Extreme weight loss meal plan

How can you do it?

"For anybody looking to transform, you have to implement small changes, and allow them to develop over time, " trainer Chris Powell told us in a recent interview where he shared the fast weight-loss secrets used on the hit show, "Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition." He continued, "If you try to overhaul your life completely all at once, you fail. Everybody wants those really quick changes, but you're not going to get that if you vow to do an hour of cardio everyday—and then beat yourself up for not sticking to it." So what will help you get there? Here are Powell's tips for fast weight loss that lasts. (Of course, you should always check with your physician to see what would work best for you.)

1. Start everyday with a promise to yourself.

Write it down in a notebook, or recite it in front of the mirror in the morning. "On the show, we start each day with the promise to move for five minutes. It doesn't matter what you do; start with marching in place while watching TV, " said Powell. "It's not about the exercise, it's about the promise. If you can keep that, you can accomplish whatever comes your way. Your love for yourself and confidence grows, and the more that blossoms, the more promises you keep. This cycle lifts you into an upward spiral."

2. Drink an extra quart of water every day.

"You don't see it on the show, but our contestants drink a lot of water. It's the first thing I have every contestant do, " explained Powell. "After you've got that [quart] down, shoot for a gallon of water a day. All of these little changes will piggyback on one another and kick off your transformation."

3. Remove sugar from just one meal a day.

"When trying to transform, you don't have to take quantum leaps, " said Powell, "but vow to take [added] sugar out of just one meal."

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4. Stop drinking soda, always eat breakfast, and find time to move every day.

They sound like small changes, but they also add up. "There's a reason I take a year to do these monster transformations, " said Powell. "Everybody's looking for that instant gratification, but the human body needs time to adapt. That's why it's so important that we focus on attainable little changes that we can maintain. And once you step on the scale after a month, you see progress and think 'Oh my gosh! There's nothing I can't do!'"