No one wants weight loss to take months, but it is unlikely that you put on 25 extra pounds overnight, you cannot expect it to disappear very quickly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend losing weight at a rate of no faster than 2 lbs. per week. Following simple strategies can help you achieve this rate of weight loss so you drop 25 lbs. in just one season.
Step 1
Combine exercise and a low calorie diet to create a calorie deficit. Eat 500 calories less than you burn daily to lose 1 lb per week. Increase your burn rate by 500 more calories and lose another pound per week. At this rate, you could lose your 25 lbs in about 3 or 4 months.
Step 2
Break your goal into five smaller, 5-lb. targets. Reward yourself when you accomplish your first goal by scheduling a spa visit or buying an electronic gadget you've always coveted. Set your sights on your next 5 lbs immediately so as not to lose momentum.
Step 3
Build your diet around foods you find in the outside aisles of the grocery store. Buy fresh produce, meats, fresh whole grain breads, dairy and eggs. Clean all processed and "convenience" foods out of your pantry, refrigerator and freezer as they are usually calorie-dense and contain too much sodium, trans fats, added sugars and artificial ingredients. When you are trying to lose weight quickly, you do not have room for discretionary calories. Learn to make this manner of shopping a habit to help you sustain your 25-lb. weight loss.
Step 4
Eat every three to four hours to keep from becoming too hungry and to rev your metabolism. Start with breakfast, as successful dieters trend toward eating breakfast daily---seventy-eight percent of the over 5,000 members of the National Weight Control Registry, a research group that has successfully lost and maintained significant weight loss, report breakfast eating as part of their strategy. Try foods like oatmeal, low-fat milk and almonds or egg whites scrambled with spinach and mushrooms with a side of sprouted wheat toast.
Step 5
Commit to a regular exercise schedule. Strive for a minimum of an hour a day, five times per week for weight loss recommends the American College of Sports Medicine. Find time in your calendar, even if it is three to five 10- to 20-minute blocks to take a brisk walk or jog. Arrange a regular time to meet a friend at the gym. If you already exercise, consider amping up the intensity to burn more calories per session or tacking on an extra 10 to 15 minutes to each cardio session.
Step 6
Move more outside of structured exercise. Go bowling instead of the movies. Return the grocery cart to the store, rather than leaving it in the parking lot. Pace while talking on the phone. Meet friends for hikes rather than happy hour. Every bit of movement you fit into your day helps you burn more calories and thus pushes you closer to your 25-lb. goal.
Step 7
Reevaluate your calorie targets each time you lose 5 to 10 lbs. because as you lose weight, you also burn fewer calories because there is less of you to move. Change your exercise routine every four to six weeks to keep your body challenged and prevent plateaus.
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