It doesn’t matter how much weight you want to lose; if you’re trying to shed five pounds or twenty, the process can be quite difficult.
Not only does it demand adjustments to one’s food and way of life, but it also requires a significant amount of patience on one’s part. The process of losing weight can, thankfully, be made easier and more efficient by employing a variety of tried-and-true methods.
It is not a healthy strategy to try to lose one pound per day. The common piece of advice given is to lose between one and one and a 1/2 pounds on a consistent weekly basis throughout the course of the following few months. If you truly need to drop a significant amount of weight quickly, you should do so under the guidance of a medical professional.
To shed one pound a day, you will have to engage in strenuous physical activity on a daily basis and reduce the number of calories you consume on a daily basis by a significant amount. It is possible that it could cause your metabolism to crash, which will lead to other issues such as an electrolyte imbalance and low sugar levels.
If you want to lose 1 pound of weight every day, you need to waste 3,500 kcal, but if you just conduct your regular activities, you just need to burn between 2,000 and 2,500 calories. This indicates that you must deprive yourself of food during the day and engage in as much physical activity as possible in order to burn off the leftover calories. This is not even close to being a possibility.
Consuming foods rich in protein in conjunction with engaging in physical activity of moderate to high intensity will assist you in maintaining a healthy weight and fostering the growth of lean muscle mass. In addition to that, you should make sure to rehydrate once you’ve worked up a sweat. If you want to lose one lb, you might have to cut back on a significant number of calories and even foods that are high in protein. On the other hand, doing so will simply result in your being sick and will provide you with the appearance of being thin rather than a physique that is toned.
A strong want to shed a significant amount of weight quickly may be an indicator of a body image disorder, which may require therapy as well as medication. It is not a healthy habit to be preoccupied with losing a significant amount of weight or to continue monitoring calories every minute of the day.
1. Count Calories
Tracking kcal is one of the simplest and most efficient ways to get a head start on losing weight quickly, which may sound like a statement that should go without saying.
You will experience weight loss if you burn more kcals than you consume, which may be accomplished by either decreasing the number of calories you consume or increasing the number of calories burned through physical activity.
Counting calories is a weight reduction method that can be helpful when combined with other dietary and lifestyle changes to provide the desired results. However, reducing calorie intake on its own is typically not considered a healthy or sustainable approach to losing weight.
Your consciousness of what you’re placing on your plate can be increased by keeping track of the calories you consume, which can provide you with the information you need to make decisions that are better for your health.
It is interesting to note that a meta-analysis of 37 trials indicated that losing weight programs that included calorie monitoring resulted in 7.3 lbs (3.3 kilograms) more weight loss than programs that did not include calorie counting. You might try keeping a food journal or using an app to monitor the number of calories you consume.
What is Healthy, Sustainable Weight Loss?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a healthy weight loss pace that can be sustained over the long term is one that involves a loss of 1-2 pounds per week. This is a decent rule of thumb to follow.
If you want to lose one pound of body fat each week, you need to burn around 3,500 more kcal than you consume each week. Your is the magic number needed to achieve this goal.
In order to accomplish this, you will need to reduce the amount of energy you consume each day by 500 calories.
Because 7,000 calories are equivalent to 2 lbs of body fat, reducing your calorie consumption by 1,000 calories per day will allow you to accomplish a weight loss of two pounds each week or 8-10 lbs in a month.
What is Rapid Weight Loss?
The most weight you can shed in a single month is approximately 20 lbs, which works out to approximately five lbs per week.
To lose weight at a rate of 1-2 pounds a week, it is typically recommended to consume between 1,200 and 1,800 calories per day. However, in order to reach this objective, you will most likely need to limit your calorie intake to between 500 and 800 per day for a period of 30 days.
Extremely low-calorie diets (VLCDs), which range from only 500 to 800 calories a day, are considered to be very low-calorie diets. These diets are best suited as medically assisted weight loss programs for persons who are at imminent risk of health complications related to obesity.
Because of this, adhering to very low-calorie diets (VLCDs) for an extended period of time puts you at risk for nutrient deficiencies, lethargy, gallstones, and hair loss, in addition to other unwanted side effects of fast weight loss.
As opposed to going for a speedy weight reduction, setting a target of losing roughly 10 pounds in the span of one month can help you achieve a healthy and safe weight loss.
