Although surgeries such as a tummy tuck can help you lose weight quickly, a high-intensity exercise program designed to reduce body fat and increase muscle mass is important for long-term success. If you want to continue to lose weight after the procedure, you must also focus on diet and lifestyle.
Step 1
Figure out how many calories your body requires. A simple principle of weight loss is negative energy balance: You must expend more calories than you eat. Your basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body needs to function, and you can calculate it online using a BMR calculator. Once you have the number, aim to eat 500 calories less than that number every day to lose 1 lb. a week.
Step 2
Perform muscle-strengthening exercises. Weightlifting helps increase the amount of muscle you have, which increases your metabolism. If your metabolism---the number of calories you burn without doing anything---increases, body fat will decrease faster, and the weight will stay off easier. Concentrate on full-body exercises such as push-ups, reverse push-ups and squats. The National Academy of Sports Medicine recommends performing six sets of these exercises, with each set consisting of 15 to 25 repetitions.
Step 3
Run, jog or cycle. These three exercises are some of the best for calorie-burning and overall fitness. Performing any of these for 60 to 90 minutes a day, five days a week, will help you lose fat, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Step 4
Change your exercise routine every four weeks. If your body gets accustomed to a single exercise, your progress will slow. For new workout ideas, consult an exercise library such as the one on the website of the American Council on Exercise.
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