In looking for the quickest method to lose 20 lbs., many people have a tendency to turn to fad diets to shed the excess weight. They often offer sizable results without much effort from you. And while some of these weight loss programs lead to rapid weight loss, they really do nothing to prevent weight gain after you've reached your weight loss goal. If you're hoping to lose 20 lbs. of weight, the safest and most effective method is a combination of diet and exercise.
Step 1
Establish the amount of time you hope to take to lose the weight. To help you determine what needs to be done to lose the 20 lbs., establish a time frame for this goal. For the sake of example, let's establish a goal of two months, which is 10 lbs. a month or 2 1/2 lbs. a week. Losing 20 lbs. in two months is entirely attainable.
Step 2
Gauge the amount of calories you can consume to maintain your current weight. Use your weight in pounds and your height in inches and plug them into an equation based on your sex.
Men: 66 + (6.23 x weight) + (12.7 x height) - (6.8 x age in years)
Women: 655 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) - (4.7 x age in years)
Multiply this number by 1.2 to gauge the number of calories you can consume each day to maintain your weight without exercising.
Step 3
Reduce your caloric intake based on the number from the equation in Step 2. For example, if your caloric need is 1,900 calories a day, to lose roughly 1 lb. a week with diet alone, reduce your calories to 1,400 a day. A deficit of 500 calories each day adds up to 3,500 calories a week, which is equal to 1 lb. of fat, according to the National Institutes of Health. In two months, you should drop 8.7 lbs. of weight, leaving just over 11 lbs. to reach your 20-lb. goal.
Step 4
Bike, jog, walk or take part in any other athletic pursuit each day of the week. To burn additional calories and lose further weight, you need to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. If you were to burn another 500 calories each day through exercise, you'd rack up another 8.7 lbs. of weight loss in two months, adding up to a total 17.4 lbs. Use the health tool in the Resource section to help you determine the appropriate amount of exercise to reach this goal.
Step 5
Decide if additional caloric restriction or exercise is right for you. If you follow the described plan, you have an additional 2.6 lbs. left to lose, which requires a further deficit of 9,100 calories over the course of two months. Reducing your caloric intake another 150 calories a day can add up to this number. Or you can burn these calories with exercise. It's entirely up to you.
Tips and Warnings
- According to the National Institutes of Health, women shouldn't eat fewer than 1,200 calories and men shouldn't eat fewer than 1,500 calories each day. Two months as a goal for 20 lbs. of weight loss is just an example. Feel free to adjust your goal however you see fit. Caloric consumption and level of exercise will change based on the length of time.
- Before taking part in this weight loss program to lose 20 lbs., talk to your physician.
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