16 Ways To Lose Weight Fast

Stay in shape with these speedy slimming tricks that will soon have you looking and feeling great

With alfresco BBQs, boozy cocktails, and ice creams to enjoy, sticking to a diet in the summer is hard. But you don’t need extreme exercise or unhealthy food fads in order to keep off the pounds. By adding these nifty weight-loss tricks to your daily routine, you can fire-up your fat burn without feeling deprived.

1 KEEP A FOOD DIARY

Jotting down what you eat helps you stay on track, but journaling is also a useful tool to record feelings around food. Keep a diet diary for a month, noticing any emotional eating – it could be down to stress, loneliness or boredom. Try Be Your Healthiest You journal (£12, Paperchase).

2 ADD A TOUCH OF HEAT

Capsaicin is a compound found in chilli peppers that helps with thermogenesis. This is where your body converts fat into heat, and is said to increase fat burning by 16%. Use chillies in salads, stir-fries, homemade salsa and sauces and more.

3 EAT LITTLE, BUT OFTEN

Several small plates may be better for you than three square meals. One study revealed that people who ate six mini-meals a day had lower body mass index (BMI) than those who ate less than four. Eating smaller portions regularly prompts your body to burn fat rather than storing it.

4 Feed your thyroid

‘The thyroid is the control mechanism for our metabolism, and if it’s running under par then fewer calories get burned,’ says research herbalist Monica Wilde. A seaweed supplement can speed things. We like Napiers Organic Hebridean Kelp Capsules (£18.50 for 90, napiers.net).