Losing 15 lbs. can make a difference to your appearance, the way you feel about yourself and reduce your risk of certain diseases. If losing 15 lbs. equates to losing between 5 to 10 percent of your body weight, the National Institutes of Health indicates you lower your risk of heart disease. When losing weight, choose a diet plan that incorporates whole, healthy foods and regular exercise.
Nutritional Needs
Planning your meals will help you stay within your calorie range because you have the healthy foods on hand and know what you are going to eat. If you choose 1,600 calories as an appropriate caloric intake to lose 15 lbs., you need to eat 1.5 cups of fruits such as watermelon, pineapple, bananas and oranges each day. Your vegetable selection should include lettuces and vegetable salad toppings, yams, white potatoes, starchy vegetables such as peas and corn and beans to equal 2 cups per day. Eat 5 oz. of whole-grains and protein each day, adding only small amounts of healthy, olive oil that contains monounsaturated fat to help you reserve calories while trying to lose the weight. Incorporate 3 cups of lowfat dairy products into your dietary intake for calcium.
Benefits of a Healthy Weight
If losing 15 lbs. places you in a healthy weight range for your height, you will be in the minority of Americans. Just 32 percent of Americans are at a healthy weight, as of the 2010 report by the Trust for America's Health. Serious diseases such as hypertension, increased incidence of stroke, coronary heart diseases, Type 2 diabetes and gallbladder disease are associated with overweight. When you reduce your weight, you may see an improvement in your cholesterol levels due to healthy eating and exercise, as well as improved self-esteem.
Healthy Diet Strategy
Losing 15 lbs. may take about two months, or as long as 30 weeks, depending on your rate of weight loss. Gradual weight loss may help you maintain your loss once you reach your goal. Although you should follow your doctor's advice, remember that you need to create a calorie deficit of about 3,500 calories in order to lose 1 lb. per week. Cut about 500 calories per day to equal a deficit of 3,500 calories per week. Drink about 8 to 9 cups of water per day to stay properly hydrated and help you feel full. A balanced diet includes eating between 45 to 65 percent of your calories from carbohydrates, between 10 to 35 percent from lean proteins and about 20 to 35 percent of your calories from fats, as recommended by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Exercise Strategy
Exercise burns calories. You will lose 15 lbs. more quickly if you exercise, than if you simply cut your food intake. If you are new to exercising, start with an easy exercise such as recumbent stationary cycling or walking. If you weigh 190 lbs., you burn about 300 calories in 30 minutes while riding a stationary bike with moderate effort, and 150 calories walking at a moderate pace for the same amount of time. If you burn 1,750 calories each week and cut your calories by 3,500 a week, you may lose about 1.5 lbs. each week, bringing your weight-loss duration to about 10 weeks. To build lean muscle and burn calories, strength train with light weights two or three times a week. A 20-minute strength-training workout burns about 172 calories, further helping your weight-loss efforts. (See Reference 6)
References
- Trust for America's Health: F as in Fat 2010: How Obesity Threatens America's Future
- Northwestern University: Nutrition Fact Sheet: Popular Weight Loss Diets
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity and Health
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
- National Institutes of Health: Facts About Health Weight
- State of Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services: Calories Burned Per Hour; September 2005
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