Losing 15 to 20 lbs. is a challenging goal, but it is possible to achieve with healthy eating habits and participating in a consistent exercise program. To lose that amount of weight in two and a half months is even more difficult, as how quickly you can take off the lbs. is partly dependent on your genetic makeup. By following an aggressive and yet healthy weight loss program, you will see significant results. Ideally, you will lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week, although it's likely that you'll see more significant loss early on in the program.
Exercise
Step 1
Complete at least 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise on most days. Activities such as jogging, biking, swimming and riding an elliptical machine will cause you to burn a significant amount of calories, promoting weight loss.
Step 2
Take short walks throughout your day. Every couple of hours, take 10 minutes to get up and go for a walk. Walking is not hugely effective in burning calories, but it increases the rate of your metabolism while you're doing it and even for a period after you're finished. This will equate to more calories burned throughout the day and will eventually add up to make an impact on your weight loss.
Step 3
Lift weights twice per week. Consistent weight training causes you to build lean muscle mass. To maintain muscle mass, your body must provide the tissues with a constant stream of fuel via calories. This means your metabolism will increase and you'll burn more calories at all times, even while you're at rest or sleeping.
Eating
Step 1
Consume at least 500 fewer calories than are needed to maintain your current weight. Use an online calorie calculator such as the one provided at MayoClinic.com to determine the amount of calories that would cause you to maintain your current weight, then subtract 500 from that number. Your calorie consumption makes an enormous impact on your weight loss success and subtracting 500 calories from your daily diet alone will cause you to lose body fat.
Step 2
Cut your meal portion sizes. Many eat too much at meals and it's likely you won't notice differences in how you feel by cutting the amount that you eat by 50 to 75 percent.
Step 3
Stay away from fast foods, fried foods and alcohol. Each of these provide the body with little to no nutrients and are extremely high in fat and calories. If you consume these foods on a regular basis, simply cutting them from your diet will make a significant difference.
Tips and Warnings
- If you're unable to complete 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise in one single session, break the workout up into multiple, smaller sessions. Alternatively, fluctuate the intensity of the workout session. For example, if you're jogging, run for as long as you can, then move to a walk until you can recover and jog again.
- With such a large weight loss goal, visit your doctor for health clearance prior to starting the program.
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