Losing weight can be confusing because of the numerous diet plans that promise results in mere days. All too often do we find ourselves spending money on these fad diets that generally work, but not for long. This money could be spent on so many other things, yet we continue to throw it away on promises from people we don't even know. What we need to do is find a healthy way to lose weight fast, but also keep the weight off.

Here are 5 great tips for you to rid your body of those extra pounds you have been hoarding. Take advantage of all 5 tips and you will lose the weight fast, achieving your goal weight in a much shorter period of time than many other diets out there.

1. Increase the amount of water you drink. You should be consuming between 10-12 8oz glasses a day. Water helps the body to digest foods that are consumed. It also rids the body of many toxins and assists in the proper absorption of supplements and vitamins. Not to go without mention, you can shed up to ten pounds drinking water because the water can fill you up and eliminate some of the water weight you might have.

2. Increase your cardio workout routine. This throws the metabolism into overdrive which causes your body to burn more fat and calories than it normally would. Doing this in the morning will allow your metabolism to work throughout the day.

3. Watch how you eat. Decrease the fats and carbs and increase your protein consumption daily (This is only a quick fix, do not do this for long term results). You need to know what your calorie count should be for each day. From here you should cut the fat down another 20%, carbs should be reduced by about 35% and boost the protein to about 45%.

4. Start lifting the weights. You should do this to tone, not gain muscle mass! This also gives the metabolism a boost. You will also be happier with your appearance once your body is toned and have lost the weight.

5. Call upon a professional, get a hold of a good trainer and hire him or her. Many people are unable to lose the weight they want because they lose faith in themselves, do not push themselves and give up too easily. However with a trainer you will likely stick to the routine and meet your goal.

The weight loss should be steady for a while. Then it is normal to hit a plateau, which can be overcome with a few modifications in diet and exercise. Stay away from the fad diets and pills. They might give you some results, but will not last. Use a healthy way to lose weight fast instead of thinking a pill is going to solve all of your problems.