Tag: Weight Loss
Can Collagen Truly Boost Weight Loss? Unveiling the Truth
Collagen is a form of protein that most people associate with skin and joint health. However, it has become popular as a weight loss supplement over the past few years. Yet, collagen’s ability to help you shed pounds is far from settled science. In this article, we delve into the research to help you decide whether supplementing with collagen will help you achieve your fat loss goals.
What is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant form of protein in your body. It helps support the structure of your skin, hair, nails, and connective tissue. It is also needed for bone health, promoting both density and strength. As we age, our body’s ability to produce collagen decreases. This results in many common signs of aging, such as wrinkles, lack of skin elasticity, and joint stiffness.
Other benefits of collagen include promoting the structure and function of muscle tissue. It promotes muscle strength and helps improve post-workout recovery. Specific amino acids that makeup collagen help promote gut health and improve digestion.
Collagen also helps improve cardiovascular health. It strengthens blood vessels, helps reduce blood pressure, and may lower the risk of heart disease.
Collagen comprises 19 amino acids, structured in a triple helix construction. Three amino acids make up nearly 60% of collagen:
Glycine
Proline
Hydroxyproline
Learn more about collagen and its ability to help you build lean muscle mass.
Collagen Supplement Forms
There are four forms of collagen that you will find in collagen supplements:
Type I Collagen
The majority of the collagen in your body is Type 1. It is present in the skin, tendons, and connective tissue. This form of collagen is best for skin, nail, and hair health.
Type II Collagen
Most of the collagen in your cartilage is Type II. It is the best form of the supplement to promote joint health and help reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
Type III Collagen
Type III collagen works with Type I to promote skin elasticity and prevent wrinkles, though it is far less abundant. This type of collagen supplements have the same skin-enhancing benefits as Type I.
Multi-Collagen Blend
Multi-blend supplements include a combination of all three forms of collagen. This multi-faceted approach benefits your skin, hair, nails, joints, and connective tissue and promotes blood vessel and organ health.
Types of Collagen Supplements
Collagen supplements are sold in several formats, each offering unique benefits:
Collagen Hydrolysate
You may be familiar with whey hydrolysate, which breaks down protein molecules for faster absorption into the body. Collagen hydrolysate does the same thing. Before you put it into your body, it has been predigested into collagen peptides, saving the body from carrying out this step. This allows the collagen to get into your cells faster. The trade-off is that there is a smaller thermic effect because the body has to do less work to digest the collagen.
Liquid Collagen
Liquid collagen is actually a powdered form of the protein suspended in a liquid. It may be flavored or combined with another supplement. This is the most expensive form of collagen supplement.
Powdered Collagen
A powdered collagen supplement comes in a container with a scoop and must be mixed with water or some other liquid. It can be harder to get a standard dosage and may turn into a clumpy, gritty drink if the powder doesn’t mix properly.
Capsule Collagen
It is a powdered form of the supplement put into a capsule. This ensures you get a standard dose. Make sure that the material used in the capsule is healthy. If you are a vegan or vegetarian, you will want to avoid gelatin capsules which are made from bovine or porcine sources.
Does Collagen Assist with Weight Loss?
There is some research indicating that collagen may assist in weight loss. However, the effect is not significant, so it would be a mistake to classify collagen as a major weight loss stimulator. The other benefits of taking collagen far outweigh its weight loss potential.
Let’s delve into the research to discover how collagen may help promote weight loss.
A couple of studies focused on the use of specific collagen derived from a flat fish known as the ‘skate fish.’ In a 2019 study by Tak, et al., researchers gave 81 overweight adults either 2,000 mg of skatefish collagen in supplementary form or a placebo for 12 weeks. At the end of the study, the collagen group experienced a greater rate of fat loss than the placebo group (2.7% vs 1.2%). [1]
A 2018 rodent study also looked at the ability of skatefish collagen to reduce body fat. The mice were initially overfed to increase their stored body fat. Again, collagen supplementation was able to reduce body fat levels. [2]
Another rodent study looked at the ability of collagen supplementation to reduce menopause-related weight gain. In this case, a form of collagen called collagen hydrolysate was seen to improve fat loss in estrogen-deficient rats. It also appeared to slow down any extra weight gain after increased caloric intake. [3]
Notably, the first two studies involved a specific form of collagen (derived from skater fish) and a specific condition (low estrogen brought on by menopause). However, some researchers have concluded that collagen may be able to slow down fat build-up and promote lipid metabolism.
We’ve already noticed that collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. The role of protein in weight loss is widely recognized for its satiating effect and potential to curb food cravings. So, the fact that collagen is a protein means it will help with weight loss, regardless of whether collagen has any specific fat loss-promoting ability.
Protein builds muscle. After a resistance workout, tiny microtears in the muscle fiber cause breakdown. When you put protein into your system, you start a process called protein synthesis by which the amino acids are used to repair and rebuild the muscle tissue. That is why protein is so popular among the bodybuilding community.
There are three main ways through which protein promotes weight loss:
Thermic Effect
Protein has the highest thermic effect of any of the macronutrients. The thermic effect refers to the amount of energy needed by the body to digest a certain type of food. Researchers have worked this out as a percentage of the total caloric value of the food. Fats and carbs require about 10 percent of their total calories for digestion. When it comes to proteins, however, that percentage skyrockets to around 30 percent. In other words, around a third of the calories in your protein food get used up in digesting and absorbing that food. [4]
Hunger Busting Effect
The second feature of protein that makes it beneficial for weight loss is its high satiety effect. It is by far the most filling of the three macronutrients. So, having a decent portion of protein with each meal will go a long way toward helping to avoid snacking between meals. Snacking not only adds extra unwanted calories; it also spikes insulin levels. This is even more pronounced if a person’s snack of choice consists of sugar-laden carbs.
While we’re on the subject of insulin, protein and fat cause a much lower insulin release than carbohydrates. So, basing your meals around fats and proteins will help to keep this fat-hoarding hormone in check. [5]
To benefit from the hunger-busting effects of protein, you should add a quality source of lean protein to every meal. Eggs are a great breakfast option. A single egg contains six grams of protein. Taking 2-3 as part of your breakfast will keep you full and satisfied until lunchtime. A couple of sandwiches with tuna, cold meat, or salmon make a great lunch option. For dinner, include a portion of lean protein (chicken, red meat, fish) about the size of the back of your hand.
Muscle Building Effect
Every ounce of muscle that you add to your body will make you a more efficient fat burner. That is because muscle takes much more energy to maintain itself than fat. As a result, even a small gain in muscle mass will speed up your metabolism. That means you will burn more calories all day and night.
To add some muscle to your frame, you should begin a resistance exercise program and get a plentiful supply of protein into your body.
Collagen is Not an Ideal Protein Source
The above-mentioned ability to help reduce body fat is not specific to collagen. It is true of all proteins. However, it should be noted that collagen is not an ideal form of protein when it comes to its muscle-building and weight-loss potential. That’s because collagen is not a complete protein. It is missing the essential amino acid — tryptophan. It is also very high in three amino acids (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline) while comparatively low in others.
In a 2019 study, researchers compared the ability of collagen and whey protein to promote satiety in overweight women. Over eight weeks, the collagen group experienced greater weight gain than the whey group. The study authors suggested that collagen’s limited ability to promote satiety was due to the lack of tryptophan and low level of the three branch chain amino acids. [6]
Collagen Reduces Joint Pain
Collagen’s ability to reduce joint pain may indirectly contribute to weight loss. That’s because joint pain can inhibit a person’s ability to exercise regularly, which might negatively impact a person’s ability to perform calorie-burning workouts consistently.
A 2021 meta-study analyzed 15 clinical trials focused on collagen’s ability to reduce joint pain and facilitate exercise. The results showed that collagen supplementation improved joint functionality and reduced joint pain. [7]
FAQs
Can collagen help suppress the appetite?
While there is no evidence that collagen reduces appetite, all proteins can do so to a certain extent. That is because protein has a higher thermic effect than carbs or fats, requiring more energy to digest. Proteins also tend to fill us up more than other macronutrients, helping to ward off hunger pangs.
Can collagen help get rid of cellulite?
There is no evidence to suggest that collagen can reduce cellulite. However, it can help improve skin elasticity and firmness and reduce wrinkles.
Are collagen supplements safe?
Yes, collagen supplements are considered to be safe when they are taken according to recommended dosages. As with all supplements, however, some people may experience minor side effects, including stomach discomfort, gas, diarrhea, or nausea while using a collagen supp.
What is the best way to lose weight?
The best way to lose weight is to combine a low-calorie diet with regular calorie-burning exercise. Aim to consume 250-500 calories less than your body burns each day to establish a daily calorie deficit. By burning off another 250-500 calories through exercise, you will force your body to make up the energy difference by converting stored body fat into energy.
Bottom Line: Should You Take Collagen for Weight Loss?
What can we conclude after examining the research supporting collagen’s ability to promote weight loss? There is very little evidence that collagen can directly promote fat loss, even though specific collagen sources have had some effect. Collagen may affect weight loss simply because it is a form of protein. Even then, though, it is not an ideal protein source to promote satiety, thermogenesis, and muscle building. As a result, I do not encourage taking a collagen supplement as part of your weight loss strategy,
Taking a collagen supplement to improve your skin health, promote healthy hair and nails, and strengthen your joints, ligaments, and bones makes sense. You may experience a slight improvement in weight loss as a side effect of those benefits.
References
Tak YJ, Kim YJ, Lee JG, Yi YH, Cho YH, Kang GH, Lee SY. Effect of Oral Ingestion of Low-Molecular Collagen Peptides Derived from Skate (Raja Kenojei) Skin on Body Fat in Overweight Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Mar Drugs. 2019 Mar 7;17(3):157. doi: 10.3390/md17030157. PMID: 30866485; PMCID: PMC6471368.
Woo M, Song YO, Kang KH, Noh JS. Anti-Obesity Effects of Collagen Peptide Derived from Skate (Raja kenojei) Skin Through Regulation of Lipid Metabolism. Mar Drugs. 2018 Aug 30;16(9):306. doi: 10.3390/md16090306. PMID: 30200239; PMCID: PMC6164805.
Chiang TI, Chang IC, Lee HH, Hsieh KH, Chiu YW, Lai TJ, Liu JY, Hsu LS, Kao SH. Amelioration of estrogen deficiency-induced obesity by collagen hydrolysate. Int J Med Sci. 2016 Oct 19;13(11):853-857. doi: 10.7150/ijms.16706. PMID: 27877077; PMCID: PMC5118756.
Calcagno M, Kahleova H, Alwarith J, Burgess NN, Flores RA, Busta ML, Barnard ND. The Thermic Effect of Food: A Review. J Am Coll Nutr. 2019 Aug;38(6):547-551. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2018.1552544. Epub 2019 Apr 25. PMID: 31021710.
Paddon-Jones D, Westman E, Mattes RD, Wolfe RR, Astrup A, Westerterp-Plantenga M. Protein, weight management, and satiety. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 May;87(5):1558S-1561S. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/87.5.1558S. PMID: 18469287.
Giglio BM, Schincaglia RM, da Silva AS, Fazani ICS, Monteiro PA, Mota JF, Cunha JP, Pichard C, Pimentel GD. Whey Protein Supplementation Compared to Collagen Increases Blood Nesfatin Concentrations and Decreases Android Fat in Overweight Women: A Randomized Double-Blind Study. Nutrients. 2019 Sep 2;11(9):2051. doi: 10.3390/nu11092051. PMID: 31480676; PMCID: PMC6770102.
Khatri M, Naughton RJ, Clifford T, Harper LD, Corr L. The effects of collagen peptide supplementation on body composition, collagen synthesis, and recovery from joint injury and exercise: a systematic review. Amino Acids. 2021 Oct;53(10):1493-1506. doi: 10.1007/s00726-021-03072-x. Epub 2021 Sep 7. PMID: 34491424; PMCID: PMC8521576.
How Long Does Alcohol Stop Fat Burning?
Drinking alcohol is a popular pastime. A lot of people like to unwind at the end of the day with an alcoholic drink or two, and wine is a common accompaniment to meals. A beer with friends can often lead to a fun night out, and what celebration is complete without champagne?
Moderate alcohol consumption, i.e., 1-3 drinks a couple of times a week, is generally considered healthy. However, binge drinking or drinking too often is not. The list of the possible side effects of alcohol consumption is long and quite sobering – pardon the pun.
The risks of long-term and excessive drinking include:
Accidents and injuries
Alcohol dependence
Alcohol poisoning
Anxiety
Brain damage
Congenital disabilities
Dehydration
Dementia
Depression
Digestive problems
Heart disease
High blood pressure
Infertility
Liver disease
Malnutrition
Osteoporosis
Pancreatitis
Stroke
Various cancers, including mouth, throat, liver, and colon
Weakened immune system
Alcohol can also lead to weight gain and interfere with weight loss. Unfortunately, many dieters fail to appreciate just how much drinking can affect fat burning.
In this article, we discuss how alcohol makes it harder to burn fat and lose weight.
How Alcohol Affects Weight Loss
It’s easy to think that a couple of beers or glasses of wine won’t cause any harm. And, from a health perspective, that’s probably true. But even the occasional drink can make losing weight far harder than it needs to be.
Reasons for this include:
1. Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories
Protein contains four calories per gram, as do carbohydrates. Fat has nine calories per gram. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, so close to double that of carbs and protein and only slightly less than fat.
As such, a couple of alcoholic drinks could easily wipe out your calorie deficit for the day, making weight loss slow, if not impossible.
Here is a chart showing the caloric value of some of the most popular alcoholic drinks. Bear in mind that these are standard bar measures, and people who drink at home may pour more generous amounts:
Beverage
Serving size
Calories
Beer
Beer (light)
12 oz (355 ml)
103
Beer (regular)
12 oz (355 ml)
153
Beer (strong)
12 oz (355 ml)
170 to 350
Distilled Alcohol
Gin
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Rum
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Vodka
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Whiskey
1.5 oz (45 ml)
116
Liqueurs
Coffee liqueur
1.5 oz (45 ml)
160
Coffee liqueur with cream
1.5 oz (45 ml)
154
Crème de menthe
1.5 oz (45 ml)
186
Mixed Drinks
Bloody Mary
4.6 oz (136 ml)
120
Cosmopolitan
2.75 oz (81 ml)
146
Daiquiri
2.7 oz (80 ml)
137
Highball
8 oz (235 ml)
110
Hot buttered rum
8 oz (235 ml)
292
Mai Tai
4.9 oz (145 ml)
306
Margarita
4 oz (120 ml)
168
Mimosa
4 oz (120 ml)
75
Mint Julep
4.5 oz (135 ml)
165
Mojito
6 oz (177 ml)
143
Pina colada
6.8 oz (200 ml)
526
Rum and Coke
8 oz (235 ml)
185
Tequila sunrise
6.8 oz (200 ml)
232
Vodka and tonic
7 oz (207 ml)
189
Whiskey sour
3 oz (89 ml)
125
White Russian
8 oz (235 ml)
568
Wine
Burgundy
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Cabernet Sauvignon
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Chardonnay
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Chenin Blanc
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Claret
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Dry dessert wine
3.5 oz (90 ml)
157
Merlot
5 oz (145 ml)
122
Muscat
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Pinot Grigio
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Pinot Noir
5 oz (145 ml)
121
Red dessert wine
3.5 oz (90 ml)
165
Red table wine
5 oz (145 ml)
125
Riesling
5 oz (145 ml)
129
Sauvignon Blanc
5 oz (145 ml)
128
White table wine
5 oz (145 ml)
128
Depending on your chosen beverage, “going out for drinks” could easily add up to several thousand additional calories, leading to weight gain rather than fat burning and weight loss.
2. Alcohol can contribute to belly fat
While it is impossible to spot-reduce fat from your abdomen, drinking alcohol can cause you to spot gain. Go to any bar, and you’re sure to see at least a few beer bellies.
Excess calories from alcohol have a nasty habit of migrating toward your stomach, even if the rest of your body is relatively slim. Belly fat is not just unsightly, but it’s a leading cause of diabetes, heart disease, gallbladder disease, and premature death (1).
A lot of exercisers want to lose belly fat but sabotage their progress by consuming too much alcohol. It’s almost impossible to get six-pack abs if you regularly put away a six-pack of beer, or any other alcoholic beverage, every night.
3. Alcohol makes it harder to make good nutritional decisions
Even a small amount of alcohol can impair your judgment, making good nutritional decisions harder to make. For example, if you have wine with dinner, you may also have a dessert when, sober, you would have sent the sweet trolley away.
While the occasional treat probably won’t hurt your weight loss too much, habitual cheating will wreak your diet and make it impossible to lose weight.
Alcohol can also cause carvings, especially for salty and savory food. A few drinks often lead to a bag of chips, a plate of French fries, a burger, or some other high-calorie indulgence.
Add the calories from your dietary slip-ups to the calories in the booze, and it’s easy to see why alcohol and dieting don’t make good bedfellows.
4. Alcohol can interfere with your workout routine
Eating less is only one part of the fat and weight loss equation. You also need to burn more calories, which most people do through exercise.
Drinking alcohol can rob you of the energy, motivation, and willpower you need to work out regularly and consistently. A night of drinking can make getting up the next day a challenge, let alone dragging your tired, hungover butt to the gym!
In addition, alcohol can interfere with muscle protein synthesis, or MPS for short (2). So, even if you DO manage to make it to the gym, your workouts will be less effective, and you won’t recover as well as you would if your body was alcohol-free.
Related: Does Alcohol Affect Muscle Growth?
5. Alcohol reduces sleep quality and duration
While alcohol can make you drowsy and even fall asleep quicker, the duration of quality of your sleep will probably be lower than usual (3).
As such, when you wake up, you’ll still feel tired. Feelings of tiredness can make it harder to stick to your diet and workout regimen. Your body will drive you to fuel up on fast-acting carbs because it needs energy and doesn’t care that you’re supposed to be on a diet and cutting down on sugar.
Alcohol-induced sleep deprivation, like anything else that stops you from getting a restful night of sleep, is not conducive to weight loss and fat burning. In fact, not getting enough sleep is often linked to weight gain (4).
6. Alcohol puts the brakes on fat burning
Your body views alcohol as a priority fuel and will burn it before using fat for energy. So, if you have a drink and have alcohol in your system, fat burning stops until all the alcohol is metabolized and used up (5).
The duration of this fat-burning stoppage depends on how much alcohol you have consumed, your body size and weight, and your gender.
However, it can take as long as 24-48 hours for fat metabolism to return to normal. During this time, you won’t be burning much, if any, fat for fuel, and your weight loss progress will grind to a halt.
Unfortunately, and contrary to many old wives’ tales, there is nothing you can do to make your body burn alcohol faster. Drinking lots of coffee or eating a meal to “soak up the alcohol” doesn’t work. You’ll just have to let nature (and your liver) take its course.
And if blocking fat burning wasn’t a big enough problem, during this time, your body also increases lipogenesis, which is the act of creating and storing more fat (6). Food consumed during this time is much more likely to be converted into and stored as fat.
So, no fat burning but increased fat storage – talk about a lose-lose situation!
In summary, consuming alcohol makes it harder to lose weight because:
It contains a lot of empty calories
It can lead to increases in belly fat
It makes it harder to make good nutritional decisions
It interferes with your workout routine
It reduces sleep quality and duration
It blocks fat burning
How To Drink Alcohol and Still Lose Weight
Even though drinking alcohol can interfere with fat burning and weight loss, it is still possible to reach your weight loss and body composition goals while sensibly enjoying alcohol.
