A woman's twenties is often a period of transition and change. You may be in school or finishing your education, establishing yourself in your career or even starting a family. Being overweight in your twenties is not medically desirable; and losing weight now, before you get any older, is good for your health, your appearance and may make you feel more positive about your future.
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Fortunately, losing weight in your twenties can be slightly easier then if you wait until you are older. Your metabolism is faster, and you are likely able to exercise more vigorously than an older woman, making the physical process of losing weight more effective. Health benefits of weight loss include less chance of struggling with high blood pressure, keeping your total cholesterol levels low and reducing your heart attack risk if you stay overweight for years.
The Mayo Clinic website recommends writing down your weight-loss goal, your reasons for wanting to lose weight and the health benefits that will come with achieving a healthy weight. Base your goal on the body mass index range, your doctor's recommendation or a reputable weight-loss website.
Get Active
Begin an exercise program while simultaneously becoming more active in general. As a woman, you may not want to play flag football on the weekends, but getting a group of friends together to play volleyball, hike in a nearby park or go swimming are ways to get off the couch and burn calories after work or on the weekends.
Dedicate yourself to at least 45 minutes of focused exercise at least four days a week, as recommended by "Fitness" magazine. Biking and walking are easy ways to begin your exercise program. As you are able, go faster and travel farther distances while performing your chosen exercise in order to burn more fat and calories.
Choose Natural, Low-Calorie Foods
Avoid the tendency to eat out frequently, skip some meals, then overeat during the next meal due to a busy lifestyle. The chemicals, fats and preservatives in processed foods do little to promote weight maintenance or a healthy lifestyle. Eat a minimum of 1,200 calories a day.
"Fitness" magazine board member Dr. Mark Moyad indicates that 20-something women need to eat at least 500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, which is good for your health and may help you lose weight. Eat 3 oz. of salmon, a small handful of nuts as a snack or a raisin and seed mix to help meet this requirement.
Eat fat-free yogurt or fat-free cheese sticks to ensure you are getting enough calcium without adding fat or consuming too many calories. Prepare and eat a vegetable salad most days, either for lunch or as a large side dish with dinner. Avoid cookies, candy and chips. Substitute lower-calorie sherbet, one piece of hard candy or baked chips to help you lose weight and still have a treat.
Focus on Your Muscles
Bulking up with weights may not be your goal, but lifting weights two or three times a week rarely adds bulky muscles, according to the National Institutes of Health Weight-Control Information Network. Instead, regular strength training sessions work in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise. As you lose fat through aerobic exercise, you will be able to see the definition in your triceps muscles and have well-defined calves when you wear shorts and skirts. Calf raises tone your calves, triceps rows and extensions work your triceps and abdominal exercises such as crunches, pelvic lifts and reverse curls tone and define your abdomen.
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