According to the National Institutes of Health, the fastest and most effective way to lose weight in a month is a balance of calories and activity. If you expend more calories than you consume, you lose weight. This is accomplished by reducing your caloric intake as you increase your energy expenditure. However, there are limits to the amount of weight you should lose in this time frame. Based on information provided by the government, a healthy weight loss in a month is approximately 4 to 8 lbs.
Step 1
Verify the number of calories you need to maintain your weight at this time. Your sex, weight, height and age can help you with this number:
[(6.23 x lbs.) + (12.7 x inches) - (6.8 x years) + 66] x 1.2 = Male Caloric Need
[(4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) - (4.7 x years) + 655] x 1.2 = Female Caloric Need
Step 2
Cut calories from your diet by either reducing the amount of food you eat or modifying the types of foods you eat, says the National Institutes of Health. This produces a caloric deficit. After you've accrued a shortage of 3,500 calories, you lose 1 lb. of fat.
Step 3
Add exercise. Thirty minutes of moderate exercise each day can help you lose weight, advises the National Institutes of Health. As you take part in physical activities, your body naturally burns calories, which creates a caloric deficit. And much like with diet, a shortfall of 3,500 calories generates a pound of weight loss. If you're able to burn 250 calories a day, you can expect to lose just over 2 lbs. in a month. Burn twice as many calories and lose twice as much weight in this time frame.
Step 4
Avoid drinking calories. Beverages that contain calories can contribute to weight gain. By eliminating calories consumed from soda, juice, tea, sports drinks and coffee, you may experience a loss in weight.
Step 5
Incorporate additional physical activities into your daily life. If you drive your car to work, school or the grocery store, consider using your bike instead. Even opting to take the stairs over the elevator can help to burn additional calories, and thereby encourage additional weight loss.
Tips and Warnings
- Modifying the types of foods you eat involves having a salad instead of fries, fruit instead of candy or string cheese instead of chips. Basically, you want to eat more fruits, veggies and whole grains to naturally lower your caloric intake. You can also reduce calorie consumption by eating lean meats rather than fatty cuts or opting for vegetable proteins, like tofu or legumes, over meat altogether.
- Don't reduce your caloires below 1,200 for women or 1,500 for men, advises the National Insitutes of Health.
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