How To Lose Weight Fast For Women – 22 Best Ways

If you are wondering how to lose weight fast at home, the thing is that it can get tricky — especially if you are a woman. Menopause, hormonal ups and downs, childbirth, surgery, medications, and body types can cause sluggish metabolism. If you are worried about how to lose weight fast in a healthy way, then fortunately, there are ways in which you can put your body into fat-burning mode by following certain ways. Remember, sustainable weight loss comes from a balanced diet full of nutrients and the regular exercise that keeps you motivated. This approach helps you lose weight and improves your overall health. Continue reading the article below to know the 21 best tips for weight loss.

Eat Mindfully

1. Have You Tried Intermittent Fasting?

No? You must! Intermittent fasting or IF works wonders for women (and men).

According to a YouGov survey conducted among 1,241 adults in the United States, a majority of Americans have made changes to their diet for weight loss (56%) or to improve their physical health (54%). Among those who have attempted intermittent fasting for weight loss, nearly 87% claim it to be very effective (50%) or somewhat effective (37%) in helping them shed pounds. Additionally, individuals who have tried intermittent fasting perceive it to be more affordable (80%) rather than costly (18%).

Alternate feeding and fasting time helps lower your blood sugar, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerideⁱ  A type of converted fat used by the body to give energy between meals and whose high levels increase the risk of heart disease. levels (1). It is extremely good for weight loss and maintaining a good metabolic rate. Read more about it here.

Talk to your doctor before trying intermittent fasting if you have diabetes, hypoglycemiaⁱ  A condition in which the blood sugar level is lower than the normal range and causes symptoms like anxiety and heart palpitations. , high blood pressure, or any other medical condition.

Note: This diet must always be done under the supervision of your dietitian. If done incorrectly, you may not see the desired results even though it is accepted as the fastest way to lose weight for women by many. The actual plan would vary from person to person.

Quick Tip

Keeping a food journal helps you stick to your weight loss goals and also makes the process of counting calories easy.

Murat, a blogger, shared their experience of losing 20 pounds within a month by following intermittent fasting and making dietary and lifestyle changes. After losing the first 10 pounds, they wrote, “I started feeling a lot better and healthy. I could now move faster and more comfortably. My joint aches were cured (I guess due to reduced inflammation in my body.) My overall mood and clarity of mind have improved a lot (i).”

2. Proteins, Fats, And Dietary Fiber – The Best Combo

Consume a combination of all the three food groups every time you have a meal. Here’s why.

Proteins are the building blocks of the human body. From hormones, muscles, enzymes, hair, skin, and nails – everything is made of protein. By consuming adequate amounts of protein (1.2 g – 1.6 g protein per kg body weight), you will enable your body to build lean muscle mass, induce muscle recovery after working out, and increase satiety (2), (3), (4), (5).

Healthy fats are anti-inflammatory. Silent inflammation in your body can cause toxin build-up, resulting in inflammation-induced obesity. Consume fatty fish, omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, avocado oil, and ghee (clarified butter) to lower inflammation in your body (6). Check out this 5-day Apple diet.

Veggies, fruits, brown rice, black rice, oats, broken wheat, wheat, quinoa, and millet are good sources of dietary fiber. These help increase satiety, improve digestion, and flush out toxins (7). This, in turn, increases metabolism. Click here for a list of dietary fiber foods you can consume.

A suitable diet is a major factor in determining the effectiveness of your weight loss plans. What you eat reflects on your body and thus you must do your research and watch what you eat to achieve the best results. That said, it is important to know how different diet plans affect your body differently. The graph below illustrates how some basic diets affect your total body weight.

Effectiveness Of Different Diets On Total Weight Loss Percentage

3. Eat Slowly

Consuming food slowly and pacing your meal promotes satiety (8). While more in-depth research is warranted to understand the exact mechanism, it is believed that thoroughly chewing food aids in digestion and allows your body to absorb nutrients more effectively (9). This may help reduce cravings, as your body gets the necessary nutrients from the major meals throughout the day. Eating slowly also encourages mindfulness and promotes a healthier connection between your body and what you eat. It helps you pay attention to hunger and fullness cues, which may help you prevent overeating (9). If you are aiming to shed those extra pounds, this simple technique can come in handy.

