There are millions of people every day who think to themselves “I want a quick way to lose weight”. The problem is that the solution they seek seems to be EVERYWHERE. Every magazine cover in the supermarket seems to have a new “scientific breakthrough” for rapid fat loss that promises to help you lose all the weight you want with little effort. There are countless diets and workout programs out there that have some magical, fast way to lose weight.

While some of these may have quality information, the one thing that will always help you lose weight fast is having a solid nutrition program. You can work out all you want, but there’s an old saying that “you can’t work out on a bad diet.” Sure, it’s common knowledge that you need to eat right to lose weight fast, but it always helps to remember that this is where you START. If you change your diet to eat the right foods at the right times, and you can do it consistently, then you’ve pretty much won the weight loss game.

This article will focus on some of those important nutrition principles that you should start doing as soon as possible. The days of eating “1 meal a day” to lose weight are over. Forget starving yourself by sheer force of will. It’s time you see that the fast way to lose weight comes from eating the right kinds of food more often and in the right portions.

Base all your meals on protein

Protein is a kind of “magic” food for weight loss. It helps you feel full for a longer period of time, helps maintain (and build) lean muscle mass, and requires additional energy for your body to digest. Instead of “winging it” at each meal, try thinking “what kind of protein should I start this meal with?” Some good examples are protein shakes, tuna, chicken, turkey, etc.

Fruits and vegetables are your friends

These are the best foods to get a lot of nutritional value for few calories. The great thing about fruits and vegetables is that you can eat a lot of them and still not get as many calories as you would from highly processed foods. This is how many people say that they lose more weight while eating more food. Fruits and vegetables will help you lose weight faster than any type of “starvation” diet.

Not all fats are bad for you

It’s not a good idea to eliminate all fats from your diet when starting a weight loss plan. In fact, some foods like salmon and grass-fed beef have healthy fats that are good for you in more ways than one. These foods have healthy fats and protein, making them a great addition to any fat loss diet.

As we said, having a good nutrition plan is the MOST important aspect of losing weight. You could eat 600 calories a day of nothing but chocolate bars and lose weight, but that doesn’t make you healthy. Eating 5 to 6 smaller meals every day of protein, fruits, fiber, and vegetables is a much healthier and faster way to eat for weight loss.

The best thing you can do besides eat right is have a “weight loss buddy.” It can be a friend, spouse, relative, etc. looking to achieve a similar weight loss goal. You can plan meals together, go to the store together, and show each other your food records. As long as you stay consistent and have someone to report to, you’ll find yourself making more progress with less effort. This is where the rapid fat loss “magic” happens!