Losing 20 lbs. may be the difference between trying to squeeze into your favorite pair of jeans and needing to buy a size smaller. Losing weight can seem like a complicated task when you don't know where to start. To lose weight, you need to create a calorie deficit. Evaluate your daily habits that may be causing weight gain. Adopt a healthy lifestyle and incorporate regular exercise into your routine to burn calories and easily shed excess weight.
Step 1
Set weight-loss goals with a deadline date. Plan to lose about 1 to 2 lbs. per week for safe weight loss, suggests MayoClinic.com. Give yourself 10 to 12 weeks to lose 20 lbs. Write your weight-loss goal and deadline date on a note card and place it somewhere you can see it daily. Don't expect to lose all of the weight in one week; remember, you didn't gain it all in one week.
Step 2
Decrease your daily calorie intake to create a deficit. Track your calories daily with an online weight management tool like LiveStrong's MyPlate. Monitor your calories for one week to see the average number you consume. Subtract 750 calories from your average to lose 1.5 to 2 lbs. per week.
Step 3
Clean up your eating habits. Stay away from processed foods that are packed with trans fats, refined sugars and sodium; all of these encourage weight gain. Go through your kitchen and toss out any junk foods. Eat whole foods in their natural form like fish, eggs, seafood, skinless poultry, lean meats, low-fat dairy, vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats like nuts, seeds and olive oil.
Step 4
Avoid empty calories. Flavoring your coffee with just 1 tbsp. of sugar and cream can add 100 calories to each cup. Use a calorie-free sweeter or skim milk instead. Drinking one can of a sugary beverage can add 230 calories to your daily total. Opt for water with lemon or carbonated water to save yourself the extra calories.
Step 5
Engage in resistance training three days per week to build muscle and increase metabolism. Perform compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at the same time to burn more calories, notes Bodybuilding.com. Do exercises like tricep dips, lunges, push-ups, overhead shoulder presses, squats and chest presses for three sets of 15 repetitions. Lift with moderately heavy weight. Your muscles should be approaching failure on the last set of every exercise.
Step 6
Perform cardiovascular exercise three times per week after resistance training to burn stored body fat. Walk on the treadmill at a high incline, ride the stationary bike at a moderate intensity or glide on an elliptical machine at a slow pace with high resistance for 30 minutes.
Step 7
Record your weight weekly to track your progress. Weigh yourself first thing in the morning after using the bathroom.
Tips and Warnings
- Increase your water intake to minimize weight gain caused by water retention. Aim for at least eight cups per day.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: Compound Exercise
- MayoClinic.com: Eating and Exercise
- "Weight Training Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
- MayoClinic.com: Weight loss: 6 strategies for success
- MayoClinic.com: Coffee Calories
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