4. Drink Enough Water

If you are wondering how to achieve fast weight loss at home for females, this is a simple yet effective way. Hydrate yourself. The lack of sufficient water intake might be one of the reasons you are not losing the unwanted flab. Water helps to hydrate your body and flush out toxins. This, in turn, helps boost metabolism and promotes weight loss.

5. Practice Portion Control

Portion control is key to losing weight without depriving yourself of delicious foods. It essentially means limiting the amount of foods you consume. Controlling your portions can help you shed the pounds like magic.

You can also enjoy high-calorie foods in limited amounts. But you must maintain your total daily calorie intake. If you are supposed to consume 1500 calories per day to lose weight, make sure that you do not cross that limit.

6. Get Low On Sugar And Salt

If you have ever wondered how to get a slim body, then it is important to keep a check on your sugar and salt intake. Both sugar and salt are killers in high amounts. And guess what? Most of us are guilty of consuming too much sugar and salt in our food.

Excess salt in food causes water retention in the body. If not kept in check, it might cause your blood pressure to shoot up. On the other hand, excess sugar increases sugar levels in your blood, causes insulin resistanceⁱ  The inability of the cells to respond to insulin, causing the glucose to build up in your blood and increase the risk of diabetes. , and gets stored as fat in your body.

Avoid adding too much salt and sugar in your food. Also, beware of hidden salt and sugar in potato wafers, fries, fried chicken, pickles, jerky, sausages, soda, cakes, pastries, ice cream, cheese, buttermilk, salted nuts, garlic salt, celery salt, barbeque sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, sweet chili sauce, and chocolate.

7. Artificial Sweeteners? No Way!

If calorie counting was the only thing that mattered for weight loss, you wouldn’t gain weight drinking diet soda.

There are numerous scientific studies that discourage you from consuming artificial sugar. Here’s why.

It might cause weight gain and brain tumor (10). There is no conclusive evidence that artificial sweetener has health benefits.

The report also says, “Pregnant and lactating women, children, diabetics, migraine, and epilepsy patients represent the susceptible population to the adverse effects of NNSⁱ  Short for non-nutritive sweeteners, high-intensity sweeteners that are usually calorie-free or low-calorie. -containing products and should use these products with utmost caution (11).”

We advise you to avoid consuming artificial sweeteners. Use honey, jaggery, and dark brown sugar instead.

8. Careful With The Sauces And Dressings

Sauces and dressings need special mention. Although the problem is the same – high salt, sugar, food additives, and food preservatives – they need special mention because we do not pay attention.

Salads, fries, roast chicken, nachos, and all things delicious are because of dressings and condiments. If you take a quick look at the food labels, you will be surprised to know the amount of salt and sugar they contain. Look for chemicals like monosodium glutamate, aspartame, sodium sulfite, high fructose corn syrup, sulfur dioxide, potassium bromate, butylated hydroxyanisoleⁱ  A synthetic wax used as a preservative in food, which may cause liver and kidney issues and affect lung function. (BHA) and butylated hydroxytolueneⁱ  A synthetic food preservative that may cause damage to vital organs like the liver, lungs, and kidneys. (BHT).

9. Limit Alcohol Consumption

Don’t get me wrong. Once in a while, it is perfectly fine. Avoid consuming it every day and/or in excessive amounts. Alcohol gets converted into sugar in the body, which gets stored as fat if you do not burn it by working out.

Alcohol also causes dehydration, thereby slowing down your metabolism. Have a glass of wine if you really feel like it. Avoid frequent heavy drinking.

10. Detox Once Every Week

Detoxing is not an option anymore. The food habits, quality of food, weekend parties, and other lifestyle choices make detoxing once or twice a week essential.

