One primary pitfall affecting people who diet to lose weight is unrealistic goal setting. Not only is it difficult to lose more than 2 lbs. pounds per week, but losing weight at this rate can lead to a variety of health problems. Losing 13 lbs. in 68 days, however, falls significantly below the 2 lbs. per week limit. You'll be able to accomplish this goal with minimal difficulty as long as you follow an effective program of diet and exercise.
Step 1
Adjust your diet to create a modest caloric deficit. This forces your body to derive energy from within, causing you to lose weight. Enter your age, height, weight and gender into a free online basal metabolic rate calculator--readily available through an Internet search--and you'll receive an approximate value for the number of calories necessary to sustain your current body mass from day to day. Once you have this number, aim to construct a diet that falls approximately 500 calories below this number; recommends MayoClinic.com, because 1 lb. of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. This will cause you to lose approximately 1 lb. of fat per week through diet alone, and amount to approximately 10 lbs. over 68 days. To achieve this deficit, start by eliminating all junk food from your current diet. If this isn't enough, decrease your overall volume of food consumption proportionately.
Step 2
Increase your daily protein intake. This will benefit your weight loss effort in at least two ways. First, protein contains only 4 calories per gram, as opposed to 9 calories per gram for fat and carbohydrates; as such, increasing your intake of protein-rich foods by volume will naturally lend itself to a caloric deficit. Second, protein was found in a study published in a 2004 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity" to cause a decrease in appetite among people experiencing a calorie-restricted diet. This will decrease your hunger and cravings, making it easier to stick to your diet over time.
Step 3
Do cardiovascular exercise at least three times per week. Since your desired weight loss isn't extreme, there's no need to jump into an overly intense exercise routine. Just follow the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, which prescribe either three weekly sessions of 20 minutes of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise, or five weekly sessions of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. Choose any activity of your choice that will dependably raise your heart rate over the prescribed period of time.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find yourself losing significantly more than 2 lbs. per week, increase your food consumption and/or decrease your exercise accordingly. If the problem persists, discontinue the program immediately and consult your physician.
- Always consult with your physician before embarking on an unfamiliar program of diet and/or exercise.
Things You'll Need
- Cardiovascular exercise equipment
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