How Fast Can You Lose Weight?
by Yuri in Weight Loss
What an interesting question…
“How fast can you lose weight?”
Well, to be honest, you can lose a lot of weight very quickly simply by starving yourself. By no means do I recommend that.
However, considering that 1 pound is equivalent to 3500 calories, your goal (in losing weight) is to create a negative energy balance, which will allow you to lose weight safely over an extended period of time.
How Do You Create a Negative Energy Balance?
It’s very simple…
You exercise more and eat less.
That’s pretty much it. That’s one of the reasons that Weight Watchers works for many people. All it requires is that you count points (essentially reducing your portion sizes) and move a little bit more. The result is that you burn more calories and consume fewer than you normally do. Thus, helping you to lose weight.
Although fast weight loss can occur, I usually recommend that losing 1-3 lbs per week (unless you’re severely obese) is a safe target to aim for. What that means is that over a period of 7 days, you would need to create a caloric deficit of just 3,500 (1 lb) to 10,500 (3 lbs). And that’s not really that hard to do considering how calorie-dense so many of our foods truly are.
It may not seem like much at first but a 1-lb per week weight loss would lead to losing 52 lbs lost after an entire year! Think long term.
Here Are 5 Ways to Eat Fewer Calories
1. Use a smaller plate to naturally limit your portion sizes
2. Finish chewing each bite before even lifting another bite of food to your mouth. You’ll be surprise at how much less you’ll eat just by doing this.
3. Drink a glass of water whenever you are hungry or before your meals. Doing so, will curb your appetite and again help you eat less.
4. Don’t eat while watching TV or working at your computer as these kind of distractions lead to mindless eating.
5. Eat nutrient-dense foods, not calorie-dense foods. Eating whole foods that are packed with nutrients will satiate your appetite much more rapidly than a coke or Big Mac from McDonald’s. Your body is after nutrients, not necessarily calories!
Here Are 5 Ways to Burn More Calories
1. Workout first thing in the morning. This will help you elevate your metabolism for the rest of the day and help you burn more calories as a result.
2. Take the stairs whenever you can. Leave the escalators and elevators for those who truly need them.
3. Walk (or bike) wherever and whenever you can. Save the environment and yourself by walking (or biking) to the grocery store, to work, or anywhere that you can. You’ll also burn way more calories than sitting in your car.
4. Strength train 3-4 times per week. Building muscle boosts your metabolism and is the most important exercise factor in maintaining a lean body in the long run.
5. Use interval training instead of long and slow cardio workouts. You’ll save time and burn way more calories.
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