Go on a juice diet for a day. Make sure you make the juices at home or get cold pressed juice. Do not remove the pulp if you want the dietary fiber. If you have IBS/IBD, strain out the pulp.

Note: Vegetable juices are a better option than fruit juices.

11. Hungry? Do The Broccoli Test

How often do you feel hungry? If it’s too often, it’s a problem. One simple way to tell whether you are really hungry or not is to do the “broccoli test”. All you have to do is imagine broccoli when you feel you are hungry.

If you do not feel hungry after imagining the broccoli, you are probably not hungry. But if you still feel hungry, you should have a portion controlled meal.

The next step is to be active. The more active you are, the better your metabolism. Here’s everything you need to know.

Let The Calories Go

12. Brisk Walking

Walking is one of the best exercises, especially because it is easy on your joints and heart. If you are not used to working out, walking is a great place to start as it is easy to maintain consistency with a bit of motivation.

Walk for at least 15-20 minutes every day for a week. You might walk the dog or take a walk post dinner. After a week, it’s time to amp up your game. Move on to brisk walking.

Set a timer. Walk at a slower pace for a minute and then walk faster for 30 seconds. Initially, your calves might start to cramp soon. Take rest for a few minutes but do not give up.

13. Stressed Out? Run!

Running is the best feeling in the world when you are stressed out – more so because your brain concentrates more on preventing you from falling than worrying about other things.

Your breathing rate increases, and the heart starts to pump blood faster. Also, when you workout, the “feel good” hormones – serotonin, dopamine, and adrenaline are released. As a result, you start to feel better. It’s a great way to de-stress.

14. Bodyweight Training

If lifting weights and going to the gym is not your jam, you can always fall back on bodyweight training. This means that you will use the weight of your body to shed fat, strengthen your body, and increase fitness.

A few examples of bodyweight training exercises are:

• Burpees
• Jumping Lunges
• Jumping Squats
• Double Jump
• Plank Up Downs
• Mountain Climbers
• Jump Rope
• Chin-ups
• Push-ups
• Tricep Dips

You can also try HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), which is a fantastic way to burn fat and boost your metabolism. It involves short bursts of intense exercise, followed by brief periods of rest. For beginners, starting with 2-3 sessions per week, each lasting around 20-30 minutes, is a good approach. This can be more effective than steady-state cardio because it pushes your body to its limits, leading to a greater calorie burn.

HIIT can be particularly effective for fat loss. When incorporated into a regular exercise routine, HIIT not only helps you shed pounds but also empowers you to take control of your overall fitness and cardiovascular health.

However, the right approach is crucial for any kind of exercise. Hence, make sure you consult with your doctor before starting these exercises or do them yourself. Moreover, do it under an expert, especially if you are a beginner.

15. Play A Sport

Bodyweight training is not everybody’s cup of tea. But you might like playing sports! It’s a great way to get your heart pumping, sweat, burn calories, make your body agile, strengthen your bones, improve brain function, make new friends, and have lots of fun.

16. Dance To Burn Calories

Dancing is an effective form of cardio for burning stored fat. Join a dance class (Zumba, Bachata, Salsa, Bollywood, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Cha Cha, or Tango) even if you are not a great dancer. You can even start home workouts, the main idea is to get your body moving and having fun while burning the calories.

17. Ditch The Elevator

How many times have you taken the elevator to go one or two floors up? Well, ditch the elevator even if you have to climb up eight floors. It’s a great calorie burner and an amazing leg exercise.

One more thing before we come to a close – stress. Managing stress is essential for weight loss. Here’s how to do it!

Yes, It Worries You, But Is It Worth It?

18. Manage Your Stress Levels

Easier said than done. But it is not impossible if you keep trying. Whether it is your work or personal life – there are hundreds of stress triggers. But between the trigger and the response, there’s a gap, a space. Recognize that space and ask yourself if it’s worth thinking about it and being stressed. Of course, you will not be able to do it in a day. Keep practicing, and you will be able to manage stress better.

