The approach of an important event may spur your need to lose a lot of weight quickly. Shedding pounds often is a difficult goal to achieve--it's normal to feel compelled to speed up the process. While you can burn plenty of calories quickly, consider planning a more moderately paced routine. This is better for your health, and you're more likely to keep the weight off in the long run.
Guidelines
The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, sets out minimum exercise guidelines for all healthy adults interested in maintaining or losing weight. The ACSM recommends putting in at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 60 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity, plus two strength training routines. For quick weight loss, it's advisable to exceed those guidelines. In a weight loss diet, aim to reduce your caloric intake by about 500 calories a day to start. However, you should maintain a diet that is rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals for optimal health.
Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories and fat. More intense exercises will naturally burn more calories, and heavier people will burn more calories than lighter people with the same activities. A 240-pound person can burn more than 700 calories an hour with high impact aerobics, football, backpacking, jogging or swimming, according to MayoClinic.com. Incorporate strength training into your complete weight loss routine, since muscle burns more calories at rest than body fat does, recommends ClevelandClinic.org.
Diet
In addition to reducing calories in a daily diet, it's important to choose foods that are healthy and nutritious when you're trying to lose weight. Avoid fatty foods, restaurant meals, fast foods, desserts, soft drinks and other high-calorie items. This can accelerate your weight loss, provide you with more energy and improve your overall health. For the most dramatic changes, choose low-calorie, plant-based proteins; low-fat and nonfat dairy products; fresh fruits and vegetables; and whole grains.
Other Methods
Diet pills, weight loss medications, surgery and other extreme methods often are successful in helping people slim down quickly. However, nearly all these methods carry significant health risks that can compromise your body. Before choosing an extreme weight loss method, talk with your physician about the details and make sure the plan is safe.
Risks
Losing a lot of weight quickly carries health risks. Rapidly losing weight increases your risk of getting gallstones, some of which can require surgery, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Quick weight loss also can result in sunken eyes, sallow skin and a saggy, droopy look. People who lose weight more slowly, at a rate of a pound or two a week, are more likely to keep it off, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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