The search for ways to speed up your weight loss is over. With these tips, you can be seven pounds lighter in the next two weeks. Be ready to make some changes, but your thinner self will thank you. 

Make water your best friend 

While it should come as no surprise that water is your best weapon in weight loss, some still haven’t caught on. By increasing your water consumption to six to eight glasses a day, you will help your body flush out toxins that are impeding the weight that you want to lose. 

Water helps to speed digestion as well as many other processes in your body. And if your body is running more smoothly, then you can burn more calories along the way. 

A new appetizer 

If you’re looking to cut back on the foods that you’re eating, here’s a trick that works for anyone. Start your lunches and dinners off with a small cup of soup. Of course, the soup shouldn’t be cream based; a broth will work very well. 

The warm soup will help to make your stomach feel fuller so that you eat less at the meal that follows. This is also a good trick if you are going out to eat. Have that bowl of soup before you go to curb your temptation for larger portions. 

Take away the salt 

A lot of the extra weight people carry is due to a large intake of salt. Salt can be found in many of the things that we consider healthy—frozen lunches, canned soups, and condiments. 

Take some time over the next two weeks to look at the labels of the things that you eat to see how much salt (as sodium) are in the foods that you have been eating. Avoiding pre-packaged foods is the best way to remove the salt from your diet. 

Take away the sugars 

While we don’t want to admit it, sugar is keeping us overweight and unhappy. And sugar isn’t just a candy bar or a milkshake, it’s also in the white breads and pastas that we love. 

But if you want to lose weight, it’s time to find better ways of eating. This can include switching to brown rice and whole wheat bread. And of course, limiting your sugary snacks to once in a great while. 

Get moving 

When you’re trying to lose weight, you need to start exercising. If you haven’t exercised before, you’re in luck. Studies have shown that you can walk just a few times a week and burn the calories that you want to burn. 

Thirty minutes a day is the best way to lose seven pounds in two weeks, but if you don’t have that much time, try to split it up over the course of the day—say ten minutes three times a day, or just try to fit in three good thirty-minute walks a week. 

Slow down 

One of the main things that trigger overeating is not taking time for yourself. When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s essential that you set aside a little time each day for you and you alone. By giving yourself some quiet time, you’ll be able to slow down and remember that you’re worth the extra effort that you’re putting in to lose weight. 

Just like mom said 

And don’t forget about your fruits and veggies. Though fruits do contain sugar, they also contain fewer calories than your traditional sugary snacks. 

If you really want to jumpstart some weight loss, eat steamed vegetables at every meal. Not only do they have a slightly diuretic effect (makes you lose water weight), but they also energize your body to keep making great choices. 

When you want to lose weight, you need help, but with these tips, you have everything you need.