How to Get in Shape Fast: 7 Simple Steps

If you plan to lose a couple of extra pounds, get in shape, and improve your overall health, the first thing you should pay attention to is your metabolism.

If your metabolism is slow, no fad diet will give you the desired result.

Here are 7 simple steps that will help you boost your metabolism and lose weight naturally.

Try to make them a habit and the results won’t disappoint you.

1. Drink more water

If you don’t drink enough water your body burns fewer calories and your liver works hard to restore the water balance.

To speed up your metabolism, drink more water and green tea.

Did you know?

Your body often mistakes hunger for thirst.

When you’re dehydrated, your body receives the same signals as when you haven’t had enough to eat.

So if you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to keep track of your liquid intake.

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The next time you feel hungry, try drinking a full cup of water first.

Wait a few minutes before eating to avoid consuming more calories than you need.

If you don’t know what your calorie intake or macronutrient levels should be, use our free Nutrition Calculator here.

2. Go organic and set realistic goals

Choose your food products wisely.

You are what you eat

So no to GMO foods to reduce the use of antibiotics and growth hormones because they only slow down your metabolism.

Also, you should set long- and short-term goals, which you can make progress on in a short amount of time.

Whenever you hit a small goal, even if it’s just drinking more water that day, take a moment to celebrate yourself.

As you reach bigger milestones, setup rewards for every success.

This will help you keep a positive attitude toward reaching your ultimate goal.

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3. Get up early

Sunlight affects your metabolism and energy consumption.

That’s one reason why we like Los Angeles so much. Lots of sunshine.

Rising early will help your body regulate biological processes that directly depend on the day and night cycle.

At the age of 30, some people experience occasional sleep problems.

If you’ve already turned to sleeping pills (over the counter or prescriptions) for help, try to give them up as soon as possible because they can be addictive. It’s better to look for natural alternatives.

Getting a good night’s sleep is very important to your health. In fact, sleep is just as important as your diet and exercise regiment.

Try to do the following to prepare yourself for a good night’s rest:

Do some simple exercises in the evening (the warm up routine from our free 4-week challenge is perfect).
Don’t eat heavy foods within 2-3 hours of going to bed
Take a warm shower
Read a paper book before going to bed

NOTE: Reading on a mobile device activates your brain and will make it harder to fall alseep because of the blue light they emit.

4. Consume metabolism-friendly foods

You should include dairy products in your nutrition plan (assuming you don’t have dietary restriction) as they provide calcium to burn fat and build muscle.

Also, maintain a healthy level of iron for better oxygen transport, and use iodized salt to help support your thyroid gland.

People often think that healthy food is boring and tasteless. The secret is to learn how to spice it up and incorporate a lot of variety.

Just learn to cook! This guy makes it look easy.

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Try new foods and build healthy meals around the foods you like more.

5. Increase physical activity

As you get older, you should start working on your body more intentionally.

When we’re young, it’s easier to stay active without really thinking about it because we’re running around with friends, going to school, and playing sports.

As adults with day jobs at desks and unlimited access to YouTube, you might go hours or days without any real movement. A sedentary lifestyle is one of your worst enemies.

Any kind of physical activity speeds up your metabolism.

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Your muscles always need energy, so join a gym, walk on your lunch break, take a dance class, or jump rope with us.

All of these increase your metabolic rate and will help you lose weight naturally.

6. Adopt a healthy diet

Eat every 3-4 hours, and never skip a meal.

If you reduce food intake too dramatically, in defense, your body will start storing the food you’re eating and decrease your metabolism.

Remember the saying “Eat breakfast like a king and dinner like a pauper”.

Don’t skip breakfast as it gives you more energy for the day than many realize. Studies show that people who skip breakfast have a higher risk of obesity.

It’s important to have a nutritious breakfast and take your time enjoying it.

Having a light dinner will help you sleep like a baby and speed up your metabolism as you rest.

Go with occasional healthy snacks, and avoid eating too frequent as it will stall your fat loss progress.

Try to replace your favorite junk food with healthy, tasty options. It’s better to eat often, but in small portions.

TIP: Use a smaller plate to trick your brain and avoid overeating.

The same amount of food will look bigger, and you’ll feel like you’re eating more than you actually are.

Cut carbs (but don’t give them up completely) and eat slowly.

Eating “bad” or too many carbs decreases brain activity.

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Also, eating in a hurry is not healthy because your brain can’t process the signals of feeling full fast enough and the result is eating more than you need.

Eating too quickly also raises your blood sugar which triggers a dramatic decrease in your metabolic rate.

7. Say no to stress

We know that eagerness to eat generates a lot of stress to the point where food is all you think about.

This is counterproductive to your body since stress generates cortisol, a hormone that complicates your weight loss.

In other words, if you often feel stressed and never let your body relax, your metabolism slows down. Learn to resist stress and find your own healthy way to release pressure.

Take your time
Relax your mind
Read a book
Take a leisurely walk
Try to do things you really enjoy

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When you’re frustrated and feel like giving up, think about the positive things and the progress you’ve already made, no matter how small.

Author and millionaire investor, James Altucher, talks about trying to be 1% better each day.

TIP: Write down your major goal every day on a piece of paper to remind yourself how much you want it.

This will help keep you focused and motivated.

Don’t beat yourself over moments of weakness. It’s normal and can happen to anyone.

Recap

Your metabolism is key to your physical well-being and reaching your fitness goals. It’s influenced by a number of factors (including your age), but you have a lot of control.

Here are some tactics you can try to boost your metabolism and get in shape:

Drink more water
Go organic and set realistic goals
Get up early
Consume metabolism-friendly foods
Increase physical activity
Adopt a healthy diet
Say no to stress

If you need a workout program, checkout our free 4-week challenge which includes complete bodyweight routines and a supportive community.

#dothething