that's your goal weight,” he says in a viral video about how to lose 10 pounds fast. “Multiply that by 12,” he instructs.”That's your daily caloric limit per day. Come in as far underneath that as you can, as long as you're hitting your daily protein minimum and feeling good.”

Calculate Your Protein Minimum

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“Step two, to find your daily protein minimum, take that goal weight, multiply by 0.6, and that is the amount of grams per day in protein I want you to hit each and every day,” he says. “You wanna protect muscle from being lost along with fat.”

Drink a Protein Smoothie

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He also recommends having “a big green smoothie” with healthy fat and fiber to keep you full. He makes his with half avocado, two scoops, pea protein powder, two big handfuls of spinach, one half cup mixed berries, almond milk, half cup Greek yogurt.

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Track Every Calorie

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While it might be a pain, Schaefer recommends tracking “each and every calorie to ensure you're hitting your numbers.” He recommends using an app like FitnessPal to make it easier.

Try Intermittent Fasting

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Weight loss influencer and medical student Johnny Hadace (@Johnnyhadac) recommends intermittent fasting to lose weight fast. “I'm a big supporter of fasting,” he says in a viral video. “When I lost 50 pounds in five months, I would make sure to fast from 7:00 PM to 9:00 AM every single day.” Intermittent fasting works by “prolonging the period when your body has burned through the calories consumed during your last meal and begins burning fat,” explains Johns Hopkins Medicine.

Eat at Least Three Meals a Day and a Snack

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Also, “you need to be eating at least three meals a day in a snack if necessary,” says Hadac. “You cannot be starving yourself all day long and then over-consuming calories at night. That's the worst thing you can be doing if you're trying to lose weight.”

Exercise Daily

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Hadac also stresses the importance of daily exercise. “You need to make sure that you're moving your body every single day. Whether you're hitting the gym, you're walking, you're stretching, doing yoga, whatever it is, move your body,” he says.

Quit Sugar

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Kylie Wolfe (@kylie_wolfe), a weight loss influencer, recommends cutting sugar from your diet. “Sugar is not good for you,” she says in a viral video. “Just stop the ‘Oh, it's just a sweet treat every single day. Okay? Every now and then, whatever.”

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Eat Whole Foods

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Kylie also recommends sticking to whole foods and eliminating “the gross fast food, the McDonald's, the Wendy's, the Taco Bell,” from your diet. “All of the processed food needs to be out. What was put on this earth for us to eat is what you need to put into your body. That's what your body can digest. So like eggs, fish, red meat, avocado, like fruits, vegetables, shit like that is what you need to be eating. You don't need to be going and eating a Big Mac and fries and drinking pop,” she says.

💪🔥Body Booster: Aim for 8,000 to 10,000 steps daily to slim down. Walking is a low-impact, effective way to shed excess weight.

Jenn Clayton is a Certified Weight Loss and Nutrition Coach and social media influencer. In her viral videos, she shares tips and tricks on how to lose weight — fast. “Today we're talking about how to lose 20 pounds as fast as possible,” she says in the clip. She also reveals that she lost “just under 140 pounds” by counting macros and calories. Here is exactly how she did it.

Lifestyle Changes Can Help You Lose Weight Fast and Keep It Off

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“Losing weight is challenging whether you're trying to lose five pounds or 20 pounds, and we know that steady weight loss keeps the weight off. Fast weight loss doesn't always keep the weight off long term, but there are definitely some healthy lifestyle changes that you can make while losing weight that will ensure that you do it quickly and keep it off long term,” says Jenn.

Set Realistic Expectations, Losing One to Two Pounds a Week

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“The first thing we always wanna do when we're setting out to lose weight is set expectations that are safe and reasonable. Losing weight safely typically means about one to two pounds per week. So, anywhere from 52 to 104 pounds lost safely over the course of one year. A balanced, nutritious diet moving your body, this is how you're going to keep those 52 or 104 pounds off long term,” she says.

1. Count Calories

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“Tip number one to drop weight quickly is to count your calories,” says Jenn. “Basically, weight loss is going to occur when you take in less than you're putting out, whether that's in your day-to-day life exercise included, not exercise included because you don't have to exercise to lose weight. It's all about how many calories in versus calories out.”