Here are some tips on how to drink alcohol and still lose weight:
1. Drink in moderation
Small, occasional quantities of alcohol should not impact too greatly on weight loss. So, if you want to enjoy a drink or two a couple of times a week, there is probably no reason not to indulge. It’s generally best not to drink every day, and you should also avoid binge drinking.
However, you still need to account for the calories in your alcoholic beverages when calculating your calorie intake. You may have to forgo a snack to maintain a calorie deficit. Considering that a glass of wine contains about 150 calories, and a large beer has as many as 300, you may prefer to eat your calories instead of drinking them.
2. Choose lower-alcohol beverages
The lower the alcohol content of your drink, the shorter and less pronounced its fat-burning blocking effect will be. As such, you should avoid strong beers, fortified wines, and most cocktails. Instead, choose light beers and regular wine. Lower alcohol beverages will have less of a negative impact on your fat-burning efforts.
3. Avoid high-calorie mixers
In some instances, most of the calories in a drink come from a non-alcohol mixer rather than the alcoholic beverage itself. For example, many drinks also contain full-sugar Coke or lemonade, sweetened fruit juices, sugar syrups, or even cream.
Make sure your drinks contain as few high-calorie extras as possible. Ask for diet Coke in your vodka or rum, have soda water instead of lemonade, and skip the sweet or creamy cocktails.
4. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water
Nights out can involve consuming many alcoholic drinks over several hours. This can lead to consuming a large quantity of alcohol and a lot of calories. You can half your caloric intake simply by alternating between things like beer or wine and water.
Water is calorie-free, and halving your alcohol intake means you’ll imbibe far fewer calories. Diet sodas also have the same effect. Water is also hydrating and will help counter the dehydrating action of alcohol. The lower alcohol intake will also have a less detrimental effect on fat burning.
5. Be mindful of what you eat while drinking
Alcohol can increase your appetite. It causes your blood glucose levels to drop, making you feel hungry. Alcohol also tends to lower your inhibitions and willpower, making you more inclined to give in to that hunger. Cravings can be a problem, too.
So, be extra mindful of what you eat when you are drinking. Do your best not to give in to hunger and cravings. Combined with the calories from alcohol and its fat-burning blocking effect, breaking your diet will surely derail weight and fat loss.
6. Weigh up the pros and cons before drinking
Getting fit and losing weight involves making a lot of choices. You need to choose between going to the gym and staying at home watching Netflix, eating a salad or binging on pizza, and going to bed early or staying up all night playing Call of Duty.
Ultimately, it’s these decisions that determine your weight loss success.
In the same way, you can choose to drink or choose to abstain in the name of fitness and weight loss.
So, consider the pros and cons of drinking and decide if you want that beer or glass of wine. After a few minutes of contemplation, you may discover that you can do without a drink and would rather be lean and healthy instead.
FAQs
Do you have a question about alcohol and fat loss? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. Will I lose weight if I quit drinking?
You will lose weight if you quit drinking if doing so creates a calorie deficit that forces your body to burn more fat for fuel.
For example, suppose you currently drink three beers a night, and your weight is stable. In that case, ditching those beers will probably create a 400-500 calorie shortfall, leading to weight loss. However, if you eat more to compensate, you won’t lose weight and could even gain it if you create a calorie surplus.
4. I want to drink less, but I feel pressured by my friends to drink more. What can I do?
Peer pressure can be hard to resist. It’s often easier to go along with the crowd than go your own way. If you find yourself in a group of friends who drink more than you want to, try the following strategies:
Volunteer to be the designated driver
Avoid buying rounds of drinks and just buy your own
Drink smaller measures
Alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
Suggest alternative activities where alcohol is not available
Arrive late and leave early to shorten your drinking window
Ask your friends to be more supportive of your choices
Get new friends
While the final point may seem drastic, if you are serious about not drinking but your friends continue to pressure you, they clearly don’t have your best interests at heart.
3. Which alcoholic drinks have the least calories?
Alcohol contains seven calories per gram, and most alcoholic drinks also contain sugar. As such, the best alcoholic drinks are both low in ethanol and sugar. You can find a comprehensive list of calorie values for popular drinks elsewhere in this article. However, five of the least calorific alcoholic beverages are:
Light beer
White/red table wine
Gin
Vodka
Whisky
4. Is there anything wrong with drinking every day?
The negative effects of alcohol increase the more you drink. So, in theory, you could just have 1-2 drinks a day without affecting your health. Daily, moderate drinking is usually considered healthier than consuming the same amount of alcohol in one session, i.e., binge drinking.
Remember, too, that alcohol contains calories and blocks fat burning. So, when you’re trying to lose weight, you’re better off minimizing your alcohol intake.
Finally, if you feel you must have a drink each day, maybe to unwind, you may have a dependency even if you don’t drink excessively. Try going dry for a few weeks to see how you feel. If you crave alcohol, you may need help to overcome your dependency.
5. Isn’t moderate alcohol consumption good for you?
For many years, it was thought that consuming alcohol in low to moderate amounts offered protection against heart disease and other chronic illnesses. This, in part, was due to something called the French Paradox, which describes how France has a lower incidence of heart disease despite a somewhat less healthy diet.
More recent studies have dismissed the French Paradox, suggesting that no amount of alcohol will improve health, and that drinking should not be recommended as a health intervention (7).
So, while the occasional drink or two probably won’t hurt you, it can’t be considered healthy or necessary.
Closing Thoughts
Drinking alcohol can undermine your fat-burning and weight-loss efforts. Alcohol contains almost twice as many calories per gram as protein and carbohydrates. It is treated as a priority fuel, meaning it will always be metabolized before fat for energy.
Giving up alcohol could make losing weight and keeping it off easier.
That said, many people enjoy drinking and don’t want to quit. In that case, it’s worth limiting your intake to 1-3 drinks a couple of times a week and mainly consuming low-calorie beverages. Light beer and refined spirits are good choices, as is red and white wine.
However, even small amounts of alcohol can interfere with fat burning, so if you do decide to drink, you’ll also need to accept that you might not lose weight as fast as you’d like.
References:
Pi-Sunyer X. The medical risks of obesity. Postgrad Med. 2009 Nov;121(6):21-33. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.11.2074. PMID: 19940414; PMCID: PMC2879283. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879283/
Parr EB, Camera DM, Areta JL, Burke LM, Phillips SM, Hawley JA, Coffey VG. Alcohol ingestion impairs maximal post-exercise rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis following a single bout of concurrent training. PLoS One. 2014 Feb 12;9(2):e88384. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0088384. PMID: 24533082; PMCID: PMC3922864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24533082/
Roehrs T, Roth T. Sleep, sleepiness, and alcohol use. Alcohol Res Health. 2001;25(2):101-9. PMID: 11584549; PMCID: PMC6707127. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11584549/
Cooper CB, Neufeld EV, Dolezal BA, Martin JL. Sleep deprivation and obesity in adults: a brief narrative review. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2018 Oct 4;4(1):e000392. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000392. PMID: 30364557; PMCID: PMC6196958. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6196958/
Cederbaum AI. Alcohol metabolism. Clin Liver Dis. 2012 Nov;16(4):667-85. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2012.08.002. PMID: 23101976; PMCID: PMC3484320. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3484320/
Baraona E, Lieber CS. Effects of ethanol on lipid metabolism. J Lipid Res. 1979 Mar;20(3):289-315. PMID: 87483. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/87483/
Chiva-Blanch G, Badimon L. Benefits and risks of moderate alcohol consumption on cardiovascular disease: current findings and controversies. Nutrients. 2019 Dec 30;12(1):108. doi: 10.3390/nu12010108. PMID: 31906033; PMCID: PMC7020057. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020057/
How Long Does It Take to Enter Ketosis While Fasting? Fast Track Your Weight Loss
When the body is in ketosis, it switches from using carbs as its primary fuel source to using stored fat. This occurs when there is a shortage of glucose in the body. Additionally, you can also induce ketosis through fasting or a low-carbohydrate diet.
How long does it take to reach ketosis when fasting? Your body usually goes into ketosis 12 hours after starting a fast, which can be achieved by intermittent fasting. However, it can sometimes take longer.
Studies show that it can take 24 to 48 hours for the body to enter ketosis. This is due to factors such as body composition, activity level, and diet (before fasting) which affect the speed of ketosis. [1]
What is Fasting Ketosis?
Fasting ketosis is a metabolic process where your body burns stored fat for energy instead of glucose. This happens during prolonged fasting when the body runs out of glucose.
Prolonged fasting causes a drop in insulin levels, a subsequent decrease in glucose utilization, and an increase in fatty acid metabolism. This results in the breakdown of fatty acids, thereby increasing the level of ketones in the bloodstream, ultimately helping you enter ketosis.
Fasting ketosis has been linked to several health benefits, including improved insulin sensitivity, weight loss, and reduced inflammation.
Can Fasting Help with Ketosis?
Yes! Fasting helps with ketosis. Ketosis occurs when there is a shortage of glucose in the body, which can be induced through fasting.
Fasting can help you attain ketosis if you aren’t already there. When fasting, the body uses stored fat for energy. The stored fat is broken into ketone bodies, which are used for energy. When ketone levels in the blood rise above a certain threshold, the body enters ketosis. [2]
In that sense, intermittent fasting can help you reach ketosis faster than the keto diet alone. Studies indicate that fasting combined with extended exercise depletes the liver’s glycogen stores and increases ketone production. [3]
How Long Does It Take To Reach Ketosis When Fasting?
Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body burns fat for energy. This typically occurs when the body has depleted its glucose stores (glycogen) and needs to rely on alternative fuel sources, such as fatty acids.
A typical fasting period of 12–72 hours will induce ketosis in most people as glycogen stores are depleted in this duration and ketone production increases. However, the time it takes to reach ketosis varies depending on factors such as: [4]
Individual metabolism: Each person’s metabolism is different; some people may enter ketosis faster than others.
Type of fast: Different fasts, such as water fasting, juice fasting, or fat fasting, may affect ketone production and the time it takes to enter ketosis.
Level of physical activity: Being physically active can help deplete glycogen stores more quickly and speed up the transition into ketosis.
In the worst-case scenario, it can take 2-4 days for your body to enter ketosis while fasting.
How To Tell If You Are in Ketosis
One of the most common ways to tell if you are in ketosis is by observing the signs and symptoms accompanying this metabolic state.
These include:
Increased thirst and dry mouth
Increased urination
Fruity/bad breath
Reduced appetite
Rapid weight loss
Increased energy
Better focus and attention
Changes in bowel habits
While these signs can be helpful, they are not always reliable indicators of ketosis. Measuring your ketone levels is the most reliable way to know if you’re in ketosis.
Blood ketone meters: These meters measure the concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in the blood. A small amount of blood is drawn using a lancet, placed on a test strip, and then inserted into the meter. This method provides a highly accurate measurement of ketone levels but can be relatively expensive.
Urine ketone strips: These strips measure the concentration of acetoacetate in the urine. The strips are dipped in a urine sample, and the color change on the strip is then compared to a color chart to check the level of ketones. This method is inexpensive but not as accurate as blood ketone meters, as it only measures the excreted ketones, not those currently circulating in the bloodstream. [5]
Breath ketone meters: These meters measure the acetone concentration in the breath. A person breathes into the meter, and acetone is measured. This method is non-invasive and can be more affordable than blood ketone meters. However, it may not be as accurate, especially at higher levels of ketosis.
Keep in mind that the level of ketones in the body can fluctuate throughout the day and can be affected by factors such as exercise, diet, and hydration levels. Therefore, measuring ketone levels consistently, simultaneously, daily, and under similar conditions is best.
Ketosis Timeline
The fasting ketosis timeline can vary depending on the length of the fast and individual factors, such as metabolic rate and exercise habits. However, here is a general timeline of what happens during a fast:
Day 1–2
During the first 24 to 48 hours of a fast, the body depletes its glycogen stores and breaks down the stored fats for energy. As a result, the liver starts producing ketones as an alternative energy source. Blood ketone levels may begin to rise during this time, but it is not uncommon for it to take up to 3 days to reach optimal ketone levels.
Day 2-4
Between days 2 and 4 of a fast, the body shifts into ketosis, during which period it primarily uses ketones for energy. Blood ketone levels will continue to rise and may reach between 0.5 and 3.0 mmol/L, considered the optimal range for nutritional ketosis. [6]
Day 5-7
After five days of fasting, the body fully adapts to using ketones for energy. Blood ketone levels may be high, and many people report feeling a sense of euphoria, mental clarity, and increased energy. [7]
Week 2 and Beyond
After the first week of fasting, the body continues to use ketones for energy, and many people report feeling less hungry and more alert. However, it is essential to note that prolonged fasting can lead to nutritional deficiencies and other health complications.
Factors Affecting Ketosis
While fasting is a natural way to induce ketosis, the degree to which an individual enters ketosis can be influenced by several factors. Here are some of the key factors that can impact fasting ketosis:
Length of Fast
The length of the fast is one of the most significant factors influencing fasting ketosis. Generally, the longer the fast, the deeper the state of ketosis. While entering ketosis may take a few days, it typically takes at least 24 hours of fasting for the body to start using stored fat for energy.
Body Composition
Individuals with a higher body fat percentage tend to enter ketosis more quickly and deeply than those with a lower body fat percentage. This is because body fat is broken down into ketones and used as fuel during a fast.
Exercise Habits
Moderate-intensity exercise has been shown to enhance ketone production during fasting, leading to a deeper state of ketosis. Exercising in a fasted state can help deplete glycogen stores and rapidly increase ketone production. [8]
Hydration
Staying hydrated during a fast is vital for maintaining optimal ketone levels. Dehydration can cause blood ketone levels to rise, but it can also lead to electrolyte imbalances, which can have negative health consequences.
Pre-existing Health Conditions
Pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes, can impact fasting ketosis. People with diabetes may have difficulty entering ketosis due to insulin resistance, which prevents the body from using stored fat for energy.
Consult a healthcare professional before attempting a fast, especially if you have a pre-existing health condition.
Tips for Achieving Ketosis Faster
Achieving fasting ketosis can be challenging but rewarding. Entering ketosis can take time, so be patient and consistent with your efforts. Here are a few tips to help you enter ketosis faster:
Start with a low-carb diet: A low-carb diet is important for ketosis. So, transition to a low-carb diet before starting your fast. Restrict your carb intake to under 50 grams daily and increase your healthy fat intake. This helps your body transition to ketosis faster.
Increase your healthy fat intake: Since fats are the primary energy source in a keto diet, add healthy fats to give your body the fuel it needs to produce ketones. Replace processed food with healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
Track your carb intake: Tracking your daily carb intake helps you stay within your limit. Use a food diary or, better yet, a calorie-tracking app to keep track of your carb intake and adjust your diet accordingly.
Experiment with a short fast or fat fast: Short fasting, such as a 24-hour fast, depletes your glycogen stores and forces your body to produce ketones, thereby pushing your body into ketosis. Another approach that helps mimic fasting is the fat fast. The fat fast is when you eat foods high in fat with little to no carbs.
Increase protein intake: Consuming the right amount of protein helps prevent muscle loss and provides your body with the necessary components to generate ketones.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise can help you achieve ketosis faster by depleting your glycogen stores and forcing your body to use stored fat for energy. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity daily exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling.
Consider supplements: Supplements such as MCT oil are quickly converted into ketones. So you can add it to your coffee or smoothies to support ketone production. Exogenous ketones, produced outside the body, can also help you enter ketosis faster.
Potential Risks and Side Effects of Fasting Ketosis
Despite its numerous health benefits, fasting is not for everyone. Like any other dietary or lifestyle change, fasting has potential risks and side effects, especially when it comes to fasting ketosis.
Here are some of the most common risks and side effects associated with fasting ketosis:
Electrolyte imbalances: Fasting can lead to electrolyte imbalances, which can cause a range of symptoms, including muscle weakness, fatigue, and an irregular heartbeat. Drinking enough water and consuming electrolytes helps prevent these imbalances and keep your electrolyte levels up.
Hypoglycemia: Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, is a potential risk, especially in individuals with diabetes, where your blood sugar levels drop to dangerous levels. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include dizziness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. If you have diabetes, it pays to monitor your blood sugar levels.
Keto flu: Some people experience flu-like symptoms when they first enter ketosis, including headaches, nausea, and fatigue. These symptoms typically subside after a few days or weeks but can be uncomfortable.
Dehydration: You must stay hydrated during a fast. Watch out for the symptoms of dehydration, namely headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Ensure that you drink plenty of water and electrolyte-rich fluids during your fast.
Nutrient deficiencies: A prolonged fast can lead to nutrient deficiencies, especially if you are not consuming a balanced diet. Nutrient deficiencies can have serious consequences, including fatigue, muscle weakness, and hair loss.
Gastrointestinal issues: Changes in food intake can sometimes cause an imbalance in the gut bacteria, causing gastrointestinal issues such as constipation or diarrhea. A balanced diet rich in fiber helps prevent these gastrointestinal problems.
Increased cholesterol levels: A diet rich in fat, such as the keto diet, can boost cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. [9]
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Will a 24-hour fast put me in ketosis?
Yes! A 24-hour fast before you start a ketogenic diet can put you in a state of ketosis. By the end of the fast, your body would have burned through its glycogen reserves and started burning fat for fuel.
2. How long after fasting does the body burn fat?
Approximately 12 hours after fasting, your body starts burning fat for fuel, increasing between 16 and 24 hours.
3. Does coffee break ketosis?
Coffee doesn’t interfere with ketosis. In fact, caffeine can help with fasting by increasing insulin sensitivity. But adding creamer, milk, or sugar can break ketosis.
4. What kicks you out of ketosis?
Consuming more than 50 grams of carbohydrates can stop ketosis.
Wrapping Up
Fasting ketosis, or producing ketones during fasting, has gained popularity recently due to its potential health benefits. When the body is in ketosis, it produces ketones as an energy source. This can lead to numerous health benefits, including weight loss, improved insulin sensitivity, and decreased inflammation.
Factors such as the length of the fast, body composition, exercise habits, hydration, and pre-existing health conditions can impact the level of ketones produced during a fast and hence influence the potential risks and side effects.
Ultimately, the decision to fast and whether or not to pursue fasting ketosis is a personal one that should be made in consultation with a healthcare professional. However, by understanding the potential risks and side effects associated with fasting ketosis and taking steps to manage them effectively, achieving the health benefits of this metabolic state while minimizing potential risks is possible.
References
Batch, J. T., Lamsal, S. P., Adkins, M., Sultan, S., & Ramirez, M. N. (2020, August 10). Advantages and Disadvantages of the Ketogenic Diet: A Review Article. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.9639
Mattson, M. P., Moehl, K., Ghena, N., Schmaedick, M., & Cheng, A. (2018, January 11). Intermittent metabolic switching, neuroplasticity, and brain health. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn.2017.156
Collier, R. (n.d.). Intermittent fasting: the science of going without. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.109-4451
Peeke, P. M., Greenway, F. L., Billes, S. K., Zhang, D., & Fujioka, K. (2021, January 15). Effect of time-restricted eating on body weight and fasting glucose in participants with obesity: results of a randomized, controlled, virtual clinical trial. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41387-021-00149-0
Gibson, A. A., Eroglu, E. I., Rooney, K., Harper, C., McClintock, S., Franklin, J., Markovic, T. P., Seimon, R. V., & Sainsbury, A. (2020, June 10). Urine dipsticks are not accurate for detecting mild ketosis during a severely energy restricted diet. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.432
Gershuni, V. M., Yan, S. L., & Medici, V. (n.d.). Nutritional Ketosis for Weight Management and Reversal of Metabolic Syndrome. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-018-0235-0
Low-carb diets, fasting and euphoria: Is there a link between ketosis and gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)? – PubMed. (2007, January 1). PubMed. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mehy.2006.07.043
M. Pinckaers, P. J., Churchward-Venne, T. A., Bailey, D., & C. van Loon, L. J. (2016, July 18). Ketone Bodies and Exercise Performance: The Next Magic Bullet or Merely Hype? PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0577-y
Kosinski, C., & Jornayvaz, F. R. (2017, May 19). Effects of Ketogenic Diets on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Evidence from Animal and Human Studies. PubMed Central (PMC). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9050517
How To Lose 5 Pounds in a Month: 15 Healthy and Effective Tips To Lose The Flab
There is a big event coming up (it could be a much-deserved vacation at a beach resort, a wedding, or a photoshoot), and you want to shed a few pounds quickly to look dapper. Most of us find ourselves in such situations quite often, but let’s be honest, how many of us end up achieving our objective?
