You've set your weight-loss goals and you're so close: just five more pounds to go. For the average person, five pounds lost will equal a reduction in 17,500 calories burned over the course of time. When you're trying to lose this amount of weight, it's important to eat a healthy diet that keeps your metabolism constant while engaging in exercise to burn extra calories. Using this plan will give you the tools you need to experience the weight loss you desire.
Step 1
Set a realistic timeline for losing these five pounds. At the most, you should aim to lose two-and-half pounds per week. If you set your goal for less than two weeks, you may not be setting yourself up for success.
Step 2
Make a list of foods that you ate the previous day. Are there areas where you could eliminate a food or an extra portion serving that could cut around 500 calories from your diet? You should aim to consume about 1,600 calories per day if you are a woman, 1,800 to 1,900 calories for a man. This may vary based on your current weight and activity level. Places to cut could include switching your full-calorie soda for diet or water, eliminating dessert after dinner or eating one less snack a day.
Step 3
Consume a small meal of 300 to 400 calories every four hours to keep your metabolism burning both strong and constant. If you deprive yourself of food for a long period of time, your body begins to enter a starvation mode, in which the metabolism slows down in order to more slowly use nutrients and calories in food for energy. A slower metabolism equals less calories burned--by keeping your food intake at a constant pace, you can maintain a consistent metabolism.
Step 4
Use exercise to supplement your dietary efforts. Remember, you are aiming for an extra 17,500 calories burned. While most of your calorie reductions will come from your diet, additional exercise session will not only help you burn calories, but they also will help you burn calories more efficiently. For the last five pounds, up your cardiovascular sessions in intensity or length in order to see results. Cardiovascular exercise options include walking, running, using an elliptical machine, swimming or engaging in any other exercise that gets the heart pumping.
Step 5
In addition to dedicated exercise sessions, incorporate sneaky ways to burn extra calories. These include taking the stairs instead of the elevator; parking farther away from the mall or work; pacing while on the phone instead of sitting; or getting up after an hour of work and climbing stairs or taking a walk around the block.
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