If you want to lose 40 pounds in four months, you'll need to lose about 10 pounds a month or two to three pounds per week. To lose this amount of weight in four months you have to be willing to exercise on a regular basis and make healthy eating choices whenever possible. To keep the weight off you'll need to continue with these lifestyle changes after you've lost the 40 pounds. You can add more calories back into your diet and exercise less; however, the basic recommendations still apply.
Step 1
Record your meals and caloric intake for three days in a small notebook. Then average how many calories you're consuming on a regular basis. To lose two to three pounds a week you'll need to reduce or burn 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day. If you're a woman, reduce your caloric intake by at least 500 a day. If you're averaging more than 2,000 calories, bring your intake down to 1,500 per day. Men should bring their intake down by at least 500 a day, or if you're averaging more than 2,500 calories, bring it down to 2,000. You'll accomplish the rest of your calorie reduction through exercise.
Step 2
Cut your calories by eating healthful foods that will fill you up like whole grains, fruit, vegetables and lean proteins such as fish and chicken. Eat a salad every night before you eat your dinner entree, so you'll fill up on healthful foods, which will lead you to eat less. You've probably been told to eat five servings of vegetables and fruits per day, but with this diet, you should aim for nine servings.
Step 3
Drink eight glasses of water per day. Don't consume calories from soda and juice throughout the day, and stay away from diet drinks. Take a reusable water bottle with you on errands, to work and to the gym.
Step 4
Buy a pedometer and start taking at least 10,000 steps a day, which is equivalent to 4.5 to 5 miles. Fit in extra steps by parking farther away from work, taking quick five-minute walk breaks during your work day and walking rather than driving to the deli for lunch.
Step 5
Add at least 30 minutes of heart-pumping cardiovascular workouts at least five days a week into your exercise routine, after the first week of walking at least 10,000 steps each day. You could run, bike, jump rope, take an aerobics class or do any other heart rate-elevating exercise. If you reduced your daily caloric intake by only about 500 calories, you need to burn the other calories to lose two to three pounds per week.
Step 6
Start lifting weights for 30 to 45 minutes twice a week. This will help you lose weight faster by building lean muscle mass. Your body continues to burn fat for hours after you stop lifting weights.
Things You'll Need
- Notebook
- Pedometer
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