I can’t say about you, but I can do it ten out of ten times. No, I’m not bragging; okay, I’m bragging a little bit, but I digress. The point is that I don’t have a magic potion that helps me shed weight overnight. I follow a tried and tested approach that allows me to drop weight on demand.
In this article, I share everything you need to know to lose weight as quickly as possible while staying healthy. You’ll also learn about the science behind weight loss and what is possible on a long-term weight loss program. We’ve got a lot to cover, so let’s get started.
How Much Weight Should I Expect To Lose in a Month?
Many people never achieve their weight loss goals because of their unrealistic expectations. On the other hand, many folks do not know what to expect. If you join a gym with the vague goal of ‘losing weight,’ you will most likely be unsatisfied with your progress. Conversely, exercisers that aim to ‘lose 15 pounds in a month’ will crash and burn.
Your transformation objective should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound). You should be able to throw concrete numbers at whosoever asks you about your transformation goals. For example, losing 5 pounds in a month ticks all the right boxes. It is specific, measurable, relevant, and time-bound. However, is it attainable? Let’s find out.
The Science of Weight Loss
To lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit, meaning you must burn more calories in a day than you consume. Of course, there are other things that you must consider for a successful weight loss journey, for example, eating nutrient-dense whole foods and avoiding empty calories or eating refined calories, and adhering to a suitable macronutrient split. But maintaining a calorie deficit (calories in vs. calories out) is the most crucial factor when it comes to weight loss.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cutting your daily calorie intake by 500-1,000 kcal can help you shed 1-2 pounds weekly. On the flip side, adding 500-1,000 calories to your diet will result in a 1-2 pounds weekly gain.
As per the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a 3,500-calorie deficit results in a body fat loss of one pound. Sticking to these calorie increases and cutting limits will keep your physique transformation journey gradual, steady, and sustainable. [1][2]
Going by the CDC guidelines, your goal of losing 5 pounds in a month is attainable and safe. Furthermore, a month technically has 4.3 weeks (30 days). To lose 5 pounds in a month, you need to cut approximately 583 calories from your daily diet, which is absolutely doable.
Weight loss not only improves your physique aesthetics but also boosts energy levels, enhances self-confidence, and improves mental health and overall well-being.
How To Find How Many Calories To Cut From Your Diet To Lose 5 Pounds in a Month
Here is the step-by-step process of determining your calorie intake goal to lose 5 pounds in a month:
Find Your Daily Average Calorie Goal
There are two ways of doing this:
1. Use a TDEE Calculator
Total daily energy expenditure estimates how many calories your body burns daily by accounting for three major contributing factors: your basal metabolic rate (BMR), your activity level, and the thermic effect of food metabolism.
Don’t worry; you don’t have to buy a scientific calculator to determine your TDEE. Use our neat TDEE calculator to determine how many calories you need daily for optimal functioning.
2. Find Out Your Daily Average Calorie Intake For Five Days
The TDEE calculator requires your gender, age, weight, height, activity levels, and body fat percentage (optional) to calculate the calories you need in a day. However, many people do not find it reliable, as no calculator can account for your lifestyle.
Alternatively, you could go the manual route and do all the hard work yourself. For this step, you will need a calorie-tracking app, such as MyFitnessPal. You must log your daily food intake for five days in the app.
Ensure that you are logging meals for typical days. Avoid recording meals and snacks on days when you’re out partying.
Take an average of these five days; this will be your average daily caloric intake, which accounts for your lifestyle.
Cut Calories
After determining your average daily caloric intake, deduct 583 calories to enter a calorie deficit. Remember, this is a generic recommendation, and your exact calorie reduction will depend on your lifestyle. People dealing with medical issues should consult a healthcare provider before starting a transformation program.
Also, this calorie cut is optimal for folks that consume more than 2,000 calories daily. Individuals that eat fewer calories than 2,000 should opt for a smaller daily calorie deficit, as it will ensure a more stable fat loss progress and prevent excess muscle loss.
You can enter a deficit by cutting calories, exercising, or combining the two. We recommend adjusting your diet and starting an exercise regimen, as it will get you faster results.
Weight Loss Timelines
Once people learn about what is possible in a month, they want to know what they can achieve long-term by sticking to the 500-1,000 daily calorie deficit. This section answers just that. Here are the weight loss estimates and timelines for up to a year based on the CDC weight-loss guidelines:
Time
Expect Weight Loss Results
1 Day
0.14–0.28 pounds
1 Week
1–2 pounds
1 Month
4–8 pounds
3 Months
12–24 pounds
6 Months
24–48 pounds
12 Months
48–96 pounds
Factors That Determine If You Can Lose 5 Pounds in a Month
No two people will have the same weight loss results by following the same fitness regimen. For example, your training partner might lose the required 5 pounds in a month by cutting 583 calories from your diet, whereas you might only manage 4 pounds.
Multiple factors can influence your weight loss progress. You can tweak some of these factors but must make peace with the others. Here are the factors that affect your weight loss progress:
Experience Level
Your training and dieting experience will influence how much weight you can lose in a month. People that are just starting their fitness journey shouldn’t expect to lose 5 pounds in their first month. Your body needs some time to adjust to your diet routine before you can see the needle budge in the right direction.
Beginners hit the weight loss sweet spot within a couple of months of starting their transformation journey. However, once you get the knack of things and have successfully dropped 5 pounds in a month, you will have no problems replicating the results in the future.
Gender
Men usually shed body weight and fat faster than females. It is primarily because of the male sex hormone — testosterone. Low testosterone levels are also the reason women cannot gain the same amount of muscle mass as men.
Furthermore, the essential body fat storage in men is 2–5%, whereas it is 10–13% for the ladies. The essential body fat is required to maintain life and reproductive functions. That said, females can still attain a shredded physique quickly by following the correct training and diet regimen.
Metabolism
Metabolism is how your body changes food and drink into energy. The energy generated through metabolism powers essential body functions, such as breathing and digestion. Your body needs a minimum amount of calories to carry out these functions, known as the basic metabolic rate (BMR).
Your age, sex, muscle mass, and physical activity determine your BMR. Some people have a higher metabolic rate than others, which helps them burn more calories throughout the day. Regular exercise to build muscle mass can help boost your metabolic rate.
Age
The natural testosterone levels in men and women decline with age, which can slow down their weight loss progress. Your metabolic rate also declines with age, which further hampers your fat loss progress.
Furthermore, we tend to lose muscle mass with age. Greater muscle mass helps you burn more calories throughout the day, even when you are physically inactive. The dip in the metabolic rate will require you to work harder to achieve a calorie deficit.
Genetics
Your genetic makeup will determine how you react to your training regimen and how quickly you lose weight. Some people will lose weight faster than others simply because they are genetically blessed.
However, people who are not born with Greek god genetics do not need to hang their heads. Your genetics might slow down your weight loss progress, but it won’t stop you dead in your tracks.
Your unique genetics is also why you should always use a personalized diet and training regimen. Following a cookie-cutter training regimen or using your best friend’s fitness program will return suboptimal results and can lead to strength and muscle imbalances.
Training, Nutrition, and Recovery Program
These three are the holy trifecta for losing weight and building muscle mass. To achieve your dream physique, you must follow a customized diet, training, and recovery program. We recommend working with a personal trainer and a registered dietician to help design your transformation program.
A personal trainer can give you a workout regimen that fits your strengths and weaknesses. He can also build a solid physical foundation by teaching you the correct exercise form. A dietician will provide you with a suitable nutrition regimen that will help speed up your weight loss progress.
Remember, you don’t have to do everything on your own in a transformation program. Seeking a professional’s help can save you a lot of time, energy, and frustration. Hiring coaches might cost you some money upfront, but it will pay dividends in the long run.
Consistency
Consistency, dedication, and commitment are implacable in a transformation program. You must be consistent with your diet, training, and recovery routine to ensure you lose 5 pounds in a month. You might get through your first one-month fitness regimen without much friction, but if you want to continue your weight loss progress, you must adopt military-like discipline.
15 Tips To Lose 5 Pounds in a Month
Many people adopt fad diets, such as the boiled egg diet and the cabbage soup diet, for quick weight loss. These diets promise mind-boggling results in a short period. However, they have little to no scientific research backing them. Following these fad diets or other obnoxious weight loss methods can lead to chronic health conditions.
In this article, we go over 15 tips that will help you lose 5 pounds in a month safely and steadily. Plus, unlike in the case of extreme weight loss methods, the weight you lose by following these tips won’t return as quickly as it came off.
Without any further ado, here are the 15 tips that will help you lose 5 pounds in a month:
Fix Your Diet
If you are dealing with excess weight, chances are that your diet is out of place. A weight loss program must always begin with fixing your diet. You must enter a calorie deficit to kickstart your weight loss journey.
Determine your average daily calorie intake and deduct a suitable amount of calories to lose weight. You must cut 583 calories from your daily intake to lose 5 pounds in a month.
After arriving at a daily calorie intake goal, you must use a suitable macronutrient split to shed the excess weight and develop a chiseled physique. Plan and prep your meals in advance so you don’t find yourself scrolling through your favorite fast food restaurant’s menu while you are starving.
Eat Protein and Fiber Rich Foods
Following a high-protein and high-fiber diet can help you lose weight quickly. A high-protein diet will help you build muscle. Muscle mass is more metabolically active than fat, meaning it requires more calories to sustain itself. People with higher muscle mass have a higher BMR and burn more calories throughout the day.
Eating fiber-rich foods can speed up your weight loss progress as it will keep you feeling satiated for longer, a quality it shares with protein. Furthermore, it improves your gut health and slows down your digestion.
You must switch to a moderate-carb and low-fat diet on a weight loss program. However, eating carbs two to three hours before a training session will ensure you have enough energy to crush the workout.
Track Your Calories
Losing weight requires you to be in a calorie deficit. You must track your food intake to ensure you are maintaining a calorie shortfall. Using rough estimates isn’t going to cut it. Eating one extra bread slice can disrupt your weight loss progress if you are not careful.
Get in the habit of logging your meals in a calorie-tracking app to stay on top of your diet. Folks that eat the same meals daily can stop logging them after ensuring they are in a deficit by recording their meals for at least a week.
Try Fasting
Fasting is an excellent weight loss method. Beginners can use intermittent fasting to achieve their goal of losing 5 pounds in a month. Intermittent fasting involves cycling between voluntary fasting and non-fasting over a given period.
The 16/8 method is the most common intermittent fasting protocol. It requires you to fast for 16 hours in a day and meet your daily caloric needs within the remaining eight hours. You could also use more advanced IF methods such as OMAD (one meal a day) and ADF (alternate-day fasting).
Intermittent fasting focuses on eating within a particular period. It doesn’t restrict your food choices. Nonetheless, you should avoid junk food and get your calories through nutrient-dense whole foods while fasting to ensure optimal results.
Eat Nutrient-Dense Whole Foods
Consuming 2,000-2,500 calories is extremely easy if you consume a soda and a burger daily. However, it requires considerable effort when limiting yourself to whole foods.
Whole foods are packed with nutrients that will help you achieve your weight loss goals. Refined foods digest quickly and lead to more cravings. On the flip side, whole foods keep you feeling satiated for longer, which will keep you from snacking on junk food throughout the day.
Add Cardio To Your Weight Loss Routine
Although working out is not mandatory in a weight loss program, exercising can help speed up your progress by boosting your calorie expenditure and putting you in a deficit. Since one month is a short time, you should ideally do two daily cardio sessions for optimal results.
The first cardio workout will be a 30-45 minute low-intensity steady state (LISS) session on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Perform a 15-20 minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) cardio session after your weight training session in the evening.
Many people despise cardio as they find it boring. If you are one of these people, you could spice up your training program by incorporating different equipment into your training regimen. Furthermore, you could switch training intensity and intervals to spice things up.
Avoid Liquid Calories
Most people lose track of their calorie intake while consuming liquid calories in the form of carbonated soft drinks. These can also cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, leaving you feeling tired and drained. During your weight loss program, you must also limit energy drinks and fruit juices.
Instead, you should opt for metabolism-boosting beverages such as green tea. Remember, water is the only beverage you need. Drinking a couple of glasses of water whenever you crave an energy drink or a sugar-laden beverage will curb your urges.
Capitalize on HIIT Resistance Training
You shouldn’t limit your HIIT workouts to cardio sessions. HIIT resistance training workouts can help fast-track your weight loss progress by improving your metabolism. They can also improve your physique aesthetics by toning your muscles.
A HIIT strength training workout lasts 15-30 minutes, making it a perfect fit for people with a packed schedule. Since most HIIT resistance workouts require minimal equipment, you could do them in your garage gym.
Cut Out Cheat Meals
Although losing 5 pounds in a month is possible, safe, and sustainable, it won’t be a walk in the park. You must stick to your guns for 30 days to achieve the desired results.
Most people consume anywhere between 500-1,000 extra calories in a single cheat meal. Burning these excess calories can take up to an additional week. Since we are on a tight deadline, you must cut out cheat meals on this program. You will sacrifice four cheat meals, but the results will be worth it.
Focus on Your Recovery
Sleep seven to eight hours each night to give your body enough time to rest and recuperate. You build muscle mass and shed weight while sleeping. Sleeping four to six hours each night doesn’t allow your body appropriate time to work its magic.
Use self-myofascial release, cold plunges, and weekly massages to improve your recovery. Plus, do not hold back from taking a day off from training if you feel sore and tired. Learn to listen to your body.
Avoid Alcohol
Alcohol is a no-go if you want to lose 5 pounds in a month. It is a source of empty calories, makes you retain fluid, shuts down your digestive system, and disrupts your sleep, which can hamper your recovery.
Alcohol increases your appetite, which is why folks tend to overeat while sipping their favorite drink. It can also lead to dehydration and decrease your exercise performance. Just like fast food, you must cut out alcohol for 30 days to achieve your weight loss objective.
Hydrate
Drinking water throughout the day can help you avoid dehydration. Furthermore, it can improve your metabolism, regulate your appetite, boost your training performance, flush out toxins, and improve your digestion. Drink at least a gallon of water daily to ensure optimal body function and performance and lose 5 pounds quickly.
Follow an Active Lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest reasons behind weight gain. Staying active throughout the day improves your metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories. Become more active by being mindful of your choices. Take the stairs, bike to work, and use a standing desk for work.
Control Your Stress Levels
Your body release cortisol whenever you are under stress. Cortisol and adrenaline are the stress hormones that make you hold onto excess fat. Use relaxing activities like yoga, meditation, reading, or listening to calming music whenever you are stressed. Seek a medical professional’s help if you are dealing with chronic stress.
Find Your Support System
It is your friends and family’s fault if you cannot achieve your weight loss goal in the desired time. No, I am just kidding. But really, your near and dear ones, directly or indirectly, play a vital role in your transformation journey.
You must find a support system that helps and motivates you on your transformation journey. Surround yourself with people who are trying to lose weight and can understand what you are going through.
Keep yourself accountable by sharing your goals and progress with your friends, family, and coaches. It will keep you motivated and push you to achieve your objectives. It might also push others to join you, which is a win-win for everyone involved.
Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Wrapping Up
Losing 5 pounds in a month might sound like a gargantuan ask for newbies. It might sound impossible and borderline offensive. However, you must not let this big goal stun you. All you need to do is take that first step.
Start by limiting your portion sizes or cutting out the soda from your lunch, and with this, you’ll have taken the first step toward losing 5 pounds. You don’t have to adhere to all the 15 steps mentioned in this article at once for a successful weight loss campaign.
Begin with making one small change and steadily incorporate other steps until the first pound comes off. After that, it is all about doubling down on your strengths, and you’ll achieve your goal before the 30 days are up. Now, go, get it, tiger!
Related:
References
Wishnofsky M. CALCULATION OF DIETS. JAMA. 1957;163(5):384–385. doi:10.1001/jama.1957.02970400056024
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
How To Get Ripped Quick: 12 Tips To Blast Away Body Fat and Unleash Your Perfect Abs!
Has this happened to you?
You stand in front of a mirror, turn to your side, grab your belly bulge between your hands, and wonder how you could turn this into a six-pack.
It most likely has because you wouldn’t be reading this article if it didn’t.
Most people get a gym membership to get ripped, and they want the results quickly. However, their results are generally so slow that it makes a snail on vacation look like an Olympic sprinter. It’s no surprise that most of these folks end up hanging their sprinting shoes before achieving their training objectives.
To be honest, losing body weight isn’t easy. It requires tedious planning and meticulous execution. Falter on any of the fronts, and you’ll see your progress halt or, worse, enter a downward spiral.
In this article, we will go over everything you will ever need on your fat-blasting and muscle-building journey, including what it really means to be ripped and the body fat percentage you should have, and factors that affect the time it takes for you to get in the best shape of your life.
Besides unveiling the 12 best tips to get ripped in a record time, we also cover a general timeline of the changes you can expect by following these tips. Finally, we summarize the article with the most frequently asked questions about shredding.
We have a lot to cover, so sit tight, grab your protein shake, and read on.
What does ‘getting ripped’ mean?
The fitness world has its fair share of jargon. So, before we get into the nitty-gritty of getting ripped, let’s ensure we are on the same page.
Getting ripped can mean different things to different people. For a bodybuilder, it could mean gaining muscle conditioning; for an overweight individual, it could mean losing weight; and for a motorcyclist, it could mean falling off his bike without protective gear. You are certainly in the wrong place if you are a rider. The bikes we’ll be riding in this program are stationary.
For the scope of this article, getting ripped refers to shedding body fat while preserving and building lean muscle mass. Getting ripped involves maintaining a low body fat percentage so that you have crisp muscle conditioning, separation, lines, and striations. It is the process of sculpting your physique into a masterpiece worthy of gracing the cover of fitness magazines. Lean, diced, shredded, peeled, cut, and whittled are other gym terms for getting ripped.
The optimal body fat percentage that makes it look like your muscles are tightly wrapped around your muscles will vary for different individuals. Furthermore, men achieve a more defined physique faster as they hold a lower body fat percentage than women.
Different Body Fat Percentages
Although many lifters tirelessly chase a lower body fat percentage, only a few truly understand the subject. Your body fat percentage is the proportion of fat your body carries compared to its total weight. It is calculated by dividing your total fat mass by your total body mass, multiplied by 100. It includes essential body fat and storage body fat.
