How to Lose 10 Pounds in a Month (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Unfortunately, miracles do not exist and it is not possible to lose weight quickly without effort. To be able to lose weight you need to eat the right foods and exercise, but with the proper discipline and attention, your goals can be realized. Losing ten pounds over the course of a month takes commitment, hard work, and control; you must closely monitor the state of your body to lose weight in total safety. Keep in mind that losing weight very quickly is always a risk, moreover it is more difficult to maintain the results that have been achieved in a short time.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Eating Properly

Step 1. Reduce the number of calories you eat

Make an effort to eat less than usual. You should reduce your calorie intake gradually over the course of the first week, and then stay within a calorie range that allows you to lose weight without feeling weak and exhausted. Counting calories isn't fun and certainly requires a lot of long-term discipline, but it's a surefire way to get a leaner body.

• The principle is very simple, if you burn more calories than you consume, then you lose weight.
• Consult a nutritionist, keep a food diary, or use a calorie calculator app to track the nutritional value of everything you eat and to identify how many calories you need to consume to keep progressing.

Step 2. Avoid junk food completely

To keep your calorie intake low, the first thing you should eliminate from your diet are foods and snacks that are high in salt, sugar and highly processed. You have to say goodbye to french fries, pizza, cakes and candy. All foods high in sugar or fat are a concentrate of calories, this means that even if you eat a small amount you will gain weight rather than lose it, which is not the case with the healthiest foods. Junk food is a death trap for anyone trying to reduce their body fat percentage.

• Your food should be broiled, baked or steamed. Stay away from high-calorie sauces and condiments like butter.
• A very simple way to drastically reduce the number of calories is to permanently give up junk food and sodas. This would be enough to allow most people to lose half a kilo to one and a half pounds more per week.

Step 3. Satisfy yourself with the right foods

The key to success are foods low in calories, but with a high satiating power. A 400-calorie serving of vegetables fills your stomach, and if fried chicken brings the same calories, you will certainly still be hungry. Learn what is best to eat to feel satisfied when you get up from the table.

• Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, meats, and lean dairy products are low calorie foods that can help you lose weight. In particular, fruit and vegetables are mostly composed of water and contain very few calories and very little fat. Keep in mind that only one gram of fat provides nine calories. You can certainly guess that the best choice is to avoid packaged foods and instead favor fresh vegetables.

  Also prioritize foods rich in fiber, as fiber only provides 1.5-2.5 calories per gram. Most nuts, legumes and seeds are excellent sources

Step 4. Pay attention to the extra calories when cooking

You can eat 120 g of lean chicken without hesitation, as long as it is not browned in a pan with butter and coated with a thick wedge of cheese.

• When cooking the meat, trim it from the fat and remove any skin. You should avoid breading it or adding other unnecessary ingredients.

• Stop frying. Even the healthiest foods become harmful when fried and lose all of their nutritional value.

  Prefer steaming and use spices to add flavor to dishes. Steaming food instead of frying it is a very effective way to reduce the amount of fat and calories. Also keep in mind that spices set the metabolism in motion

Step 5. Get help from fat burning foods

Going hungry is not the right way to shed body fat; it is by choosing the right foods that you will be able to burn it. Throw away junk food in the pantry to make room for ingredients that burn fat on their own:

• Fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids help you reduce leptin levels in the body. Leptin is a protein hormone that can keep hunger at bay and speed up metabolism. If you don't like fish, go to your doctor to get a prescription for a fish oil based food supplement. it is a good compromise, although not as beneficial as the natural food itself.
• An apple a day keeps the fat away. Apples are rich in pectin, which reduces the amount of fat the body absorbs. They are also high in fiber and low in calories, making them a perfect snack. Plus they are delicious.
• Season your dishes with ginger and garlic. Ginger dilates blood vessels, garlic lowers insulin levels, and both increase the metabolic rate.
• Use extra virgin olive oil as the main condiment when cooking. Despite being a fat, quality extra virgin olive oil is rich in good (monounsaturated) fats that help reduce cholesterol, and has many other beneficial effects on health.

Step 6. Lose weight by drinking

Water is the center of life and weight loss. Keep your appetite at bay (and improve skin appearance) by drinking water every morning, afternoon, and evening.

• Drink two glasses of water before each meal. You will feel full early (let's say three times faster) and there will be no room for more calories.

• Each person has slightly different needs, but on average, according to experts, men and women should try to drink approximately 3, 7 and 2.7 liters of water per day, respectively, including that contained in food and other drinks.

  • Green tea is another valuable ally as it is rich in antioxidants and is capable of increasing the metabolic rate.
  • You should definitely avoid sodas and alcoholic beverages. They are just empty calories that silently build up in the body in the form of fat without even the benefit of making you feel full.

