Losing 23 kg in 3 months means losing almost two kilos per week on average. This means that within 3 months you should burn 2000 more calories than you consume on a daily basis. While it is possible, it is not realistic for most people. Losing weight at a rate of 1/2 to 1 kg per week is a much healthier and feasible goal in most cases. If you want to lose weight, set a goal and determine how many calories to take each day to reach your goal. So change your eating habits and exercise regularly to burn more calories.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare a Realistic Weight Loss Plan
Step 1. Identify your weekly and total weight loss goal
Knowing what awaits you, you can create an effective diet and training plan. If you want to lose 23kg in total, then 1.8kg per week should be your goal. However, keep in mind that this is a fairly fast pace and is considered unhealthy. The ideal, however, would be to dispose of ½-1 kg per week, which would still lead to a loss of 6-12 kg within 3 months.
advise: Try writing your goal on a piece of paper and placing it in an area where you can keep an eye on it, for example on the bathroom mirror or inside the closet door.
Step 2. Calculate your basal metabolic rate to see how many calories you burn in a day
Calorie expenditure over a 24-hour period depends on a number of factors, including age, height, weight and the level of physical activity practiced during the day. There are many tools on the Internet to calculate your basal metabolic rate that you can use to find out your body's calorie needs. Choose one to estimate the amount of calories you burn on average in a day.
Step 3. Determine the calories to eliminate for weight loss
Once you've got your calorie needs, use it to determine how many calories you need to eliminate from your diet. In addition, it will allow you to understand how many daily calories you need to burn with physical activity. Set this goal realistically. Don't cut it below 1200 calories per day.
- For example, if your basal metabolic rate equals 2300, then you could reduce your daily calorie intake to 1300 calories so that you lose about 1kg per week.
- If you want to burn nearly 2kg per week, you should burn an additional 1000 calories per day. Of course, this is unrealistic because it requires about two hours a day of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise. Instead, try 30 minutes of cardiovascular activity to get started and increase the time and intensity of your workout as you build strength.
Step 4. Track your nutrition and physical activity in a diary or a dedicated application
You should write down everything you put under your teeth if you want to get a better idea of your daily calorie intake. Also consider tracking your workout using a diary or app to see how many calories you are burning in addition to the calories you have eliminated from your diet.
Make sure you log everything you eat and drink in the application. This habit will help you keep track of your goals
Method 2 of 3: Change Your Eating Habits
Step 1. Eat more fruits and vegetables for fewer calories
Fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients, but they contain far fewer calories than other foods, such as cookies, chips and bread. To reduce your calorie intake, replace some foods you normally eat with fruits and vegetables. Try to fill half your plate with this food category at every meal.
- For example, instead of having lunch with a sandwich and a portion of fries, opt for a green salad or bowl of fresh melon.
- Instead of eating two servings of rice for dinner, opt for 120g of rice and 240g of cauliflower.
Step 2. Try intermittent fasting to give your digestive system a longer break
Intermittent fasting allows you not to eat for 14-16 hours between the last meal and the first of the next day. You can eat (respecting all meals and snacks) in a time window ranging from 8 to 10 hours. By limiting your diet to 8-10 hours, you can reduce your overall calorie intake. Identify the time of day when you are most active, such as when you work or study.
For example, one day you might decide to eat from 8am to 4pm and then fast from 4pm to 8am the next day. Alternatively, if you prefer to choose a 10-hour window, you could eat between 07:00 and 17:00 every day
Step 3. Consider a low-carb diet to cut out an important source of calories
While it is not necessary to follow a low-carb diet to lose weight, some people find it helpful to reduce or limit this category of nutrients. Learn about the Atkins, South Beach, and ketogenic diets to find a meal plan that fits your needs.
- Some low-carb diets are based on the calculation of carbohydrates, while others restrict consumption to only certain types of foods. Choose the one that seems most feasible to you.
- Avoid industrially processed foods and simple carbohydrates, such as cookies, crackers, chips, and baked goods. Also, stay away from foods with added sugar, such as sweets, sodas, and sugary grains.
