Being fit and healthy is integral to us living a long life. It helps us feel and look great, which can improve so many aspects of our lives including a positive and strong mental health.
The thing is, with such busy lives, we often do not have time to make healthy meals or go to the gym and we become more and more inactive. As a result, we can gain weight. Don’t worry, we’re only human and it happens.
Luckily, there are ways to reverse this and we can lose weight just as easily as we gain weight – all it takes is a little dedication and determination. Find out in this guide how you can lose 2 pounds a week.
Being Ready
Some people make it a New Year’s resolution to start being fit and healthy and lose some weight, but the problem is that they often give up before January has even come to a close and the cycle starts again.
The same problems occur with fad diets and supposedly “quick fixes” that are often advertised in the media. Losing weight and keeping weight off involves long term commitment and dedication, but the more you do it – the easier it becomes.
You, of course, don’t want to wait too long to lose weight – but if you’re hoping for real, long term results – you need to ensure that you are 100% ready to start and cement these plans into your everyday life.
So, before you embark on your weight loss journey, ask yourself – am I ready to commit to a new, calorie controlled diet? Am I ready to commit to an exercise program? Will I need support? Do I have the time? What’s my relationship with food anyway?
There are so many factors to weight loss, and getting the right support is integral to achieving the right results. Therefore, before you start out – make sure you get some expert, independent advice which will be tailored to you and your needs.
You can speak with your doctor, a nutritionist and a personal trainer for the right information which can guide you through your new life.
Motivate Yourself
Nobody can make you lose weight. Heck, it’s your decision if you even want to. If you’ve definitely committed yourself to the idea, you’ll need to make sure that you’re motivated enough and stick with the plan.
A good way to keep motivated is to look in the mirror or at the scales at least once a week. If you hate what you see – do something about it. If you like what you see, stick to what you’re doing! Keep it going!
Maybe you’re about to go on vacation and don’t want to be made a fool of when you’re wearing fewer clothes. Maybe you’re hoping to get back into the dating scene and want to increase your chances.
Whatever your motivation, the people you have around you will definitely play a significant role in your progress. If you have those that support you and help your diet and exercise goals, you will go much further. Remember, doing it alone is difficult.
However, if you choose to go alone and keep it a private affair, you will need to keep yourself motivated and keep an accurate diary inclusive of food and workouts.
Keep an eye on your weight week-by-week. You’ll see if it is working for you or if you need help – sometimes it can be a medical issue that is holding you back! If this is the case, get in touch with a doctor.
Be Realistic
Setting yourself realistic goals is incredibly important. If you set yourself a crazy, unachievable target – you will not only suffer a major set-back when you inevitably fail – which can make you quit the whole thing – but you’re not helping yourself or your motivation.
Step by step goals are the best way to improve. This applies to both diet and exercise. Depending on your weight, your calorie requirements won’t be dropped massively to begin with, as this can be dangerous – but they can slowly be reduced over time.
In the gym, your program will start basic and will slowly increase in intensity when you’re ready to undertake it. The goal of losing 2 pounds a week is a great starting point and is certainly achievable for most people.
To do so, you’ll need to burn 500 to 1000 calories more than you consume everyday for a week. This may sound like a lot, but remember – we’re burning calories naturally everyday without exercise.
Adding a smart exercise regime into the mix, along with making smart food choices that are lower in calories but still have the right amount of protein and other nutrients – it can easily be done.
The way these goals will work is not by saying you want to lose 10 pounds in a month. It’s by setting small, achievable goals each week through exercise and lifestyle changes. For example, writing in your new diary to keep an eye on things, you can write down:
- Aim to exercise 30 minutes a day for 5 days
- Go to bed by midnight the latest each day
- Consume 2000kcal maximum a day
- Eat 3 portions of fruit and vegetables a day
These are achievable daily and weekly goals which you can track as the week progresses.
Get Your Diet In Check
Creating a healthy diet plan, which you can discuss with your nutritionist or health expert is incredibly important. You can exercise all you like, but if you are still consuming more calories than you’re burning off – you’ll continue to gain weight.
Moreover, eating the right foods that aren’t processed or full of fat and sugar will make you feel better, give you more energy and overall give you better motivation. Additionally, cutting out high calorie treats like candy can help you make better meal choices.
A candy bar for example can be around 500kcal or more. This can be the same amount of calories as a healthy lunch – and when you’re calorie counting, you don’t want to exclude a lunch meal for a candy bar. Empty calories are the enemy.
Speaking of empty calories – try to avoid alcohol like beer. One glass of beer can be as many calories as a large slice of pizza, and let’s face it, we never have one beer!
Cutting out the booze for one month can help you lose so much more weight and can help you achieve your calorie goals more easily.
Stick With Your Workouts
Depending on your weight and how active you are before you start, working out can seem really hard and boring. The more you stick with it will help you and make it easier.
It’s a good idea to link good things that you like with these difficult workouts. Take your music player or smartphone with you and stick with a moderate workout for the first month.
Eventually, you’ll start to link your favorite music with a workout and psychologically you’ll be raring to go to the gym.
If you’re really struggling, consider hiring a personal trainer for a few sessions and see how you fare from there.
Don’t Be Hard On Yourself
Sure, the above notes will help you lose 2 pounds a week – but after all is said and done, we are human and we can’t continue punishing ourselves. Eventually, you’ll get sick of having a restricted lifestyle.
So, be kind to yourself. Set yourself a cheat day, initially once a month and then you can do it twice a month after you’ve got some results and you are moving much more. Don’t feel bad for a cheat day – they help you stick to your overall lifestyle and avoid binges.
Cheat days can be where you decide to get a takeout meal or maybe have a beer with some of your friends – or maybe eating that sweet candy bar you’ve been craving.
It’s a good idea to set a cheat day if you have an upcoming celebration, like a wedding – so that you avoid doing it too often in a month.
Summary
Losing 2 pounds a week simply comes down to burning more calories than you intake everyday for a week. This might sound easy, but you’ll need to stick to your realistic goals and remain motivated and dedicated! Good luck.
