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Step 1
Create a meal plan that includes three meals and one snack each day for a total of 1,200 calories per day. Your meal plan should focus on healthy foods, including a lot of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish and soy products. Use an online calorie counter or read nutrition labels carefully to figure out what a serving size of a certain food should be, and always measure your food to make sure you are not getting more than you need. Having a plan in place that includes snacks will help keep you on track. You should be able to lose 2 pounds in a week on this diet.
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Step 2
Completely cut starches out of your diet. Starches, such as pasta, rice and bread, absorb and retain water in your body. If you eliminate them from your diet, you will lose about 5 pounds almost immediately. Minimize your salt intake, too, by choosing foods with low sodium, and you will be able to lose even more water weight.
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Step 3
Bike, run or do some other form of cardiovascular exercise every day for at least an hour. Weight training and toning exercises are great for overall health, but they don't lead to weight loss as quickly as cardio. By including an hour of cardio exercise in your daily routine, you can shed as much as 3 pounds in a week, depending on your starting weight.
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Step 4
Chew fennel seeds. Even though they won't actually take off any pounds, they will make your stomach flatter and reduce bloating in a couple of days, making you look 1 or 2 pounds thinner.
