The Best Way To Lose 150 Pounds

The best way to lose 150 lbs. is to take your time and lose it slowly through diet and exercise. Although it will take a little more than a year to lose the weight, you will be prepared to maintain your goal or to continue losing weight if you choose. Losing this much weight will reduce, or reverse, the symptoms of chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease or diabetes, according to "Fitness: Theory and Practice." Always consult your doctor before starting any weigh loss plan, especially when trying to lose such a large amount of weight.

Step 1

Create a 3,500-calorie deficit to lose 1 lb. per week. You will not lose weight unless you burn more calories than you consume. Gradually reduce your daily caloric intake. Losing 100 lbs. requires lots of physical activity in addition to a low-calorie diet. Cutting too many calories at once can lower your energy level or cause you to lose muscle instead of fat, according to the April 2009 issue of Runner's World Magazine. Start out small, such as cutting 300 calories from your diet and burning 300 calories through exercise every day, to lose a little over 1 lb. per week. Gradually cut more calories and add more exercise to create a larger deficit.

Step 2

Get 60 minutes of physical activity five days per week. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 60 to 90 minutes of physical activity may be necessary to achieve weight loss. Be active for smaller amounts of time if an hour is too much---30 minutes twice a day, 20 minutes three times a day or even 10 minutes six times a day. Small bouts of activity are just as effective as one long session. Low-impact exercises such as walking or water aerobics are safe to perform seven days a week. In fact, the American Council on Exercise recommends up to seven days of exercise for those with type 2 diabetes. The more active you are the more calories you will burn.

Step 3

Add physical activity into your daily routine. For example, park farther away from the grocery store, walk to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, stand at the computer instead of sitting, or hand-wash the dishes or your car. According to the President's Council on Exercise, scrubbing floors can burn over 400 calories per hour, depending on your weight. You can accumulate over 800 calories being burned by making small changes in your daily routine. Every little bit of physical activity helps when you are trying to lose weight.

Step 4

Get in the water if land activities are too difficult. According to the American Council on Exercise, the buoyancy of water reduces your body weight by approximately 90 percent---reducing the stress on joints, bones, lower back and muscles. Anything done on land can be done in water, including cardiovascular and resistance training exercises. "The resistance of movement performed at an average speed in water is estimated to be approximately 12 to 15 times that of air-based exercise," according to "Fitness: Theory and Practice." Walking in water can burn more calories than land-walking, without the added pressure of your body weight.