Healthy weight loss requires making lasting changes to your lifestyle and should not require purchasing trendy diet aids or gimmicks. To lose weight, you simply need to burn more calories than you consume. You can achieve this caloric deficit by following a healthy, reduced-calorie diet and getting regular aerobic exercise.
Step 1
Set a reasonable weight-loss goal. Weight loss should occur gradually over time rather than all at once. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend trying to lose weight at the rate of about 1 to 2 lbs. per week. At this rate, you could lose 8 to 16 lbs. in just two months. To lose weight at this rate, you'll need to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than you consume each day.
Step 2
Add regular aerobic exercise to your weekly routine. High-intensity aerobic workouts burn calories quickly. An hour of jogging at 5 mph can burn 584 calories for a 160-lb. adult, 728 calories for a 200-lb. adult and 872 calories for a 240-lb. adult. An hour of running at 8 mph can burn 986 calories for a 160-lb. adult, 1,229 calories for a 200-lb. adult and 1,472 calories for a 240-lb. adult. Competitive sports also provide good calorie-burning workouts. In one hour of playing basketball, football or singles tennis, a 200-lb. person can burn 728 calories. Other good calorie-burning workouts include swimming laps, climbing a stair treadmill, jumping rope and rollerblading. Try to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise each week.
Step 3
Add intervals of higher-intensity effort to your workouts to burn more calories. For example, if you usually jog at 5 mph, add a minute of running at 8 mph every 10 minutes. If you usually walk briskly, add intervals of jogging to your workout.
Step 4
Follow a healthy, reduced-calorie diet. Look for healthy foods that you enjoy eating. A healthy diet should include plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and low-fat or fat-free dairy products. Include protein sources such as fish, lean meats, poultry, eggs and legumes in your diet as well. Limit your intake of foods high in cholesterol, saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars and salt.
Step 5
Track your progress in a journal to stay focused and motivated. Record your workouts and try to increase the duration or intensity of your weekly exercise as you get into better shape.
Tips and Warnings
- Schedule workouts with friends or family members to make them more enjoyable. You might also find that you are less likely to skip a workout if you scheduled it with a partner.
- Consult a physician before beginning a new, strenuous workout program.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Calories Burned in 1 Hour; December 2009
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Balancing Calories; February 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Losing Weight; February 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity & Health; February 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight; February 2011
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