If you've been gaining weight with exceptional speed, and are looking to lose it, you'll have to consider the possible causes for your sudden inflation. Either something has drastically changed in your diet or lifestyle, or you may have developed a medical condition. If, after taking due precautions, you've narrowed it down to the former option, you'll have to make new changes to your diet and lifestyle in order to get yourself back to where you used to be.
Step 1
Schedule a preliminary consultation with your doctor. Describe the circumstances and extent of your weight gain, and ask him if he thinks there might be a purely medical explanation. He may order you to undergo some diagnostic tests. While this is an inconvenience, it's important that you rule out certain medical conditions before you proceed with diet and/or exercise.
Step 2
If your doctor rules out the existence of a contributing medical condition, turn your attention to decreasing your food intake. Keep a journal of the types and quantities of foods and drinks that you've been consuming during your rapid weight gain, and cross reference this with the relevant nutritional information to determine your average daily caloric intake. Since you're looking to both stop weight gain and initiate weight loss, you'll have to drop this figure drastically. Start by aiming to decrease your daily intake by approximately 1,000 calories; since 3,500 calories is equivalent to one pound of fat, this cutback will slow or reverse your weight gain by two pounds per week. Remove all junk foods, sweets, desserts and soft drinks from your diet, and decrease the sizes of your mealtime portions if necessary. If this fails to reverse your weight gain, you'll have to reduce your caloric consumption even further.
Step 3
Increase your protein intake by replacing at least one daily serving of carbohydrates with an equivalent serving of protein. For instance, replace a dinnertime serving of potatoes with an extra serving of beef. This excess protein will have a natural suppressant effect on your appetite, making it easier for you to stick to your self-imposed caloric restrictions. Great protein sources for this purpose include egg whites, lean meats, fish, beans and tofu.
Step 4
Do cardiovascular exercise at least three times per week. Starting at as little as 30 minutes per session, and try to work your way up to 60 minutes of daily cardio over time. Because you've gained weight rapidly, be aware that certain types of activities could have a detrimental affect on your joint health; if possible, select a low-impact activity such as stationary biking or use of the elliptical machine at your gym. Besides burning excess calories, this routine will help your body maintain or increase its metabolism, which would otherwise likely drop due to your restrictive diet.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Counting calories: Get back to weight-loss basics
- "International Journal of Obesity"; High protein intake sustains weight maintenance after body weight loss in humans; M.S. Westerterp-Plantenga, et al.; 2004.
- Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise: Exercise Reverses Depressed Metabolic Rate Produced by Severe Caloric Restriction
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