  

  Step 7. Eat little, but often

  The habit of having 5 to 7 small meals a day can help you lose weight more than any other routine at the table. You will suffer less hunger, therefore you will not feel the need to binge.

  • When you feel like having a snack, choose something healthy. Prepare healthy foods in advance that you like to snack on (e.g. carrots, grapes, nuts, yogurt) and keep them on hand to eat throughout the day. Eating little but often helps you keep your metabolism going, and also satisfies the palate.
  • Don't skip breakfast. In the morning, your body needs fuel to ignite. In addition to being more likely to be able to lose weight, you will presumably find it less difficult to avoid regaining the lost pounds.

  Part 2 of 3: Exercise

  

  Step 1. Start a cardio workout.

  The quickest way to lose weight and burn calories at the same time is with cardio exercises. Fortunately, there are several forms of training that make it suitable for everyone, so you have no excuse.

  • Running, biking, swimming, boxing, tennis, dancing and a host of other activities fall into the category of cardio disciplines. If your knees are currently not strong enough to allow you to practice one of these sports, you have a number of other options.

    • Among the activities that allow you to burn a good number of calories are running, taekwondo, aerobics and skipping.
    • Try the HIIT technique (high intensity interval training). The US "Journal of Physiology" has published a new study which states that "HIIT is a workout consisting of exercises performed at a high pace interspersed with short recovery periods. The authors have already shown that on young students healthy college students, this training produces the same physical benefits as a conventional long-term physical activity program, despite requiring much less time (and surprisingly in fact, even less exercise). " Not only can you burn more calories, but you can eliminate them in a shorter amount of time.

    

    Step 2. Exercise with weights.

    Aerobic training is great and a must practice for anyone looking to lose weight. However, for best results, you need to combine it with weight training.

    Cardio can be done every day, but you can't use weights on a daily basis. Muscles need time to recover. Work on cardio as often as possible, but limit weight training to 2-3 times per week

    

    Step 3. Exercise more often

    Nothing burns calories faster than exercise at an intense pace. If you're still not exercising at least 3-4 times a week, it's time to start. Each training session should last about an hour and include cardio and strength exercises in the right balance. Get your heart rate up and your muscles burn. The more you move, the more you lose weight.

    • Give yourself a couple of days off during the week. You will have reduced the number of calories, so it is especially important to give your body the time it needs to recover.
    • You are more likely to be able to stay motivated and consistent if training is fun. If you're not the treadmill type, you can try yoga, swimming, kickboxing, mountain biking, Crossfit, or rock climbing. Any type of exercise that keeps you active will benefit the efforts you make to lose weight.

    

    Step 4. Be realistic about physical activity

    If you are completely out of shape (due to a sedentary lifestyle or a physical problem), you may think you cannot play any sport. In truth, you can do it. You simply have to train longer. Even with low intensity physical activity you can burn calories and build muscle, it just takes longer.

    Taking short walks, using the stairs and hand washing the car also burns calories. Don't worry if you are unable to run even a few kilometers right now. Be a little more strict about your diet and start walking every morning. The sum of every little effort will make all the difference

    

    Step 5. Practice fasted cardio

    Fasted cardio is a technique in which cardio exercise, such as running, swimming or rowing, is performed on an empty stomach. The idea is that the absence of glycogen (a polysaccharide released into the bloodstream when you eat) due to fasting forces the body to draw on fat reserves to convert them into ready-to-use energy. Doing cardio on an empty stomach has been shown to help athletes and dieters burn fat faster than traditional forms of exercise.

    • The best time to apply the fundamentals of "fasted cardio" is in the morning as soon as you wake up, before breakfast. Your blood sugar level will already be low enough since you haven't eaten since the night before.
    • When you want to apply this technique, keep the intensity and duration of the workout low. A 20-30 minute run at a moderate pace or even a brisk walk is more than enough to reap the benefit.

    

    Step 6. Give the Tabata Protocol a try

    Tabata's protocol-based form of training, which owes its name to the scientist who invented it, is simple but incredibly challenging. What you need to do is choose a single movement or a combination of movements and perform them for 20 seconds at a time, pausing for 10 seconds between repetitions, for a total time of 4 minutes (and 8 repetitions). Sounds easy doesn't it? Wrong, it is a grueling practice that generally reduces the athlete to a sweat bath, but it is also an extremely dense and effective form of metabolic training, which helps you to literally melt fat.

