Losing five pounds in seven days is a very difficult undertaking, but not impossible. With the right motivation, a balanced diet and a workout that suits your possibilities, you will succeed! Read on for a detailed program by which you can lose five pounds in a week.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Counting Calories
Step 1. You ingest fewer calories than you burn in a day
It is the only way to lose weight. However, even though the theory is very simple, the practice is much more difficult. It takes 3,500 calories to burn half a kilo. This means that you will need to burn 3,500 more calories than you ingest with food.
- You will have to train hard to lose five pounds in one week. Fasting is not an option. In fact, fasting makes it more difficult to lose weight, especially after finishing the diet.
- Calories are also consumed by performing normal daily activities such as walking, climbing stairs and even breathing. It won't be a lot of calories, but you certainly don't have to burn them all during your workout.
Step 2. If you want to lose five pounds in one week, you will need to burn 5,000 more calories than you take in one day
They are very many. This shouldn't discourage you though, it just serves to remind you how difficult it is to lose 5 pounds in a week. Get ready to embark on a tough path!
To better understand what 5,000 calories correspond to, consider that a person weighing 80 pounds burns about 1000 calories by playing competitive football for 90 minutes. This means that you would have to play for 7 and a half hours throughout the day to burn 5,000 calories. It is not impossible, but almost
Step 3. A person, on average, burns about 2,000 calories per day for normal activities
This means that if you consume 2000 calories with food every day, you will not lose or gain weight, but you will keep it constant.
If you are trying to lose weight, you should aim for at least 1200 calories per day, regardless of your diet. If you eat 1200 calories, you will have about 4000 calories left to burn to reach your goal
Part 2 of 3: Diet
Step 1. Drink only water
Water is a dieter's best friend. Sweet, sugary or caffeinated drinks are your worst enemies. A simple energy drink can contain up to 400 calories, a third of the calories you will need to consume throughout the day. Stay away from all drinks except water and unsweetened herbal teas.
- You can drink green tea occasionally. If you are tired of drinking only water every day, you can try sugar-free infusions or herbal teas. Green tea, in particular, contains a lot of antioxidants and only 2 calories, so it is acceptable.
- If you are really hungry during meals, drink a full glass of water right before eating. It will give you a transient sense of satiety, so you will be less hungry for some time.
Step 2. Eliminate complex carbohydrates from your diet
Complex carbohydrates, also called refined carbohydrates, are generally low in nutrients for the body and are absorbed very quickly. While on a diet, stay away from the simple and refined carbohydrates contained in the following foods:
- Desserts, biscuits, cakes and baked sweets.
- Honey, molasses and syrups.
- White bread, white rice and pasta.
- Most of the breakfast cereals.
Step 3. Replace complex carbohydrates with simple ones
Simple carbohydrates, unlike complex carbohydrates, are rich in fiber and other nutrients, and are digested and assimilated much more slowly. Foods containing complex carbohydrates include:
- Wholemeal bread, wholemeal pasta, brown rice.
- Beans and legumes, such as lentils, carrots, and sweet potatoes.
- Fruits and vegetables, such as apricots and asparagus.
Step 4. Eat Lean Protein
You can eat beef with 2% fat or skinless chicken breasts. Soy products, such as edemame or tofu, are also high in protein, as are many types of fish, including salmon.
Step 5. Stay away from fast-food foods absolutely
In addition to cooking everything with trans fat, fast-food burgers, fries and smoothies are loaded with salt and sugar. They are essentially empty carbohydrates, which contain no nutrients. If you really want to lose those five pounds and regain your weight, stay away from junk food.
Step 6. Eat a hearty breakfast, a moderate lunch, and a light dinner
Eat early to boost your metabolism and, at the same time, to have enough energy to make it to lunch; then, start decreasing the quantities, until dinner is the lightest meal of the day. Here are some examples of dishes you could cook with a mid-day snack:
- Breakfast: Egg whites omelette with spinach and chicken breast, along with a banana and fresh blueberries.
- Lunch: Salmon fillet with quinoa and a salad.
- Snack: a handful of pistachios.
- Dinner: sauteed bok-choi, carrots, mushrooms and peppers.
