One of the most critical aspects of any attempt to lose weight is making sure that the weight loss is fat weight and not muscle mass. For many people this sounds like a call to start bodybuilding, but that is not the case at all. There are several natural ways to burn fat and lose weight fast without losing muscle or starting to look like a bodybuilder.
The first step is to change the diet. Counting calories may be a portion of the diet, but it should not control the amount of food one consumes. Rather one should change to foods that are naturally lower in calories, higher in fiber, and get the bulk of the carbohydrates from whole grains. Ideally, one would have a diet rich in leafy green vegetables and fruits while being low in fat, especially processed fats.
The foods mentioned above are generally so low in calories that a person could eat until he feels stuffed and be getting less than 300 calories. In addition, fruits are naturally high in water, which helps the body to remain properly hydrated.
Not only does one need to change what one eats, but one needs to increase the amount of water consumed. Standard dietary recommendations are that the average adult drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water each day. In order to increase the amount of fat burned, one should strive to drink more than this. Some recommendations even call for twice the amount or 16 8 ounce glasses.
Of course exercise has to come into play. While many trainers push cardio, it is important to do some resistance training. This does not have to be heavy weight lifting or anything like that. One can simply use a resistance band or a couple of small dumbbells as part of the workout. It is important to work the resistance training into the first 20 minutes of any workout. This is because the resistance training will help jump start the metabolism and will burn calories from foods that have been consumed recently preparing the body to burn fat for energy during the cardio exercise.
Following the 20 minute warm up using light resistance methods, one should have a 20 to 30 minute session of cardio exercise where one really pushes oneself to increase heart rate and speed the metabolism. The net result will be that the metabolism speeds up to a point that allows the body to continue burning fat even after the exercises stopped, which will hasten weight-loss.