Have Your Macros and Calories Done

“The best way to know what your calorie consumption would be for steady weight loss is to have your personalized macros and calories done,” she says. “I follow my own macros and calories, and that's led to my almost 140-pound weight loss.”

2. Drink More Water

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Number two is to drink more water. “Now, we hear this all the time: of course, drinking water is going to hydrate you. It's going to help with your hair, your skin, your nails, and just how you feel overall,” she says. “But drinking water actually has big benefits for weight loss.”

And, Swap It Out Sugary Drinks with It

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“Part of the reason for this is you're going to be swapping beverages with calories for water, so things like alcohol, soda, pop juices, teas, energy drinks, swap those out for water that's going to save you calories. And remember we talked about calories and calories out, and it's going to hydrate. You flush everything out of your body, which leads to weight loss. The other great benefit of water is it's going to help you keep full. Water sits in your belly, takes up space in your belly, so it's going to help keep you fuller for longer,” she says.

3. Amp Up Your Protein Intake

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“Number three, and this is probably the most important of all of this, and this is to increase your protein intake,” says Jenn. “Protein is king when it comes to weight loss. Again, your protein intake is going to vary from anybody else. The protein that you need every day is specialized for you, and that is part of that macro and calorie calculation.”

Protein Is Harder to Digest, So It Burns More Calories

“Protein is the hardest macronutrient for your body to digest, so it's harder than carbs. It's harder than fat. And when our body is digesting protein, it's burning calories. The act of digesting food burns calories. So, if it takes longer to digest protein, we're going to burn more calories in the process. And I don't know about you, but burning calories just digesting my food sounds pretty good. Not to mention, protein will keep you fuller for longer and satisfied between meals. So make sure that protein is part of every meal and snack,” she says.

4. Reduce Refined Carbohydrates

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Number four is to reduce your refined carbohydrate intake. “Now, this doesn't mean eliminating carbs altogether or restricting carbs. We really want to focus on slow-digesting carbs. Those are going to be the carbs that have fiber,” she says.

Slow Digesting Carbs Should Be 80 Percent of Your Carb Intake

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She recommends things like rolled oats, sprouted bread, and quinoa. “Those are slow-digesting carbs. They should make up about 80% of your carb intake, and then that other 20% sitting over here can be some of those fast-digesting carbs like rice cakes, chips, crackers, and cookies. Those types of things are okay to have in moderation. But if we reduce those processed carbs and really focus on unrefined slow digesting carbs, again, it will keep us fuller for longer, and it takes our body longer to digest, therefore burning more calories,” she says.

5. Lift Weights

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Number five, start lifting weights. “I can't stress how important this is. Now, this doesn't mean that you have to go to the gym and do a 150-pound deadlift. You can actually focus on lightweights with high reps,” she suggests.

You Will Build Lean Muscle

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“This is going to build lean muscle. Lean muscle burns calories at rest. So the more lean muscle you have on your body, the more calories you're going to burn, doing absolutely nothing. So, sitting around watching TV, you're burning calories with that lean muscle, and the only way to build lean muscle is to lift weights. Not to mention, when we're experiencing a calorie deficit and we lose weight, remember that weight is made up of water, fat, and lean muscle. We're going to lose some of our lean muscle. So we want to make sure that we can maintain and build as much as possible while losing weight. And remember, the amount of lean muscle in our body decreases as we age. So lifting weights is even more important as we get older,” says Jenn.

6. Eat More Fiber

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Number six, eat more fiber. This goes right along with eating more protein. It's going to help keep you fuller for longer. And when we have a higher protein diet, we can have issues going number two, and by eating enough fiber that's going to alleviate those issues.

Here Are Some Great Sources

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She also points out that fiber fills you up. “Not to mention the benefits of keeping us full. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, these are all amazing sources of fiber,” she says.

7. Follow a Sleep Schedule

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Number seven, follow a sleep schedule. “Sleep is so important for weight loss, maybe even as important as being in a calorie deficit. When we lack sleep, our body wants energy. The energy we would have gotten from getting enough sleep increases the cortisol levels in our body, which makes us crave foods that give us energy. And what are those foods? Fast digesting carbs, cakes, cookies, crackers, candy, sugar, things that give our body instant energy,” she says.

