Twenty pounds may seem like a lot of weight to lose. But over a 10-week period of time, it's actually an achievable goal. One of the keys to successful weight loss, according to the National Institutes of Health, is a slow drop in weight of about 1 to 2 pounds a week. That's right within the time frame of 20 pounds in 10 weeks.
Step 1
Determine your base metabolic rate. This is done by using your age, height and weight. The equations are different for men and women.
Women: 655 + (pounds x 4.35) + (inches x 4.7) - (years x 4.7)
Men: 66 + (pounds x 6.23) + (inches x 12.7) - (years x 6.8)
Step 2
Establish your daily calories. Establishing your daily calories clarifies how much you can eat to maintain your current weight. Multiply your base metabolic rate by your activity level (see "Tips").
Step 3
Eat 500 fewer calories each day. By eating 500 fewer calories each day, you should drop about 1 pound each week. According to the Mayo Clinic and the National Institutes of Health, 3,500 calories is equal to 1 pound of weight loss. Use your daily calories to determine exactly how many calories you can consume each day.
Step 4
Keep your diet balanced. Even while you're trying to lose weight, you still want to maintain a well-balanced diet. That means plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as some lean meats, low-fat dairy and nuts.
Step 5
Include foods that you actually like to eat. If you don't like what you're eating, you probably won't stick to your diet, so include foods that taste good to you, yet are still nutritious.
Step 6
Start walking, biking, running, swimming or taking part in other athletic pursuits. You still need to burn an additional 500 calories each day to meet your goal of 20 pounds in 10 weeks. You should do this with exercise, so incorporate 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity each day to burn those other calories. To get a rough estimate of calories burned for a particular exercise, see the Calories Burned Estimator at HealthStatus.com.
Step 7
Consider lifting weights (or other resistance training activities). Building muscle is another key to successful weight loss. It essentially boosts your metabolism, since muscle burns more calories than fat, according to the Mayo Clinic. For best results, try to lift weights two to three times a week.
Step 8
Think about joining a weight-loss group. Not only can it provide support, but many offer education and techniques for healthy eating and exercise, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Tips and Warnings
- Numeric Values for Activity Levels • Sedentary adults = 1.2. • Light activity (1 to 3 days per week) = 1.375 • Moderate activity (3 to 5 days per week) = 1.55 • Strenuous activity (6 to 7 days per week) = 1.725 • Vigorous activity (more than 7 times per week) = 1.9
- Talk to your doctor if you're planning on dieting or starting an exercise program.
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