Weight loss is an admirable goal for those with body mass indexes (BMI) over the normal range of 18.5 to 24.9. Health risks increase with your weight, and being overweight or obese can heighten your risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other health conditions. Even losing just a few pounds can help an existing condition like diabetes, explains the American Diabetes Association. If you choose to lose weight rapidly, you need to approach your weight loss safely to increase your chance of long-term success. Always talk to your doctor before beginning a weight loss plan.
Be Realistic About Your Goals
Seeing visible results from your weight loss efforts will certainly provide powerful motivation, but you should approach weight loss realistically and set reasonable goals. MayoClinic.com recommends losing 1 to 2 lbs. a week as a safe approach to losing weight. The risk of losing weight too rapidly lies in the stress you will place on your body. You also might find yourself weak from a reduced caloric intake, which undermines your efforts to exercise for weight loss. You should not reduce your caloric intake below your basal metabolic rate (BMR), the amount of calories your body needs to exist.
Add Cardio Workouts
A quick way to lose weight is to increase your cardio workouts. These types of exercise burn significant amounts of calories. To lose weight, the American Council on Exercise recommends aerobic workouts at least five times a week. You can increase your weight loss by ramping up the intensity of your workouts. For example, brisk walking burns about 277 calories an hour for a 160 lb. person. If you run instead, you can up your calorie burn to 986 calories an hour.
Do the Math
To lose weight rapidly, you need to create a deficit between the calories you take in and the calories you burn. The best way to determine this is by keeping a food and exercise journal. You will need to record everything you eat and drink as well as your workouts. Your caloric intake should be below your BMR plus your calories burned from exercise. This approach is one of the best ways to identify a problem if you find yourself at a plateau.
Combine Exercise and Diet
You might find that you will achieve the best results for quick weight loss if you combine exercise and dieting. A 2011 study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center looked at the effects of exercise only, diet only and the two combined. Researchers found that participants using a combined approach lost 27 percent more weight than the other approaches. Using this method instills several healthy habits while not leaving you feeling deprived or risking overtraining to lose weight rapidly. An added benefit is long-term success with managing your weight.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; About BMI for Adults; February 15, 2011
- "Diabetes Care"; Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes-2008; American Diabetes Association; January 2008
- MayoClinic.com; Weight Loss: 6 Strategies for Success; December 18, 2010
- Discovery Health: Basal Metabolic Rate
- MayoClinic.com; Exercise for Weight Loss; Calories Burned in 1 Hour; December 1, 2009
- American Council on Exercise: Three Things Every Exercise Program Should Have
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