The safest and most reliable and sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off is through a combination of healthy, low-calorie eating and regular physical activity. Following those methods, especially if you're not currently active, could help you lose up to 2 lbs. per week. While there are other methods that may result in faster weight loss, such as crash diets or extreme calorie restriction, diet and exercise are the only strategies that work in the long term to enhance your health and keep you looking fit.
Step 1
Cut daily calories by 500 to 1,000. You can achieve weight loss by cutting as little as half those amounts, but the progress will be slower, and you may not notice results for months. By cutting 500 calories daily from what you normally eat, you'll lose about 1 lb. per week; 1,000 will help you lose about 2 lbs. per week without accounting for extra calories burned from exercise.
Step 2
Increase the amount of physical activity you do. To lose weight at the fastest rate, use strength training as well as aerobics. Strength training burns fewer calories per hour than aerobics, but it builds muscle mass more effectively, which burns more calories at rest than body fat. Work out for at least 45 minutes on five or six days per week, including two strength training sessions.
Step 3
Work out longer with more vigorous activities. MayoClinic.com names kickboxing, rollerblading and running on a stair treadmill as three of the most intense exercise choices; each burns more than 700 calories per hour for a 160-lb. person. Or, try interval training, which alternates 30- to 60-second bursts of vigorous activity with 60-second or longer periods of more moderate activity.
Tips and Warnings
- Calculate your body mass index, write down your weight and measure your waist, hips, thighs and chest. Take new measurements after every two weeks on your routine.
- Before you begin a new fitness program, consult with your doctor to go over your plans.
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