It can be aggravating to have to wait for results in this day of instant gratification. However, decreasing weight too quickly might be hazardous to your health.
If you want to lose 10 pounds in a month, a combination of activity and good diet will help you achieve your goal. But, while you’re losing weight, remember to look for yourself physically and mentally – slow and steady wins the race.
To assist you, we’ve compiled this list of healthy suggestions. However, keep in mind that everyone’s optimal weight varies. Concentrate on how you feel rather than how you appear.
Increase Physical Activity and Include Cardio in Your Routine
Aerobic exercise, commonly known as cardio, is a sort of physical activity that raises your heart rate and strengthens your heart and lungs while burning calories.
One of the most efficient ways to swiftly increase weight loss is to incorporate cardio into your program.
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In fact, combining 40 minutes of cardio three times per week with a weight-loss regimen reduced body weight by 9% over a six-month period in 141 obese individuals, according to one study.
Another 10-month trial indicated that exercising for 400 or 600 calories five times per week resulted in average weight loss of 8.6 pounds (3.9 kg) and 11.5 pounds (5.2 kg), respectively.
Try to get in at least 20–40 minutes of cardio each day, or 150–300 minutes per week, for the best benefits. Walking, jogging, boxing, cycling, and swimming are just a few examples of aerobic exercises that might help you lose weight quickly.
Develop healthy eating habits.
If you want to reduce weight, you’ll need to make some changes to your normal eating habits. First and foremost, you must reduce your alcohol and sugar consumption. In addition, dangerous dietary fats (saturated and trans fats) should be avoided in your regular diet. Soda, pastries, syrups, baked and fried dishes, full-fat dairy, fatty meats, and hard margarine are all forbidden items.
Eating nutritious food categories will offer your body with the resources it needs. The foundation of your dietary plan includes whole grains, lean meats, beans, fat-free or low-fat dairy, healthy fats (such as olive oil, avocado, and others), fruits, and vegetables.
Make careful to keep track of your portion sizes and total food consumption. Three basic meals and two or three healthy snacks are recommended.
Walking Plays an Essential Role
Walking isn’t just for dogs and their owners who are fortunate enough to be able to carry their poop. To put it another way, you don’t have to Zumba your heart out to notice results from aerobic exercise.
You’ll be in the sweet spot for weight loss as long as your heart rate is in the fat-burning zone. A brisk stroll or gentle jog, or riding your bike at less than 10 miles per hour, will get you to this level.
Don’t know what heart rate you should aim for? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, moderate-intensity physical exercise occurs when your heart rate is between 64% and 76% of your maximal heart rate. A heart rate of 77 percent to 93 percent of maximal be suffice for intensive physical activity.
Keep track of your calories.
Calories are the energy released by your body when it digests food. If you consume more calories than you require, your body will store the extra calories as fat.
As a result, if you wish to lose weight, you’ll need to consume less calories than you require for daily energy. This will trigger your body to go to its fat storage shed for the energy you previously stored.
If you’re attempting to lose weight, how many calories should you consume a day? A healthy and safe weight loss rate is two pounds per week, and one pound of fat comprises 3,500 calories.
Calorie counting may appear to be the most difficult type of math, but using a health tracking app can make it as simple as pi.
Apps are a great method to keep track of your calorie intake and stay inside your daily calorie allowance.
Keep your carbs to a minimum.
Eating fewer carbs has been shown to be a dependable approach to lose weight in studies. You’re familiar with the routine: At dinner, skip the bread basket and make some healthy substitutions, such as cauliflower rice instead of white rice or chickpea pasta instead of wheat pasta.
Of course, you’ve definitely seen the keto diet show up every 5 minutes on your Instagram feed. The keto diet follows the same principles as the Atkins Diet: Limit your carb intake to 20 to 50 grams per day and replace it with fats and proteins.
When your body runs out of glucose (which it generally gets from carbs), it will use stored fat as a source of energy.
