Three pounds a week is a little more than experts at the American Obesity Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise, but is it entirely doable if you incorporate diet and exercise into your life. You will have to cut back on and work off a total of 10,500 calories each week if you want to lose three pounds.
Step 1
Record everything you eat for one week prior to your weight loss program. Eat and drink normally so you can accurately figure out how many calories you are consuming.
Step 2
From your previous caloric total, cut 750 to 1,000 calories each day. Reducing your calories by this much will help get you to your three-pound goal. The American Obesity Association suggests cutting 500 to 1,000 calories per day for one to two pounds per week of weight loss.
Step 3
Alter your diet. Shrink your portions, cut out junk food and drink water instead of lattes, Frappuccinos, sodas or alcohol. Consult a sample low-calorie menu for guidance, as advised by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Try a pancake breakfast made with 1% milk, low fat milk and egg whites, an orange and a cup of milk for breakfast. Eat a cup of low-sodium vegetable soup, a bagel, a spinach salad and an apple for lunch. Eat an egg white omelette with mozzarella cheese, half a cup of brown rice, a slice of whole wheat bread and a fig bar cookie for dinner.
Step 4
Exercise to expend between 750 and 1,000 calories per day. Combined with the calories cut from you diet, this will equate to a total of 1,500 calories. Start with easy activities like brisk walking, water aerobics, dancing or using a cardio machine at an intensity that will get your heart rate up enough to increase your breathing without stopping you from being able to hold a conversation, as recommended by the CDC.
Step 5
Use an activity calculator to estimate calories burned (see Resources). Enter your weight and time you have available to exercise, and then choose an activity that will burn the 750 to 1,000 calories.
Member Comments