If you're overweight, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your extra weight can mean big health benefits. Extra pounds put you at risk for a variety of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and diabetes. Carrying extra weight can also have a negative impact on your self-esteem. There's no magic secret to quick weight loss, but if you are willing to commit to an intense plan of diet and exercise, it's possible to lose weight at a fairly rapid pace.
Step 1
Set goals. Certainly, it's important to know how many pounds you need to drop to reach a healthy weight, but don't make pounds your only consideration. While you're in healthy living mode, evaluate your cholesterol levels and body mass index and set goals to improve those, too.
Step 2
Count your calories. Before you start a diet, spend a week keeping a food journal to track how many calories you consume each day. (Keeping it for a week helps you get a sense of your average daily food consumption.) Check portion sizes to make sure you're calculating your calories correctly.
Step 3
Plan to decrease your daily calorie count by 500 to 1,000 calories per day. Cutting 500 calories will result in the loss of about 1 pound each week; eliminating 1,000 calories from your daily diet will increase that to 2 pounds of weight loss each week. Keep your daily calories higher than 1,200 per day if you're a man and 1,400 calories per day if you're a woman to ensure you're getting adequate nutrition.
Step 4
Make a daily meal plan with your new calorie count. Make your reduced calories go farther by choosing healthy foods that make you feel full, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nonfat dairy products and lean meats and fish. Avoid foods with saturated fats or trans fats; limit sugar and refined carbohydrates. Instead of planning three meals a day, spread your calories throughout the day by including smaller meals and several snacks.
Step 5
Increase your activity. Exercise is essential to help your body burn more calories than it consumes in a day, so make time for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic activity three to five times a week. Walking, running, bicycling, swimming and dancing are all good aerobic workouts. Keep in mind that the more you exercise, the more weight you can lose. Increase the length and intensity of your workout as you become accustomed to exercising. Once you're up to a workout every day, you can expect to lose about a pound a week.
Tips and Warnings
- If you find you're feeling hungry during the day, slow down the pace of your eating. It can take your brain as long as 20 minutes to register that your stomach is full, so eating slowly can help prevent you from overeating. To maintain your weight once you've lost the desired amount, keep track of your calories so that you are burning the same amount of calories you take in every day.
- Always check with your doctor before you begin any weight loss program, dramatically change your diet or significantly increase your physical activity.
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