2. Drink More Water
Increasing the amount of water you drink is a straightforward and easy technique to speed up the process of losing weight.
One study revealed that participants lost 44% more weight over the course of a 12-week period when they combined a low-calorie meal with an increase in the amount of water they drank before meals.
According to research, drinking water may help people lose weight by revving up their metabolism and momentarily increasing the number of calories their bodies burn after eating.
One study including 14 adults found that after 30–40 mins of drinking 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) of water, the participants saw a 30% increase in their metabolism.
Consuming water along with your meals will help you feel fuller for longer, thereby reducing the amount of food you consume overall.
For instance, the results of a short study showed that participants who drank 16.9 fl oz (500 ml) of water before a meal consumed 13% fewer calories over the course of the meal.
If you want to maximize the amount of weight you lose, you should aim to consume at least 34–68 fl oz or 1–2 liters of water every single day.
What Should You Do To Achieve Sustained Weight Loss?
Losing weight rapidly is more difficult to maintain than losing weight gradually over time.
It is advisable to shed between one and two lbs every week rather than one pound on a daily basis. This means lowering the total amount of calories consumed each day by merely 500 kcal.
Incorporating healthy eating habits and maintaining a regular exercise routine is all that is required to achieve a weight loss of one to 2 pounds each week.
The following are some healthy food habits that will help accomplish a gradual but maintained weight loss:
- Alternating the consumption of meals that are high in calories but low in nutrients with foods that are low in calories but high in nutrients
- Swapping out processed and packaged food for whole grains, fresh produce, and fruits and veggies
- Selecting low-fat alternatives rather than high-fat foods and beverages (low-fat skimmed milk instead of high-percentage-fat milk)
- Increasing the proportion of proteins in the diet while decreasing the proportion of carbohydrates.
Intermittent fasting technique
The American Heart Association advises at least thirty minutes of moderate physical activity 5 days a week or a total of one hundred fifty minutes of physical activity spread out over the course of a week. It is possible for you to perform workouts of a moderate level in between more strenuous ones. You should incorporate weight-bearing workouts and muscle-strengthening exercises into your workout routine in addition to cardiovascular activities such as jogging and cycling. Swimming is a fantastic kind of exercise.
Before beginning any quick weight loss program, it is imperative that you consult with your primary care physician, a fitness professional, and a licensed nutritionist or dietician. People who already have an underlying health issue, such as heart disease, are the ones who are most likely to be affected by this.
3. Increase Your Protein Intake
It is definitely necessary to increase the amount of protein-rich foods you consume if you want to lose 20 lbs in a short amount of time.
A diet high in protein has been linked to less fat accumulation in the abdominal region, as well as the maintenance of muscle mass and an unchanged metabolic rate during weight loss.
In addition to suppressing hunger, protein may also help lower overall calorie consumption.
One study involving 19 adults revealed that increasing the amount of protein consumed by just 15% boosted sensations of fullness and dramatically lowered the number of calories consumed overall, as well as abdominal fat and body mass.
Another study found that ingesting a meal that was high in protein significantly reduced levels of the hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for stimulating hunger, to a far larger degree than eating a breakfast that was heavy in carbohydrates.
You can incorporate into your diet a variety of nutritious sources of protein, including meat, poultry, seafood, legumes, eggs, seeds, and nuts.
Sample Calorie Deficits
The following is a list of several calorie deficits along with the number of pounds that can be lost with each one:
- 500 calorie deficit every day is one pound lost per week.
- a deficit of 1,000 calories per day results in the loss of 2 lbs each week
- a deficit of 1,500 calories per day results in the loss of 3 lbs each week
- a deficit of 2,000 calories per day results in the loss of 4 lbs each week
Because everyone’s metabolism is unique, the accuracy of these values can only be estimated.
The more kcal you burn (or the fewer calories you consume), the more weight you’ll lose, as a general principle.
4. Alter Grocery Shopping Lists
Because the meals you keep at home are the ones you will most likely wind up eating, making strategic shopping lists before going grocery shopping is a vital stage in the process of losing 8-10 lbs in 30 days.
Come to the conclusion that you will not purchase any junk food.
Stay away from highly processed foods such as chips, fried foods, sweets, sugary drinks, baked goods, processed meats, pizza, refined grains (white bread, white rice, etc.), and any other foods that fall into this category. Instead, select either:
- A wide assortment of fruits and vegetables that are still fresh.