Practice Sleep Hygiene with These Tips

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“Some tips to improve your sleep are getting seven to eight hours of sleep each night, practicing a calming bedtime ritual before bed, such as reading or taking a relaxing shower, going to bed and waking up at the same time each day, even on the weekends,” she continues. “Limiting screen time before bed, minimizing your intake of caffeine and large meals before bed, and reducing sources of light noise. And lastly, keep the room where you sleep at a cool temperature. These are really, really important facets in getting in your sleep, which leads ultimately to faster weight loss.”

8. Set Goals and Stay Accountable

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Number eight, set a reasonable goal and stay accountable. “Consistency is key. Consistency over perfection,” she says. “Whatever goal you have for yourself, it should be reasonable, and it should keep you motivated. When I was in the bulk of my weight loss journey, I always had a goal of reaching the next weight decade, 190 pounds two, a hundred eighty-two, a hundred seventy. That was my goal.”

Reward Yourself

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“Every time I reached a new weight decade, I rewarded myself with something not related to food that helped keep me motivated, helped keep me accountable, and I was very consistent in not only the foods that I chose but also moving my body regularly,” she reveals. “Set realistic and small goals that eventually lead to a big goal because that's really what's going to keep you motivated. Consistency over perfection. That's the key to weight loss.”

9. Add Cardio to Your Routine

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Number nine, add some cardio to your routine. “This doesn't mean you have to go to the gym and sweat it out for hours upon hours. You can do some simple cardio that's going to help burn extra calories and remember, calories in, calories out. That's how we lose weight.”

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Here Are Examples of Cardio to Do

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“Some great examples of cardio that you can add to your day are things like walking, running, jumping, rope, rowing, hiking, and biking. Maybe 20 minutes three times a week is a great place to start. Just moving our body overall not only helps with mobility, flexibility, maintaining lean muscle but also helps with weight loss,” she says.

10. Eat Slowly and Mindfully

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Number 10 is to eat slowly, is to eat slowly and mindfully. “Don't be distracted when you're eating. Turn off the tv, and put your phone away. Really focus on your food. Take small bites and chew them really well. I know that I'm a fast eater, so what works for me is setting my silverware down between bites. That way, I actually have to focus on chewing what's in my mouth, swallowing that, and then picking up my silverware again for the next bite. It's actually recommended to chew your food about 20 times before swallowing,” she says.

Eliminate Distractions

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“Eliminating any distractions is going to lead to mindful eating, and you're going to enjoy your food. Eat it slower, which sends a signal from your stomach to your brain that you've consumed. Food keeps you full, you don't overeat, and it's a great way to really enjoy the amazing foods that you're eating,” she points out.

Losing 20 Pounds Is Stressful, But Doable

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“Losing 20 pounds or really losing any pounds is very, very stressful. It can be very frustrating, but there are some things that you can do in your day-to-day life that not only speed up your weight loss but help you keep it off long term,” she says at the end of the clip.

Talk to Your Doctor First

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“Make sure that you talk with your doctor before starting any new exercise routine. And remember consistency over perfection. We're not going to be perfect on our weight loss journey. Really, truly, 80% of eating on plan and 20% of eating off of plan are going to lead to amazing quick results with weight loss,” she continues.

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Be Patient

Finally, be patient. “Patience is the key to determination and motivation. Remember, setting small goals that lead to a big goal will keep you motivated, get the weight off, and keep it off long term,” she says. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Losing weight after 50 can be challenging, but it’s certainly not impossible. “Not all people over 50 will experience the same degree of difficulty with weight loss as genes determine 40 to 70 percent of what your weight is at a given time,” Holly Lofton, MD, director of the NYU Langone Medical Weight Management Program in New York City, tells AARP. Here’s how to kickstart an effective over-50 weight loss program in just two weeks.

Lift Weights

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Lifting weights helps burn fat even when you’re not exercising. “Muscle is more metabolically active — it burns more calories than fat,” William Yancy Jr., MD, director of the Duke Lifestyle and Weight Management Center in Durham, North Carolina, tells AARP. “So having a higher ratio of muscle to fat will mean you burn more energy — just while sitting. To build that muscle, you have to exercise, and that burns calories, too.”​

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Be Mindful of Drinking

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Alcohol can be kryptonite to any weight-loss regimen—but lowering intake or abstaining completely can help accelerate weight loss. “Across the board, for people who are trying to lose some weight, cutting out empty calories is a good place to start,” Leslie Heinberg, PhD, tells the Cleveland Clinic. “Oftentimes, beverages are a big source of empty calories — whether it’s soda, juice, sweet tea, beer, wine or cocktails. Any of those things add calories, but really without nutrition and without the sense of feeling full.”

