Healthy And Quick Weight Loss

If your body weight exceeds the healthy range, losing some pounds can help you keep your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels under control, according to MedlinePlus. Though you may be tempted to lose weight quickly to improve your health as soon as possible, quick weight loss doesn't necessarily equate with healthful weight loss. Extreme weight loss methods aren't usually safe or sustainable, according to MayoClinic.com.

Maximum Weekly Weight Loss

To increase your likelihood of maintaining weight loss, lose no more than 1 to 2 lb. per week, recommends MayoClinic.com. At that pace, you would need to burn 3,500 to 7,000 calories a week or 500 to 1,000 calories a day. Another concern about losing weight more rapidly than 2 lb. per week is that you might end up losing water weight and lean tissue weight as opposed to the fat you're hoping to burn off, according to MayoClinic.com.

Healthful Eating

Many rapid weight-loss plans, also often called fad diets, limit consumption of whole food groups and deprive the body of important nutrients. A healthful eating plan for weight loss should emphasize vegetables, fruits, whole grains and reduced fat milk and dairy products but also include protein sources such as lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and beans, according to the Weight-control Information Network. Focusing on mostly plant-based foods, healthful fats and lean sources of protein will help you naturally eat less cholesterol, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium and added sugars, according to WIN.

Exercise

Exercising will boost your weight loss efforts and help you keep off the pounds. Exercise will also reduce your need to cut out calories through diet. For example, rather than cutting out 500 calories, you would only need to cut out 250 if you can burn off the other 250 through exercise. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends getting at least two hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or at least one hour and 15 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise each week combined with strength exercises at least twice per week. Though you should aim to exercise at least 30 minutes every day, it doesn't have to happen all at once. Break it into sections of 10 or 15 minutes, recommends WIN.

Choosing a Program

You can decide to choose an organized weight-loss program to aid you in your weight loss effort, but not all programs are healthful and safe. As is the general rule for any weight-loss effort, your program shouldn't cause you to lose weight at a rate of over 2 lb. per week or forbid food groups or specific foods, according to WIN. It should include tips on increasing your moderate-intensity physical activity and include a plan on maintaining the weight loss after you have reached your goal weight, according to WIN.

Considerations

Weight loss at a more rapid pace than 2 lb. per week can be safe if it occurs under special circumstances or under medical supervision, according to MayoClinic.com. For example, some doctors prescribe and oversee temporary very low calorie diets, or VLCDs, to aid at-risk obese patients in dropping pounds. Also, certain diets begin with an initiation phase of more rapid weight loss, but it tapers off over the span of a couple weeks.