Losing weight requires diligence along with a healthy dose of realism. Plan on dropping 1 to 2 lbs. per week when you calculate how much weight is healthy to lose in three months. The Mayo Clinic and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasize that the proper, healthy way to shed weight is to shift your focus away from simply looking thin and fitting into smaller clothing. Instead, use the next 12 weeks to infuse some wholesome habits into your daily rhythm so you feel as good as you look.
Mathematics
Losing weight requires some basic arithmetic. One pound equals 3,500 calories. Eliminate 500 calories daily for seven days to lose 1 lb. in one week. This adds up to your 3,500 calorie deficit. Double your efforts so that you slash 1,000 calories per day, which adds up to a 2-lb. drop every week. Spread your efforts over 12 weeks. At the end of your three-month journey, you should be 12 to 24 pounds lighter.
Balance
Your body requires a balance of added activity and dietary changes to lose weight, MayoClinic.com suggests. Physical exertion gives you an extra edge in melting calories that dieting alone cannot accomplish. For example, give up 20 oz. of regular soda every day and take a 2.5-mile walk each evening, the American Cancer Society recommends. These two actions together eliminate 500 calories in one day and help you hit your goal of losing 1 lb. per week.
Personalize
Some people shed pounds more quickly than their peers when they launch their three-month weight loss endeavor. A sedentary person might report a more noticeable weight reduction because of that sudden burst of exercise. Existing weight also influences caloric burn. A 200-lb. man burns 312 calories during an hour-long bike ride at 6 mph, while his 100-lb. wife burns 160 calories on the same bicycle trip, the American Heart Association calculates. Likewise, faster pedaling at 12 mph can burn 534 calories in an hour for that same 200-lb. man and 270 for his wife.
Goals
Establish realistic goals for yourself over the next three months. Saying that you want to lose 30 pounds and look great at your family reunion is admirable. But you'll achieve healthier results by pledging to eat four servings of vegetables and four fruits every day along with walking for 30 minutes. Committing yourself to using stairs instead of elevators is going to carry you a greater distance than swearing off desserts so you can fit into a bathing suit. Choose realistic objectives that promote lifelong wellness, not just temporary fixes. Consult your doctor before beginning any new weight-loss program.
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