Eating too much and exercising too little is often the cause of excess weight, which means that the safest way to lose weight involves a modification of these two factors, regardless of your time line. By watching what you eat and increasing your level of physical activity, you can reduce your caloric intake, while expending more calories to burn excess fat. The combined effect of both factors usually encourages a safe and successful drop in pounds.
Step 1
Estimate your body's current caloric need by calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). Before you try to lose weight, get a rough idea of how many calories your body needs to maintain your current weight without exercise. Use your weight in pounds, height in inches and age in years to come up with this value.
Male Caloric Need = [(weight x 6.23) + (height x 12.7) - (age x 6.8) + 66] x 1.2
Female Caloric Need = [(weight x 4.35) + (height x 4.7) - (age x 4.7) + 655] x 1.2
Step 2
Set a goal. Setting a safe and attainable goal is an important facet to any weight loss plan. The National Institutes of Health considers 1 to 2 lbs. of weight loss a week as a safe goal. And since you're looking at one month, an appropriate goal averages out to between 8 and 9 lbs. for this time frame.
Step 3
Cut your caloric intake. Cutting your caloric intake can create what's known as a caloric deficit. A caloric deficit of 3,500 calories causes 1 lb. of fat loss, explains the National Institutes of Health. Eliminating 250 calories from your daily caloric need equals almost 2-and-1/4 lbs. for the month, while 500 calories equals 4-and-1/2 lbs. and 750 equals just over 6 lbs.
Step 4
Exercise each day. Exercising each day can also create the caloric deficit needed to encourage weight loss. Aerobics, biking, swimming and jogging all expend additional energy, which burns calories and triggers weight loss. Like cutting calories, burning 250 additional calories each day can lead to 2-and-1/4 lbs. of weight loss for the month, while 500 calories equals 4-and-1/2 lbs. and 750 calories equals just over 6 lbs. The Mayo Clinic suggests 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
Step 5
Lift weights. Lifting weights adds muscle to your body. And the more muscle, the more calories you're going to burn. Try to lift weights about two times a week to increase your body's natural caloric burn.
Step 6
Track your progress. It's next to impossible to track your caloric consumption and caloric burn in your head. To make the process easier, write down the calories you consume and estimate the number of calories burned through exercise each day. A notebook works best.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're hoping to lose more than 8 to 9 lbs. in a month, talk to your doctor. Supervised weight loss can provide more rapid results. Cutting calories often comes down to portion control and healthy foods. When you reduce the size of your portions, while incorporating healthier foods into your diet, you naturally lower your caloric consumption and create the caloric deficit needed to promote weight loss.
- Do not lower your caloric intake below 1,200 calories for women and 1,500 calories for men, advises the National Institutes of Health.
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