- Instead, opt for low-carb whole foods. Try to consume mostly non-starchy vegetables, such as kale, peppers, and broccoli. For protein, limit yourself to lean sources, such as grilled chicken, eggs, and low-fat dairy products.
Step 4. Drink water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated
Hydration helps the body function properly and can also promote satiety throughout the day. Sometimes, people confuse thirst with hunger, so drinking a glass of water whenever you think you're hungry can help keep you hydrated and avoid eating when you don't actually have an appetite.
- Avoid high-calorie drinks, such as sugary sodas, fruit juices, and alcohol. They increase the calories ingested with little or no nutritional value.
- Note that there is no right amount of water. Drink it whenever you feel thirsty or when you sweat to keep yourself hydrated.
advise: if you don't like still water, try flavoring it with lemon juice, berries or a few slices of cucumber. You can also try the flavored sparkling if you like bubbles.
Step 5. Snack healthy between meals
They can keep you from being too hungry and, as a result, let you go with food. Always have a healthy snack on hand so you don't succumb to the temptation to try something less healthy. Here are some snacks to keep on hand:
- Fresh fruit to peel, such as apples and oranges
- Cut vegetables, such as carrot sticks and celery
- Low-fat mozzarella strips;
- Fat-free Greek yogurt;
- Unsalted, unsalted almonds or cashews;
- Pretzel.
Step 6. Use awareness at the dinner table to eat slower
Eating consciously means paying close attention to the sensations offered by food. It is an approach that allows you to quietly enjoy meal time and avoid excesses at the table. Some mindfulness eating strategies you might try include:
- Limit distractions while eating, such as turning off the TV or computer and putting away the phone
- Hold the cutlery with your non-dominant hand, such as your left if you are not left handed, or use chopsticks;
- Focus on the scent, appearance, texture and flavor of the dishes.
Method 3 of 3: Train to Burn More Calories
Step 1. Increase physical activity in your daily life
By taking every opportunity to do more sports throughout the day, you can burn more calories. Even a little extra movement can help you burn off more calories. Here are some ways to keep yourself more active throughout the day:
- Park further away, perhaps when you go to work or do the shopping;
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator;
- Walking or cycling to school or work and running errands;
- Doing squats or hops with your legs apart during commercials while watching TV.
Step 2. Start with 30 minutes of physical activity practicing it most days of the week and increase as you progress
Regular physical activity is good for your health, but it can also promote weight loss. Generally, to feel good, it is advisable to move 150 minutes a week, which is equivalent to 30 minutes, 5 days a week. However, you can divide the training into sessions of varying duration if it is more convenient for you. As you gain strength and endurance, work harder to increase the amount of calories you burn. For best results, aim for 60-90 minutes of physical activity 5 days a week.
For example, you can train for 10 minutes, 3 times a day to total 30 minutes of daily physical activity. Alternatively, you could do 3 workouts of 50 minutes each so that you reach 150 minutes per week
advise: Make sure you choose a stimulating activity to avoid throwing in the towel easily. For example, try taking karate lessons if you love martial arts movies or if you like to dance, don't hesitate to wriggle to the beat of the music in your bedroom.
Step 3. Do muscle strengthening to burn more calories while at rest
Muscle strengthening helps your body tone muscles by speeding up your basal metabolic rate and allowing you to burn more calories. It also improves fitness and can help you in your daily activities. In addition to cardiovascular training, include two 45-minute strength training sessions throughout the week.
Make sure you work with all major muscle groups to build their structure, including legs, arms, pecs, back, glutes, abs, and shoulders
Step 4. Try high intensity interval training
Also known by the English acronym HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), it consists of alternating high and moderate intensity exercises during training. It can help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time and is also a great way to increase stamina.
- For example, if you walk, go for 5 minutes at a normal pace, then increase your speed for 5 minutes. Finally, slow down for 5 minutes and speed up again for 5 minutes. Repeat the exercise for half an hour to increase the intensity of the workout.
- You can use HIIT with any form of physical activity, such as running, biking, swimming, or bodyweight exercises.
