How to Lose Weight Fast According to Dietitians

How do you lose weight fast? How much weight you can lose in a month? As dietitians, we get these questions a lot, and it’s important to remember that losing weight naturally and safely takes time and commitment.

Our registered dietitians and nutritionists from the Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board* (DAB) share their tips for effective weight loss. Of course, it’s not just about getting immediate results, it’s about lasting ones. A lot of people struggle when it comes to making healthy choices, controlling portions and sticking to a plan.

What Is the Best Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off?

Herbalife’s Global Nutrition Philosophy recommends a balanced approach for reaching and maintaining a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle. But we know sometimes you want to kickstart your slimdown, so here are our experts’ top tips that can help you lose weight fast and keep it off.

Tip 1: Learn how to read food labels.

“Knowing exactly what you eat and drink is important when you’re watching your weight. Learning to read food labels helps, as it gives you information on calories, nutrient content and also serving size. This helps you with portion control and helps you make healthier food choices.”

Charlotte Lok, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Singapore

Tip 2: Don’t just focus on weight loss. Focus on a healthy diet.

“People should not focus only on body weight; they should focus on health. Eating healthy and having an active lifestyle is the best way to achieve a healthy body composition. Keep your focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet and working out to build or maintain your muscle mass – and keeping this healthy lifestyle for the rest of your life.”

Ana Cristina Gutiérrez, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Costa Rica

Tip 3: Don’t fall victim to fad diets or social influence – find a healthy, balanced plan that works for you.

“Fad diets may lead you to temporarily lose weight, but it’s not a healthy way because you may risk losing some of your hard-earned muscle mass, rather than just body fat. Before falling for any social influence, remember the goal should not be only to lose weight, but to change your lifestyle for good with a healthy, balanced diet and adequate physical activity.”

Simon Sum, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, USA

Tip 4: Make sure you get enough protein, which is important for weight loss.

“Protein is an essential nutrient that is important for optimal growth and development. It is also essential for helping build and maintain muscle mass. Protein plays an important role in weight control because it helps with hunger control. Having adequate protein at meals, and snacks such as protein shakes or bars, helps satisfy you.”

Alice Zhu, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, China

Tip 5: Incorporate healthy snacking.

“In today’s society, snacking contributes close to one-third of daily energy intake. But healthy, balanced snacks are an important part of a balanced diet. Taking in high-protein snack foods can help you feel satisfied and may allow you to eat less at your next meal. Rather than feeling guilty about snacking, learn to incorporate healthy snacking into your day.”

Vipada Sae-Lao, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Thailand

Tip 6: Don’t cut calories too far or skip meals in order to lose weight.

“Dieting is not about how much you eat but what you eat, since food choice affects calorie intake the most. Extremely low-calorie diets can slow down metabolism and inhibit weight loss. Dietary modification helps you continue your weight-loss journey, while diet mistakes – like cutting too many calories or skipping meals – can stop you from being successful.”

Marien Garza, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Mexico

Tip 7: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity every day.

“One of the benefits of regular exercise is that it helps burn calories, which can help with weight loss and weight maintenance. And regular moderate activity can also help release stress. Think of ways to work more activity into your day. For example, exit the subway or bus two or three stops before your final destination and then walk the rest of the way on foot.”

HaNa Jang, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, South Korea

Tip 8: Learn ways to prepare quick, healthy meals.

“Planning ahead for your meals will help determine what ingredients you need to purchase and help you stock your refrigerator, freezer and pantry so you can prepare quick, healthy meals.

Pre-preparing foods helps, too. Foods that require longer cooking times, such as beans and whole grains, can be cooked in large quantities and then kept in the freezer to be used at another time. Vegetables can be washed and dried in advance for use during the week. Eating healthy is a great start to living a healthier lifestyle, but cooking healthier is the perfect way to help you maintain this healthy living.”

Michelle Ricker, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, USA

Tip 9: Learn ways to practice portion control.

“Portion control is a key factor in weight control. If you learn to control portion sizes, you can reduce your total calorie intake. To reduce portions, try using smaller plates, glasses, utensils and serving spoons. It also helps to always put your portion on a plate or bowl rather than eating directly from packages, which can lead to overeating.”

Clara Lucía Valderrama, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Colombia

Tip 10: Set and celebrate milestones during your weight-loss journey.

“Celebrating every milestone is important to your weight-loss effort because it keeps you looking at how far you’ve come, not how far you have to go. When it comes to weight loss, a slow and steady pace always seems to win the race, but that pace can feel frustrating at times. So set plenty of little milestones along the way and find ways to reward yourself – you might want to buy a new article of clothing or treat yourself to a massage. Remember, you deserve it after all your hard work!”

Aria Novitasari, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Indonesia

Tip 11: Start your day with a balanced breakfast.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A healthy, balanced breakfast can not only help you manage your weight and concentrate at work or school, but it also helps you stay focused on your activities. Breakfast should include a balance of protein, carbohydrate and fat. If you have a busy schedule, consider making a healthy shake instead of relying on fast food or skipping breakfast entirely.”

Julie Yu, Member, Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board, Taiwan

Tip 12: My Best Tip on Weight Loss? Personalize Your Plan.

The best weight-loss plan is one that takes into account your lifestyle, your usual eating patterns, your likes and your dislikes – in other words, it’s uniquely yours. It may take some time to figure out what works for you, but it’s important – because the healthy behaviors you adopt now to lose weight are the same ones that will help you keep that weight off.

The point is this – there are plenty of paths that lead to the same endpoint. Decide on the healthy behaviors you want to work on and let them lead you to your goal – in other words, keep your focus on the trip, not the destination. Measure your progress not by what the scale says, but by the positive and consistent behavior changes you’re making.

*Our experts are members of the Herbalife Dietetic Advisory Board (DAB). While some members are employees of the company, others are compensated for their expertise.