To lose 15 kilos, you need to engage in nutrition, exercise and improve your lifestyle. This is quite an ambitious goal and requires you to stick to healthy lifestyle habits for quite a long time. Typically, you should lose around 0.5-1 kg every week. This means you can lose 15 pounds in about 4 months. Start addressing your commitment by setting a plan and sticking to it as much as possible.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Plan Your Weight Loss
Step 1. Set up a food diary
Before starting any diet plan to reduce the amount of calories, it is important to get a pretty good idea of how many you are consuming.
- Start by keeping a food diary, noting everything you eat and drink on a daily basis. Record your breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinks, and whatever else you consume throughout the day.
- Try to be as accurate as possible. The amount of calories you can calculate in your "typical day" will give you a starting point to help you lose weight.
- Keep recording food data even after starting a diet plan. Studies have found that recording what you eat helps you lose weight and maintain weight.
Step 2. Calculate the current amount of total calories you are consuming each day
After keeping the diary for a few days, you are able to determine your daily calorie goal.
- Most dieticians recommend setting a goal of losing 0.5-1 pounds per week. This is a gradual weight loss process, but it is safer and more sustainable. This way, you are also more likely to stick to your diet plan over time.
- Thanks to the food diary, calculate the average of the total calories you consume and subtract 500-750 from this figure. The value you earn is the amount of calories you would have to ingest to be able to lose 0.5-1 kg per week.
- But if by subtracting 500-750 calories, you get less than 1200, skip the result and stick to the minimum level of 1200 calories per day.
- In fact, it is not considered safe to consume less than 1200 calories per day; metabolism can slow down and you risk suffering from nutritional deficiencies.
Step 3. Set a realistic time to lose weight
Create a calendar for your goal, to stick to your commitment and track the results within a set time frame.
- If your idea of losing weight is to lose 0.5-1 kg per week, you will need to calculate a period of about 4 months to be able to lose 15 kilos.
- However, you can also consider adding a few more weeks to lose this weight. The program must also take into account any relapses, holidays and unforeseen stressful events, which can delay your achievement of your goal by a few days or weeks.
Step 4. Create a support group
This is another important aspect that can be part of your schedule and can help you stick to your commitment.
- Some research has found that individuals who have a support group tend to stick to their diet more in the long run, lose more weight, and are able to maintain their weight longer than those who are not supported by other people.
- Talk to friends, family or colleagues about your weight loss goals, ask them if they are willing to support you and help you meet them.
- Plus, you can support yourself by writing down your motivations in a food and fitness diary. Update it every day or week to remember your goals, as well as keep track of the weight and inches you lose.
Part 2 of 3: Making Changes in Nutrition
Step 1. Follow a high protein diet
Many studies have shown that a high-protein diet helps you lose weight and maintain your weight for a long time.
- Protein is an essential nutrient. Try to eat a little more than average, to increase the general sense of satiety and better manage hunger.
- If you are certain that you are eating a source of protein with every meal, you will be able to meet the requirement more easily. Aim to eat at least 1 or 2 servings of lean protein per meal and one with snacks.
- One serving of protein equals around 80-120 grams. Choose the leanest sources, which have fewer calories and thus help you stick to your diet plan.
- Alternate between different sources of protein for a varied diet. Choose from: fish, tofu, legumes, lean beef, eggs, low-fat dairy and poultry.
Step 2. Fill half of the plate with fruit or vegetables
Another simple trick to get low calories without going hungry is to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables.
- These are low calorie foods, which means that you can eat a large amount and still be able to meet your calorie goal.
- In addition, these are high-fiber foods, which increase the volume of what you eat, make you feel more full during the meal and satisfied for a longer period after eating.
- Make sure that half of your meal or snack is fruit or vegetable. Aim to eat about 100g of dense or leafy greens or 70g of fruit.
Step 3. Choose 100% whole grains
In addition to fruits and vegetables, another high-fiber food group is whole grains.
- Add a serving or two of these foods to your daily diet to increase your fiber intake and feel fuller with each meal.
- You should choose 100% whole grain products rather than refined ones, as they are high in fiber, protein, and other essential nutrients.
- Avoid processed grains and their derivatives, such as white bread, polished rice, pasta, refined baked goods and processed with white flour.
- Instead, opt for a variety of different grains such as: oats, quinoa, brown rice, whole-grain breads and pastas.