According to the American Council on Exercise, the percent body fat norms for men and women are as follows:
Description
Men
Women
Essential Fat
2-5%
10-13%
Athletes
6-13%
14-20%
Fitness
14-17%
21-24%
Average
18-24%
25-31%
Obese
>25%
>32%
Essential fat is required to maintain life and reproductive functions; essential fat stores in women generally lie in the 10-13% range. On the other hand, they are considerably lower in men and lie between 2-5%.
Athletes engaged in physical sports usually have the lowest body fat percentage. Female athletes have 14-20% of body fat, whereas men are in the range of 6-13%. On average, ladies that work out regularly have a body fat percentage between 21-24%, whereas the males have 14-17%.
An average untrained female has a body fat percentage between 25-31%, and for an average male, it lies in the range of 18-24%. Anything over this is considered obese.
Body Fat Percentage and Ab Visibility
The average body fat percentages don’t necessarily dictate when you’ll be able to see your abs. Here is a rough estimate between the body fat percentage and ab visibility in men:
20%+: In the ‘average’ body fat percentage stage, you will be soft around your midsection, and your abs will not be visible.
14-17%: The ‘fitness’ stage can be considered healthy, but it is unlikely that you will see any ab definition. People at the lower end of this range might have their abs peeking through in perfect lighting.
6-13%: The ‘athlete’ range of body fat is considered lean, which means your abs will be visible.
5-9%: You will be peeled AF. However, staying in the ‘essential’ body fat range for a prolonged period is unhealthy.
Factors That Influence How Long It Can Take To Get Ripped
Several factors can play a role in determining how long it takes for you to get ripped. You can tweak some of these factors, but you have to adjust to the others.
Genetics
You are in for a rude shock if you thought you could replicate your cousin’s weight loss transformation results by following his fitness regimen. Genetics plays a crucial role in how your body adapts to your training and diet routine.
Some folks might be better positioned to get ripped quickly because of a favorable fat distribution and faster metabolism. That said, some people use poor genetics as an excuse and go easy on themselves. Don’t be this person.
Even if you did not hit the genetics lottery, you could still achieve a ripped physique by adhering to the 12 transformation tips mentioned in this article. Remember, genetics can slow you down and limit your growth, but it won’t stop you dead in your tracks. You must keep pushing yourself to achieve your dream physique.
Related: Bad Chest Genetics and How To Build a Barrel Chest
Starting Point
How fast you can achieve your training objective depends on where you start. For example, a person with 19% body fat will get to 15% body fat faster than an individual starting at 24%.
However, beginners initially experience quick results, and their progress tapers off as they gain more experience and their bodies adjust to their training and diet programs. You must constantly challenge your body to avoid hitting a plateau.
Also, you shouldn’t compare your progress with others, as it can lead to frustration and burnout. Many people also increase their risk of injury while training by pushing themselves too hard while trying to keep up with others.
Your lifestyle also plays a crucial role in how long it will take you to achieve your dream physique. People who are very active (train 5-6 days a week or have a physically-intensive job) will get ripped faster than those with a sedentary lifestyle. Plus, your sleep quality, stress levels, and overall health can also affect how quickly you shed your body weight and build muscle mass.
The Trifecta
An optimal training, diet, and recovery program is the holy trifecta of a transformation program. You must nail all three aspects of your fitness regimen to achieve your dream physique. Neglecting any department will lead to suboptimal results.
You must follow personalized training, diet, and recovery regimen to fast-track your gains. Many people make the mistake of following a vanilla transformation program. However, they never get too far with it as it is designed around someone else’s strengths and weaknesses.
For example, folks with a lagging lower body will increase their muscle imbalances by following a training program focusing on building upper body strength.
Gender
Men generally find it easier to lose body fat and shed weight due to higher testosterone levels. Testosterone is the male sex hormone responsible for the development of muscle mass and strength and for producing male sex characteristics.
High natural testosterone production is why the ladies cannot build the same amount of muscle mass and strength as the gents. Nonetheless, women can still achieve a ripped physique in a short period by following the right training and diet protocols.
Metabolism
The process by which your body changes food and drink into energy is known as metabolism. Metabolism constantly provides your body with energy for essential bodily functions like breathing and digestion.
Your body needs a minimum number of calories to sustain these functions; this category of calories is known as the basic metabolic rate (BMR). Do you want to know your BMR? Check out this neat BMR calculator.
Factors like age, sex, muscle mass, and physical activity affect metabolism or BMR. Some folks have a naturally high metabolic rate, which can help them burn more calories throughout the day. Most of us have a friend that eats like a pig but can easily be mistaken for a pole. That’s a classic case of someone with a high metabolic rate.
Furthermore, your metabolic rate improves through regular exercise, strength training, and maintaining muscle mass. Stay active throughout the day to burn more calories.
Age
Since the natural testosterone levels drop with age, humans of both genders find it more difficult to lose body fat and build muscle mass. Furthermore, our metabolic rate takes a dip too, which adds to the complexities.
We tend to lose muscle mass with age. However, following a balanced training, diet, and recovery program can help slow down muscle atrophy. Don’t get us wrong; we, by no stretch of the imagination, mean to say that you cannot lose body fat as you grow older. You can reach your goal weight at any age. You will just have to work a little harder.
Consistency
You can only achieve your transformation objective with consistency and dedication toward your goal. Most cutting programs require a long-term approach, especially if you are doing it for the first time.
You must stick to your training and diet program even when the going gets tough; believe me, it will get tough, very tough. You must have the grit and commitment to get your head down and work with all your might, even when you do not see immediate results.
Even after you achieve your training objective, you must stay consistent with your training and diet program to maintain your ripped physique. Staying in photoshoot-ready shape throughout the year is a full-time job. The sooner you realize this, the less friction you will face in your transformation journey.
Furthermore, the 12 tips mentioned below to get ripped quickly revolve around these factors and managing them better. The better you can control these factors, the better results you will see.
Timeline For Getting Ripped
Let’s address the elephant in the room. “How long will it take for me to get ripped?” This is usually the first question asked by beginners starting their fitness journey. Although many fitness experts get annoyed with this question, we think it is a fair thing to ask since a body transformation demands significant time, energy, effort, commitment, and cash.
Knowing how long it takes to achieve your dream physique will give you a timeline. You can use it to assess your progress and make necessary adjustments if and when required. A timeline can also act as motivation to stick to your guns. A transformation timeline is like a ticking time bomb; you are a bomb defuser trying to cut the correct wire before the big bang.
How much weight should I expect to lose?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cutting your daily calorie intake by 500-1,000 kcal. Doing so will help you shed 1-2 pounds weekly. Conversely, adding 500-1,000 calories to your diet will result in gaining 1-2 pounds weekly.
According to JAMA, you must burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound of body fat. Sticking to these calorie increases and cutting limits will keep your physique transformation journey gradual, steady, and sustainable. [1][2]
Here are a few weight loss estimates as per these recommendations:
Time
Expect Weight Loss Results
1 Day
0.14–0.28 pounds
1 Week
1–2 pounds
1 Month
4–8 pounds
3 Months
12–24 pounds
6 Months
24–48 pounds
12 Months
48–96 pounds
How ripped can I get in a week?
As per the JAMA findings, you can expect to lose 0.14 pounds daily if you cut 500 calories from your diet. Notably, you won’t see the results from the first day you cut your calories. You will start seeing results after your body starts adjusting to the new regimen. This process usually takes up to a week.
Sticking to the 500-1,000 daily calorie cut will help you lose 1-2 pounds weekly. Some people try to lose too much weight too soon by following a much bigger calorie deficit, such as a 1,500-2,000 kcal shortfall. Not only is such a large calorie deficit unsustainable, but it can lead to chronic health conditions. Furthermore, the weight lost by following such a significant deficit usually returns just as fast.
How ripped can I get in a month?
There are three ways of entering a calorie deficit. You could enter a deficit by cutting your calorie, starting exercising, or using a combination of the two methods. We recommend using a combination of both approaches to achieve your weight loss goals.
You can lose 4 pounds of body weight in a month by maintaining a weekly deficit of 3,500 calories. However, since a month usually has a little more than four weeks, you can expect to shed around 6 pounds monthly. The number could increase to 10 pounds if you can manage a 1,000-calorie deficit.
How ripped can I get in three months?
An intermediate exerciser can lose slightly more than 12 pounds in three months by sticking to a 3,500 weekly calorie deficit. You must account for your cheat meals in your weekly calorie deficit. For example, if you eat 1,000 surplus calories in your cheat meal, you must adjust your calorie intake the following week to return to a weekly deficit.
You should use a calorie-counting app to log all your meals so you are on top of your diet plan. Further, developing a habit of reading food labels while grocery shopping will help you avoid junk food and achieve your goal faster.
How ripped can I get in six and 12 months?
Most people will start to see weight loss results after they stick to a controlled diet and training program for 6-12 months. You can expect to shed 24-48 pounds in six months and 48-96 pounds in 12 months by maintaining a 3,500-calorie weekly deficit.
It doesn’t matter where you are starting at. Losing between 24-94 pounds in a year can lead to a total body transformation.
Notably, the time it takes to transform your body will depend on your genetics, gender, starting point, consistency, and the other factors mentioned above. You can expect a slight variance from this timeline.
Novices shouldn’t expect to lose 1-2 pounds weekly. You can expect to replicate these results after you have some training experience under your belt and know what you are doing. Noticeable changes start to appear after you have arrived at a diet and training program that works for you.
12 Best Tips To Get Ripped Quickly
Here are the 12 best tips to get shredded in record time:
Start With a Goal
It sounds so basic, but it is where most people falter. While many do not set an objective goal for themselves before starting their transformation journey, others are either too aggressive or bleak.
You must set realistic expectations. Setting goals that are too ambitious will not only lead to disappointment but also increase your risk of injury, burning out, or giving up on your transformation dreams entirely.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Your physique transformation will take time, effort, and grit, and you must be willing to commit to it for the long term.
Have a goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound; for example, ‘lose 4 pounds in a month.’
Assess Current Diet and Make Necessary Changes
Most people think that losing weight is like solving a Rubik’s cube. You must twist and turn your entire lifestyle up and down until you can create the right pattern. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
The only thing that you need to do to lose weight is to cut calories and enter a calorie deficit, meaning you must expend more calories in a day than you consume. Determine your daily average calorie intake, realign it according to your goals, and Bob’s your uncle.
Many people go balls to the wall while cutting their calories. They limit as many calories as they possibly can and sometimes push it so much that they can hear guilt whispering in their ear every time they indulge in a cheat meal. Although going cold turkey cheat meals can be great for an obese individual, depending on your starting physique and training objectives, you might not have to do it.
Following an unnecessarily severe diet can lead to a negative relationship with food, which can result in chronic health conditions.
After determining your daily caloric intake goal, use a suitable macronutrient split (carbs, protein, and fats) to work toward your dream physique. Use a high-protein, low-carb, low-fat diet to shed body fat and build muscle mass.
Do Cardio
Although cardiovascular training isn’t compulsory in a weight loss program, doing it can help speed up your weight loss progress. You should ideally perform two cardio workouts daily to fast-track your weight loss progress.
The first sesh should be a 30-45 minute low-intensity steady state (LISS) session that you do on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. Your second cardio workout should be a 15-20 minute high-intensity interval training (HIIT) session, preferably after your weight training session.
Lift Weights
You must add weight training to your exercise regime to build a chiseled physique. Resistance training exercises will help you pack muscle mass, tone your physique, and improve your overall aesthetics.
Your workouts’ frequency, intensity, and volume will depend on your experience level and training objective. Furthermore, your workouts should include a balance of compound and isolation exercises. Compound lifts help build strength and muscle mass, whereas single-joint movements improve your conditioning.
Incorporate Progressive Overload Into Your Routine
You must progressively overload your muscles to ensure consistent progress. A progressive overload could include enhancing your training frequency, volume, intensity, or time under tension.
Advanced training principles, such as super sets, drop sets, and blood flow restriction (BFR) training, are also incredibly effective ways of shocking your muscles into growing. Remember, following the same workouts for too long can lead to weight loss and muscle plateau, which can delay your progress.
Use Targeted Exercise
The concept of spot reduction is as fake as unicorns. However, both these myths live on because they are beautiful and ignite your fantasy and imagination.
Although you cannot spot-reduce a trouble area, you can target it using resistance training exercises to help shape and improve your muscle aesthetics. For example, men with excess chest fat can improve the shape of their pecs using chest exercises after reducing body fat by staying in a calorie deficit.
Track Your Progress
Tracking your progress ensures you are on the right path. Track your progress weekly by taking progress photos, body measurements, and weighing yourself. You can also record your heart rate and blood pressure for overall health tracking.
Lifters can also track their training progress by noting their exercises, sets, reps, and weights in a daily journal. Tracking your improvement allows you to make quick and necessary changes in your fitness regimen whenever you feel you’ve derailed.
Work With a Personal Trainer
A personal trainer can give you a personalized training program that suits your abilities, makes the most of your strengths, and works on fixing your weaknesses. He can also teach you the correct exercise form, which can significantly reduce your risk of injury.
You could also hire a dietician for a customized nutrition program. Availing the services of a trainer and a nutritionist might cost you a little money upfront, but it will pay you dividends in the long term.
Focus on Your Recovery
Many people become obsessed with losing body weight and do too much too soon. Doing this for a prolonged period can lead to overtraining. If you always feel sore, you must work on your recovery program.
Sleep for seven to eight hours each night to give your body enough time to rest and recuperate from your workouts. Massages, self-myofascial release, and cold plunges are other incredibly effective ways of fast-tracking your recovery.
Try New Things
You must be open to experimenting with different strategies to maximize your fat loss potential. Consider carb loading before a training session to increase your workout intensity and push yourself harder.
Furthermore, if you are stuck on a weight loss plateau, you could try intermittent fasting to break through the overhead ceiling. Always be on the lookout for things you could do differently to maximize your returns.
Improve Your Lifestyle
Getting shredded isn’t limited to the gym and kitchen; it is a lifestyle. You must manage your stress levels and be mindful of your choices throughout the day. For example, you should take the stairs instead of the elevator and bike to work whenever possible.
Stay active throughout the day. Set a step goal for yourself and schedule walks throughout the day to achieve your objective. Beginners can start with a 5,000-step goal, whereas active folks can experiment with a 10,000-step goal.
Supplements Can Help
Although supplements aren’t necessary for building a chiseled physique, they can help fill the void in your whole food diet and speed up your transformation. Whey protein, creatine, and BCAAs are a few effective supplements you can add to your fitness regimen.
2 HIIT Workouts To Get Ripped Quickly
Contrary to what most people think, you don’t require fancy training equipment or need to spend a couple of hours in the gym to tone your body and shed excess fat. You can do it using bodyweight exercises within 30 minutes. Here are two HIIT workouts that will help you get ripped quickly:
Workout 1
Perform four rounds of the following circuit, resting one minute after the burpees in each round. This workout will last 18 minutes.
Exercise
Time
Rest
Mountain Climber
60 seconds
–
Jumping Jacks
60 seconds
–
Burpee
60 seconds
120 seconds
Workout 2
Here is a lower-body dominant HIIT workout for getting ripped. Do four rounds of this circuit. This workout will take you 22 minutes to complete.
Exercise
Time
Rest
Sprint
30 seconds
–
Squat Jump
60 seconds
–
Lunge
60 seconds
–
Standing Calf Raise
60 seconds
–
Inch Worm
30 seconds
120 seconds
Next Read: How Many Abs Can You Have? 4-Pack vs. 6-Pack vs. 8-Pack
How To Structure Your Weight Loss Program
Learning about all these 12 steps to get ripped quickly can be overwhelming and lead to analysis paralysis. If you are a beginner and have no idea where to start, don’t fret; we have got you covered.
Beginners will probably not lose 1–2 pounds weekly. You can expect these results after you’ve been following the fit lifestyle for at least a couple of months. For this timeline, we are assuming you have a few months of training experience under your belt.
Here is an over-simplified six-month transformation timeline that you can use to kickstart your weight loss journey:
Month 1: Establishing a Strong Foundation
Beginners should focus on getting their basics right. Assess your current diet and make necessary adjustments according to your objectives. Begin by creating a caloric deficit through balanced nutrition and portion control. Your goal is to lose 4–8 pounds in the first month.
Start your training journey by engaging in regular cardiovascular exercises (e.g., running, cycling, swimming) for fat burning. You can also start strength training to improve your physique aesthetics. However, your goal here will be to learn the correct exercise form instead of chasing big weights.
Ensure you take weekly progress measurements and photos during your weight loss journey. It will keep you accountable and motivated and ensure you are on the correct path.
Month 2-3: Accelerating Fat Loss and Muscle Development
While maintaining your objective of losing 1–2 pounds weekly, in the second phase, you must refine and optimize your nutrition plan, increase the intensity and duration of cardiovascular workouts, implement progressive overload in your strength training routine, and incorporate HIIT (high-intensity interval training) in your cardio and strength workouts for efficient fat burning.
Your goal will be to lose 12–24 pounds by the end of three months. Make necessary adjustments to your fitness regimen if you are far from this objective.
Month 4-6: Focus on Muscle Definition and Strength
As you gain more experience, you can gun for improving your muscle definition and strength while pushing your cardiovascular endurance and stamina. In this phase, increase the frequency, intensity, and volume of your workouts.
You should see a considerable improvement in your physique by the end of six months. Your weight loss should be in the range of 24–48 pounds. Consider hiring a training and diet coach if you are unsatisfied with your progress.
Read also:
FAQs
Can you spot-reduce body fat?
Most people want to shed belly fat and are always looking for ways to spot-reduce their tummy. Sadly, this is not possible. Maintaining a calorie deficit and engaging in cardio exercises leads to overall fat reduction and body weight loss. However, you can tone a particular muscle group through targeted training. For example, men can build a six-pack by doing ab exercises after their body fat percentage falls below 15%.
Do I need to take supplements to lose fat and build muscle?
Absolutely no! You can shed body weight and achieve the physique of your dreams by eating nutrient-dense whole foods. However, supplements can help folks that cannot meet their daily caloric needs through whole foods.
Is it possible to lose fat without hitting the gym?
Yes, you can lose weight without training. You must maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight and can expect to lose 1 pound weekly by cutting 500 calories from your diet. That said, exercising regularly can speed up your weight loss progress.
Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Wrapping Up
Following the 12 explosive tips mentioned in this article to get ripped quickly will set you on a fat-obliterating and muscle-building adventure that will have you rocking a body so ripped that you’ll have people wondering if you were sculpted by Michelangelo himself.
Starting a transformation journey might feel like a daunting task. You might feel unequipped and unprepared even to begin, but with these 12 tips by your side, you aren’t. Losing the flab might feel like an uphill battle, but it isn’t.
Are you feeling too overwhelmed to take your first step? Cut one serving from any of your meals, and you’ll have begun the journey to becoming totally unstoppable. Best of luck!
References
Wishnofsky M. CALCULATION OF DIETS. JAMA. 1957;163(5):384–385. doi:10.1001/jama.1957.02970400056024
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
How to Lose Upper Body Fat
Losing fat can be a slow and frustrating process. Whatever diet or exercise routine you use, the results can never come quickly enough. It’s even harder to lose fat from specific areas of your body, such as your lower abs or thighs.
That’s because spot reduction, or losing fat from one area of your body, is impossible. Your body stores fat randomly and globally and burns it much the same way.
That’s not to say you can’t lose fat from your upper body. It’s just that you’ll need to lose it from the rest of your body at the same time. Sadly, when it comes to losing fat, you cannot target just your upper body.
That said, most people need to lose fat from all over, even if they mostly care about one particular body part. Lowering your overall body fat percentage will have the most significant possible impact on how you look, feel, and perform.
