15 Easy Ways To Lose Weight Fast

Need some new ideas on how to shift those kilos? Here are some surprising tips that work

- Helen Foster

When it comes to losing weight, you don’t have to do a complete diet overhaul to get results. Even the smallest change that sees you cutting calories will help. Try one or all of these fabulous ideas.

Drink three more glasses of water a day

This simple tweak can see you consuming 205 fewer calories a day. Drinking more water makes you less likely to consume sugary drinks packed with calories, and helps control feelings of hunger and the desire to eat, says Professor Ruopeng An from the University of Illinois.

Set a food curfew

People who changed nothing about their diet except the fact that they only ate during a 10-hour window each day (say 8 am to 6 pm, or 10 am to 8 pm) cut their calorie intake by 20 percent, and lost three kilos in 16 weeks.

The reason is simple – the average person normally eats during 15 hours of the day, say doctors at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, so losing five hours of potential eating time cuts out a lot of food and calories.

Only ever eat sitting at a table

This cuts out those ‘drive-by’ calories you consume as you wander past the fridge and grab a snack. “When you sit at a table you’re less likely to be distracted and can eat more slowly – this means you can focus on chewing food properly,” says trainer Ethan Hyde from Fully Loaded Fitness.

This is important, as people who chew well can consume 30 percent less food than those who eat too quickly.

Start every meal with a salad

“I suggest my clients make a huge colourful salad and have it in the fridge, and eat one or two cups before lunch or dinner. It helps fill you up before you start eating foods with more calories,” says Justine Guest from online fitness plan the Smart Body Project.