- Also, make sure you always measure the portion you eat; you shouldn't exceed 80 grams.
Step 4. Prepare healthy snacks in advance
While the idea of snacking might seem contradictory to your weight loss goal, they can actually be an important part of your diet plan.
- If you feel the need to snack, aim to eat no more than 150 calories. Also, choose a snack with some lean protein and a fruit or vegetable that can provide you with additional nutrients that are important to your day.
- Make sure you only eat a snack if you really feel the need; for example, when more than 4 hours have passed since the last meal and the stomach "rumbles" or when you need some nutrients before exercising. Avoid snacking just out of boredom.
- Put some 100-150 calorie snacks in a small bag and take it with you to work or keep it indoors for those times when you want to munch on something quickly.
Step 5. Eat mindfully
While you are following your weight loss plan, you should also make wise lifestyle changes, as well as reduce your calorie intake.
- Eating mindfully can be a great tool to add to your diet or weight loss workout. This way, you are forced to pay attention to what you eat, how much you eat and why.
- Take at least 20 minutes for each meal. By eating slowly, you allow your body time to feel satisfied and avoid bingeing.
- Make smaller portions and take smaller plates. Use the side dish at dinner to keep the amount of food under control.
- Also, avoid getting distracted while eating. Turn off your TV and cell phone so you can better focus on the feeling of pleasure and satisfaction you can get from the meal.
Step 6. Drink adequate amounts of fluids every day
Water is an essential element in keeping you well hydrated throughout the day and is also a key factor in the weight loss process.
- When you are dehydrated, which is quite common, you can confuse thirst with hunger. You may get to eat or snack when all you really need is a sip of water.
- Not to mention that drinking a large glass of water before a meal helps you feel full without having ingested calories.
- Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of liquid each day. However, some doctors believe that up to 13 drinks per day are needed; this depends on age, gender and level of physical activity.
- You should make sure that your urine at the end of the day is very pale or slightly yellow in color; also avoid feeling thirsty during the day.
Part 3 of 3: Increase Physical Activity
Step 1. Establish a training program
If you've set your sights on losing a large amount of weight and plan to exercise to achieve your goal more easily, setting up a routine can help.
- Write or write down a simple schedule on your calendar that shows the type of activity you need to do, the time, how many days per week and for how long.
- Start with low impact activities. During the first month, try swimming, walking, aqua aerobics, or an elliptical bike. These exercises are particularly suitable for the joints and for those who suffer from arthritis.
- Afterward, consider slowly increasing the length of your sessions. You can start by making a point of exercising for 20 minutes 3 times a week; slowly, increase your workout to 30 minutes for 3 days a week and then up to 30 minutes for 4 days a week.
- You can also consider hiring a personal trainer or physical therapist if you've never exercised before or want to get guidance.
Step 2. Increase activity in everyday life
This is an easy way to start exercising a little and just be more active. This is even more important if you have not yet established any type of training to follow.
- The activities in everyday life are what you normally do: walking to go to the car, mopping the floor, climbing the stairs in the office or even shoveling snow.
- Some studies have found that people who maintain an active life reap similar benefits to those who perform specific aerobic activity.
- Try to get more exercise or walk more every day. For example, take a 10-20 minute walk after dinner or during your lunch break. Simply walking a little while at work, in the morning, or at lunchtime can help you lose weight.
- Also, try planning physical activities instead of watching television. Encourage the whole family to be more active. Play mini-golf, walk the dog, or play a sport.
Step 3. Incorporate regular cardiovascular exercises into your routine
Once you've made a commitment to increasing movement in everyday life, start taking steps and incorporate cardio exercises into your workout.
- Most experts recommend doing about 150 minutes of physical activity each week, which equates to about two and a half hours.
- If you've never trained before or are having difficulty exercising, start with less ambitious goals, like 1.5 hours a week.
- Many activities fall into cardio exercises. Try aqua aerobics, elliptical bike, brisk walking, sign up for a dance class or use the stationary bike.
Step 4. Add strength exercises to your workout
This type of exercise helps increase lean muscle mass and improves the body's ability to burn calories during moments of rest.
- Lift free weights or use a weight machine for at least 30 minutes, 2 or 3 times a week. Try to involve all major muscle groups.
- Schedule private lessons with a personal trainer to learn the correct techniques; you have to be very careful, to avoid the risk of injury. Review your training plan often and frequently choose new exercises with your coach.
