In this age of instant gratification, it’s hardly surprising to know that an increasing number of overweight people are looking for the quickest way to burn fat. In fact, this topic has gained widespread media attention in recent years. With approximately 120 million Americans being overweight, I can assure you that this topic will remain in limelight at least for the foreseeable future.

So what exactly is the quickest way to burn fat, you might ask. If we go by all the media hype then we have to conclude that the answer lies somewhere between a new magic weight loss pill and some random revolutionary diet which will give us the ultimate slim figure before we can bat an eyelash. But in your heart of hearts you know that these things do not work. In fact many a times they will do you more harm than good.

The reason that such "Weight loss systems" are bound to fail is because they focus more on decreasing body weight rather than lowering the body fat. The two are not one and the same and anybody who’s telling you otherwise, while selling their weight loss program, is a straight out liar. You will do yourself a favor by running away from them as fast as you can without ever looking back!

The above "miracle methods" work only for some time during which your body starts losing water and it gives you a sense of satisfaction that you have "lost" some weight. In reality, you will gain this "lost" weight within a few days and after that perhaps even gain some more to make your condition even more miserable. The way to get out of this dilemma is to focus on losing body fat. In this way you’ll not only preserve but also gain muscle mass with an additional advantage of it being a long term effect.

Now that we have put all the "miracle methods" aside, its time to focus on our original question of losing weight fast. The quickest way to burn fat quickly is NOT easy. I say so because you are limiting yourself on the time parameter while expecting quick results. Quick weight loss is achieved by combining the right diet along with following an optimum exercise schedule.

When we talk of diet then you need to control the amount of calories that you intake on a daily basis. Moreover, you need to eliminate all kinds of junk and sweetened foods such as fast food, beverages and soda. Notice I say "Eliminate" and not "reduce". This will of course be difficult if you’re a huge fan of fast food but then you’re also looking for the quickest way to lose weight, isn’t it?

Moreover, your diet will now be composed of small 4 to 6 meals on a daily basis. These small meals should be taken after every 3 hours (approximately) and you must suppress your hunger in the meantime. Don’t give in to your taste buds and start munching high calorie foods like fried/French fries, potato chips etc. All your efforts will be in vain if you can’t control your urges.

Your "Small meals" should consist of portions rich in protein, complex carbs and healthy fats. High Glycemic carbohydrates should be avoided at all cost and you must drink a lot of water during the interval between your meals. This water will also act as a filling agent and hence will control your urges thereby minimizing the calorie intake in your body.

Regular exercise is inevitable for quick weight loss. You’re not required to sweat out excessively at the strength training machines at the gym. Instead, you have to focus on interval training exercises. You must focus on adding muscle mass to your body while getting rid of body fat at the same time. This can best be accomplished by increasing the number of repetitions and decreasing the weight lift while doing any exercise.