Calories Count

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Calories count, so make an effort to track how much you are consuming. “First, multiply your current weight by 15 — that's roughly the number of calories per pound of body weight needed to maintain your current weight if you are moderately active,” say the experts at Harvard Health. “For example, to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week — a rate that experts consider safe — your food consumption should provide 500 to 1,000 calories less than your total weight-maintenance calories.” Don’t go too far, though: women should eat at least 1,200 calories a day, and men should eat at least 1,500.

Ditch the Sugar

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Want to lose weight quickly? Ditch the added sugars, experts warn. Not all foods containing sugars are the same,” dietitian Victoria Taylor tells the British Heart Foundation. “Fruit or dairy products contain natural sugars but are nutritious foods that contain vitamins, minerals and in some cases fiber. What we need to cut down on are free sugars, which include added sugars, syrups, or juices. It’s recommended that we eat less than 30g (1 oz) of free sugars each day, but most of us are eating more than this.”

Related: This Is Exactly How to Lose Body Fat This Year

Aerobic Exercise and Active Hobbies

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Getting your heart rate going is a great way to accelerate fat loss. “For most healthy adults, experts recommend moderate aerobic activity,” says the Mayo Clinic. “This includes brisk walking for at least 150 to 200 minutes a week or vigorous aerobic activity, such as jogging, for at least 75 minutes a week. Find time to take care of yourself. Activities that you enjoy doing can help you get exercise. This can include gardening, yoga or other active hobbies.”

💪🔥Body Booster: Cut out empty liquid calories from sugary drinks, alcohol, and juices. Prioritize water and low-calorie beverages for weight loss.

Do you want to achieve real fat loss results in just 10 days? According to one expert, there are a few things you need to do to make that happen. Madelaine Rascan is a fitness instructor and social media influencer whose mission is “setting women free from the diet prison.” In a new social media post she reveals some of the things she did a couple of months back during a “10 day mini fat loss phase” that helped her lose weight. “I got visibly leaner without any pain or misery. Small changes = big results. It’s attention to the details! Try these out, let me know how you go!” she writes.

Eat When You Are Hungry, Not When You Are Bored

Number one? “Eat when you're hungry,” she says in the video. “I know it sounds obvious, but so many women either force-feed themselves to hit their protein target, or they've just lost touch with their actual hunger cues. Ask yourself this. Could I eat some lean protein or an apple? If the answer is no, you're probably bored.”

Always Keep Fruit on Hand, Like Berries

Number two, “always have fruit on hand,” she suggests. Why? “Low calorie, full of nutrients, and they stop me from raiding the fridge for chocolate,” she says. “Pro tip: Pick up a bag of frozen organic berries and keep them in the fridge. “When they thaw, they're really juicy and great to put on yogurt.”

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Invest in a Walking Pad

Number three, invest in a walking pad. “Remove all obstacles when it comes to walking, because walking is elite for fat loss,” she says. Also, consider getting a standing desk. “For around 200 bucks you can work, watch your kids, watch YouTube, all while getting your steps in. Doesn't matter if it's raining, snowing, or it's creepy outside,” she says.

Stock Up on Extra Lean Ground Beef & Chicen

Four, “Stock your freezer with ground meat,” she says, specifically recommending extra lean, ground beef or ground chicken. Why? It is “way more versatile than steak or chicken breast,” she says. “I keep a stack in my freezer and every morning just pull one of them out. Dinner sorted.”

Find Habits to Replace Binge-Eating

And lastly, “That time of day where food is the biggest struggle - replace it with an activity that’s good for you. Walk, journal, book, meditation,” she writes. “Beat overeating with a walk,” she adds in the clip. “Find that time of day that's a weak spot and replace it with something more productive, like a walk, even a meditation, journaling, reading, whatever. Find that tricky time of day and fill it with something good for you.”

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A Few Changes Can Help You Achieve Big Results

The bottom line? “A few simple switches in your day can 10x your results. Don’t underestimate it!” she writes at the end of the post. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.