Discover how to lose weight in a month with this easy-to-follow step-by-step guide.
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Step 1: Prepare for Your Weight Loss
Can you learn how to lose weight in a month? Yes, you can.
You are more likely to succeed, however, if you prepare for it before getting into the grind.
Know Your Statistics
Numbers can show you how to lose weight quickly, especially if you focus on your body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
BMI refers to the amount of fat in your body in proportion to your height and weight. The normal values for adults vary depending on gender, race, age, and height.
To calculate your BMI, you need the following:
- A: Kilogram equivalent of your weight
- B: Height in meters squared (or multiply your height in meters by two)
The formula is BMI = A/B. If that’s too much trouble for you, you can use this calculator.
Waist circumference, meanwhile, is a good complement to BMI since it helps assess your risks of certain chronic diseases. These can include diabetes, hypertension, and heart disorders.
Belly fat may be more than subcutaneous (or only on the skin layer). Behind the abdominal wall may be a more dangerous type of fat called visceral fat.
Waist circumference can significantly vary, according to factors like age, ethnicity, and gender. Ideally, it should not be more than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men.
Set Realistic Weight Goals
Perhaps you’re someone who doesn’t want to know how to lose weight in a month. Instead, you’re interested in how to lose weight in a week.
Is that even possible? The answer is still yes.
There’s a caveat, however. First, it may not be ideal to lose a lot of weight in a specific time period, or the body may use your muscles for fuel.
Losing too much weight may also put significant stress on your organs. On average, a healthy weight loss is eight pounds a month or up to two pounds per week.
In the end, the way your body responds to changes, including weight loss, is different among individuals. Some may lose more; others, not so much.
Setting realistic weight loss goals is critical to avoiding frustrations and disappointments that may demotivate you.
Step 2: Start with Your Diet
Now you already have a weight goal, the next question is, should you focus on diet or exercise first? Experts tend to lean on the diet.
It doesn’t matter how much you exercise. If you don’t eat smart, you will only consume the calories you’re burning.
Here are two tips to help you diet the right way within 30 days:
Decide the Best Diet for Your Needs
With the right diet, you can learn how to lose weight fast. The question is, which is the best for you?
Should you do keto or go vegetarian or vegan? How about a plant-based diet?
What is keto? It is a diet plan consisting of high amounts of fat, moderate protein, and low carbohydrate.
The best diet or meal plan depends on a lot of factors. These include:
- Current and desired weight
- Basal metabolic rate (metabolic rate at rest)
- Age (menopause can also contribute to weight gain)
- Height and gender
- Preexisting conditions you may have such as hypothyroidism
- Genetic risks
- Accessibility of food
- Budget
Today, you’ll find dozens of recipes and meal guides online. You can download those or watch the videos.
It’s still best, though, to work with a certified nutritionist or a dietitian. These professionals consider all the factors mentioned above.
They can also be your perfect diet partner. They hold you accountable, as well as guide you every step of the way.
Create a Food Journal
One of the secrets to losing weight in one month is a food journal. It works like a diary or a log, but the entries you make are your meals.
- Use a handy notebook or a phone or web app.
- Every time you eat, log the foods you consume. If you’re using an app, it may have features that calculate calories and nutrition.
- Also, record observations after consuming these meals. Do you feel bloated, hungrier, more irritable, or develop allergy symptoms?
These will help you figure out the foods that may be doing more harm than good.
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Step 3: Exercise
A diet without exercise won’t get you to your goal, which is weight loss. You need to help your body burn more calories.
Studies such as a 2018 research in Aging Cell also showed exercise can help improve your wellness and keep you young. Here are two ideas to jump-start your exercise regimen:
Consider Doing HIIT
There are many types of exercise that can help you lose weight. The goal, though, is how to lose weight in a month fast with exercise.
In other words, you don’t have a lot of time for trial and error. You also need to do the workouts that are the most efficient in burning calories.
For this, you can do HIIT or high-intensity interval training, a workout plan with different exercise sets.
Each set includes a couple of exercises you need to do with 100% effort with pauses of a few seconds in between.
A 2010 study in the Journal of Obesity revealed HIIT does not only burn a lot of calories. It also helps remove both subcutaneous and abdominal fats.
It may also improve the body’s sensitivity to insulin, which then lowers your risk for type 2 diabetes.
HIIT isn’t just about cardio as well. You can use the same principle for other kinds of training, such as strength and resistance, which help build muscles.
It also doesn’t demand a lot of time. You can do HIIT for less than 30 minutes.
Mix Your Exercises
People quit exercising for a lot of reasons. One of these is boredom.
You have a higher chance of succeeding in how to lose weight in a month when you mix your exercises. Try these as well:
- Zumba and dance
- Yoga and Pilates
- Running and brisk walking
- Swimming
Step 4: Pay Attention to Other Aspects of Your Life
Following the top three steps will already lead you to your goal, which is weight loss.
Why stop at losing weight, though, when you can do more to change other aspects of your life? You can:
- Follow a regular sleeping schedule.
- Reduce your stress levels with relaxation techniques like meditation.
- Spend more time outdoors to increase your vitamin D levels.
- Work with a healthcare team like LIV Health who can personalize your weight loss plan.
You can learn how to lose weight in a month. It may not bring you immediately to your ideal weight, but it can do wonders for your overall health.
It’s okay to falter too with your diet, exercise, or stress management once in a while. What this new lifestyle requires, after all, is commitment and consistency.
What did you do to lose weight in a month? Share your tips in the comments section below!
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