Lose 12 pounds in 30 days by making dietary changes and significantly increasing your amount of physical activity. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends losing only 1 to 2 pounds per week. However, you can safely lose up to 3 pounds per week as long as you get permission from your doctor to begin a strenuous weight loss plan.
Step 1
Create a 1,500-calorie deficit per day to lose 3 pounds per week. For example, cut 500 calories per day from your diet and use physical activity to burn 1,000 calories per day. Although cutting calories will create a deficit, women should consume at least 1,200 calories per day, and men 1,800 calories, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.
Step 2
Be physically active for at least 60 minutes, five days a week. Choose an activity you enjoy to make it easier to perform for longer periods of time. For example, an hour of full-court basketball can burn more than 800 calories, depending on your weight, according to Health Status Internet Assessments. Accumulate 60 minutes or more throughout the day. Maybe run for 20 minutes in the morning, play an hour of basketball during lunch and walk for an hour before dinner. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, 60 to 90 minutes of activity, on most days of the week, may be necessary to lose weight.
Step 3
Incorporate interval training at least three days a week to burn more calories. Alternate between low- and high-intensity throughout the activity. For example, alternate between walking and running a lap around the track until you complete a mile. Run up the stairs then walk back down, repeating 20 times. Vigorous activity burns more calories even if it's for a short period of time, according to MayoClinic.com.
Step 4
Use calisthenics everyday to increase muscle strength. Muscles burn more calories, even at rest. Calisthenics are a form of muscular strength and endurance training that uses your body weight to develop muscular fitness. Exercises such as lunges, push-ups or sit-ups should performed every day, multiple times a day, to maximize strength gains, according to the Army Study Guide.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines
- American College of Sports Medicine: Self-Esteem, Support Key to Realistic Weight Loss
- American College of Sports Medicine: Metabolism is Modifiable with the Right Lifestyle Changes
- Army Study Guide: Calisthenics--Muscular Strength and Endurance Training - MSE
- MayoClinic.com: Interval training--Can it bBost Your Calorie-burning Power?
Member Comments