How Can I Lose 10 Pounds Healthily?

How Can I Lose 10 Pounds Healthily?
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There are many weight loss tricks that will let you to drop pounds quickly, like taking diet pills or severely reducing your calories, but if you want to increase your odds of keeping the weight off, then a simple combination of eating healthy and exercising is the better way to go. Losing weight in a healthy manner also teaches you how to make changes in your daily schedule so that your eating plan and workout program become routine, which can help you to maintain a healthier lifestyle.

Step 1

Cut 500 calories per day from your diet. It takes burning off 3,500 calories to lose 1 lb. of body weight; cutting 500 calories per day from your diet will allow you to lose 1 lb. per week. The University of Maryland reports that losing weight at the rate of 1 to 2 lbs. per week increases your odds of keeping the weight off.

Step 2

Eat meals that consist of fruits, vegetables and whole grains in place of junk food, white bread and white rice. Foods such as apples, oranges, carrots, bell peppers, whole-wheat bread and brown rice contain fewer calories than junk food and they have more fiber, vitamins and minerals, which help to keep your body and metabolism running smoothly.

Step 3

Prepare meals that satisfy your hunger while also giving you plenty of energy to get through your day. Hunger and fatigue can cause you to overeat, as well as crave foods that contain sugar and fat. For example, a healthy lunch may consist of a tossed salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinaigrette dressing, with a side of whole wheat bread and an apple.

Step 4

Plan out your snacks in advance so that you do not end up grabbing something unhealthy at the last minute. Examples of healthy snacks are fruit, yogurt, low-fat cheese with whole-wheat crackers, apple slices with peanut butter, almonds and homemade trail mix consisting of nuts and dried fruit. Think about where you'll be at snack time and if you'll need something that you can eat on the go, such as the trail mix, or if you will be able to eat something that requires a little more attention, like the apple and peanut butter.

Step 5

Burn an additional 500 calories through exercise, in order to lose 2 lbs. per week. This will get you to your weight loss goal of 10 pounds in five weeks. Incorporate both cardiovascular exercise and strength training. "Fitness" magazine reports that you can burn 500 calories by running for 40 minutes at a pace of six miles per hour, weight lifting for one hour or swimming for 45 minutes. Mixing your methods up will help you to enjoy your workouts more while also allowing you to discover new activities.

References

Article reviewed by Lisa Dittrich Last updated on: May 26, 2011

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