If you seek to lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you use in a day. Quick, in terms of weight loss, is only about 2 lbs. per week. If you are obese, "quick weight loss" means about 1 percent of your body weight per week. Health experts, such as those at the Harvard School of Public Health, the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health note that losing weight more quickly usually is a result of deprivation, insufficient nutrition or over exercising. Your body often burns off healthy lean muscle, in addition to fat when you lose weight rapidly. To remain healthy and effectively lose weight, you will need to follow a balanced--but low calorie--diet and participate in vigorous exercise.
Step 1
Determine how many calories you burn in day. Use an online site like the Calories Per Hour website to determine your daily rate, according to your age, gender, size and activity level. Set a dietary calorie goal at least 500 calories fewer than this daily burn amount to lose 1 lb. per week. It will need to be 1,000 fewer calories to lose 2 lbs. per week. If this puts you under 1,200 calories as a female or 1,500 as a male--the minimum recommended daily calories by the National Institutes of Health--then add in additional exercise to increase your daily burn.
Step 2
Eat a higher protein diet and emphasize sources low in saturated fat. Increase your protein intake because, as researchers led by Christopher D. Gardner, Ph.D., reported in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" in 2007, dieters who followed a high protein diet, such as the Atkins plan, lost more weight and experienced more favorable overall metabolic effects at 12 months than those who followed diets permitting higher carbohydrate intake. Although some concerns about high protein diets continue, the Institute of Medicine recommends adults consume as much as 35 percent of daily calories from protein sources. Make sure you balance the rest of your calories with whole grains, leafy green vegetables and monounsaturated fats to maximize your nutritional profile.
Step 3
Eat other foods that encourage satiation and fat burning. Add almonds to your diet, as a study published in the "British Journal of Nutrition" in 2007 showed that up to 3 oz. a day increased feelings of satisfaction, resulting in fewer total calories consumed over the course of the day. Drink green tea and add hot peppers to your entrees, as these foods contain compounds that help raise the metabolism, helping you to burn slightly more calories daily. Include more servings of dairy daily, for researchers at Curtin University of Technology in Australia found that women who took in five servings of dairy daily lost more weight and fat than those consuming three or fewer servings.
Step 4
Exceed the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for exercise. Jog, or participate in another equivalent cardiovascular exercise, for about 20 miles per week (35 minutes, six times per week at a 6 mph pace). Among 225 participants in a study published in a 2005 edition of the "Journal of Applied Physiology," those who exercised this amount experience significant fat loss.
Step 5
Try a yoga class or practice with a DVD at home several times per week. A study funded by The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research center reported that regular yoga practice correlates with mindful eating and decreased rates of obesity.
Step 6
Incorporate more every day movement. Try NEAT--non-exercise activity thermogenesis--which involves animating your daily routine by taking the stairs, pacing while on the phone or adding gestures to your communications. You may burn as many as 250 extra calories through these simple movement additions.
Tips and Warnings
- If these changes are extreme for you, you may experience a greater initial weight loss in the first week or so of your efforts, but that rate loss will slow as your body adapts to the changes. Avoid skipping meals to hasten your rate of weight loss. This only results in decreased energy (and thus decreased movement and calorie-burn) and possible nutritional inadequacies. You may experience extreme hunger that causes you to overeat at the next opportunity and ruin your efforts.
Things You'll Need
- Lean protein
- Whole grains
- Vegetables
- Almonds
- Low-fat dairy
- Green tea
- Peppers
- Yoga DVD
References
- "Journal of the American Medical Association;" Comparison of the Atkins, Zone, Ornish and LEARN Diets for Change in Weight and Related Risk Factors Among Overweight Premenopausal Women; March 2007
- "Journal of Applied Physiology;" Inactivity, Exercise and Visceral Fat; June 2005
- Fred Hutchinson Research Center
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