Even if you're more than 40 lbs. overweight, you still have the same bottom line as the rest of the world: to lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you consume. A quick fix diet might sound tempting, especially when it can promise near-instant results, but the same slow and steady approach to weight loss that works for 5 lbs. is still going to be the best way to lose more than 40 lbs.
Slow and Steady
The healthiest and most effective way to lose weight, even if you're aiming to shed more than 40 lbs., is the slow and steady approach. This translates to a weight-loss goal of, at most, 2 lbs. per week. While the time it would take to lose 40 lbs. might seem like a near eternity at 20 weeks, recall that you did not gain the weight overnight, so it's best not to expect to lose it in the same manner.
Slowly working towards your goal with small lifestyle changes gives you a greater chance of success. It also helps to ensure the weight you lose stays off rather than comes right back on once you've met your goal.
Small Changes
Small changes are less overwhelming than a major overhaul. One small change can be less painful, less noticeable and be your only focus until it becomes a habit. An example offered by weight-loss, behavioral and exercise expert Kara Mohr, Ph.D., is to start by cutting out liquid calories, of which the typical American consumes 450 per day. Replacing your usual soda, beer or milkshake with a glass of water is an instant way to cut out major calories. Other small changes can include walking or biking instead of taking your car or eating fresh fruit rather than freshly baked cookies for dessert.
Exercise
The most successful weight-loss programs include more than 30 minutes of moderate activity per day. Your extra 40-plus lbs. might put a lot of stress on your joints or make high-impact or high-intensity workouts difficult. Low-impact, lower-intensity workouts, such as riding a stationary bicycle or doing water aerobics, are easier on your joints, but still burn calories. If you weigh 200 lbs., for example, an hour of water aerobics or riding an exercise bike at a leisurely pace of less than 10 mph can burn 364 calories, MayoClinic.com says.
Considerations
Each pound is worth 3,500 calories, which means you have to burn off an additional 3,500 calories above and beyond what your body normally uses to lose a single pound. When you're more than 40 lbs. overweight, your body needs more calories to maintain that higher weight than it will need to function at a lower weight. Your weight loss can start off quicker and get slower as you progress.
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