If you've got a special event coming up and just can't quite manage to zip that zipper or button that coat, you can drop as much as 10 lbs. in just 30 days if you follow a few easy but challenging steps to quickly drop weight. Combining a few strategies can help get you started on a healthier eating plan and may encourage you to make permanent lifestyle changes while you're at it for long-term weight loss and management.
Step 1
Increase exercise levels. You can't burn fat or calories if you don't move, so get moving. Exercise five to six days a week, for about 45 minutes a day. The best exercises for short-term weight loss are high-intensity aerobics like jogging, kickboxing, step aerobics and workouts that increase the heart rate and make the body work hard.
Step 2
Pump iron three to four days a week to help build lean muscle mass. Lean muscle mass increases metabolism, which is the speed at which the body burns calories or fat for energy. The higher your metabolism, the more fat you'll burn, not only while you're working out, but all day long. Go to the gym or purchase a set of dumbbells to work with at home. Perform weight-bearing exercises such as lunging or squats with the weights on your shoulders, and perform basic muscle-building exercises like bicep and tricep curls and shoulder presses.
Step 3
Reduce serving size portions. A 3- to 4-oz. serving portion of meat is about the size of a deck of cards, and a serving size of starchy foods like potatoes, pasta or rice is about the size of half a tennis ball.
Step 4
Drink lots of water to prevent bloating and to promote flushing of wastes and sweat from the body. Water will help prevent you from retaining fluid, which results in an average loss of 1 to 3 lbs.
Step 5
Prepare yourself for some lifestyle changes. The Mayo Clinic suggests making weight loss long term, while encouraging friends and family to support you in your weight-loss goals. Increase activity, watch your diet and change eating habits.
Member Comments