19. Take Care Of Your Body

Have you been taking care of your body? Are you too stressed, worried, or depressed to do that? Quite understandable. But doesn’t it feel good to take a warm shower using a nice-smelling, foamy shower gel? Wrap yourself up in a jumbo towel, pat your body dry, apply body lotion, massage your feet, apply a night cream on your face, and add a thin layer of lip balm on your lips. Try it. You will love self-pampering.

20. Sleep – You Need It!

Sleep on the things that are worrying you. This will stop you from overthinking and clear your head the next morning when you wake up.

Quick Tip

Getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night helps promote weight control (11).

21. Meditate

Meditation is a great way to focus your unsettled mind. You will find it difficult to think about just one thing when you start out. But with practice, you will get better. You will be at peace and hardly get triggered by stress.

22. Have A Healthy Outlook Toward Weight Loss

The last but most important point – look at weight loss in a positive way. It is not that you will not make it in life if you do not lose weight. You need to understand that losing weight has many health benefits. If you are overweight or obese, getting rid of a few pounds can have a positive influence on your mental health as well.

Obsessing about losing weight can be dangerous too. It is best that you get your weight checked and a body composition analysis done every two weeks to track your progress. Once you reach your target weight, work toward maintaining it.

Infographic: 5 Quick Weight Loss Tips For Women

Stress, pregnancy, and medication can slow down your metabolism, resulting in weight gain. While shedding those extra pounds quickly might seem challenging, simple changes in your diet and lifestyle can help you achieve that goal. Check out the infographic below for easy and fast weight loss tips for women.

Illustration: StyleCraze Design Team

Frequently Asked Questions

Does skipping meals help in weight loss?

No, skipping meals can actually hinder weight loss. Your body needs regular fuel to function properly and metabolize food efficiently. Irregular eating can lead to overeating later in the day and disrupt metabolism.

Can you lose weight without exercise?

While it’s possible to lose some weight without exercise, incorporating physical activity into your routine will significantly accelerate your weight loss journey. However, exercising is crucial as it helps burn calories, boost metabolism, and build muscle mass. Muscle mass is important for weight loss because it increases your resting metabolic rate, meaning you burn more calories even when you’re not exercising.

Can you lose weight by not eating?

No, depriving your body of essential nutrients may slow down the body’s metabolism which may slow down your weight loss.

Why is it harder for women to lose weight?

Muscles play an important role in regulating metabolism (12). Women tend to have more fat and less muscle than men which may contribute to why it takes women more time to lose weight.

How do you burn calories in bed?

You can follow simple tips such as avoiding eating closer to bed time, eating a balanced diet and getting good quality sleep to help burn calories in bed. You can also practice simple exercises in bed like reverse crunches, straight leg lifts, or side leg lifts.

Which sleeping position burns the most calories?

Anecdotal evidence suggests that lying on your back or the supine position may help in burning some calories.

Illustration: How To Lose Weight Fast For Women – 21 Best Ways

Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Was this article helpful?

Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Madhu SharmaRD

Madhu Sharma is a member of the National Executive Committee of IDA. She has been associated for almost three decades with Pediatric Nutrition at PGI while serving in the Gastroenterology Department (20 years) and then the Advanced Pediatric Center (10 yrs) at PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Read full bio of Madhu Sharma

Charushila BiswasHealth & Wellness Writer

 

Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information.

Read full bio of Charushila Biswas

Ravi Teja TadimallaCo-Editor-in-Chief

Ravi Teja Tadimalla is a Co-Editor-in-Chief and a published author. He has been in the digital media field for over a decade. He graduated from SRM University, Chennai, and has a Professional Certificate in Food, Nutrition & Research from Wageningen University.

Read full bio of Ravi Teja Tadimalla

Sindhu KogantiSenior Health & Wellness Writer

Sindhu Koganti is a Certified Health and Nutrition Life Coach and has over 6 years of experience in writing on health and wellness topics. She has a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Acharya Nagarjuna University, Guntur, and a diploma in nutrition from Fab Academy.

Read full bio of Sindhu Koganti