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Some foods that help you lose weight or are low in calories are:
- Peanut butter.
- Rice tartlets.
- Berries.
- Green leafy vegetables.
- Green tea.
- Waterfall.
- Greek yogurt.
- Unsalted nuts.
- Almond milk.
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 10 Step 7. Start keeping a food diary in which you will write down the amount of calories in what you eat
Such a diary will help you understand when you are about to cross the line. It will tell you which foods worked and if they tasted good. You will have a log of your battles and it will be fun to reread it when you reach the goal!
You will have to become very good at counting calories and judging portion sizes. It will be difficult to calculate everything in the beginning, but after a while it will become a natural operation. You will need to be painstaking in estimating the calories found in a food or meal. Be specific! Lying to yourself will only hurt you
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 11 Step 8. When you give yourself a break from the rule, don't overdo it
There's nothing wrong with breaking the rules from time to time and eating something you shouldn't. Everyone does it. But don't overdo it: never justify a food vice. It will be harder to achieve your goal and you will be even more discouraged.
Part 3 of 3: Physical Activity
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 12 Step 1. Always walk
Do you have to go to the supermarket? Walk to it. Do you have to get to the fifteenth floor of a building? Go up the stairs and don't take the elevator. Do you have football training? Go there walking. Consider every opportunity to walk as an opportunity to burn more calories.
Get a pedometer. It is a tool that records all the steps taken during the day and you can attach it to your belt so that no one sees it. A good pedometer will convert the number of steps taken into calories burned. It is worth it
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 13 Step 2. Get into the habit of warming up and stretching before exercising
Put on some music that gets you going and get ready to work out. Stretches and warm-ups are essential to avoid injury and will help you get the most out of your workout. Here are some examples of warm-up exercises:
- Do 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, and 20 burpees (a type of push-up that's done after a jump).
- Run in place intensely for one minute, then switch to one minute of light running in place.
- Touch your toes to stretch your arms, quadriceps and hamstrings, chest and neck.
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 14 Step 3. Try interval training
Interval training involves sustaining strenuous activity for a short period of time, then switching to lighter exercise most of the time. Many studies show that people who do this type of training can burn more calories in less time than those who train at medium intensity all the time.
An example of interval training would be this: While running on a track, sprint at full speed for one lap, then run at a lighter pace for the remaining three laps. Repeat every four rounds. You will feel your muscles burning
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 15 Step 4. Start playing a sport
The best part of the sport is the competitive aspect. Competition pushes us to give more than a solitary workout. You may think that you are not good at any sport or you may feel embarrassed. Remember that people appreciate those who give their best and who respect themselves. If you think football, basketball or swimming can make you passionate and have fun, go for it. Let your competitiveness help you burn calories.
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 16 Step 5. Use cardiovascular training machines
If you don't have these machines at home, you can join a gym to use them. Try the following machines and choose the one you prefer:
- Tapis Roulant. The treadmill is worse than running, but it's definitely better than nothing. Try to find a fast enough pace that makes you sweat.
- Elliptical. You can set a different resistance strength in most ellipticals, making it a suitable tool for workouts that combine cardio with strength exercises.
- Exercise bike. If you decide to take part in a spinning class, be prepared to really struggle. Spinning is a great way to lose weight.
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 17 Step 6. Do cross workouts
Cross-training, or cross training, includes a variety of strength, endurance and aerobic exercises that will work many parts of the body and keep you from getting bored (one of the most common reasons people stop exercising). Cross-training programs, such as crossfit, are not specific for burning calories in a short time (they are more useful for turning fat into lean mass), but they are worth a try. You may find the right inspiration!
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 18 Step 7. Dance
Dancing is an excellent aerobic activity. You don't necessarily have to do this in your room, you can sign up for a course.
- You can try a class such as jazz, pop, or hip-hop dance if you already have some foundation and appreciate that type of music.
- You can try zumba, a style that combines Latin and international music for a very effective workout
Lose 10 Pounds in One Week Step 19 Step 8. Get lots of physical activity, maybe twice a day
You will probably have to train twice as much to reach your goal. It is better to choose the exercises you prefer, as you will need to do several repetitions to lose 5 pounds in a week.
