Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Adjusting your diet
• Part 2 of 3: Get daily exercise
• Part 3 of 3: Adjusting your lifestyle

Losing weight takes time and dedication, especially if you want to lose a lot of weight. While you won't see any drastic changes within a week, it is still possible to shed a few pounds during that time. This wikiHow gives you some tips on how to do that.

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Part 1 of 3: Adjusting your diet

1. Eat more vegetables, healthy fats and lean protein. Compose your meals so that they contain a protein source, little fat and not too many carbohydrates. Your carbohydrate consumption should be within the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day. You don't have to feel like you have to limit yourself to a small number of foods. You can enjoy very diverse, healthy food that offers a wide range of nutrients.
   • Healthy protein sources are proteins, soy products and chicken. Fish such as salmon and trout as well as shellfish such as shrimp and lobster are also good sources of protein in a healthy diet. Low-fat Greek yogurt is also a great way to include protein and dairy in your diet.
   • Low-carb vegetables include: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chard, lettuce, cucumber and celery. Steam or fry the vegetables instead of deep-frying them; this will ensure that you get all the nutrients and antioxidants from vegetables for a week.
   • Healthy fat sources are avocados and nuts, as well as olive oil, coconut oil and avocado oil. These oils are healthy alternatives to cooking with animal fats or highly saturated fats.
   EXPERT TIP

   "Losing half to one kilogram a week is a healthy and achievable goal."

   
   

   Omit animal fats, carbohydrates and sugars. Foods rich in carbohydrates and sugars cause your body to produce insulin, one of the body's most important fat-storage hormones. When your insulin levels drop, your body can start burning fat. It also helps your kidneys get rid of excess sodium and water, reducing your water weight.

