Losing weight fast can be very tricky these days, especially since there are hundreds of weight loss programs out there that promise overnight success with little to no effort. One thing to keep in mind when trying to lose weight is that without a little hard work, you won’t get very far. If you see a weight loss gimmick that promises you will lose several inches off your waist by drinking their product over the weekend, or eating their “weight loss cookie” for a week, turn and run. Real results require real effort and if you are serious about losing weight, it is important that you figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Here are two small but effective tactics you can implement into your life that are relatively simple and can yield some great results in very little time:

1. Do a little bit more exercise every day

If today you start with a 1-minute walk, tomorrow aim for 1.5 minutes. Small and consistent steps such as this will feel small, but when implemented consistently over time will add up to tremendous results.

2. Pick one day out of the week where you will eat whatever you want

Let’s face reality here; if you want to lose weight you must keep an eye on your nutritional habits. Losing weight doesn’t require you to be super-strict, but it does require that you watch what you eat. A great trick that is highly effective is to pick a day where you will allow yourself to eat anything you like. The key here is to use this as a motivational tool for keeping a clean and healthy diet throughout the week. As you become leaner, you can use this tactic twice throughout the week.

The easiest way to achieve mind-blowing results is by taking small steps everyday, which will add up over time to be tremendous results. Learn how to take these small steps daily and in no time you will reap the weight loss rewards that come with consistency and persistence.