In this guide, we reveal the exercise, diet, and lifestyle strategies you need to use to lose fat from your upper body, midsection, and legs.
What Causes Upper Body Fat
Body fat, or, more scientifically, adipose tissue, is caused by several factors, including diet, lifestyle, and physical activity. But, in simple terms, you gain body fat when you consume more calories than you burn. This is called a calorie or energy surplus.
It’s estimated that a pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories, so if you eat 500 more calories than you need per day, you’ll gain about one pound of fat per week (seven days x 500 calories = 3,500/one pound).
Now, it’s important to understand that thermodynamics seldom works this precisely, and things like the rate of calorie storage vs. intake vary from person to person. However, it’s unequivocal that overeating, consuming too much junk food, and/or being too sedentary will lead to body fat accumulation and weight gain. High stress levels, too little sleep, certain medications, and genetics can also increase the risk of weight and fat gain.
As previously mentioned, your body stores fat globally, i.e., all over. Some people store more fat in their upper bodies, while others accumulate it in their abdomens or legs. Fat deposition is primarily the result of genetics and, as such, is something you cannot control or change.
The good news is that no matter where your body stores fat, you can eliminate it with diet and exercise. It might not go from where you want initially. But stick to your fat loss plan, and eventually, it’ll go from the places you want to lose it.
Fat Loss Basics
The best way to lose fat and keep it off is to make exercise and healthy eating habitual. Taking positive daily action for many weeks and months will produce better results than crash diets and extreme workout plans that only last a few days.
While workouts that promise to burn 1000 calories can lead to weight loss, the chances are that you won’t be able to maintain such an intense training program for long. The same is true for crash diets, where you only eat a few hundred calories a day. Hunger and cravings are inevitable, and it won’t be long until you cheat or quit your diet.
As such, it’s generally best to adopt a more moderate and enjoyable exercise program and combine it with a sensible diet.
So, forget about things like trying to lose 30 pounds in 30 days and, instead, settle in for the long haul and plan on losing 1-2 pounds a week. This will be far more enjoyable and sustainable, and your chances of success will be exponentially higher.
There are three key components to losing weight and keeping it off – all of which are outlined below.
1. Create a Calorie Deficit
Body fat is stored energy, and the only way to burn that energy is to create a calorie deficit. This means reducing your food intake to below maintenance level. For example, if you need to eat 2,500 calories to maintain your current weight, eating 2,000 would create a 500-calorie deficit. This will force your body to start burning fat for fuel.
It’s generally recommended that you should avoid reducing your calorie intake more than 1000 calories below maintenance. In fact, most people should aim for a 500-calorie-per-day deficit.
There are several ways to create a calorie deficit, including:
Eating smaller meals
Eating fewer meals or missing meals entirely, i.e., intermittent fasting
Eating less fat and fewer high-fat foods
Eliminating certain foods or food groups, e.g., cutting out junk food or carbs
Cutting out alcohol
Replacing high-calorie foods and meals with lower-calorie alternatives
However, any interventions MUST be sustainable. There is no point in starving yourself for a week only to overeat the next. Instead, whatever changes you make must stick, so you can continue doing them for as long as it takes to reach your goal weight or body fat percentage.
In terms of what you should eat to lose fat, this actually isn’t all that important, provided you reduce your calorie intake. However, weight loss is invariably easier when you eat natural, wholesome foods as they tend to be more filling and lower in calories than processed and junk foods.
For example, a typical small cookie contains 60 calories, whereas an apple also has about 60 calories. Needless to say, one cookie is never enough, but very few people feel like eating more than one apple.
Nutrient and fiber-rich foods digest more slowly and help keep you feeling fuller for longer. They also release their energy more smoothly, so you should experience fewer energy dips and cravings. They’re healthier, too, and a healthy body is better at burning fat.
The final thing to remember is that food is one of life’s great pleasures, so you should enjoy what you eat. If you hate your meals or they make you feel unwell, you have a readymade excuse for quitting your diet. Make sure you are comfortable with your dietary interventions, so you can stick with them for as long as necessary.
Use this calculator to determine your ideal calorie deficit for weight loss.
2. Develop A Sustainable Workout Routine
Cutting calories from your diet is only one way to create a caloric deficit. Exercise and general physical activity can also help you to go “overdrawn at the calorie bank.”
Firstly, let’s talk about exercise…
While it is possible to lose weight and burn fat without exercise, it’s much easier with it. In fact, numerous studies suggest that exercise plus diet is much more effective for weight loss than diet or exercise alone [1]. It’s a case of one plus one equals three!
Exercise serves several purposes for fat-burning and weight loss:
Increased caloric expenditure
All types of exercise burn calories at an accelerated rate. Exercising several times per week means you’ll create a more significant weekly calorie deficit. The bigger the calorie debt, the more fat you’ll burn and weight you’ll lose.
For example, let’s say you adjust your diet and create a 500-calorie-per-day deficit, which leads to a one pound per week weight loss. However, you also exercise four times a week, burning an additional 2,000 calories (a not unreasonable 500 calories per workout).
This adds up to a deficit of 5,500 calories, or about 1.57 pounds. Needless to say, this is a significant improvement over what can be achieved with diet alone.
Preservation of muscle mass and resting metabolism
It’s common to lose a little muscle as you lose fat. This causes a reduction in your basal metabolic rate, which is the number of calories you expend during 24 hours at rest. The last thing you want is to burn fewer calories, as doing so will make weight loss even slower.
Exercise, especially strength training, helps preserve muscle mass, reducing the risk of any metabolic slowdown.
This is because your body operates on a system of “use it or lose it.” By engaging in activities that challenge your muscles, your body is less likely to allow them to waste away, knowing it will need them for future workouts.
In addition, losing fat and muscle together can leave you skinny fat. Sure, you’ll be slimmer, but your body will be soft and weak. You’ll look good in clothes, but much less so in your bathing suit.
For this reason, exercisers who want to lose fat should engage in cardio AND strength training for best results.
Focus on your problem areas
While there are no specific exercises or workouts that target upper body fat – spot reduction being a fitness myth – that doesn’t mean that upper body training is a waste of time.
In contrast, it can be very valuable.
Upper body strength training lets you focus on any weak, soft muscles you want to tone up. You may even want to increase muscle size. Developing your upper body means that, as the fat starts to come off, what’s left will look healthy and athletic.
You can work on your chest, shoulders, upper back, core, and arms with strength training. However, don’t neglect your legs, as lower-body training burns more calories and is just as important as your upper body.
Increased dietary latitude
Eating less is one of the most important things you can do for weight loss. However, relying solely on a diet means you’ll have to be very strict with what you do and don’t eat. You may even have to reduce your caloric intake so much that you often feel hungry.
While being hungry is expected on a weight-loss diet, it can wear you down and eat away at your willpower, making it harder to maintain your reduced-calorie diet.
Adding exercise into the mix means you won’t have to slash your food intake so aggressively. You can eat a little more and still lose weight. You can even increase your exercise volume so you can enjoy eating foods that might otherwise derail your progress.
That’s not to say exercise gives you a license to cheat on your diet. However, it does earn you a little more latitude, so you can afford to relax from time to time.
In terms of how much and what type of exercise you should do, that’s up for debate. Some people swear by cardio, while others are fans of strength training. Some experts say you must exercise daily, while others recommend just 3-4 weekly workouts.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose activities you enjoy and a training frequency you can stick to. For example, if you only have time for three workouts a week, then that will have to suffice. But if you enjoy working out daily, then by all means, do so.
However, combining strength training with cardio is probably the best approach for most exercisers.
3. Lifestyle Factors
While the food you eat and your workouts will probably have the biggest impact on your weight loss and fat-burning success, certain aspects of your lifestyle can also be very influential.
Avoid sabotaging your hard work in the gym and the kitchen by paying attention to the following lifestyle factors:
Sleep
Poor sleep is often linked to weight gain and difficulty losing weight [2]. Not getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night can rob you of the energy you need to work out, lower your motivation and willpower, increase hunger levels, prime your body for fat storage rather than fat burning, increase cravings, and interfere with blood glucose and insulin levels.
Many people view sleep as a luxury when, in reality, it’s one of the best things you can do for your fitness and mental and physical health. Getting more sleep is usually a matter of going to bed earlier.
You can read more about the importance of sleep for fat loss and muscle gain here.
Stress
Stress is part and parcel of modern life, but too much can lead to weight gain and make fat loss harder than it needs to be. Prolonged stress causes a chronic increase in cortisol levels, a hormone that causes muscle breakdown. Losing muscle lowers your basal metabolic rate and, therefore, your fat-burning potential.
Stress also causes a rise in blood glucose, essentially putting the brakes on fat burning and priming your body for fat storage.
Constant stress also reduces your energy and willpower, and who hasn’t eaten junk food or drunk alcohol in response to stress?
Needless to say, lowering your stress levels can help make losing weight easier. Ways to reduce your stress levels include:
Guided meditations
Breathing exercises
Spending time in nature
Reading
Warm baths
Moderate exercise
Avoiding perfectionism
Better time management
Learning to delegate
Having a morning routine
Cutting down on caffeine and alcohol
Getting enough sleep
Physical activity
Exercise is only one way to burn more calories per day. Non-exercise physical activity (NEPA) also increases your daily caloric expenditure.
Many people are largely sedentary. Even if you exercise five hours a week if you have an office job, drive to and from work, enjoy passive hobbies, and don’t have kids or pets, you may not do enough physical activity to lose weight.
More and more of us earn a living in front of a computer screen. We drive to and from work, get our food delivered, watch TV to relax, and play our sports on game consoles. It’s easy to go several days without doing any meaningful physical activity.
Needless to say, this makes it much harder to lose weight and burn fat.
So, look for ways to inject your life with more movement. Anything that gets you up off your butt and moving your body will increase your caloric expenditure. Examples include:
None of these activities are particularly tiring, so you should have no problem doing plenty of them each day. In fact, if you do enough NEPA, your need for exercise is significantly lower. In fact, you could burn an additional 1000 calories a day just by staying busy:
Activity
Duration
Calories burned (male)
Calories burned (female)
Cleaning gutters
30 minutes
174–249
108–198
Cleaning or sweeping
1 hour
156–228
126–80
Moderate walking
60 minutes
348–498
276–396
Shoveling snow
30 minutes
183–264
147–210
Washing dishes
30 minutes
87–126
69–90
Total
3.5 hours
948–1,365
726–1,074
Try setting the alarm on your watch to sound every hour or so to remind you to get up and move. Even a few minutes will help, and done often enough could add up to several hours of calorie-burning non-exercise physical activity each day.
How to Lose Upper Body Fat – FAQs
Do you have a question about losing upper body fat or weight loss in general? No problem, because we’ve got the answers!
1. What are the best exercises for burning upper body fat?
Sadly, because spot reduction is a fitness myth, there are no exercises you can do that preferentially burn upper body fat. Fat accumulates globally and is used for fuel in much the same way.
There is no way to predict or influence which body fat stores your body will use first. Some people lose fat from their abdomen first, while others may lose it from their hips and thighs. This is genetic and determined by your hormones.
So, work out and diet for general fat loss, and eventually, that fat will come from your upper body, but this may not happen when or as soon as you want it to.
2. Which diet is better – keto, intermittent fasting, or paleo?
Keto Breakfast fried eggs, salmon, broccoli and microgreen.
Any diet that puts you into a caloric deficit will lead to fat loss, and there are a lot of different diets to choose from. While it’s generally best to avoid very low-calorie crash or fad diets, as they can be impossible to stick to, almost any diet will work, including the aforementioned keto, IF, and paleo.
The key to dietary success is picking a plan you can live with. Not for a week or a month but for as long as it takes to reach your target weight or body fat percentage. So, do some research and see which diet resonates with you.
For example, if you don’t like eating lots of protein and fat, keto is not the plan for you. Similarly, if you like eating three meals plus snacks per day, you’re probably going to hate intermittent fasting.
Alternatively, instead of following an off-the-peg diet, you could create your own healthy eating plan. Check out this guide to find out how.
3. How long does it take to lose upper body fat?
The rate at which you’ll lose fat depends on how much exercise you do and how large your caloric deficit is. For example, if you create a 500-calorie-per-day deficit, you should lose about one pound of fat per week. But, if you double that to 1000 calories per day, you could lose as much as two pounds per week.
However, more significant deficits are usually harder to maintain. Hunger can grind down your willpower and cause you to cheat on your diet. That’s why most experts recommend losing between 1-2 pounds per week.
While this might not sound like a lot, it’ll add up over time, and your progress will be more sustainable. When it comes to losing weight and keeping it off, slow and steady is generally best.
4. Which is better for fat loss – steady-pace cardio or high-intensity interval training?
Broadly speaking, there are two types of cardio – low-intensity steady state (LISS) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It’s often said that HIIT is better for fat loss, but this is not necessarily the case.
HIIT workouts burn more calories per minute than LISS, but they tend to be shorter, too. Also, because they’re so darn hard, you may not be able to do them every day.
In contrast, LISS burns fewer calories per minute, but you can go for a long time and potentially do them more often. As such, you may be able to burn more calories using LISS than HIIT.
Ultimately, both workouts can help you lose fat, so try them both and see which you prefer. Alternatively, do HIIT one day and LISS the next to enjoy all the benefits these two different workouts have to offer.
Read more about LISS vs. HIIT cardio here.
5. How can walking help me lose weight?
Walking is arguably one of the easiest ways to accelerate fat loss. It’s low intensity, so you can do lots of it, and it won’t tire you out or take anything away from your more strenuous workouts. In fact, walking can speed up your recovery by increasing general blood flow and flushing away exercise waste and byproducts.
But how much should you do to lose weight? There are a couple of ways to answer this question.
Firstly, you could choose a specific number of calories you want to burn and then determine how much walking you need to hit that goal. Use this calculator to estimate your walking needs.
Alternatively, you could clock up a certain number of steps each day, e.g., 7000, and then see how much weight you’ve lost at the end of the week. Not losing weight fast enough? Increase your step count by 15-20%. Most people can get good results by walking 10-15,000 steps a day.
Related: How to Walk for Fitness and Fat Loss
Finally, you could try incorporating rucking into your workouts. Rucking is walking with a weighted backpack and is arguably the best way to walk for fat loss. You can read more about rucking here.
Regardless, when it comes to deciding how much walking to do for faster fat loss, the answer is usually “do more.” You’ve got nothing to lose but fat.
Related:
How to Lose Upper Body Fat – Closing Thoughts
Sadly, there is no diet, exercise, or workout that preferentially targets upper body fat. Spot reduction is a myth. If spot reduction worked, everyone who did lots of abs training would have a rock-hard ultra-defined six-pack. You only need to look in the abs class at your local gym to see that isn’t the case!
So, instead of trying to burn fat from your upper body, train your body as a single, cohesive unit, and lose it from all over. Combine cardio and strength training with a sensible diet, and you WILL lose fat.
Be patient, let your body do its thing, and eventually, you’ll lose that upper body fat and the fat around your hips, thighs, and abs, too.
References:
Joseph G, Arviv-Eliashiv R, Tesler R. A comparison of diet versus diet + exercise programs for health improvement in middle-aged, overweight women. Women’s Health (Lond). 2020 Jan-Dec;16:1745506520932372. doi: 10.1177/1745506520932372. PMID: 32597335; PMCID: PMC7325539.
Papatriantafyllou E, Efthymiou D, Zoumbaneas E, Popescu CA, Vassilopoulou E. Sleep Deprivation: Effects on Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. Nutrients. 2022 Apr 8;14(8):1549. doi: 10.3390/nu14081549. PMID: 35458110; PMCID: PMC9031614.
How to Burn 400 Calories a Day: 12 Effective Ways To Flame Up Your Fitness
Most people want to lose weight but never start their transformation journey because they have no idea how to go about their weight loss goal. On the flip side, some folks spend so much time thinking through choices that they end up with analysis paralysis.
In this article, we will take you through the psyche behind burning 400 calories daily, the results you can expect, the prerequisites you should know about, and the 12 most effective ways to achieve your new goal.
You must enter a calorie deficit to lose body weight. A calorie deficit includes burning more calories in a day than you consume.
But why 400 calories and not 300 or 500 calories?
We are glad you asked. A 400-calorie deficit hits the sweet spot. It is not as intimidating as cutting out 500 calories from your diet. Conversely, it is more effective at helping you improve your body composition than cutting 300 calories, which can be slow. Nonetheless, even the slightest calorie deficit is a good place to start for beginners trying to get rid of their spare tire.
Since shredding 400 calories isn’t an overly ambitious objective, most people can achieve this goal by making small adjustments to their daily routines. Plus, you don’t even need to hit a gym to burn 400 additional daily calories, which is often a bottleneck for folks with a packed schedule. You could burn 400 calories a day by mowing your loan or biking to work.
So, without any further ado, let’s get into the article.
If I burn 400 calories a day, how much weight will I lose in a month?
This is probably the first question that popped into your head after reading this article’s title. That said, it is an excellent question since burning an additional 400 calories daily requires serious effort, and knowing the final result can motivate you when you don’t feel like working out.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cutting your caloric intake by 500-1,000 calories a day can lead to a weight loss of 1-2 pounds weekly. Plus, staying in this range will keep your physique transformation journey gradual, steady, and sustainable. [1]
You must burn 3,500 calories weekly to lose a pound of body fat. Breaking this into a daily target gets you to cut 500 calories from your diet. Similarly, restricting 400 calories from your diet leads to a 2,800-calorie deficit, which will result in a weight loss of 0.8 pounds per week. Sticking to this regime can help you lose around 3.5 pounds in a month. [2]
Summary: A daily 400-calorie deficit will lead to a 2,800-calorie weekly deficit, helping you lose around 3.5 pounds monthly. However, your gender, age, training intensity, and activity levels can influence your results.
How Long Does It Take To Burn 400 Calories?
The 500-1,000 calorie deficit mentioned above can be achieved by cutting calories from your diet and adding exercise to your daily regimen.
Depending on the type of physical exercise and intensity, you can burn 400 calories between 25 to 60 minutes of continuous work. An exerciser can burn calories more quickly during high-intensity circuit cardiovascular training compared to low-intensity bodybuilding-style resistance training workouts.
That said, no two people will lose the same amount of weight using the same techniques. Your weight loss results will depend on your age, height, weight, gender, activity levels, muscle mass, body fat percentage, and genetics. Meaning your training partner might lose more weight than you following the same techniques.
Men usually lose weight faster than women. Higher estrogen levels lead to greater fat storage among women. Men also tend to have greater muscle mass density, which improves their metabolic rate and spikes their fat loss progress.
Folks that engage in regular exercise usually lose weight faster than sedentary people. Furthermore, advanced exercisers will shed weight and body fat faster than newbie trainers.
Summary: As with the amount of weight you can lose in a month with a 400-calorie deficit, your genetics, age, gender, weight, training intensity, and experience will affect the time it will take to burn 400 calories in a day. However, you can torch 400 calories within 25 to 60 minutes of continuous work.
Prerequisites For Burning an Additional 400 Calories Daily
Knowing about the following things can make your weight loss journey easier:
Know Your BMR
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the number of calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions, such as breathing, circulation, and cell production. For example, if your BMR is 2,000 calories, it means that your body burns 2,000 calories to sustain itself.
Your BMR depends on your age, height, gender, activity levels, genetics, and target body weight. We will not consider your BMR calories for the sake of this article. You must burn the additional 400 calories through physical activities. Need help to figure out your BMR? Check out our convenient online calculator to find out.
