According to MayoClinic.com, a pound equals 3,500 calories. To lose a pound a week, you need to eliminate that many calories through diet changes and exercise. MayoClinic.com doesn't recommend losing more than 2 lbs per week, although faster weight loss is possible during the first week on a new diet. Keep in mind that losing weight too fast usually means you will put it back on. Work on speeding up your weight loss, but don't overdo it.
Give Up The Junk
If you don't want to count calories or make dieting too complicated, start by getting rid of any foods that are not high in nutrients. Eliminate fast foods, sweets, sodas and alcoholic drinks, or at least reduce them to a minimum. Give yourself one day a week to indulge in your favorite foods and then eat healthier foods the rest of the week. Instead of eating simple carbs such as white rice, pasta and bread, switch to whole grains, brown rice and whole wheat pasta. Increase your intake of fruits and vegetables to at least five servings a day, as recommended by HealthCastle. Fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, so eating more of it will make you feel full but won't add too many calories to your diet.
Control Your Portions
Cut down on the size of the meals you eat. According to The Diet Channel, portions have increased in size at restaurants and super-sizing your foods has become the norm. By simply eating less of everything, you'll be saving calories considerably without even realizing. For example, you can eat only half of a dish at a restaurant and bring the other half home to eat as your next meal. When eating at home, read nutrition labels. If a serving is 100 calories and the entire bag or package of the product is 800 calories, you need to divide the contents by eight to see how big a portion really is. Put that amount in a bowl instead of eating directly from the package to avoid overeating.
Exercise
According to The Diet Channel, you should aim for a minimum of five 30-minute workouts a week. If you don't have enough time for a half-an-hour workout, go for three 10-minute workouts a day. These can be as simple as a 10-minute bike ride to work or a walk after lunch. If your goal is to lose weight fast, choose activities that burn the most calories. According to Nutristrategy, a 155-lb. person can burn 598 calories in 60 minutes of mountain biking and 422 playing basketball. Exercising doesn't have to feel like work either. Ultimate Frisbee burns about 563 calories and you can lose up to 844 playing handball. NetDoctor also recommends adding activity to your daily life. When watching your favorite TV program, exercise during commercial breaks. Even getting off the bus one stop earlier will add some steps to your day.
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