However, consult your healthcare practitioner or a nutritionist before starting keto or any other new diet that requires significant modifications. Low- or no-carb diets aren’t for everyone, and if you’re going to reduce your food intake, you should do so in a healthy way.
Better Beverage Options
Choosing healthier beverages, in addition to modifying your main courses, is another simple strategy to significantly increase weight reduction.
Soda, juice, and energy drinks are frequently high in sugar and calories, which can lead to weight gain over time.
Water, on the other hand, might make you feel full and temporarily stimulate your metabolism, allowing you to consume less calories and lose weight faster.
Drinking 16.9 fluid ounces (500 ml) of water before a meal reduced the number of calories consumed by 13% as compared to a control group in a study of 24 overweight and obese people.
Another small research of 14 persons revealed that drinking 16.9 fluid ounces (500 ml) of water for 30–40 minutes improved metabolism by 30%, slightly boosting the quantity of calories expended for a short time.
Cut away high-calorie, sweetened beverages and drink 34–68 fluid ounces (1–2 liters) of water throughout the day to boost weight loss.
Sugary drinks like soda, juice, and sports drinks are high in calories and can lead to weight gain. On the other side, water has been demonstrated to reduce calorie consumption while momentarily increasing metabolism.
Breakfast should include protein.
Eating a nutritious breakfast might help you get your day off to a good start — and avoid the dreaded mid-morning energy slump that forces you to reach for the box of doughnuts in the office break room.
Protein is a fantastic breakfast option because it keeps you full and may speed up your metabolism. (Plus, you’ll have it out of the way and won’t have to worry about supper protein!)
Protein should account for 25 to 30% of your total daily calories (500 to 600 calories if you’re on a 2,000-calorie diet). To start your day off right, eat protein-rich foods like eggs or tofu first thing in the morning.
Increase your water intake.
Drinking water has numerous advantages, including maintaining a healthy digestive tract and reducing dehydration.
However, drinking water can help you eat less since it makes you feel fuller before you eat. According to a 2010 study, middle-aged adults who drank water before a meal lost more weight over the course of a 12-week period than those who didn’t.
Water can also be used to substitute unhealthy beverages such as sodas and sugary juices. And there’s nothing quite like zero calories.
Reduce your alcohol consumption.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to become completely sober. However, it’s no secret that alcoholic beverages are frequently heavy in calories (not to mention that they make you more likely to text your ex).
A beer can contain up to 150 calories and has little to no nutritional benefit. A single 1.5 ounce of liquor contains approximately 100 calories. Depending on the components, cocktails can deliver even more punch: A margarita has roughly 170 calories, and pia coladas can have about 500 calories each.
It’s usually a good idea to keep your drinking to a reasonable level. However, even if you only drink three beers, you’ll have consumed 450 calories or more. Something to consider.
Alcohol also makes it difficult for your body to absorb vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. That means that even if you’re trying to eat healthier, alcohol may be counteracting your efforts. Reducing your alcohol consumption, or not drinking at all, will aid in weight loss.
Read the labels on your food.
Many of us make split-second decisions about what we put in our bodies based on packaging and marketing, such as if the front of the package reads “healthy!” in bold letters.
Reading the fine print, on the other hand, is the best method to make informed dietary decisions. Yes, it’s time to learn how to read food labels.
Many meals claim to be “low fat” or “energy-dense,” but when you look at the ingredients, you may find that they contain more sugar than you want to take on a regular basis. Sugars such as high-fructose corn syrup, molasses, and honey should be avoided.
De-stress on a regular basis
Stress isn’t always a negative thing. Everyone goes through periods of stress! What counts is what we do about it. When we’re stressed, some of us skip meals, eat high-fat foods, or consume more than we normally would.
There are many of methods to unwind without jeopardizing your diet or fitness objectives. Sit down with a coloring book, pick up a relaxing pastime like knitting, or begin daily meditation.
Your body, mind, and soul will reward you (as will your friends, family, and everyone else who has to deal with you).
Take apple cider vinegar on a daily basis.
