How To Lose Fifty Pounds Healthily

There may seem to be endless infomercials and advertisements for quick, almost magical weight loss opportunities but the truth is that there are very few healthy, safe ways to slim down. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, there's just one: burning more calories than you consume through a combination of increased physical activity and following a low-calorie diet. If you move at a healthy pace, you're not likely to see quick results but you will enjoy a greater chance of seeing your weight loss last.

Step 1

Begin by cutting the number of calories you normally eat in a day. When you reduce calories, you can choose how quickly or slowly you lose weight. According to MayoClinic preventive medicine specialist Edward R. Laskowski, M.D., cutting calories is a more effective way to lose weight than exercising more because it's hard to plan and guarantee how many calories you'll burn with workouts. To decide how many calories to cut, figure out how many you usually eat in a day, with the aid of a food journal or an online calorie counter. Track your totals for a few days and then average them.

Step 2

Reduce your daily diet by 500 calories to lose one lb. per week; cutting 1,000 will help you drop two. If you have 50 lbs. to lose, it's healthiest and easiest to start by cutting no more than 500 calories, since your body will need time to adjust to the change. There are many ways to successfully cut calories, such as serving smaller portions, eating lower-calorie foods, using food substitution or cutting out the most indulgent, high-calorie items entirely.

Step 3

Increase the amount of physical activity that you do. Keep in mind that not all physical activity has to be structured exercise. For example, you can burn up to several hundred extra calories per day by walking during your lunch hour instead of sitting at your desk or eating at a restaurant. If you want to do some of the highest calorie-burning activities for faster results, try kickboxing, running or rollerblading.

According to MayoClinic.com, these all burn more than 900 calories in an hour for a 200-lb. person. Ideally, the American Council on Exercise recommends that you participate in some form of cardio activity for at least 225 minutes per week.

Step 4

Get your weight loss plan approved by your doctor before you begin. If you're obese or have any health conditions, some exercises may not be safe for you and your doctor can provide guidance for how you should proceed. You can also consult your doctor if you experience any complications or if you don't see results from your plan within about four to six weeks after starting.

Step 5

Prepare for a slow, steady pace of weight loss. According to CDC.gov, people who lose less than two lbs.per week are more likely to keep the weight off as time goes on. You must burn or save 3,500 calories to lose one lb. but when you have 50 of them to take off, slow progress is reliable, safe and healthy.