Losing weight in a month takes discipline and a commitment to making immediate lifestyle changes. Fad diets or weight loss supplements offer promises of a significant weight drop, but this route is unhealthy and typically doesn't keep the weight off. While your one-month weight loss goal may be for a special event, maintaining the lifestyle changes helps you stay healthy and continue losing weight.
Set a Realistic Goal
Losing 20 or 30 pounds in a month sounds appealing to some people, but it isn't realistic or healthy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends losing 1 to 2 pounds each week for healthy weight loss that is easier to maintain. That means realistically you should aim to lose between 4 and 8 pounds in a month. Keep track of your weight loss each week to determine whether you are staying on track with your goal for the month. Make adjustments to your weight-loss strategies if you aren't progressing toward your goal.
Clean Up Your Diet
One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories, according to the CDC. To reach your goal of 1 to 2 pounds of weekly weight loss, you need a deficit of 3,500 to 7,000 calories a week. That means you will need to burn between 500 and 1,000 more calories than you consume each day. MedlinePlus recommends a daily caloric intake of no lower than 1,200 calories a day for women and no lower than 1,500 calories for men, unless medically supervised.
Cleaning up your diet is essential to losing weight within a one-month time span. Remove all junk food from the home so that you are not tempted. Replace it with whole grains, fruits, vegetables and sources of lean protein. Develop a menu for every meal and snack each week to help you stay on track. Skipping meals will not speed up your weight loss. In fact, skipping meals may actually hurt your weight-loss efforts.
Create a Workout Schedule
Your food intake is only one aspect of reducing your calories to reach the 3,500 deficit to lose a pound. Exercising helps burn calories to boost your weight loss. If you want to lose weight in a month, exercise is a key element to success. Scheduling your workouts into your day makes you more likely to follow through with them. Choose a physical activity that you enjoy and one that matches your physical abilities. Check with your physician before starting an exercise routine, particularly if you have health problems or lead a sedentary life.
Handling Temptation
Because of the short time frame for the weight loss, avoiding temptations is essential. Consider the situations that typically cause you to overindulge. Going out to eat with friends, visiting your mom who loves to bake or the vending machine at work may tempt you into choosing unhealthy options. Avoid those situations as much as possible during your month-long weight loss effort. Prepare yourself for the situation if it can't be avoided. For example, you might bring healthy snacks to work instead of buying food from the vending machine.
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