Losing ten pounds in a month is a difficult task, but it is achievable if you follow the appropriate tactics. The idea is to avoid crash diets, calorie deprivation, or excessive activity, and instead focus on developing healthy habits that you can maintain in the long run. Keep in mind that losing weight requires eating a balanced diet and sticking to a regular exercise regimen in order to burn more calories than you consume. We’ll go over how to do precisely that in this article.
You must consume fewer calories than you expend in order to lose weight. The quantity of calories you need to consume each day to lose weight is very varied and is determined on your age, current weight, height, sex, and degree of activity.
You must first determine how many calories you require to maintain your weight. You can figure out how many calories you need by looking at the chart from the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which breaks it down by age, gender, and amount of exercise.
You can use a calorie tracker to get a more precise number because it takes into account more variables and allows you to track your calorie consumption.
You’ll need to deduct your daily calorie maintenance number from your daily calorie loss number to get your daily calories for weight reduction. If you want to lose 10 pounds in a month, and the month is around five weeks long, you’ll need to cut or burn 1,000 calories per day.
Eating more fiber-rich foods (such as fruits and vegetables) will help you feel fuller while eating less calories and lose weight.
According to a February 2015 study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, simply aiming to eat 30 grams of fiber each day will help you lose weight as successfully as a more sophisticated diet.
Fiber-filled foods include:
• Acorn squash
• Avocados
• Beans
• Berries
• Edamame
• Green peas
• Lentils
• Seeds (chia, flaxseed)
• Sweet potatoes
If you’re trying to lose weight, don’t cut back on protein; in fact, a meta-analysis of 18 studies published in Advances in Nutrition in December 2019 suggests that you should increase the quantity of this nutrient in your diet. Protein keeps you full and helps you lose weight while maintaining your lean muscle mass.
Aim for 1.3 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (a kilogram is equal to 2.2 pounds). For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should try to consume roughly 118 grams of protein each day. The formula is as follows:
(Your body weight / 2.2) x 1.3 = grams of protein per day
To be mindful of calories, choose lean foods high in protein, such as:
• Chicken breast
• Ground turkey
• Lentils
• Salmon
• Tofu
• Low- or nonfat yogurt
Soda, we’re talking about you (and other sweetened beverages). Sugary drinks don’t provide any nutrients, but they do add a lot of calories to your day.
Indeed, a study published in Obesity Reviews in August 2013 proved conclusively that sugar-sweetened beverages cause weight gain.
Replace calorie-dense beverages like soda, energy drinks, and the like with water or unsweetened seltzer.
Make sure you’re drinking lots of water to stay hydrated, which helps your body perform at its optimum (which includes calorie burning), according to the American Council on Exercise.
According to a study published in the journal Obesity in August 2015, consuming a full glass of water around a half hour before each meal may help you avoid overeating.
A decent general rule of thumb is to drink half your body weight in ounces each day. If you weigh 200 pounds, drink around 100 ounces of water every day.
Ultra-processed foods (those with large ingredient lists full of strange terminology) have been related to weight gain and obesity in studies, thus restricting or eliminating these items may help you lose weight.
The main culprits, according to a review published in Current Treatment Options in Gastroenterology in November 2019, are:
• Potato chips
• Sweets and desserts
• Sugary drinks
• Refined grains (white rice and foods made with white flour, like white bread and crackers, for example)
• Red and processed meats
Changing your diet isn’t the only way to lose weight. You’ll also need a fitness regimen if you want to lose 10 pounds in a month.
The CDC suggests obtaining at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (walking, biking), 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity cardio (running, swimming), or a combination of both per week to reach (and maintain) a healthy weight. It does mention, though, that some people may need to do more to see the scale shift.
Choose an aerobic exercise that you enjoy and that you can undertake for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Here are some suggestions:
• Running
• Brisk walking
• Hiking
• Swimming
• Cycling
• Rollerblading
If you want to lose 10 pounds, you should include high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in your workout routine. This entails alternating high-intensity activity (ranging from 20 to 60 seconds) with short, lower-intensity recuperation periods.
According to a February 2018 review in Sports Medicine that looked at 39 studies on the topic, HIIT workouts are an effective strategy to burn fat and lose weight.
The best aspect is that they are quick. In a January 2017 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research, people who completed HIIT for 36 minutes eliminated the same amount of body fat as those who did moderate-intensity exercise for 68 minutes. You don’t want to do HIIT every day, though. Try doing it two or three times per week, and space out sessions.
Cardio workouts burn calories in the short term, but strength training is superior for long-term weight loss and maintenance since it helps you build muscle, which burns more calories than fat, as previously stated (aka supports a higher metabolism).
At least twice a week, the CDC recommends undertaking full-body muscle-strengthening activities. So, if you aim to lose 10 pounds through exercising, a pair of dumbbells can be a good investment.
You could ruin your weight loss if you don’t get enough sleep. According to a research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in October 2010, cutting calories when you’re sleep deprived causes you to lose more lean muscle mass rather than fat.
Furthermore, according to a November 2019 study published in the Journal of Lipid Research, people who don’t get enough sleep accumulate fat faster and feel less satisfied after eating (which can lead to overeating and weight gain).