    • Choose simple movements, such as lunges or squats, which can be repeated many times in each session.
    • To make things easier at first, limit the duration of the repetitions to 10 seconds and take 20-second breaks. Upgrade to the full version of the workout as soon as you feel ready.
    • Don't wear yourself out. The Tabata protocol is one of the most intense and exhausting forms of training and should only be practiced by sports people who are already in good physical shape.

    Part 3 of 3: Achieving Your Goals

    

    Step 1. Determine what your metabolic rate is

    No matter what your lifestyle is, your body consumes a certain amount of energy at any time of the day or night. Basal metabolic rate (MB) calculators determine how many calories your body burns when it is at rest - that is, when you do nothing. The value obtained tells you how fast your body burns calories, so it allows you to determine how much exercise you should do and how many calories you should give up at the table to reach your goals in terms of body weight. Basal metabolic rate calculators take into account factors such as age, gender and level of physical activity.

    • If you are a woman, use this formula to calculate your basal metabolic rate: 655 + (9.5 x your current weight in kg) + (1.8 x your height in cm) minus (4.7 x your age current in years).
    • If you are a man, use this formula to calculate your basal metabolic rate: 66 + (13.7 x your current weight in kg) + (5 x your height in cm) minus (6.8 x your current age in years).

    

    Step 2. Determine what your physical activity level is

    Experts have identified various bands and assigned a value to each. This is an important fact that you need to take into account when calculating how many calories you burn on average each day.

    • Little or no physical exercise = 1, 2;
    • Light exercise (up to 3 days a week) = 1.375;
    • Moderate exercise (3 to 5 days per week) = 1.55;
    • Intense exercise (6 to 7 days a week) = 1,725;
    • Very demanding physical exercise (intense training every day) = 1, 9.

    

    Step 3. Find out how many calories your body needs each day

    To get this figure, multiply your MB value by your physical activity level.

    • You will get a number that corresponds to your daily calorie expenditure (or TDEE, from English "Total Daily Energy Expenditure"). This may seem like a large number, but don't forget that your body continues to burn calories even while you sleep.
    • For example, if your MB is 3,500 and you are currently exercising at a moderate level, all you need to do is multiply 3,500 by 1.55 to get 5,425, which is the amount of calories you burn to maintain your current body weight. If your goal is to lose 10 kg in just one month, you will need to eliminate at least 2,000 calories per day through diet and exercise. It is certainly a challenging goal.

    

    Step 4. Lose weight by sweating

    Since the human body is largely made up of water, cells have a tendency to store it for future use. As a result, you may be bloated and have accumulated a lot of fluids which is reflected in the number displayed on the scale. You can get rid of those reserves by excreting water through sweat. An hour of cardiovascular training or twenty minutes spent in the sauna can help you lose a pound to a pound of fluid weight

    • You still need to make sure you drink enough to circulate healthy, active fluids around your body and prevent dehydration.
    • Athletes enrolled in well-defined weight categories, for example wrestlers, know that sweating is a good way to quickly lose excess pounds in the days before the competition.

    

    Step 5. Get enough sleep

    To improve your overall well-being and feel at your best, you need to ensure your body gets the right amount of sleep and rest. You should sleep continuously and soundly for at least six hours every night or better yet for eight hours. As you rest, the body repairs damaged cells and tissues, breaks down calories for internal use and recovers energy. Upon awakening you will feel recharged and ready to redouble your efforts.

    • Due to overwork, insomnia, stress and other problems, many people do not get enough sleep and for this reason they feel that it is impossible to lose weight.
    • If you can't find time to sleep continuously for six hours during the night, at least try to take a couple of 10-15 minute naps during the day.

    Advice

    • Try not to be obsessed with your current weight, the numbers can sometimes be misleading. Muscles are denser than fat, so they weigh more while taking up less space. The scale may not agree with what you see, so trust what your clothes say.
    • Drink water and sweat, it is really helpful for losing weight fast.
    • Exercise regularly. As you begin to feel fitter, intensify your efforts. In addition to exercising consistently, you should follow a healthy and balanced diet based on vegetables, dairy products, meat, etc.
    • Eat a wide variety of low-fat dairy products. Milk, cheese, and yogurt can help break down fat stores and provide you with the calcium you need.
    • Soy-based foods are a healthy alternative. They have a high content of vitamins and minerals, while on the contrary they are low in fat and calories compared to meat.
    • If you are a sweet tooth, replace sugar with honey. Both won't help you lose weight, but at least honey is more natural and has several beneficial properties.

    Warnings

    • Avoid fruit juices and canned fruit. They are two sugary foods that provide only minimal nutrition.
    • Avoid alcoholic beverages. They bring a lot of calories, but only very few substances; also after a few drinks you may lose the inflexibility you need to not give in to foods that make you fat.