Use Cardio Machines With Monitors For Precise Calorie Tracking
If you hit the gym to achieve a calorie deficit, you should use machines with monitors to track your progress. Spending hours on a machine without a monitor or other method to track your calorie expenditure can leave you confused about your progress. Thankfully, most cardio equipment in the gym, such as the treadmill, elliptical, bike, Stairmaster, and rower, come with a calorie tracker.
That said, the number of calories a 200-pound male burns from running a mile in 10 minutes will be different from the calories a 140-pound lady burns who logs in the same distance. However, a cardio machine will return the same result for both users.
Furthermore, some low-quality machines tend to have uncalibrated monitors, which can give you skewed results. Inaccurate machines can lead you down the incorrect path, which brings us to our next point.
Wear a Fitness Tracker
Although the in-built calorie trackers are great, they are usually inaccurate. A study conducted by Sam Houston State University found that elliptical machines spike the number of calories burned by up to 100 calories for each 30 min of exercise at moderate intensity. [3]
Using a fitness tracker such as an Apple Watch, Fitbit, or a chest strap can better gauge the calories you burn during a particular physical activity or throughout the day. Plus, since these apps require you to input your age, height, and weight, they also give you a fairly accurate reading of the distance you cover while running.
Remember, when using these trackers, you should look at ‘active calories.’ Active calories are the ones you burn through all kinds of movement, from taking the stairs at work to playing with the kids to cleaning out the garage. You should start a workout on your tracker before engaging in physical activity to get more accurate results.
Use Calorie Burning Calculators
Folks that don’t have access to a wearable calorie tracker but want an accurate calorie-burning estimation can use our calorie-burning calculators to measure their fat-loss progress. You can use these calculators to plan your exercise or daily routine to ensure you burn 400 calories a day.
These calorie-burning calculators can also be used to double-check the data from your wearable calorie trackers or the numbers on the machine. A conservative approach to your calorie-burning progress best ensures you are meeting your objectives.
12 Ways To Burn 400 Calories
Given below are 12 effective ways to burn 400 calories in a single day:
Walk More
This is arguably one of the easiest and most convenient ways to burn an additional 400 calories daily. Folks that find intensive physical exercise intimidating should focus on walking more throughout the day to burn an extra 400 calories.
An average 140-pound person will burn 400 calories by walking 10,000 steps a day. Depending on your stride length and walking speed, walking ten thousand steps equates to about eight kilometers, or an hour and 40 minutes walking.
Remember, most of us cannot walk 10,000 steps in a single session. You must break down these steps into 6-8 smaller parts to complete the desired steps. You can schedule a longer 3,000-4,000 step walking session earlier in the day to get a head start.
Going on hikes on weekends is another fun activity that can help you get in the desired 10,000 steps on your rest day. Take your friends or family along with you on your walks, as it can allow you to spend some quality time with them.
Check Out: Calories Burned Walking Calculator: Find Calorie Burn from Walking?
Get Comfortable Doing Your Chores
You must gamify your daily routine if you want to burn an additional 400 calories without hitting the gym. Wash your dishes, mow your lawn, wash your car, scrub your bathroom floor, or do anything that keeps you moving. Time yourself doing these tasks and try to set a new record every time.
It will take an average 170-pound individual around 60 minutes to burn 400 calories mowing his lawn using a power mower. However, the same results can be achieved in under 50 minutes using a hand mower.
Mowing the lawn is an underrated low-impact cardio activity that will help you achieve your calorie deficit goal without stressing your joints.
Check Out: How Many Calories Does Mowing the Lawn Burn?
Play a Sport
Most of us quit playing sports after graduating from school or college. However, this is one of the biggest reasons many people gain weight.
Most sports require intense physical effort, which can help keep you in shape. Plus, playing a team sport can make you feel like a part of a community, which can make you stick to the sport for the long term.
Choose sports that involve a lot of running for optimal calorie-burning effects. For example, an average 180-pound individual can burn 400 calories in 35 minutes playing football.
Check Out: Calories Burned Playing Football Calculator
Running
Did you think we forgot running? No, we didn’t.
Most people have a love-hate relationship with running. However, you are more likely to get hooked on running after you get over the initial hump.
It takes an average 180-pound male around 50 minutes to burn 400 calories while running. He can cover a mile during this period.
If you are not a frequent runner, we recommend starting with shorter runs, like a 100-minute easy jog. Increase the distance slightly after every 4-5 days until you can finish the mile at a comfortable pace.
You could also choose between running outdoors or on a treadmill based on your comfort level. Notably, running outdoors is more challenging than running on a motorized belt.
Check Out: Calories Burned Running Calculator
HIIT Workouts
If your primary goal is to lose body weight, we recommend doing cardio-based high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. These will get your heart racing and will get you to your 400-calorie goal quickly.
HIIT cardio workouts generally involve a 5-10 exercise circuit that has to be repeated 2-5 times. On average, a HIIT cardio workout can help you burn 400 calories in a 25-30 minute session.
You could use HIIT protocols, such as Tabata, AMRAP, ladder, and EMOMs, to increase your training intensity. Ensure that you do not compromise your exercise form while trying to push the intensity, as it can increase your risk of injury.
Check Out: The Best HIIT Ab Workout: Get Ripped Abs in Record Time
Cycling
Cycling is the perfect middle ground between walking and running. It is not as easy as walking or as intimidating as running, and it gets the job done.
An average 175-pound individual can burn 400 calories biking within 35 minutes. You can get it done much faster if you push the pace.
A bike is easy to incorporate into your daily routine. You could bike to work or run some small errands. Furthermore, most cities have biking clubs that go out for a ride on the weekends. Joining such a club can make biking more fun and adventurous.
Check Out: Calories Burned Biking Calculator
Swimming
Swimming is an incredibly effective way to burn calories, especially in the summer when running or cycling outdoors can be challenging.
A 150-pound person will burn roughly 400 calories during an hour-long swim at a moderate pace. Plus, swimming can help in muscle toning and heart and lungs-conditioning.
Swimming is a very low-impact exercise that is perfect for overweight or obese folks. It is much safer on your joints than jogging or running. Put everything you have got into a few laps, and you’ll be gasping by the end of your workout.
The freestyle stroke has the potential to burn the most calories, as it allows you to cover the most distance in the shortest time. However, you should constantly switch between strokes to keep things interesting and challenging.
Check Out: Calories Burned Swimming Calculator
Jump Rope
Jump rope is one of those exercises that looks super easy but will have you begging for mercy by the time you are done with it. Beginners should initially focus on mastering the rope swing and hand-eye-rope coordination. Advanced rope jumpers can challenge themselves with high-skill movements such as double unders and crossovers.
A 170-pound individual can burn around 400 calories in 25 minutes if he jumps between 100 to 120 times within a minute. This makes the jump rope one of the most effective calorie-burning activities on this list.
You could choose between jumping rope for time or setting a rep target for yourself. Choose your jump rope wisely, as it can make a world of difference.
Check Out: Calories Burned Jumping Rope Calculator
Dancing
Depending on who you are, dancing can be the most intimidating or comfortable exercise on this list. Most dancing styles are highly demanding and can help burn a lot of calories in a short period.
Dancing can improve your heart and lung health, increase muscular strength, endurance, and motor and aerobic fitness, improve muscle tone and strength, help with weight management, build stronger bones, and enhance your coordination, agility, and flexibility. Furthermore, dancing is an art form used for centuries to express feelings, emotions, and stories.
Salsa dancing can help you burn about 400 calories per hour.
Check Out: Calories Burned Dancing Calculator
Yoga
Although most people consider yoga a relaxed exercise routine that requires sitting on an exercise mat with closed eyes, it is much more than that. Many yoga poses will send your heart rate through the roof and challenge every muscle, bone, and ligament in your body.
You should opt for Vinyasa yoga if your goal is to burn calories, as it is one of the most intensive forms of yoga. It can help you burn an average of 400 to 500 calories per hour.
Remember, you must perfect your poses to get the most benefit from yoga. We recommend joining a yoga class to learn the basics until you form a solid base and can do it on your own at home.
Check Out: Yoga Calories Burned Calculator
CrossFit
CrossFit involves constantly varied high-intensity functional movement, which can be broken up into three elements: weightlifting, gymnastics, and metabolic conditioning. It makes CrossFit a highly-intensive exercise form, which can help burn a lot of calories in a short period.
Since the CrossFit workouts are so varied, it is difficult to put a number to the calories you can burn during one of the workouts. However, it is not uncommon for an athlete to burn up to 400 calories during a 20-30 minute CrossFit workout.
Check Out: How Many Calories Does CrossFit Burn?
Resistance Training
Bodybuilding-style resistance training isn’t given its due credit when it comes to burning calories. However, a bodybuilder can burn 400 calories within an hour during a free-weight training session.
You must maintain a high training intensity to burn 400 calories in 60 minutes. Resting more than 120 seconds between sets will lower your intensity and hamper your training performance. Remember, compound exercises burn more calories than isolation and machine movements.
Check Out: Calories Burned Resistance Training
FAQs
Is burning 400 calories a day safe?
Yes. Torching 400 additional calories daily is safe. Furthermore, it is below the CDC guidelines, which recommend limiting your calorie restriction to 1,000 calories a day. Burning 400 calories daily can help you lose 0.8 pounds weekly.
Can I burn 400 calories a day without exercising?
Yes. You could burn 400 (or more) calories daily without hitting the gym or even going near your running shoes. An average 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) person will burn 400 calories on average by walking 10,000 steps a day. If you cannot walk 10,000 steps daily, you could instead do all your chores yourself to enter a calorie deficit. Doing one hour of chores burns around 400 calories.
What are some fun activities that can help me reach the 400-calorie burning goal?
Contrary to what most people think, burning calories doesn’t have to be boring. In fact, choosing a boring activity is a sure-shot way of dropping off your fitness routine. You burn calories by engaging in any physical activity; hence you should pick something you can stick to for the long term or at least until you achieve your weight loss goal. Use our calorie-burning calculators to determine how many calories you can burn during your favorite activity within a specific period.
Wrapping Up
Burning 400 calories a day isn’t as difficult as most people make it out to be. Most folks can achieve this goal by following a 45-minute HIIT workout. People that do not exercise can still achieve the 400-calorie goal by adjusting their schedule to add an outdoor run, walking 10,000 steps, or doing daily chores like mowing the lawn, cleaning the house, and doing the dishes.
You must, however, remember to maintain a calorie deficit if your goal is to lose weight. Burning 400 calories and eating 500 calories over your maintenance calories will get you nowhere.
You could switch between the 12 calorie-burning methods mentioned in this article to keep your daily regimen interesting. We recommend using a wearable tracker like an Apple watch or a chest strap to get accurate results. So what are you waiting for? Put on your shoes and let that fat melt off. Best of luck!
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
Wishnofsky M. CALCULATION OF DIETS. JAMA. 1957;163(5):384–385. doi:10.1001/jama.1957.02970400056024
Glave, A. & Didier, Jennifer & Oden, Gary & Wagner, Matthew. (2018). Caloric Expenditure Estimation Differences between an Elliptical Machine and Indirect Calorimetry. Exercise Medicine. 2. 10.26644/em.2018.008.
Is Rice Good For Weight Loss? — Busting Myths
Rice — a beautiful nutrient-dense grain that is delicious, easy to cook, and a staple food around the world. Depending on their culture, people have rice in their meals throughout the day.
However, there has been much debate about the effects of white rice on your health. Brown rice has emerged as a solid competitor to white rice over the last couple of decades. The comparison has been especially confusing for folks trying to lose weight.
Besides brown and white, rice comes in various shapes, colors, and sizes, which include arborio rice, basmati rice, black rice, bomba rice, jasmine rice, and parboiled rice. However, for the scope of this article, we will stick to white and brown rice.
Interestingly, all white rice starts as brown rice. Brown rice is put through a milling process to increase its shelf life; however, the process removes the rice’s husk, bran, and germ, wiping out much of its nutrition, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The white rice is then artificially fortified with nutrients and polished to make them look more palatable.
The Rice Dilemma
If you are a fitness enthusiast, you probably know that rice is a staple in a bodybuilder’s diet, as it is a convenient carbohydrate source to add size during the bulking phase. Knowing this, dieters trying to lose weight sound the alarm when they see rice in their diet regimen.
Unbeknownst to newbie exercisers, as long as the foods you eat are nutrient-dense and healthy and you stay within your daily calorie intake goal, you don’t need to worry about eating a particular food.
This doesn’t end here. How rice is processed also determines its impact on your weight loss journey. Brown rice is minimally processed, whereas, depending on the brand and type, white rice can undergo significant treatment.
With this said, can white rice be used during your weight loss journey? Let’s find out.
White Rice and Brown Rice Nutrition Comparison
One cannot overlook the white and brown rice comparison during a weight loss regimen. Given below is a comparison of brown and white rice and their macronutrient and calorie content:
Nutrient/Type
White Rice (100g)
Brown Rice (100g)
Calories (Kcal)
130
111
Carbohydrates (g)
28
23
Protein (g)
2.7
2.6
Fats (g)
0.3
0.9
Although the difference between brown and white rice’s total calories and macronutrients is insignificant, their overall health impact varies greatly.
A British Medical Journal study found that people who eat high levels of white rice may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes. On the flip side, consuming whole-grain foods such as brown rice lower the risk of stroke, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. These food sources also help lower your cholesterol levels. [1]
Read also: Black Rice vs. Brown Rice: Is One Superior Overall?
Brown and White Rice Glycemic Index (GI) Comparison
The glycemic index represents the relative rise in the blood glucose level two hours after consuming a carbohydrate-containing food. A food is assigned a value of 1-100 depending on its impact on blood sugar levels. [2]
People with diabetes must monitor their carbohydrate intake and the GI score of the foods they consume to ensure they are on top of their health, as these factors can influence your blood sugar levels.
Short-grain white rice has a high GI (70 and above), whereas brown rice has a low GI (around 50). Remember, the GI level can change depending on the type of rice and the manufacturer.
Folks with diabetes should favor brown rice over white rice to keep their condition under check. Remember, whole grains such as brown rice take longer to cook than white rice. Plus, overcooking them can hamper their GI score.
Since white rice is a high GI good, it rapidly dissolves into your bloodstream. White rice consumption leads to a quick increase in blood sugar levels. It can be a point of concern during a weight loss regimen, as it can result in increased hunger and potential overeating. Plus, studies show that diets high in refined grains are linked to more abdominal fat. [3]
Benefits of White Rice for Weight Loss
The advantages of including white rice in your weight loss diet include the following:
Satiety
White rice is rich in carbohydrates. A 100 grams serving of white rice contains 28 grams of carbohydrates, compared to 23 grams of brown rice. White rice can contribute to the feeling of fullness, especially when coupled with a balanced diet that contains a healthy mix of high-protein foods and healthy fats. Feeling full keeps you from snacking on junk food throughout the day.
Versatility
White rice is an incredibly versatile food source. You could have it at any point throughout the day. Furthermore, it goes well with several dishes as a side. Depending on your daily calorie goals, you could easily alter your white rice portion size.
Since cooked rice lasts about four days in the fridge, most people prefer cooking it in bulk, making it incredibly convenient. This convenience also makes your meal prep easier and helps you stick to your diet.
Quick Source of Energy
Since white rice is a high-GI food, they digest quickly and easily in your stomach. The fast absorbability of rice makes it a perfect food for your pre and post-workout meals. Consuming rice before a training session ensures you have enough energy to last a high-intensity training session.
Having white rice after a workout help replenish your glycogen stores and kickstart your recovery. You must ensure you eat your pre-workout meal with rice at least a couple of hours before your training session to give it enough time to digest and avoid nausea or vomiting. On the other hand, you can have a post-workout meal containing rice half an hour after a workout or as soon as you are ready to eat real food. However, you could gulp down a protein shake right after your workout to begin muscle protein synthesis and rebuilding muscle.
Reasons To Choose White Rice Over Brown Rice For Weight Loss
Until now, we have discussed several benefits of brown rice, which is usually the preferred type of rice for folks trying to lose weight. We must, however, also talk about some of its drawbacks for a fair comparison. Here are a few reasons why some people might prefer white rice over brown rice for weight loss:
Brown Rice Contains Antinutrients
Although brown rice has more fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals than white rice, it also contains antinutrients. Antinutrients are plant compounds that hinder your body’s ability to absorb certain nutrients. It means brown rice might have more of everything, but your body can’t absorb it.
Phytic acid, or phytate, is the antinutrient in brown rice that hinders your body’s ability to absorb iron and zinc from food [4][5]. Eating brown rice in all meals daily can lead to mineral deficiencies over the long term.
Since white rice has no bran, it has less than half of the phytic acid in brown rice. Individuals dealing with iron and zinc deficiencies should switch to white rice for weight loss.
Brown Rice Contains Arsenic
Arsenic, a naturally occurring substance, is found in air, water, and soil and is known to cause cancer. Brown rice generally has a higher content of the toxic heavy metal than white rice. [6]
Arsenic is the most significant chemical contaminant in drinking water globally. Since rice is cultivated in water, it gains a high amount of arsenic. Besides cancer, prolonged consumption of arsenic-laden foods can increase your risk of contracting type 2 diabetes and hypertension. [7]
White rice usually has lower amounts of arsenic than brown rice, as the bran and the germ are removed to make white rice.
Although bran removal results in the reduction of some nutrients in white rice, it also significantly reduces the phytic and arsenic content of the grain, making it a suitable food source for people dealing with certain health conditions.
Tips To Incorporate White Rice Into Your Weight Loss Journey
Although white rice is a high-carbohydrate food that provides energy for the body, the gluten-free food source gets tough competition from brown rice, which has more fiber, antioxidant, vitamin, and mineral content than its processed counterpart.
With that said, you can still eat white rice for weight loss. Make the following adjustments in your diet to accommodate white rice in your shredding regimen:
Include Fiber-Rich Vegetables, Lean Proteins, and Healthy Fats
Since white rice is a processed grain, it lacks fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. You must include a healthy amount of vegetables in your diet to make up for these micronutrients. Nutrient-dense vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats will ensure you don’t run into nutrient deficiencies associated with a diet heavily reliant on white rice.
Pairing white rice with vegetables, protein, and healthy fats will make your meals more delicious by adding variety to your diet plan. It will also slow your metabolism, helping you stay satiated for longer and promoting overall health and weight management.
Control Portion Sizes
White rice is a calorie-dense food source. In the initial phase of your weight loss journey, you must carefully weigh your food to ensure you are not going over your daily carbohydrate intake goals, as it can ruin your progress.
Using smaller plates, bowls, and spoons can help curb the risk of overeating. Plus, eating balanced meals with a balance of carbs, proteins, and fats can fill you up quickly and keep you satiated for longer.
Mindful Eating To Maintain a Calorie Deficit
A caloric deficit for weight loss. To be in a calorie deficit, you must expend more calories daily than you consume. You could achieve a calorie deficit by eating less than usual, exercising more, or a combination of the two.
Overshooting your daily calorie goal is incredibly easy while eating carb-rich white rice. You must carefully plan your meals to ensure you don’t consume excess calories. Weigh your physical activity levels and metabolic rate while determining an ideal calorie deficit for weight loss.
Balance Your Carbohydrate Sources
Since white rice is a processed carbohydrate source with most of its fiber, vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients removed, you must add other high-quality sources of carbs to your diet to compensate for the nutrient deficiencies.
Quinoa, oats, buckwheat, sweet potato, and of course, brown rice are some nutrient-dense carbohydrate sources that should be a staple in your meals. Further, you should limit your white rice intake to one cup daily to limit your blood sugar level spikes and ensure a balanced macro and micronutrient intake.