   • Avoid foods rich in starch and carbohydrates such as chips, French fries and white bread. You should also avoid foods high in sugar, such as soft drinks, sweets, cakes, and other junk foods.
   • Animal fats such as those in red meat and game, or lamb, can be fatty and slow your metabolism because they are difficult to digest. Skip the steak or lamb burger as part of your meals for one week.
2. Use natural sugars instead of artificial sugars. Instead of sweets as a quick snack, take fruit that is low in sugar, such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries or strawberries. Replace the sugar in your morning coffee with a natural sugar such as Stevia, or a teaspoon of honey.
   • Your diet should primarily focus on healthy sources of protein, fat and vegetables. But you also need to get healthy sugars through fruit, for example.
3. Make a meal plan for seven days. This plan should include at least three main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), always at the same time of day, as well as two small snacks (between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner), also at the same time of the day. This will ensure that you eat at the same time every day of the week and don't miss or miss a meal. Eating about 1400-1600 calories per day temporarily (for men 1800-2000), in combination with daily exercise, can help you lose weight healthily.
   • A meal plan is essential to the success of your weight loss program. It keeps you aware of what you eat during the day and throughout the week. This will help you on your way.
   • Create a grocery list based on your meals and do groceries for the entire week on Sundays. Pack your fridge with all the necessary ingredients for all of your meals for the week so that you can prepare any meal quickly and easily.
4. Have a small, high-protein breakfast. Get your day off to a flying start with a protein-rich breakfast that gives you energy (and keeps your blood sugar level) for the rest of the day. Aim for a breakfast of about 400 calories and eat it around the same time each morning. Vary and alternate between two to three options. Drink unsweetened tea with breakfast or a glass of water with lemon.
   • Get the day off to a good start with a breakfast of berries and a muffin. Place 1 cup of low-fat yogurt in a bowl with a tablespoon of low-fat muesli and ½ cup of sliced ​​strawberries. Add another layer of yogurt and muesli and round it off with ½ cup of raspberries. You can eat this delicious breakfast with half a toasted whole wheat muffin topped with two teaspoons of peanut butter.
   • Make oatmeal and add dried fruit and nuts for a healthy, fiber-rich breakfast. Add 1 ⅓ cup of low-fat milk to instant oatmeal (no sugar). Cook this according to the directions on the package in the microwave or on the stove. Once cooked, stir in two tablespoons of dried cranberries and a tablespoon of chopped walnuts.
   • Make a filling, yet healthy morning meal by toasting two whole wheat waffles. Add a tablespoon of pure maple syrup and one finely chopped banana. Add a glass of low-fat milk.
   • Avoid carbohydrate-rich foods for breakfast, as these can lead to spikes and dips in your blood sugar during the day and make you feel hungry.
5. Eat a balanced lunch. Plan your lunch so that you eat at the same time every day and can plan your meals in advance. Prepare lunches that contain 500 calories or less and vary several options so that there is some variation throughout the week.
   • Eat a high-protein meal such as a bean tortilla with gazpacho. Heat 60 grams of tortillas in the microwave or on the stove and fill with ½ cup of cooked black beans, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, two tablespoons of grated low-fat cheddar and half an avocado, chopped. Serve it with a cup of ready-made gazpacho or salsa. Top it off with a piece (30 grams) of dark chocolate for dessert.
   • Include fish in your diet with a tilapia and rice pilaf. Heat one teaspoon of olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Season a 100 gram tilapia fillet with some salt and pepper. Put this in the pan and fry for about two to three minutes per side. When the fish is done, it should break up easily with a fork.Prepare ½ cup of rice pilaf (ready to eat or homemade) and ½ cup of steamed pods. Serve the tilapia with the rice pilaf and pods. Finish the meal with a baked apple, topped with a pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of honey, served with ⅓ cup of low-fat vanilla ice cream.
   • Have a tasty, high-protein sandwich with hummus and vegetables. Spread ¼ cup of ready-made or homemade hummus on two slices of whole wheat bread. Add lamb's lettuce, cucumber slices and red pepper. Eat your healthy sandwich with a cup of minestrone soup, 180 grams of low-fat yogurt and ½ cup of grapes.
   • A carbohydrate-rich lunch ensures that you have a greater need for carbohydrates and that you collapse in the afternoon.
6. Have a filling, healthy dinner every night. End your day with a dinner that will fill you up, but not overload your metabolism or create fat that is difficult for your body to burn. Keep your dinner within 500 calories per meal and focus on a balance of proteins, fruits and healthy fats. You can also alternate between lunch and dinner options every day for some variety.
   • Make a high-protein dinner with grilled chops and asparagus. Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Season a pork shoulder of about 100 grams with salt and pepper. Put this in a pan and fry for three to five minutes per side. Serve with ½ cup of mashed potatoes, one cup of steamed or baked asparagus, and ½ cup of pepper strips. Garnish the meal with ½ cup of fresh raspberries.
   • Prepare a high-protein dinner with red lentil soup. Garnish each bowl of homemade soup with a tablespoon of low-fat yogurt and fresh cilantro. Add a slice of whole grain bread or a handful of crackers.
   • Make a simple, filling dinner with a vegetable frittata. A frittata is a type of pie with an egg, a vegetable such as mushrooms and spinach, and a light cheese, such as feta. Frittatas are rich in protein and high in vegetables, and are also great as leftovers for breakfast.
7. Drink water instead of sugary drinks. Water helps to keep your immune system healthy, your skin looking radiant and your moisture balance during your daily workout.
   • Replace sugary drinks such as soda with water flavored with slices of lemon or lime juice.
   • Unsweetened green tea is another good substitute for sugary drinks. Green tea is high in antioxidants, which means that it helps your body fight free radicals, which worsen signs of aging in humans.
8. Keep a food diary. Write down everything you eat and be careful about it. You will be less likely to eat badly if you experience the guilt of writing this down in your journal afterwards. You can also track your calorie intake and how successful you are in maintaining your meal plan.
   • Also note in your journal how you feel when you have eaten certain foods. Do you feel depressed, happy, angry or optimistic? Focusing on your emotions and what you eat can help you discover patterns of emotional eating, if any.

