Shedding weight is a matter of personal determination and applied physics. The body stores excess energy in the form of fat. If you take in more calories than you use, you add fat to your existing stores. If you use more calories than you take in, you burn your stored fat and lose weight. At 3,500 calories per pound, you need to cut out 35,000 calories to shed 10 pounds. Personal trainer Bill Phillips recommends a combination of exercise and calorie control to best reach this goal. Because the best weight loss is healthy and sustainable, set a timeline of two weeks to lose the weight.
Diet
Step 1
Spend three days tracking what you eat in a journal. Use a calorie calculator to find out how much you eat in an average day. This period runs before you begin your two-week weight-loss plan.
Step 2
Aim to lose half the calories through diet and the other half through exercise. Reduce your calorie intake by 1,250 calories per day. This is a big cut in intake, but you'll only be at it for two weeks.
Step 3
Plan your menu for the next two weeks based on your new calorie budget. Focus on vegetables, proteins and essential fats. Harvard nutritionist Walter Willett notes that these give the best energy in exchange for nutrition.
Step 4
Take a multivitamin every day during your crash diet. This will ensure you get all your needed nutrition despite drastic reductions in your menu.
Exercise
Step 1
Commit to doing two cardio workouts per day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Aim to burn 650 calories during each workout using free online calorie calculators. This works out to 50 calories per day more than you need to burn, giving you a little wiggle room.
Step 2
Aim for a moderate exertion level during each of your workouts. Triathlete Kelly Dodge notes that this means you should be breathing hard, but still be able to carry on a conversation.
Step 3
Drink plenty of water before, after and between your exercise sessions. You will need to rehydrate with this increased activity level, plus water fills up the stomach and helps reduce feelings of hunger between meals.
Maintenance
Step 1
Record your calorie intake and the results of your workout every day. Make adjustments if you miss a workout or go over your calorie budget on one day by making up for it over the course of the next few days.
Step 2
Weigh yourself every other day. Weight yourself at the same time each day, as body weight can fluctuate over the course of the day. For example, you weigh less in the morning before breakfast than you will in the evening after dinner.
Step 3
Reward yourself with a nonfood treat when you lose five pounds. Celebrate the halfway mark with a new CD or book, a trip to the movies or some other special indulgence you've been wanting.
Things You'll Need
- Bathroom scale
- Journal
References
- "Body For Life"; Bill Philips; 2006
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy"; Dr. Walter Willett; 2006
- "You: The Owner's Manual"; Dr. Mehmet Oz; 2006
- Ben Cohn; Fitness Coach; Hillsboro, Oregon
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