According to the National Institutes of Health, the real secret to long-term weight loss success is a gradual loss in weight. That's 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week. This is done through caloric restriction, aerobic exercise and resistance training. Not only does this method of losing excess pounds help you to achieve your weight loss goals, but it can also aid in keeping the weight off. If you're hoping to lose 20 pounds over the next 3 months, you only need to drop less than 2 pounds a week, which is rather doable.
Step 1
Calculate your caloric need. To do this, you'll simply use your age, height, weight and level of activity.
For men, it's [66 + (inches x 12.7) + (pounds x 6.23) - (age x 6.8)] x activity level.
For women, it's [655 + (inches x 4.7) + (pounds x 4.35) - (age x 4.7)] x activity level.
Use the numeric value for level of activity in the "Tips" section.
Step 2
Consume upwards of 3,500 less calories on a week-to-week basis. A pound of weight loss, according to the National Institutes of Health, is equivalent to 3,500 calories. By consuming 500 fewer calories each day, you can expect to lose anywhere between 12 and 13 pounds of weight in 3 months.
Step 3
Eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains while limiting meats, fats and dairy. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains naturally have far fewer calories than meats, fats and dairy. Increasing your intake of produce and grains should make it much easier to cut those 500 calories from your diet each day.
Step 4
Make sure to eat foods you like. While it's important to incorporate more fruits, veggies and whole grains into your diet, you still need to be realistic. If you don't like certain fruits or vegetables, don't force yourself to eat them. Find ones you like, or you may give up your diet.
Step 5
Jog, bike, swim, walk or take part in any physical activity that gets you to sweat. You still have between 7 and 8 pounds of weight to lose in order to meet your 20-pound goal. Over the course of 3 months, that's an additional 270 to 311 calories left to burn on any given day. Thirty minutes to an hour of daily aerobic exercise can often help you to burn those remaining calories.
Step 6
Start lifting weights a few times a week. By lifting weights, you're building more and more muscles, which actually helps the body burn more calories, according to the Mayo Clinic. Even when your body is at rest, you can anticipate burning additional calories with the added muscle mass.
Tips and Warnings
- Values for Levels of Activity per Week: Vigorously active (more than 7 periods of exercise) = 1.9 Extremely active (6 to 7 periods of exercise) = 1.725 Moderately active (3 to 5 periods of exercise) = 1.55 Lightly active (1 to 3 periods of exercise) = 1.375 Sedentary adults (no exercise) = 1.2 Though you may be limiting your intake of meats, fats and dairy, it's still vital to get the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients found in these food sources. Turn to lean cuts of meat as well as fish or poultry, and stick to low-fat version of dairy products, such as skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese.
- It's highly recommended that you discuss your weight loss goals and weight loss plans with your doctor. He may have other options that best fit your health and lifestyle.
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