- Chicken, eggs, fish, seafood, turkey, tofu, or seitan that is organically raised are also available.
- Whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and other cereals made with whole grains
- Some examples of good fats include olive oil, nuts, avocados, seeds, olives, nut butter, and nuts.
- Powder consisting of protein to be used in place of meals
- Milk with less fat, Greek yogurt, cheese with less fat, cottage cheese with less fat, and calcium-rich plant milk are all good options.
- Do you prefer coffee or green tea?
If you keep only nutritious, whole meals in your cupboard, you’ll find that losing weight in a month is much easier than you might think.
5. Cut Your Carb Consumption
Another helpful method to speed weight reduction is to reduce the number of refined carbohydrates that you consume.
During the processing of refined carbohydrates, the nutrients, and fiber that they originally had were removed, leaving behind a final version that is deficient in nutritional value.
In addition to this, they often have a high glycemic index, which indicates that they are digested and absorbed rapidly. This is because they are heavy in sugar. The rapid digestion of food causes blood sugar levels to jump and then drop, which is followed by an increase in hunger.
There is a correlation between eating a large number of refined carbohydrates and increasing body fat as well as weight gain.
For example, one study involving 2,834 people found that a greater consumption of refined carbs was related to more belly fat, whereas a greater daily consumption of whole grains was associated with decreased belly fat. This was found when comparing the two groups’ dietary intakes of refined carbohydrates and whole grains.
When compared with a diet that was centered on refined grains, a diet that was rich in whole grains was found to result in lower body weight as well as a lower calorie intake. These findings came from another small study.
To get started, all you have to do is replace refined grains found in foods like pasta, white bread, cereals, and pre-packaged goods with whole-grain alternatives like couscous, brown rice, quinoa, or barley. This will get you on your way to a healthier diet.
6. Start Lifting Weights
A form of physical activity known as resistance training includes engaging against a force in order to build both the strength and endurance of the muscles.
Including weight exercise in your regimen can rev up your metabolism and increase the amount of fat you burn, allowing you to burn more calories even when you’re not moving.
According to the findings of one study, ten weeks of strength training can lead to an increase in the metabolism of up to 7%, stabilization of blood sugar levels in diabetics, and a loss of fat of up to 1.8 kilograms (4 lbs) in adults.
Another study including 94 women found that resistance exercise helped sustain fat-free mass and metabolism after losing weight. This enabled the body to burn more calories over the course of the day.
To get started, you can either go to a gym or perform exercises at home using your own body weight, such as squats, planks, and lunges.
7. Eat Non-Starchy Vegetables and Protein First
Consuming foods that are lower in calories but still fill you up helps you feel fuller for longer, which makes it simpler to consume fewer calories while you are actually eating.
Celery, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumbers, leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, and asparagus are some examples of vegetables that should be eaten first because they are low in calories and do not contain starch.
Vegetables that do not include starch should cover half of each plate.
Consume foods that are high in protein but yet relatively low in calories, since this will help you feel full for a longer amount of time.
Chicken, salmon, tofu, shrimp, turkey, and other types of seafood, eggs, and seitan are some examples of foods that can be grilled.
If you want to lose a considerable amount of weight in just one month, fill one-fourth of each plate with foods that are high in protein.
8. Eat More Fiber
Because fiber passes through your digestive system without being digested, it slows the rate at which your stomach empties, which helps you feel full for a longer period of time.
According to the findings of one study conducted on healthy men, the consumption of 33 g of insoluble fiber, which can typically be found in foods like wheat and vegetables, was helpful in reducing both hunger and the amount of food that was consumed.
The ability of fiber to make you feel fuller for longer could have significant implications for managing your weight.
According to the findings of one study, boosting fiber consumption by 14 g each day was associated with a 10% decrease in calorie consumption and a weight loss of 4.2 lbs (1.9 kg) over the course of a period of four months, and this occurred even in the absence of any other dietary or lifestyle adjustments.
Moreover, a study that lasted for 20 months and involved 252 women indicated that each g of dietary fiber that was taken was linked to a reduction of 0.25% of body fat and 0.5 lbs (0.25 kg) in total body weight.
Fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, and whole grains are all great sources of fiber that should be included in any diet that focuses on promoting healthy weight loss.
9. Be Smart When Dining Out
According to a number of studies, eating meals at home as opposed to eating at restaurants can result in decreased body mass indexes (BMIs).