Part 2 of 3: Get daily exercise

1. Make a plan to exercise for seven days. Most exercise plans recommend five days of exercise per week and two days of rest. Depending on your current condition, you can commit to training lightly every day or more intensively every other day. It is better not to overdo your workouts, but to focus on consistent continuity and stick to a realistic training schedule, specifically tailored to your body's needs.
   • Make a training schedule so that you train at the same time every day. This could be in the gym every morning before work, every other day for lunch, or every evening several hours before bed. Review your schedule for the week and set aside time for your workout so that it becomes part of your day and you can't miss or forget it.
2. Warm up with light cardio. Start every workout with light cardio, as you should never stretch or strain cold muscles.
   • Jog in place for five to ten minutes. Jump rope and do jumping jacks for 5 minutes. Or run for 10 minutes to activate your muscles and start sweating.
3. Stretch after you warm up with cardio and at the end of your workout. It is important to stretch your muscles after warming up for five to ten minutes so that you don't get injured while doing strenuous exercise. You should also stretch for five to ten minutes at the end of your workout. Stretching ensures that you do not stretch muscles or suffer any adverse effects on your body.
   • Do some basic exercises for your legs and arms so that the larger muscles are warmed up and ready to go to work during your training schedule. Do stretches with lunges for the quadriceps, calf muscles and butterfly stretches.
4. Work with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT is an exercise program that alternates high-intensity exercise with short intervals of recovery or rest. This type of exercise helps you burn fat quickly. HIIT forces your body to use the sugars in your body and burn fat faster than with less intense workouts. You will also use stored body fat during the recovery phase, which will cause you to lose body fat. You can do HIIT exercises with fitness equipment, an exercise mat, and a few free weights. There are several popular HIIT programs, including:
   • The Beach Body Workout: This twelve-week HIIT program takes no more than 21 minutes, three days a week, and is designed to help strengthen and sculpt your body, while also helping you lose weight. The program targets specific areas of your body, such as your arms and abs, and integrates cardio and stretching. After week one of the program you will already notice that you are getting slimmer and stronger muscles.
   • The 25-minute Sprint Fartlek Workout: “Fartlek” means “speed game” in Swedish. This type of HIIT program combines continuous training with speed intervals. You determine the intensity and speed of each interval yourself, so that the training feels spontaneous and attractive. This program focuses on cardio training, where you walk, jog or sprint within a pre-set time.
   • The Countdown Jump Rope Workout: You don't need more than a stopwatch and a jump rope for this interval workout. Start by trying to jump rope for two minutes, then rest for two minutes, then jump again for 1.5 minutes. Then you rest for half a minute and then you jump rope for another minute, followed by a minute of rest. Finish it off with 30 seconds of skipping rope. Rest for three minutes and repeat this set one to two more times.
5. Join a sports team or participate in a recreational competition. Exercise is a great way to burn calories while having fun. Sport brings the fire of the competition into the equation; you often forget that you are exercising and are likely to sweat profusely. Sports suitable for weight loss:
   • Football: This sport will get your circulation going and help burn fat.
   • Swimming: Swimming for an hour will burn 400-600 calories, strengthen your joints and muscles, and improve circulation.
   • Basketball: Playing a full-court game of basketball can burn 400 to 700 calories.
6. Take fitness classes. Add variety to your workout by joining fitness classes that combine cardio with strength and interval training.
   • Aerobics and dance classes such as Zumba can help you lose weight. You can burn 500-1000 calories with an hour of Zumba.
   • Cycling is great for weight loss and strengthening muscles. Join spin classes to burn more fat and develop leaner thighs, buttocks and abs while you exercise.

Part 3 of 3: Adjusting your lifestyle

1. Prefer not to eat out during the week. Eating out healthy is difficult. Many dishes in restaurants are high in carbohydrates, high in fat and full of sodium. Eat at home during the week so you can stick to the meal plan and only eat foods that help keep you feeling full and lose weight.
   • Prepare your own lunch to take to work to avoid eating out during the day. Prepare your meals in advance so you don't feel tempted to eat out.
2. Try to lose weight with a friend or partner. Devote a week to a diet program with a friend or partner who can help you stay motivated and keep up with the program. You can stick to each other because you are both working hard to lose weight in this week.
3. When the week is over, stick to your eating habit and lifestyle. Once you've experienced a week of healthy eating, targeted exercise, and other lifestyle changes, consider sticking to these habits. Work on maintaining your diet, as well as your exercise schedule, for a month, then try to stick with it.