Adding multiple carbohydrate sources to your diet will make your diet regimen more interesting by adding variety. Also, there is no harm in using brown and white rice in your diet regimen together. Both types of grains have a distinctive taste, which can help make your diet more appealing.
Avoid Additions
Although we have already established that all rice is not created equal, we must take it a step further; all white rice is not the same. You must avoid white rice dishes with additions that significantly increase your caloric intake. For example, sushi, fried rice, paella, and risotto are a no-go on a weight loss program.
Furthermore, you must also avoid instant rice as they are fully cooked and then dehydrated, which leads to further nutrient degradation. Consider purchasing rice in bulk and cooking enough in a single go to last you 4-5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much rice should you eat during your weight loss journey?
More than half of your daily carbohydrate comes from whole-grain foods, such as oats, quinoa, whole-grain pasta, and bread.
You should limit your white rice intake to one cup of cooked rice daily to reduce your risk of chronic health issues. Plus, you must opt for ‘enriched’ white rice as some nutrients are added back to this type of rice, making it a better fit for your weight loss journey. Also, choose long-grain white rice variants such as basmati and jasmine over short-grain types like arborio rice, as they are less starchy.
Is brown rice best for weight loss?
Brown rice contains more fiber, magnesium, selenium, folate, and manganese than white rice, which makes it a better grain for weight loss than white rice. Nonetheless, you could also use white rice to achieve your weight loss goal, provided you stick to your calorie deficit and eat a balanced diet to meet your macro and micronutrient objectives.
Can you have white rice before a workout?
Since white rice is a processed carbohydrate with a high GI value, it metabolizes into glucose more quickly. You can have a suitable amount of white rice 2-3 hours before a training session to ensure you have enough energy to take you through an intense workout.
Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Wrapping Up
Rice comes in different forms. The unprocessed forms are usually brown, beige, or even black in color. On the other hand, processed rice is white. Although white rice has some drawbacks compared to its bran-rich counterpart, such as its high glycemic index, it can still be included in a healthy weight-loss diet when consumed in moderation and paired with nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lentils, and healthy fats.
Consume white rice before a training session to ensure you have enough energy stores to last a workout. Conversely, having white rice post-workout can ignite your recovery. Remember, since white rice is a processed grain, you must limit your intake to one cup daily to ensure it doesn’t interfere with your weight loss objective.
Finally, factors, including overall calorie intake, portion sizes, physical activity levels, and individual metabolic, play a crucial role in your weight loss journey, and different people react to brown and white rice differently. You must consult a healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalized guidance on incorporating white rice into your weight loss program.
References
LeWine, H. E., Dr (n.d.). Glycemic index for 60+ foods. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/glycemic-index-and-glycemic-load-for-100-foods
Hu EA, Pan A, Malik V, Sun Q. White rice consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: meta-analysis and systematic review. BMJ. 2012 Mar 15;344:e1454. doi: 10.1136/bmj.e1454. PMID: 22422870; PMCID: PMC3307808.
McKeown NM, Troy LM, Jacques PF, Hoffmann U, O’Donnell CJ, Fox CS. Whole- and refined-grain intakes are differentially associated with abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adiposity in healthy adults: the Framingham Heart Study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;92(5):1165-71. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.29106. Epub 2010 Sep 29. PMID: 20881074; PMCID: PMC2954448.
Saleh ASM, Wang P, Wang N, Yang L, Xiao Z. Brown Rice Versus White Rice: Nutritional Quality, Potential Health Benefits, Development of Food Products, and Preservation Technologies. Compr Rev Food Sci Food Saf. 2019 Jul;18(4):1070-1096. doi: 10.1111/1541-4337.12449. Epub 2019 Jun 4. PMID: 33336992.
Gupta RK, Gangoliya SS, Singh NK. Reduction of phytic acid and enhancement of bioavailable micronutrients in food grains. J Food Sci Technol. 2015 Feb;52(2):676-84. doi: 10.1007/s13197-013-0978-y. Epub 2013 Apr 24. PMID: 25694676; PMCID: PMC4325021.
National Cancer Institute (n.d.). Arsenic. Cancer.gov. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/arsenic
Wei Y, Zhu J, Nguyen A. Rice consumption and urinary concentrations of arsenic in US adults. Int J Environ Health Res. 2014;24(5):459-70. doi: 10.1080/09603123.2013.857393. Epub 2013 Nov 18. PMID: 24236891.
Losing 50 Pounds in 6 Months: Tips and Tricks To Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals
Most people join a gym or start dieting to lose weight. However, most of these folks quit the fitness lifestyle before meeting their weight loss objective. There are several reasons for these weight loss lapses.
Failing to set a weight loss goal is one of the biggest reasons most people never make progress. You must have a definite objective and a plan to achieve it before you embark on your fitness journey.
Ask a newbie in your gym about their fitness goal, and they probably reply with ‘lose weight’ or ‘build muscle.’ However, these goals are too vague to set you on the right path. Your fitness goals must be more actionable and specific to push you in the right direction. For example, you must switch from ‘lose weight’ to ‘lose 50 pounds in six months.’ The new goal is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
The new goal gives you the exact amount of weight you must lose in a particular period. Before we go any further, let’s take a step back. Most dieters have no idea what to expect from a weight loss program. They know they need to lose weight but are unsure of what is attainable.
Tell a newbie exerciser that he must lose 50 pounds in six months, and they will look like they’ve seen a ghost. In this article, we will give you 23 tips for losing 50 pounds in six months. Additionally, you’ll learn about how much weight you should aim to lose safely in a given period. There is a lot to cover, so sit tight and read on.
23 Tips For Losing 50 Pounds in Six Months
Losing 50 pounds in 26 weeks might sound impossible to people struggling with weight loss. However, it is entirely possible with the right approach. Here are the 23 tips for weight loss that will help you see the needle budge in the right direction:
Set Realistic Goals
Most people falter on the first step of their weight loss journey as they have no clue about setting an achievable goal. Some people start exercising without a specific goal, whereas others begin with a vague objective.
Your weight loss goal should be realistic, objective, and actionable. Trying to lose too much weight too soon will lead to disappointment, and most people in this category drop off their weight loss journey as they are overwhelmed with the big numbers staring them in their faces.
You must break your main objective into smaller goals to make your weight loss journey less intimidating. Furthermore, checking smaller goals off your list each week will work as positive reinforcement and keep you motivated.
Related: Weight Loss Target Date Calculator
Run a Calorie Deficit
You must enter a calorie deficit to shed excess weight, meaning you have to burn more calories daily than you consume. However, most people have no idea how many calories they should cut out from their diet to lose the spare tire.
It is believed that you can lose a pound weekly if you cut 500 calories from your daily diet. Similarly, reducing 1,000 calories from your diet will help you lose two pounds each week. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends limiting your daily calorie cut to 1,000 kcal to keep your weight loss journey gradual, steady, and sustainable. [1]
Cutting 1,000 calories from your daily diet will help you lose 50 pounds in 25 weeks (2 kcal X 25). Notably, six months roughly consist of 26 weeks, meaning you can safely lose 52 pounds in half a year. This proves that our goal of losing 50 pounds in six months is attainable and safe.
Notably, you don’t have to cut 1,000 calories exclusively from your diet to enter a deficit. If this was the case, losing two pounds every week would be near impossible for folks consuming 2,000-2,500 kcal daily.
To achieve the 1,000-calorie deficit, you should cut 500 calories from your diet and burn the remaining 500 calories through an exercise program. This is why following an effective diet and exercise program is a must for achieving your weight loss goals.
Nutrient-Dense Foods
You must follow a personalized diet program to meet your weight loss goals. Plus, your diet should consist of nutrient-dense whole foods as they are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which keep you feeling full throughout the day.
Depending on your dietary preferences, your meals should comprise veggies, fruits, grains, non-starchy carbs, and a source of lean protein. Furthermore, you must reduce your sugar intake to limit visceral fat buildup.
Controlling your portion sizes can help ensure you don’t overshoot your calorie intake goals. Invest in a food scale or measuring cups to ensure you eat the correct portions of each food. Additionally, switching to smaller plates and bowls can help curb the risk of overeating.
You must also develop the habit of reading nutrition labels before buying packed foods. It will ensure that you only buy foods that fit your macro goals and stay away from ‘dirty calories.’ Whole foods are generally lower in calories than processed and junk foods, making them a perfect fit for your weight loss journey.
Calculate Your BMR
The role of basal metabolic rate (BMR) is often overlooked in a weight loss program. BMR determines the calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions. BMR is often used interchangeably with resting metabolic rate (RMR).
Your BMR depends on multiple factors, including age, body size, amount of lean muscle tissue, gender, genetics, etc. According to the BMR calculations, a 25-year-old, 180-pound, 5-foot-10-inch male burns 1,910 daily calories when not working out or moving around.
To lose a pound of body weight weekly, this individual will have to cut 500 calories from his diet, meaning he’ll be consuming 1,410 daily calories. Furthermore, if this individual wants to shed an additional pound, he should burn an extra 500 calories during an exercise regimen.
Alternatively, you could determine your average daily calorie intake using a calorie-tracking app, such as MyFitnessPal, by analyzing your calorie intake for the last five days. Once you have your average calorie intake number, deduct 500 calories from your diet by reducing your serving size across all meals or skipping a meal. This will help you lose a pound of body weight weekly.
Remember, everyone is built differently and responds to different stimuli uniquely. Finding the right amount of calories to cut from your daily routine might require some trial and error.
Related: Weight Loss Calculator
Reevaluate Your Macros
Understanding the three macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) is a must for fitness enthusiasts. You must limit your carb and fat intake during a weight loss program and follow a protein-rich diet.
Notably, many people consider carbs their arch-enemies in a weight loss program. However, cutting out carbs entirely from your diet will be a blunder as your body relies on glycogen (which comes from carbohydrates) as its primary energy source.
Minimize the intake of refined carbohydrate foods such as white bread, white rice, pasta, baked goods, sugary drinks, sweets, and junk food. You must consume at least 130 calories daily to maintain your overall health and performance. [2]
According to a study, your macronutrient split should be between fat (40%-20%), carbs (35%-65%), and protein (25%-15%) to promote weight loss. [3]
Exercise
Although exercising is not mandatory on a weight loss program, working out three to six days a week can help speed up your results. A 150-pound individual can burn around 500 calories in about 40 minutes if they maintain a 12-minute mile pace (5 mph).
You must include cardiovascular and strength training into your training regime for optimal weight loss results.
Cardio
Your training sessions should consist of aerobic and anaerobic workouts to optimize weight loss. Furthermore, HIIT workouts (high-intensity interval training) are incredibly effective at burning calories. They are also usually shorter than conventional cardio workouts, making them an excellent fit for people with busy schedules. [4]
Strength Training
Many people leave gains on the table by staying away from the free weight section during their weight loss program. Strength training helps burn calories during a workout and increases your metabolic rate, which enables you to burn more calories throughout the day, even when you’re physically inactive. [5]
Check Out: Calories Burned Running Calculator
Hire a Nutritionist and Personal Trainer
Contrary to what most people think, designing a diet program falls out of the scope of practice for a certified personal trainer. While a personal trainer can help you with a personalized training plan according to your physical fitness levels, limitations, and goals, you must seek a registered nutritionist’s help for a customized diet plan.
You could ask your trainer for a dietitian’s reference. The nutritionist and trainer can work together to streamline your training and recovery program and maximize your output.
You could design a training and diet program on your own; however, it will require significant trial and error. Hiring a nutritionist and trainer can help save you a tremendous amount of time, effort, and money in the long run.
Furthermore, a personal trainer can help you build a solid training foundation by teaching you the correct exercise form, which can lower your risk of injury.
Lifestyle Changes
Your weight loss program should not be limited to your diet and training program. Losing 50 pounds in six months demands a lifestyle change. You must make healthier choices in every aspect. For example, always take the stairs instead of the elevator, eat more vegetables and fruits in each meal, and go to bed on time each night.
You should also clear out all the junk food from your kitchen cupboard. Remember, what is in the cupboard, will eventually end up in your stomach. Minimize the chances of going off track by snacking on junk food.
Furthermore, you must keep moving throughout the day. Schedule a 5-10 minute walk break every couple of hours. Setting a 10,000 daily step goal can push you to walk more throughout the day. Notably, 10,000 daily steps can be a little overwhelming for most people; you could start with a 5,000-step goal and slowly build on it.
Hydrate
Water is your best friend on a fat loss program. During your cardio exercises, you’ll lose a lot of water through sweat, increasing your risk of dehydration. You must drink at least a gallon of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated.
It also has several other benefits, such as regulating your body temperature, protecting your tissues, spinal cord, and joints, helping excrete waste through perspiration, urination, and defecation, improving digestion and blood oxygen circulation, boosting cognitive function, and enhancing skin quality.
Furthermore, drinking water throughout the day will keep you feeling satiated, which will reduce your probability of feasting on junk food. You should drink a glass of water before meals when you feel extra hungry, as it will help curb your appetite. [6]
Stay Away From Fad Diets
The fitness community regularly witnesses new fad diets that promise mind-boggling results. Some of these diets include the boiled egg diet and the cabbage soup diet.
Fad diets rapidly gain popularity, but they are equally quick to disappear. Since these diets encourage extreme dietary choices, some people believe that fad diets can help them achieve their weight loss goals faster.
Most fad diets claim extraordinary results; however, they have little to no scientific evidence backing them. Sticking to a fad diet can not only lead you to a weight loss plateau, but it can also cause chronic health issues as these diets comprise restrictive and imbalanced eating patterns, such as eliminating entire food groups or severely limiting calorie intake. Plus, the weight loss achieved through fad diets is often not sustainable.
You must only follow a diet protocol with scientific research supporting it and a proven track record.
Fasting
Fasting is one of the best ways to enter a calorie deficit and lose weight. The rise of intermittent fasting has breathed new life into fasting. Intermittent fasting involves cycling between periods of fasting and eating. [7]
You could choose between several intermittent fasting (IF) protocols depending on your preferences and schedule. The 16/8 method is the most popular IF schedule; it involves fasting for 16 hours daily and eating during the remaining eight hours.
Besides its weight loss benefits, intermittent fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, help fight against chronic inflammation, improve heart health, boost cognitive function and immunity, and reduce the risk of cancer.
In contrast to the typical diet programs that dictate what you should and shouldn’t eat, an intermittent fasting program focuses on your eating schedule. Although your dietary choices aren’t restricted on an IF plan, you should stick to healthy dietary choices to speed up your weight loss progress.
Do Not Starve
In defiance of popular opinion, you aren’t supposed to starve yourself on a weight loss program. Going too harsh on yourself during a diet can lead to developing a negative relationship with food, where you might experience feelings of guilt, shame, anxiety, or fear related to food and eating.
A negative relationship with food can have the opposite effects on your weight loss progress as it can result in a pattern of disordered eating habits such as binge eating, purging, or using food as a coping mechanism for emotional stress. Further, it can have negative consequences on your physical and mental well-being.
Starving can also hamper your performance in physiological and psychological tasks as it can leave you feeling weak, drained, and exhausted throughout the day. Even on a weight loss program, you should eat small but regular meals throughout the day if you are not following a fasting protocol.
Plan Your Meals Ahead of Time
Leaving your meals to chance is a sure-shot way of falling off track on your weight loss journey. If you want to lose 50 pounds in six months, planning at least a week’s worth of meals in advance will help minimize your risk of giving in to cravings and sticking to your diet. It also saves you the stress of coming up with meal ideas on the fly.
Planning your meals helps you meticulously break down your calorie goal into an ideal macro split. On the other hand, if you enter a restaurant feeling insanely hungry, you’ll probably end up ordering the most unhealthy dish on the menu. Remember, you must control your environment and not be controlled by it.
Plus, planning your meals can save time and money by reducing the need for last-minute meal decisions. It allows you to buy your food in bulk, significantly reducing your grocery bill. Not to mention, it also minimizes food wastage.
Reduce Stress
Chronic stress is one of the biggest factors behind weight gain. Stress increases cortisol production in your body, leading to increased body fat stores.
Many people resort to eating unhealthy and binge eating junk food when stressed, leading to a bulging waistline.
If all this isn’t enough, chronic stress increases your appetite and can interfere with your sleep. It can also lead to decreased physical activity, contributing to weight gain and difficulty losing weight.
Exercise, meditation, and yoga are some of the best ways to manage cortisol levels, combat stress, and improve overall health and well-being. Seek a medical professional’s help if you cannot control your stress levels with these three methods.
Supplements
Adding a fat-burning supplement to your routine can help speed up your weight loss progress by increasing your metabolism, suppressing your appetite, boosting the fat-loss process, and blocking dietary fat absorption.
Notably, the effects of a fat-burning supplement can change depending on its ingredients. You must thoroughly analyze a supplement’s ingredients before making a purchase.
Whey protein supplements can boost your metabolism and curb your appetite by keeping you feeling full throughout the day. Furthermore, protein supplements will ensure you don’t lose muscle mass during your weight loss program.
Natural supplements, such as caffeine and green tea extract, can also help expedite your fat loss progress. Plus, caffeine can temporarily boost your metabolism by up to 16% over one to two hours, which can help burn more calories. [8]
You must consult your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement. Also, you should favor natural fat burners over synthetic formulas to ensure safe weight loss and that the weight doesn’t come back on shortly after stopping the supplement.
Cheat Meals
If losing weight was easy, flabs would be a thing of the past. Most people start craving junk food a few days after starting a weight loss diet. When discussing a weight loss diet with a newbie, their first questions usually revolve around permitted weekly cheat meals.
Although six months is a long time, you must stay away from cheat meals to achieve your goals and avoid derailing from your weight loss journey.
Plus, if you do eat a cheat meal, you must account for its calories. Deduct the excess calories you consumed in your cheat meal from your weekly calorie goal. Since eating a cheat meal on this program can be a hassle, we recommend avoiding junk food until you meet your objective. Cheat meals can also increase your cravings as calorie-dense, highly palatable foods can stimulate your brain’s reward centers.
Sleep
Sleeping seven to eight hours gives your body enough time to recuperate, helping you shed excess weight. Getting a good night’s sleep is especially important for exercisers and folks with a hectic schedule.
It is no secret that getting adequate sleep each night can help you wake up feeling fresh and energized. Focusing on your recovery will help you perform better in your workouts and reduce your risk of injury.
Sleep deprivation can increase cravings for unhealthy foods, resulting in overeating and weight gain. There is a high probability that you will end up at your favorite fast-food restaurant for dinner if you are fatigued because of a lack of sleep.
Furthermore, a lack of sleep can spike ghrelin levels (hunger hormone) in your body and decrease leptin levels, which can increase your appetite and make it harder to lose excess weight. Besides the hunger hormones, sleeping for seven to eight hours daily can improve your body’s hormone balance.
Alcohol
Alcohol can be detrimental to your weight loss journey. It is packed with empty calories, meaning alcohol has no nutritional value, and the calories you consume through alcohol will end up as body fat.
Alcohol can increase your appetite. Not only that, it makes it harder to resist unhealthy food choices, leading to overeating. This is one of the reasons why you’ll never see grilled chicken breast as a bestseller in a pub. Fries, pizzas, and beer are a match made in heaven — the unhealthy kind.
Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep, wreaking havoc on your recovery and weight loss progress. Waking up tired can negatively affect your motivation to follow a healthy lifestyle, which can lead you to eat junk food and skip exercising. If losing 50 pounds in six months is a priority for you, you should stay away from alcohol until you meet your weight loss objective.
