While weight gain requires little more than constant consumption of food, weight loss isn't so simple. An efficient combination of diet and exercise is necessary to lose weight. On top of this, a lifestyle change is needed to keep the weight off in the long run. Although diet and exercise may seem foreign to you now, they may be easily combined into several major steps that will lead you to healthy weight loss.
Step 1
Find the caloric intake necessary for weight loss. Maintenance intake is the number of calories we must take in to prevent weight gain and weight loss. This number is typically found using various calculators, but may also be found by tracking calories and body weight for a short period of time. From this maintenance level, begin by subtracting 500 calories to lose weight.
Step 2
Find the appropriate macronutrient ratios. Protein, carbohydrates and fat are all necessary parts of the diet. Protein helps maintain and build muscle, carbohydrates are used by the body its primary energy source and healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats both insulate and protect us from cardiovascular disease. If possible, include some amount of each of these macronutrients in each meal.
Step 3
Choose only the leanest cuts of meat to avoid unnecessary saturated fat. Eat complex carbohydrates such sweet potatoes and brown rice. Stick to foods containing healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats: avocados, nuts, seeds, cooking oils and peanut butter. Some food choices are much healthier than others, allowing for a healthier body and quicker weight loss.
Step 4
Attend the gym only two days each week and bump it up to three when your body is better accustomed to the demands of exercise. Comprise this program mainly of compound exercises such as squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press and rows. Use repetitions in the range of eight to 12 to promote calorie expenditure and muscular endurance.
Step 5
Add cardiovascular exercise to the mix. Cardio allows helps burn extra calories, potentially resulting in more efficient weight loss. Use a mix of both low intensity cardio and high intensity interval training. Both of these methods can be used with running, biking and swimming. Dedicate two or three days each week to cardiovascular activity.
Tips and Warnings
- Be consistent in each of these steps. Temporary dedication equals temporary results.
- Avoid starvation. Limiting calories too much can cause unnecessary muscle loss.
Things You'll Need
- Gym membership
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