Wanting to lose a substantial amount of weight -- 63 lbs., for example -- should be viewed as a long-term goal, although you can make significant progress on a shorter-term basis, such as weekly. First, it's important to recognize a safe rate of weight loss. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, describes safe weight loss as a maximum of 2 lbs. per week. Knowing that 3,500 calories is equal to 1 lb. of body weight, this is the same as cutting and burning 7,000 calories-a-week, also known as a calorie deficit.
Dieting
Although it might be frustrating, and you're looking for the quickest results possible, it's best to avoid fad diets, diet pills and other diet gimmicks. The Mayo Clinic points out that resorting to these types of weight loss "secrets" might lead to short-term weight loss, but usually results in gaining the weight back, and then some, in the long term. Instead, stick to the plan spelled out in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This comprehensive report on healthy eating suggests you eat nutritionally dense foods low in sugar, salt and saturated fats. Good choices include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, lean meats/fish and low-fat dairy.
Calories
Eating the right number of calories for you to lose weight is the key to jump-starting your weight loss quickly. The USDA offers a free online tool for quickly computing this information; it's called the MyPyramid Tool. This tool will show you exactly how many calories to target each day to lose weight at a healthy rate as recommended by the CDC. Additionally, it will show which foods to focus on, according to the USDA's guidelines. The USDA recommendations will help you achieve your goal of 2 lbs. per week faster than you might think.
Exercise
Exercising every day can further speed up the weight loss process. It offers residual health benefits as well, such as increased energy, better mood and improved cardiovascular health. Exercising for 30 to 60 minutes at a moderately-intense pace is ideal when focusing on losing more than 60 lbs. Try to do so at least five days per week, and make it a habit to get in the gym. Any cardiovascular exercise will work fine for weight loss purposes, such as walking briskly, jogging, biking, rollerblading, swimming, aerobics or circuit training.
Results
Assuming you're creating a calorie deficit of 1,000 calories per day -- about 600 calories cut from your diet and 400 calories burned through exercising -- you can achieve your weight loss goal in less than 32 weeks. This is a best-case-scenario, and it's not always that easy. Be prepared for setbacks, learn from them and try to use them as motivating factors to push harder to accomplish your goal. If you are following the diet and exercise plan described here and still aren't seeing results, you might want to talk to your doctor about possible disorders that could be affecting your progress, such as a thyroid disorder.
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