How To Lose 50 Pounds At Home

Going to the gym is not a requirement when trying to lose 50 lbs. You can do cardiovascular exercise and resistance training in the comfort of your own home. Losing 50 lbs. will take some time, but gradual lifestyle changes will become more routine, and make it easier to maintain weight loss. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “A healthy weight loss, typically, is no more than 2 lbs. per week.” To lose 50 lbs. will take approximately 25 weeks, or a little over six months.

Step 1

Set smaller goals that will lead to a 50-lb. weight loss goal. For example, set a goal of losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week or 8 lbs. per month. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, "losing 1 to 2 lbs. per week is a reasonable and safe weight loss. Losing weight at this rate will help you keep off the weight and will give you time to make new healthy lifestyle changes."

Step 2

Gain support in your household. Tell family members about your weight loss goal. "Weight loss is not a do-it-yourself deal. If you expect to lose weight and keep it off, you must build and nurture relationships that affirm and uplift you," according to "The Ultimate Weight Solution" by Dr. Phil McGraw. Gather the support of your family or friends and ask for encouragement and accountability. If you have nobody to turn to, look online for weight loss support groups such as Overeaters Anonymous.

Step 3

Throw away anything that can be considered junk food. Get rid of high-calorie, high-sugar, salty and fatty foods. If it requires no preparation, get rid of it--frozen pizza, microwavable foods or prepackaged meals. Notes Dr. McGraw, "You can't eat what's not there." Many people overeat because food is available and accessible--not always because of hunger.

Step 4

Cut calories or burn more calories to create a deficit. Cut 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of weight. Cut 500 calories from your daily caloric intake to lose 1 lb. per week, or cut 1,000 calories to lose 2 lbs. per week. Burning 500 or 1,000 calories more than your caloric intake per week will also result in a 1 to 2 lb. weight loss. Combine the two to maximize weight loss. For example, cut 500 calories from your diet and burn 700 extra calories to lose a little over 2 lbs.

Step 5

Do 60 minutes of physical activity three to five days per week. Although the American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20 to 60 minutes of physical activity, 60 to 90 minutes may be necessary to achieve or maintain weight loss. Use workout DVDs, run up and down the stairs, jump rope or turn on music and dance. Exercise in smaller increments if necessary--20 minutes three times a day.

Step 6

Incorporate two to three days of resistance training into your workout plan. For example, weight training, calisthenics, resistance bands or medicine balls can all be used to build and strengthen muscle tissue. Muscles burn calories both during and after your workout--even while you sleep. Resistance training can be done with any activity that creates overload to the musculoskeletal system in the form of external, gravitational or isometric resistance, according to "Fitness: Theory and Practice" by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America.

Step 7

Make your chores more physical. For example, use a push lawn mower instead of a riding one, get on your knees to scrub the floors instead of using a mop or hand-wash the dishes instead of using the dishwasher. According to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, scrubbing floors can burn more than 400 calories per hour--depending on your weight. Get more physical to burn more calories.