The desire to lose weight may be inspired by many factors. For some folks, it starts with a sudden event or realization. For instance, this could be not recognizing the overweight person looking back in front of a mirror or an innocent “Are you pregnant?” questions from friends who notice your bulging belly fat. For other people, the drive to change comes from a different kind of pressure – a deadline.
Stories of people losing weight in record time have become quite common. You may have seen one on a popular weight-loss TV show, read it online, or even know someone that went through a drastic physical transformation. This, therefore, begs the question, “Can you really lose weight on a deadline?”
Free Report: 20 Simple Ways To Make Your Lifestyle More ActiveHow To Lose Weight On A Deadline
Whether your fast-approaching day comes in the form of a wedding, summer vacation, reunion, or some other special occasion, losing weight by a given deadline is possible. With that said, here are a few strategies that can help you get your desired body, safely and just in the nick of time.
1: Avoid Fad Diets like The Plague
When working toward becoming lean by a certain date, many people are inclined to try fast weight loss methods. Burning unwanted body fat is a complex metabolic process, but generally, if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. For this reason, fad diets are the most attractive quick fixes in the pursuit of leaner physiques.
But don’t be quick to try that cucumber diet that a friend claims helped to get rid of 10-pounds in a week. The truth is, if a weight loss scheme sounds too good to be true, then it probably is. Trying to get into shape with fast weight loss methods takes extraordinary diet changes that may not be sustainable in the long run.
Fad diets also rob you the chance to learn healthy eating habits, so when you stop them, you end up gaining back all the lost weight and sometimes even more. In the journey to weight loss, slow and steady wins the race.
2: Reduce Calories by Making Smart Healthy Food Choices
Rather than looking for weight loss shortcuts, cut back on unhealthy, high-calorie foods. Obvious calorie offenders include trans-fats in fried foods or snacks with refined sugar such as sweets and carbonated drinks.
Instead, opt for healthier food options such as fruits, leafy greens, lean meats or protein rich plant sources as well as poultry products, low fat dairy and whole grains for complex carbs. In addition, it’s advisable to practice portion control in order to bring down your calorie consumption.
3: Lose Weight at a Healthy Rate
So, how many calories should you cut back to induce weight loss? According to nutritionists, losing 1 or 2 pounds per week is a healthy weight loss rate that won’t shock the body into hoarding fat in an attempt to sustain itself.
A pound of fat is equivalent to 3500 calories, so cutting 500 or 1000 calories from daily food intake will help you lose 1 or 2 pounds of weight per week. Working with this healthy rate, you can easily make realistic weight loss targets for your deadline.
4: Exercise Regularly
The best way to accelerate weight loss when working toward a deadline is including exercise in your fitness regimen. Physical activity increases your caloric expenditure, so when combined with a healthy low calorie diet, unwanted pounds will start to melt away fast.
The trick to make weight loss exercises work for you is by committing to a regular workout routine that is maintainable even after reaching your fitness goal. Doing so will not only help you lose weight for an upcoming occasion, but also keep it off for good.
20 Ways To Make Your Lifestyle More Active
Trying to lose weight on a deadline is easier said than done. But if you put the tips above into practice, you’ll be well on your way to achieving a physique you can be proud of as well as mastering the art of healthy living.
People are often amazed at how small changes can reap huge results with their fitness. To help you leverage new habits into a lifetime of good health and better fitness download my free report 20 Ways To Make Your Lifestyle More Active. Once you choose a healthy lifestyle, you’ll never have to worry about dieting again.
