There are many weight loss products on the market that are nothing but scams to make money and have little or no effect on the body. Most people have seen internet advertisements that claim to help you lose weight by just taking some new “miracle” pill, powder, or liquid. Don’t be fooled by these weight loss scams, you need to learn how to lose weight fast in a healthy, sustainable way.  The following are some of the main scams that you might come across:  
Lose weight without diet or exercise -  This is one of the most popular slogans used by weight loss scams.  It’s unrealistic to believe that you can lose weight eating fatty food and undertaking little or no exercise. Don’t assume that in order to discover how to lose weight fast you need to listen to this fake slogan and take ineffective diet pills.
 • Lose 20 pounds in just two weeks -  In order to lose weight safely you need to aim to lose around 1-2 pounds a week. Any product that claims to help you lose more than a few pounds a week is either lying or is extremely unsafe.
• Cure cravings and block the absorption of fat -  Many supplements claiming to block fat absorption are scams or pose health risks. Learning how to lose weight fast involves becoming aware of what you are eating and cutting out food with no nutritional benefit and a high fat content.
• A weight loss formula that will work for everyone -  Everyone is different and needs a different approach to healthy weight loss. A healthy lifestyle program will be different for everyone due to medical history, habits and lifestyle choices.
• Scientifically proven - Many weight loss products claim to be scientifically proven, however be wary of this claim as the research may not be perfect i.e. was the product tested on 10 people or 10,000? Has a medical journal published the product’s “amazing” results? Do your own research and dig deep before accepting these claims.
The main thing to remember is there is no quick fix for weight loss. No doubt from researching how to lose weight fast you will have seen that some key concepts are constantly repeated – healthier diet, regular exercise and an awareness of emotional eating. If you are struggling to shed excess weight don’t buy into these scams and waste hard earned money. Try to discover why you eat (e.g. boredom, stress) and start eating sensibly. It’s important to find a sport or exercise that you love so you don't dread doing it and you actually look forward to doing it. If you are still struggling ask friends and family for their advice and support or try a weight management clinic to help you lose any excess pounds.  
 
We’ve all heard the term “metabolism”, but what does it mean?  Metabolism is the chemical processes occurring within a living cell or organism that are necessary for the maintenance of life.  So basically it’s the amount of time your body takes to process food and convert it to energy.

Have you heard of the term “basal metabolism”?  Basal metabolism is the amount of energy required to maintain the body of an individual in a resting state.  This is the amount of energy needed to keep the body functioning, and it accounts for about 75% of the calories you burn on a daily basis.

The following are ways to speed up your metabolism and to help maximize your weight loss:

1. You should eat a healthy breakfast to get fuel in your body to kick start your metabolism.  There are though a lot of people, including myself, that can’t eat first thing in the morning without feeling sick to your stomach and actually tossing your cookies.  If you can’t eat first thing in the morning, then whip up a healthy drink, for example; orange juice with strawberries and bananas or apple juice with blueberries and raspberries, use your imagination. 

2. Make lunch your biggest meal of the day.  Plan it so you have a large enough meal to sustain you until dinner.  Dinner should be eaten at least four hours before going to bed.  When you prepare dinner, you want to choose lighter meals such as broth soups, fresh vegetable sandwiches with whole grain bread, and smaller portions of lean meat with fresh vegetables and drink plenty of water. 

3. Women should consume between 1,800 and 2,000 calories a day while men should consume between 2,000 and 2,400 calories a day.  If you don’t consume enough calories in a day it will not be enough to feed your body and will therefore defeat the purpose by actually slowing down your metabolism

4. If you get hungry in between meals, then snack on complex carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits, and grains staying away from the junk foods and drinks such as candy, jellies and jams, sodas, enriched wheat flour foods like white rice, breads, and pastas, bakery products, etc…

5. Eat plenty of carbohydrates such as beans, peas, raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds, and whole grains.  Eat less of the foods that have been highly refined, processed, or that contain high calorie fats, sweeteners, preservatives and other additives that are unhealthy.

6. Make sure you are doing some type of exercise on a daily basis to keep your metabolism high so it will be easier to burn those calories. 

7. Don’t take the easy way.  Use the stairs instead of an elevator, park in the farthest parking space at the store, use the broom to clean up leaves instead of a leaf blower, etc…

8. Stay away from alcohol as it slows your metabolism way down and contains a high level of sugar.

9. Drink plenty of water as your body needs this to function properly.

10.  Stay away from diet pills, powders, juices, etc… as you want results for the long term, not just a “quick fix”

If you change your eating habits and your exercising habits, you should be well on your way to speeding up your metabolism, and maximizing your weight loss.