However, this does not imply that you are required to consume all of your meals in your own residence.
Consider the following advice the next time you go out to eat, whether at a quick-service or a sit-down restaurant, in order to keep track of the calories you consume and prevent unwelcome weight gain:
- Instead of ordering burgers, chips, spaghetti, or sandwiches, go for a salad with lean protein.
- Include one to two servings of veggies with each meal.
- Instead of putting the dressing on the salad itself, ask for it on the side.
- Instead of salad dressings with a sweet taste, choose those made with Italian dressing, avocados, another oil-based dressing, or vinegar and oil.
- Steer clear of fried foods, items that are breaded, and gravies.
- Pick a beverage such as water, black coffee, or tea that is unsweetened. Refrain from ordering any starters or desserts.
- Instead of soups made with cream, opt for ones that are based on broth.
- Place an order for a little portion, or consume only the first part of your meal (take the rest home)
For efficient weight loss, it is not necessary to completely abstain from eating at restaurants; however, you should try to cook meals yourself as frequently as possible.
10. Set a Sleep Schedule
Altering both your eating habits and your exercise routine are, without a question, the 2 most significant ways to lose twenty pounds; nevertheless, the amount of sleep you get each night might also play a role in the process.
One study involving 245 women found that increasing the amount of time spent sleeping each night to at least 7 hours and improving the quality of sleep significantly boosted the participant’s likelihood of successfully losing weight.
And in the same way that getting enough sleep can set you up for future success, not getting enough sleep might cause you to slowly put on more weight over time.
One study that tracked 68,183 women over the course of 16 years revealed that those who slept for 5 hours or less per night acquired an average of 1.14 kilograms (2.5 pounds) more weight than those who slept for at least 7 hours each night.
According to the findings of another study, just one night of interrupted sleep can cause a rise in the levels of hunger hormones in the body. This, in turn, may result in greater appetite and weight development.
In order to develop a healthy sleep schedule and increase weight loss, you can try performing a bedtime routine every night, following a regimen, and consuming as little caffeine as possible in the hours before going to bed.
11. Move More Throughout the Day
Altering other aspects of your daily routine, such as eating habits and sleeping patterns, can help you burn more calories and achieve your weight loss goals.
Take, for instance:
- You should take your dog out for a walk twice a day, not just once.
- When you’re at work, choose the stairs instead of using the elevator, and when you’re shopping, park further away.
- Instead of driving, ride your bike to work or to the supermarket.
- Include more errands around the house in your everyday routine.
- Perform chores in the yard on most days of the week.
- Consider using a standing desk for your computer rather than a sitting desk.
- Perform sets of squats, sit-ups, planks, and push-ups at regular intervals throughout the day.
Every day, you should do some exercise together with your spouse or your children.
The more you act, the less difficult it is to lose weight (and the easier it is to maintain a healthy weight)!
12. Add Cardio to Your Routine
You absolutely must incorporate cardio into your program if you want to lose any amount of weight, from one pound to 20.
A sort of physical exercise known as cardio, which can also be referred to as aerobic activity, is one that raises your heart rate while also helping to strengthen your lungs and heart.
In addition to this, it causes an increase in the number of calories that your body burns, which assists in the reduction of fat and weight.
One study with 141 people who were either overweight or obese found that cardiovascular exercise on its own was effective at causing significant weight loss.
In point of fact, carrying out cardio exercises to burn either 400 or 600 kcal 5 times each week for a period of ten months led to an average weight reduction of 8.6 lbs (3.9 kg) and 11.5 lbs (5.2 kg), respectively.
Another study with comparable outcomes reported that 141 obese older individuals lost 9% of their body weight in just six months by engaging in cardiovascular activity alone.
Aim for between 150 and 300 minutes of exercise per week, which is equivalent to approximately twenty to forty mins of cardio each and every day.
Cardio exercises that are both simple and fun to perform, such as walking, running, rowing, jumping rope, and boxing, are great for accelerating weight loss.
The Bottom Line
Making a few straightforward adjustments to one’s diet and way of life can result in a loss of 20 lbs in a short amount of time while minimizing the risk of serious health complications.
Try combining several strategies to get the most out of your efforts to lose weight and improve your overall health.
It is quite possible to lose 20 lbs in a short period of time if you are patient and determined enough to do so. This will help you attain your weight reduction objectives more quickly.