Right now, apple cider vinegar is all the rage. You may have heard that it aids weight loss, but there hasn’t been much research done on the topic.
People who ingested 15 to 30 milliliters of ACV daily for 12 weeks had a reduced body weight at the end of the trial, according to a short study published in 2009. It’s possible that this is linked to increased feelings of fullness. However, there is no solid proof that it works in the long run.
If you wish to try ACV, start with little doses and dilute it with water before drinking it. Even when blended with water, it’s quite potent, so consider incorporating it into salads, slaws, or bean dishes instead.
Slow down your eating.
This is one method for losing weight without changing your diet: Slowly eat.
It’s tempting to eat hastily when you’re reaching hangry zone. However, studies show that eating more slowly can contribute to increased fullness an hour after the meal begins for certain people.
More research is needed on this area, but eating more thoughtfully allows you to pay attention to portion size and appreciate your food even more.
Increase the amount of fiber in your diet.
Fiber is a nutrient that passes through your body undigested, assisting in blood sugar stabilization, slowing stomach emptying, and keeping you feeling fuller for longer.
Fiber has been shown in numerous studies to have a significant impact on weight loss.
According to one study, increasing daily fiber intake by 14 grams without making any other dietary modifications was linked to a 10% reduction in calorie consumption and a weight loss of 4.2 pounds (1.9 kg) over four months.
Over a 20-month period, another study of 252 women revealed that each gram of dietary fiber consumed was connected to a 0.5-pound (0.25-kg) decrease in body weight.
To improve your health and weight loss, consume as least 25–38 grams of fiber per day from fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains (15Trusted Source).
Increased fiber consumption has been associated to lower calorie intake as well as weight loss.
What Not to Do
Is it considered healthy to lose weight too fast?
The first thing you should realize is that once you’ve decided to lose weight, you should only think about doing so in a healthy manner. Otherwise, it’s a waste of time and a serious health risk. It is suggested that you lose 1-2 pounds per week. As previously said, to lose 35 pounds in two months, you must lose around 4 pounds every week, which is faster than advised.
People who overdo it and go above the recommendations run the danger of developing major health problems. Gallstones, dehydration, hunger, and electrolyte imbalances are all frequent side effects of rapid weight reduction.
There are also a slew of negative side effects, including fatigue, headaches, muscle wasting, hair loss, and more.
Rapid weight reduction is only allowed in a few situations. It may be indicated for obese people who need to lose weight before undergoing weight loss surgery. However, they should only do so if their doctor has prescribed it.
So, if you want to lose weight but don’t need surgery, stay away from diets, advice, and recommendations that promise speedy results. In the end, they fall short of their lofty promises.
Don’t deprive yourself of food.
Crash diets, if you’re looking for information on healthy weight loss approaches, you may already be aware that they might backfire. This is because they restrict your food in a way that is unsustainable in the long run – as soon as you resume your normal habits, the weight returns.
Crash diets, according to the Obesity Action Coalition, can result in muscle loss, malnutrition, and an increased risk of gallstones.
Don’t hold out for perfection.
When you take on a large project, you may expect some trial and error, as well as a few stumbles. This is also true when it comes to weight loss. So don’t be too hard on yourself if you make a few blunders; after all, you’re only human. You’ll be able to get back on track faster if you can forgive yourself.
New behaviors take about 66 days to attain maximum automaticity, or to become a habit, according to a study published in the British Journal of General Practice in December 2012. That means that after two months of exercising healthy new behaviors to lose weight, such behaviors may become habits that you will continue to practice for the rest of your life.
The Bottom Line
To summarize, if you want to reduce weight, make reasonable goals and prioritize your health. The speed with which your food and exercise take impact is less significant than your overall health. Furthermore, most people who lose a lot of weight in a short period of time gain it back after the diet is finished.
That is why you must ensure that your diet is well-balanced and that your workouts are not damaging to your health. Before starting a new diet or training routine, it’s also important to speak with a doctor and a fitness instructor. Always keep in mind that your health comes first.
