Losing a significant amount of weight requires patience and discipline. Although your rate of weight loss is likely to vary from week to week, a health rate is 1 to 2 lbs. per week --- meaning that it might take you 15 to 30 weeks to lose 30 lbs. A comprehensive weight-loss plan that's more likely to be successful incorporates both a healthy eating routine and a consistent exercise program. Instead of focusing on the overall weight-loss goal, focus on the day-to-day steps of creating a caloric deficit, which means burning more calories than you consume.
Step 1
Use a scale to weigh yourself and record your current weight. Weigh yourself on the same day, at the same time, every week. Keeping track of your progress will help maintain your motivation level and will help you feel accountable. Plus, you can make adjustments to your calorie intake or exercise regimen if you're not losing weight.
Step 2
Estimate how many calories you burn each day. If you're a woman, calculate the total with this equation: 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years). If you're a man, your equation is this: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years). Multiply the figure by an activity factor to account for the calories you burn through exercise, the "National Strength and Conditioning Association's Performance Training Journal" instructs. If you're bedridden, multiply the calorie total by 1.2; if you're sedentary, multiply by 1.3; if you're active, multiply your value by 1.4; if you're very active, multiply by 1.5.
Step 3
Calculate the number of calories you should consume each day to lose weight, subtracting 250 to 500 from the estimated number of calories you burn each day. Losing weight requires you to consume fewer calories than you burn each day, and a deficit of 250 to 500, though a healthy cut in your daily consumption, should still adequately provide your body with nutrients and fuel.
Step 4
Incorporate exercise into your regimen most days of the week. The American Council on Exercise recommends working out at least four days per week. The more often you exercise, the more calories you will burn and thus contribute to your caloric deficit for weight loss.
Step 5
Make your workouts 30 to 60 minutes long. If you're unable to complete at least 30 minutes in one session, break your workout time into multiple shorter bouts.
Tips and Warnings
- In addition to your scheduled workouts, incorporate short brisk walks throughout your day. You will increase your total calorie burn and also charge up your metabolic rate, increasing how many calories you burn throughout the rest of the day.
- Do not cut your calorie intake by more than 500 daily in an attempt to lose weight faster. The calories you consume fuel your tissues and important organs like your brain. In addition to being dangerous, starving yourself will slow your metabolic rate and make losing weight more difficult. Consult your doctor before beginning any new weight-loss program; discuss your weight-loss goals and get advice on the proper diet and kinds of exercise for your situation.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Calculator
- Athletic shoes
- Timer
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