How Can I Lose Weight Quickly Without Pills?

Diet pills seem like an easy way to lose weight; however, there are often side effects associated with their usage, and they do not always work like manufacturers say they will. In addition, they can be expensive and addictive. You can lose weight quickly and naturally by following a few simple recommendations.

Pay Attention

Many people who overeat do so without realizing how many calories or fat grams they are really consuming. Women ages 19 to 30 should be consuming around 2,000 to 2,200 calories a day. At 31, decrease that number by about 200 calories for every decade. Men can consume about 200 calories more than women across the board.

Fat should make up only 30 percent of your overall calorie intake; but only 5 percent to 10 percent should come from saturated fats. These fats are often found in processed foods, sweets, fatty meats, cheese and butter. Eat nuts, fish and foods cooked in sunflower and olive oil to get enough healthy fats. Keep a journal that includes how much food you're eating, noting calories and fat grams, to ensure you're getting the recommended calories. If you tend to overeat, you will likely lose weight quickly just by cutting calories to the recommended amount.

Dietary Habits

To lose weight quickly without pills, you must change your dietary habits. Eat foods high in protein, such as lean meat, eggs and low-fat cheese, so you feel full. Reduce simple carbohydrate intake from foods such as pasta, potatoes and sweets, since these are converted to glucose and can be stored as fat. Fat contains 9 calories per gram, whereas carbohydrates and proteins have only 4 calories for the same amount; so you can significantly cut calories by eliminating processed and fatty foods from your diet.

Junk food and fast food should be a rare treat if you want to lose weight quickly. Avoid empty calories from sources such as soda, and drink at least 64 ounces of water daily to help your liver process fat efficiently.

Exercise More

Exercise is key to weight loss. Increase your muscle mass to help you burn more calories even while you're at rest. Doing aerobic exercises will help you to eliminate fat stores.

Work out at your maximum heart rate to burn the most fat. To find your optimal heart rate, subtract your age from 220. Exercise at 75 percent to 85 percent of that number. Test your heart rate by taking your pulse during an exercise session for 10 seconds. Multiply this number by 60 to measure beats per minute (bpm). According to Health.gov, adults should get 2.5 hours of physical exercise weekly to maintain a healthy weight. Work out 30 to 60 minutes a day, five to six days per week, to lose weight quickly.