Easily the most popular health and fitness goal is how to lose weight fast. Now before we go any further let’s make a couple of things clear: Oftentimes people associate losing weight with losing bodyfat and gaining a more aesthetic looking physique. Recognize that losing weight and losing bodyfat are two completely different goals. Sometimes they both occur simultaneously but that is not always the case and it is not always necessary to lose weight to lose bodyfat.

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. This bears repeating: Muscle does not weigh more than fat. It is denser in volume, thus takes up less space than fat. You can find my favorite analogy in any gym. If you look at the big, soft, bouncy stability balls and the smaller, harder medicine balls you can see that they take up more space than the heavier, smaller medicine balls. So if improving body composition aka looking better naked are part of your fitness goals, then just using the number on the scale and nothing else could set you up for failure.

“Hey, I wanna take up less space!”
For some people that might be a more accurate goal than I want to lose weight.

Now for those who are indeed overweight and/or obese then yes some weight loss is in order, and you” take less space wanters” can benefit from this information as well.

Nutrition
This is gonna be your bread and butter (No, those foods are not on the list). The reality is that number wise you won’t burn an astronomical amount of calories during a single workout. You can easily sabotage a grueling, intense, productive workout with a few nutritional blunders. Weight loss is all thermodynamics. Calories in versus calories out. You have to get a caloric deficit at the end of the day. Shoot for low calorie foods that will leave you satisfied such as almonds, cauliflower, apples, pears, and portobello mushrooms.

Also include quality sources of protein such as eggs, wild salmon, lowfat cottage cheese, and quinoa. Lastly, keep liquid calories to a minimum. They won’t leave you full for very long which could lead to overeating. Stick to green tea, black coffee and good ole h2o.

Training
You must train often and train hard. Make your exercise time count. Include some intense strength training two-four times a week. Choose  exercises that give you more bang for your buck such as squats, lunges, pushups, and rows.

Cardio
Aerobics are also essential for getting that caloric deficit. Frequency and consistency are key. Incorporate some high intensity intervals (HIIT) along with some less intense but longer steady state cardio sessions. Variety is the spice of life. Instead of your usual spin class try a kickboxing or dance class. Use different pieces of equipment and activities to get your heart pumping. Jump rope, stairmaster, and the rowing machine are all great choices.

Rest and recovery
Last but certainly not least is rest and recovery. Pat yourself on the back if you’re strength training and getting your cardio in but these things along with work and other stresses will take its toil. Not allowing the body to get adequate sleep will cause you to hit a “wall” or plateau causing your progress to come to a screeching halt. Note, that sound nutrition will also help your body recover faster.

Focusing on these four aspects will definitely help shed some pounds. Use the scale but incorporate other elements to measure progress. Use your clothes and notice if they are fitting you the way you would like and of course use the mirror.