Losing 20 pounds is no easy feat, and to lose that amount healthfully requires consistent exercise and the incorporation of healthy eating habits. There are ways to increase the rate of your weight loss, such as through some nutritional steps and by making your workouts the most efficient that they can be. With aggressive efforts, you can lose 1 to 2 lb. per week, though you may see more rapid loss in the beginning of the program and then the tapering off of pounds per week as you progress. Expect it to take at least four months for you to lose 20 pounds of fat.
Step 1
Calculate how many calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight. The Mayo Clinic offers a free calculator online that will give you an approximate number based on your height and current weight. Once you get that number, subtract 500 from it to get the number of calories you should eat every day for weight loss. Just creating this caloric deficit of 500 per day will give you 1 lb. of weight loss per week.
Step 2
Drink water. Water is necessary for many healthy processes to take place in the body. Not only does it keep you hydrated, but it also has zero calories. Trading your sodas or alcohol for water can significantly lower the number of calories you consume. In addition, according to a 2003 study by Michael Boschmann in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, water consumption has been shown to increase your resting metabolism, meaning that you'll burn more calories throughout the day, even while at rest.
Step 3
Exercise for 45 to 60 minutes five to six days per week. Cardiovascular exercise burns a large number of calories per unit of time. You can burn more than 500 calories with an hour of cardiovascular training. If you're currently unable to exercise continuously for 45 minutes, break up your workout sessions into smaller ones.
Step 4
Make your workouts efficient. Consistency is key when it comes to utilizing exercise as a weight-loss strategy, but you can maximize the number of calories you burn in your workouts by choosing activities that burn the most per unit of time. The Mayo Clinic states that running, rollerblading and jumping rope are the top three calorie-burning activities.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider incorporating weight training into your routine. The lean muscle that you gain from consistent weight lifting will increase your resting metabolism, further benefiting your weight-loss efforts.
- Do not take diet pills or participate in diet plans that promise rapid weight loss. They are typically very dangerous and the weight loss is only temporary.
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