Track Your Progress
Tracking your fitness progress is underrated. Putting your goals on paper will give you a sense of urgency. Furthermore, most people that track their progress also have detailed daily and weekly action steps to help them achieve their objectives.
You don’t need fancy tech to track your progress. A pen and paper or the notes app on your phone will work wonders. Before starting progress tracking, you must write down your weight loss goal, “lose 50 pounds in six months,” on the first note.
Track all your details, including body weight, body measurements, meals, workouts, weights used, sets, reps, and RPE for each exercise. You can use a calorie-tracking app like MyFitnessPal to count your calories.
Tracking your progress ensures that you are heading in the right direction. It also allows you to steer your ship in the right direction as soon as you find out that you are heading down the right path or if your weight loss progress is unsatisfactory.
Find a Support System
A support system can be a game changer in achieving your physique transformation goals. Most people think exercising is a one-person sport and overlook the importance of a support system.
A supportive system can help you stick to your goals and pick you up when you lack motivation. Your support system can consist of your family and friends. Furthermore, you could also make friends at your gym who can keep you accountable a part of your support system.
Your closest circle plays a crucial role in your transformation journey. If your best friends eat out five days a week and like partying until late, you’ll probably end up giving up on losing 50 pounds in six months.
The right company can help help you achieve your goals by sharing their own experiences and resources, such as healthy recipes and exercise tips.
Consistency
Losing 50 pounds doesn’t happen overnight. You must set realistic goals, make necessary lifestyle adjustments, follow a personalized diet and training program, and stay consistent with them until you achieve your objectives.
Most people lose a few pounds relatively quickly in the form of water weight; however, they soon hit a weight loss plateau and give up on their weight loss goals. A physique transformation will test your grit and determination. Only the people that have the courage and the perseverance to put in the work even when they do not see the needle budge in the right direction will succeed.
You have to be consistent with every aspect of your lifestyle to achieve your transformation goals, including your diet, training, sleeping, and hitting the gym at the same time every day. Slacking in any area can lead to suboptimal results.
A physique transformation program involves several rounds of tinkering. After every two to four weeks, you must analyze your progress and make necessary adjustments.
Practice Mindfulness
Weight loss is as much a psychological challenge as it is physiological. You must remain mindful and conscious of your lifestyle to achieve your objectives.
Paying close attention to your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations at every moment is crucial to controlling your environment and ensuring it doesn’t control you. Practicing mindfulness can help recognize the triggers that lead to unhealthy eating habits. It will also help you monitor the self-talk that may lead you to skip a training session.
Conscious eating can help avoid overeating and consuming excess calories, aiding in maintaining a caloric deficit. Incorporate mindful practices, such as meditation, yoga, exercise, and journaling, into your daily routine for a more positive mindset and reduce stress.
Be Patient
The proverb ‘patience is a virtue’ is apt for a physique transformation. Most people give up on their weight loss goals after losing patience, as it can take too long. For example, losing 50 pounds in six months is not a short-term goal. Only a handful of people have the poise to stick to a strict diet and training program for 25 weeks.
Furthermore, losing too much weight too soon can be healthy. Some people use fad diets to drop a significant amount of weight in a short period; however, this weight comes back on just as quickly after you stop following the radical diet.
You must avoid the temptation of following crash diets or engaging in excessive exercise, as it can hinder your progress and increase your risk of injury. Instead, focus on making sustainable lifestyle changes that you can follow for the long term that will help you achieve your goal physique.
Also read: How To Lose 1 Pound a Day: Shedding Pounds Made Easy
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to exercise to lose weight?
You must be in a calorie deficit to shed excess body weight. Exercising for weight loss is not compulsory, and you could lose weight just by cutting calories from your daily diet. However, combining working out with a calorie-restrictive diet can help expedite your weight loss results.
Is losing two pounds of body weight each week by cutting 1,000 calories safe?
The CDC recommends losing 1-2 pounds weekly to ensure your weight loss progress is gradual, steady, and sustainable. Cutting 500 calories from your diet will help you lose around a pound of body weight each week. Similarly, deducting 1,000 calories from your daily calories can result in shedding two pounds weekly.
However, you should not cut 1,000 calories from your diet. You must cut 500 calories from your diet and burn the remaining 500 calories through exercise. Remember, you must consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting a new diet.
Can I continue my weight loss journey after losing 50 pounds in six months?
Depending on your starting weight, you might experience your weight loss progress tapering close to the end of the program as your body gets used to your new diet regimen. Ideally, you must give your body a little break from dieting after six months and switch to a maintenance diet. Sticking to the same diet for a prolonged period can lead you to a plateau. Take some time off from dieting, regroup, and begin your weight loss program again after a 2-4 week break.
Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Wrapping Up
From optimizing your diet to increasing your physical activity, this article provides you with 23 wholesome tips and tricks that will help you in losing 50 pounds in six months and start living a healthier, happier life.
Following these weight loss tips is easier said than done. Adhering to these demands requires a strong mindset, determination, and patience. Remember, you might experience quick weight loss in the initial part of your weight loss journey; however, your progress might seem like it is stalling after you have shed your water weight. Nonetheless, you must keep your head down and put in the work. The results will follow.
Best of luck!
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight.
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Carbohydrate Goals.
Sacks FM, Bray GA, Carey VJ, Smith SR, Ryan DH, Anton SD, McManus K, Champagne CM, Bishop LM, Laranjo N, Leboff MS, Rood JC, de Jonge L, Greenway FL, Loria CM, Obarzanek E, Williamson DA. Comparison of weight-loss diets with different compositions of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. N Engl J Med. 2009 Feb 26;360(9):859-73. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa0804748. PMID: 19246357; PMCID: PMC2763382.
D’Amuri A, Sanz JM, Capatti E, Di Vece F, Vaccari F, Lazzer S, Zuliani G, Dalla Nora E, Passaro A. Effectiveness of high-intensity interval training for weight loss in adults with obesity: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med. 2021 Jul 20;7(3):e001021. doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2020-001021. PMID: 34367654; PMCID: PMC8292807.
Bellicha A, van Baak MA, Battista F, Beaulieu K, Blundell JE, Busetto L, Carraça EV, Dicker D, Encantado J, Ermolao A, Farpour-Lambert N, Pramono A, Woodward E, Oppert JM. Effect of exercise training on weight loss, body composition changes, and weight maintenance in adults with overweight or obesity: An overview of 12 systematic reviews and 149 studies. Obes Rev. 2021 Jul;22 Suppl 4(Suppl 4):e13256. doi: 10.1111/obr.13256. Epub 2021 May 6. PMID: 33955140; PMCID: PMC8365736.
Stookey, J.D., Constant, F., Popkin, B.M. and Gardner, C.D. (2008), Drinking Water Is Associated With Weight Loss in Overweight Dieting Women Independent of Diet and Activity. Obesity, 16: 2481-2488. https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2008.409
Welton S, Minty R, O’Driscoll T, Willms H, Poirier D, Madden S, Kelly L. Intermittent fasting and weight loss: Systematic review. Can Fam Physician. 2020 Feb;66(2):117-125. PMID: 32060194; PMCID: PMC7021351.
Hollands MA, Arch JR, Cawthorne MA. A simple apparatus for comparative measurements of energy expenditure in human subjects: the thermic effect of caffeine. Am J Clin Nutr. 1981 Oct;34(10):2291-4. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/34.10.2291. PMID: 7293955.
How To Lose 1 Pound a Day: Shedding Pounds Made Easy
Most people would be willing to shed a few pounds at the drop of a hat. Losing weight not only makes you look better, but it can also reduce your risk of contracting chronic health issues. These benefits make losing weight alluring, and it is also what sells gym memberships.
However, the weight loss process can be slow and meticulous, and most people do not have the patience to stick to a weight loss program in the long run. This is also why fad diets that promise significant weight loss in a short period are such a hit.
‘How to lose 1 pound a day’ is a common question personal trainers get asked by beginners. Before we dive into this subject, let’s get the record straight. Losing a pound each day is not entirely safe or sustainable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends limiting your weight loss to 1-2 pounds weekly to keep your physique transformation journey gradual, steady, and sustainable. [1]
According to JAMA, you must burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound of body fat. As you can probably tell, burning 3,500 calories daily is not sustainable, safe, or even possible for most folks. Furthermore, a pound of body fat doesn’t necessarily translate to a pound of body weight. [2]
Losing a pound each week means a daily weight drop of 0.14 pounds, which is a far cry from the goal of shedding a pound each day. Also, weight loss doesn’t happen overnight. It might take up to a couple of weeks before a beginner starts seeing progress after switching to a weight loss program.
Prerequisites For Losing 1 Pound a Day
You must enter a calorie deficit to lose weight, meaning you must expend more calories than you consume in a day. You could achieve a calorie deficit by eating less or exercising more. A balance of both is ideal for losing a pound a day.
Remember, each individual is built differently and will react uniquely to different diets and training stimuli. There is no way to promise a pound of weight loss each day for everyone. For example, your results might differ from your training partner’s.
The tips mentioned in this article will help streamline your weight loss process and ensure you get the best bang for your buck.
In this article, we go over the 15 most effective tips to shed the spare tire. We have also included five training programs to ensure optimal weight loss. To ensure your safety, we won’t recommend radical steps. Contrarily, we will only recommend ways that will help achieve safe and sustainable weight loss in the long run.
Sticking to these steps will help you achieve your body weight goal and promote a healthy lifestyle, which will pay dividends in the long run.
15 Steps To Lose 1 Pound a Day
Sadly, there is no magic pill that will help shave off a pound from your belly each day. Losing a pound a day is an ambitious goal that demands commitment, effort, and patience. The tips mentioned below will help you make sustainable lifestyle changes and improve your overall health and well-being:
Hydrate
Cutting water is one of the fastest ways to shed body weight. It is common to lose a few pounds in a single day by dehydrating yourself.
Most fitness models start cutting water 2-3 days before a photoshoot. It helps them get diced and achieve crisp conditioning. Professional bodybuilders take this a step further and use diuretics to get in shape for competitions. However, hobbyist lifters and the general public should stay away from these methods, as they are unsafe and unsustainable.
Plus, once you resume your regular water intake, you will rapidly regain the weight you had previously lost.
Prolonged dehydration can cause headaches, delirium, confusion, fatigue, dizziness, dry mouth, and constipation. Left untreated, it can contribute to kidney stones, kidney failure, and heatstroke, all life-threatening illnesses. [3]
Tip: Water Intake Calculator
Stay Away From Fad Diets
Many people flock to fad diets, such as the boiled egg diet and the cabbage soup diet, that promise significant weight loss in a short period. However, these diets have little to no scientific evidence backing them. Most of these diets gain popularity rapidly but are equally quick to disappear.
Most fad diets require you to completely cut out some food sources, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Sticking to an imbalanced diet for an extended period can lead to chronic health conditions, which can worsen over time.
While choosing a diet, you must analyze if it follows a balanced approach to nutrition. Cutting out certain foods from your diet can result in developing a negative relationship with food, which can make matters worse. Plus, the weight lost through radical diets often bounces back as soon as you switch to a regular diet.
You must consult your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise or diet program, especially if you are dealing with any health issues.
Patience
After your body starts adjusting to the changes, you will experience rapid weight loss in the initial days in the form of water weight. However, you might hit a plateau if you don’t consistently change your diet and training program.
Furthermore, setting more realistic objectives can assist you in cultivating more patience and perseverance in the process. For example, you could change your weight loss goal from losing one pound daily to losing 4-5 pounds in a month. This new goal is achievable and safe.
Checking off a monthly weight loss goal can help keep you motivated. It will also act as a reinforcement that you are on the correct path.
Count Your Calories
Calorie tracking is a must if you want to lose weight. You cannot just eat whatever you like and hope for a weight loss miracle. Based on your current weight, you must set a daily calorie consumption goal to meet your target body weight.
You could determine a calorie goal for yourself by using a TDEE calculator. Alternatively, you could use a calorie-tracking app like MyFitnessPal to account for your average calorie intake.
Log your meals in the calorie-tracking app to find out your macronutrient (carbs, proteins, and fat) split. Most calorie-tracking apps have a robust food and recipe database, which makes tracking your meals easy and convenient. Some apps also come with a barcode scanner for tracking the calories of packaged foods.
Enter a Calorie Deficit
After determining your average daily calorie goal, you must enter a deficit to lose weight. Cutting 500 calories from your diet will result in a one-pound weekly weight drop. Similarly, cutting 1,000 calories will help you shed two pounds a week.
For example, if you consume 2,200 calories daily, you must shift to a 1,700 kcal diet to shed the spare tire. Cutting 1,000 calories from a 2,200-calorie diet is not recommended. If you want to shed two pounds weekly, you should cut 500 calories from your diet and burn the remaining 500 calories through exercise.
Eat Nutrient-Dense Foods
On a weight loss diet, you must get your calories from nutrient-dense whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-fat and low-fat dairy, fish and seafood, unprocessed lean meat, and skinless poultry, nuts, and legumes.
Avoid empty calories such as alcohol, sugar-laden beverages, and highly processed foods. Eating nutrient-dense whole foods will keep you feeling full and supply the necessary nutrients to your muscles throughout the day.
Fiber is often overlooked in a weight loss diet. Folks following a 2,000-calorie diet should have at least 28 grams of fiber daily, as it helps with macronutrient absorption and getting the most nutritional value out of your food. It also promotes gut health, reduces bloating and the risk of constipation and diarrhea. [4]
Follow a Personalized Diet Plan
No two people will react to the same diet and training program the same. Your training partner might lose more weight than you while eating the same food and doing the same exercises as you. How your body responds to training and diet depends on multiple factors, including genetics, age, gender, body weight.
You must follow a suitable macronutrient split according to your body type and goals to fast-track your progress. Plus, you must plan your meals in advance to ensure you don’t fall off your diet regimen. Dedicate a day of the week to prepping meals; it will reduce the possibility of you ordering junk food from your favorite fast-food restaurant when you are starving and have nothing to eat at home.
To lose one pound a day, you must also watch your portion sizes. Using smaller plates and cutlery can reduce your meal size and calorie intake, helping you take inches off your waistline. You must eat your favorite healthy foods throughout the week to reduce cravings.
Though not necessary, you can also use dietary supplements, such as a whey protein supplement and fat burners, to help with your goal of losing one pound a day.
Avoid Binge Eating
Snacking on junk food is one of the biggest reasons for weight gain. Folks that do not follow a diet plan are at a higher risk of bingeing on snacks throughout the day. Following a structured diet plan keep you satiated and lowers your cravings.
You must avoid high-calories beverages. It is very easy to overshoot your daily calorie goal by chugging on sugar-laden drinks without even realizing it. Plus, you must switch to low or zero-calorie substitutes when and where possible. Making small changes in your diet can lead to big results in the long run.
When snacking, choose healthy snacks, such as mixed nuts, Greek yogurt and berries, and apple slices with peanut butter.
Read also 7 Ways To Stop Binge Eating
Stay Consistent
Consistency is key in a weight loss program. To lose a pound a day, you must be consistent with your daily meals, workouts, and sleep schedule. Consistency is even more crucial when you have a shorter timeframe to work with.
When you are consistent with your diet and training program, your body burns fat more efficiently. Furthermore, staying consistent with a fit lifestyle minimizes the risk of gaining excess body fat and improves your overall health and well-being.
Choose Healthy Fats
Many people blame fats for their excess body fat. However, this assumption is faulty. Consuming healthy fats is essential for optimal body functioning and health. Furthermore, it provides your body with essential nutrients and promotes the feeling of fullness, reducing your overall calorie intake.
Nuts, seeds, avocados, and fatty fish should be the primary sources of fats in your diet. Fats can help reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity, leading to better weight management.
However, you must ensure that you choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats. Staying away from processed and fried foods can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes while promoting overall health.
Tip: Use Fat Intake Calculator
Stress Less
When you are stressed, your body releases the cortisol hormone into your bloodstream, which makes you hold onto body fat. Chronic stress is one of the leading causes of weight gain and increases the risk of health issues like high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. Increased cortisol levels can also increase appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods. [5]
Chronic stress can also hamper your motivation to train, eat healthily, and stay consistent with a fit lifestyle.
To lose a pound each day, you must keep stress at bay. Meditation, yoga, and exercise are among the best ways of combating stress. Nonetheless, you must consult a healthcare professional if you are dealing with high levels of stress and are unable to control it using these three methods.
Try Fasting
Fasting is an incredibly effective method of shedding body weight. Intermittent fasting (IF) is a rage among fitness enthusiasts. It involves cycling between voluntary fasting and non-fasting. The 16/8 protocol is the most popular IF method, involving fasting for 16 hours a day and eating in the remaining eight-hour window.
Beginners should start with easier fasting protocols, such as the 14/10 method. It involves fasting for 14 hours and a 10-hour feeding window. Advanced lifters can opt for the ‘OMAD’ protocol, which involves eating one meal a day. Fasting protocols with longer fasting windows are more effective at helping you lose a pound each day.
Get Enough Sleep
Sleeping for at least seven to eight hours is essential to allow your body enough time to rest and recuperate. Since losing one pound a day requires you to follow a stringent diet and training program, you must take your recovery just as seriously.
Get ready for what we are about to say next. It is so polarizing that ‘the hardest workers in the room’ might lose sleep over it. Ready? Here we go — don’t hesitate to hit the snooze button. Alarm clocks have a snooze button for a reason. They help you get in the much-needed sleep.
Quality sleep helps balance your hormones, which can help control hunger, satiety, and metabolism. Fatigue due to a lack of sleep increases your risk of feasting on junk food and skipping exercise.
Workout
Although you could lose a pound a day just by cutting your calorie intake, it is not sustainable or healthy. Engaging in cardiovascular and strength training can help speed up your weight loss progress and tone your muscles. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is an incredibly effective way of promoting weight loss while keeping your workouts short and exciting.
You must follow a personalized training program to optimize your weight loss, meaning you should choose a workout regimen based on your experience level. Punching up your weight class can lead to burnout and increase your risk of injury. Regular exercise can also help regulate hormones related to appetite and metabolism, such as insulin and cortisol.
Move More
Besides sweating it out in the gym, you must ensure that you are constantly moving throughout the day. A sedentary lifestyle increases your risk of contracting chronic health conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension.
Set a daily step goal for yourself and reorganize your day to ensure you hit your objectives. You could start with a 5,000-steps-a-day goal and make your way up to walking 10,000 steps daily.
Tip: Try Walking Calorie Calculator
5 Workouts To Lose 1 Pound a Day
Following a balanced training program that includes strength and cardiovascular training will optimize your weight loss. We will focus on HIIT workouts in this article to lose one pound a day.
HIIT Workout 1 — Tabata Workout
Tabata workouts include doing eight rounds of 20 seconds of strenuous exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. Perform each exercise for eight rounds before switching to the next exercise.
Eight rounds of exercise, including working time and rest, will add up to four minutes. Three exercises in this Tabata workout and two recovery periods will take you 14 minutes to complete.
Exercise
Sets
Time (in seconds)
Rest (in seconds)
Burpees
8
20
10
Recovery
60 seconds
Jumping Lunge
8
20
10
Recovery
60 seconds
Spiderman Plank
8
20
10
Many people compromise their form during a HIIT workout to make the exercises easier. However, doing this hampers the effectiveness of the lifts and increases your risk of injury.
HIIT Workout 2
The second HIIT workout in our quest to lose one pound a day includes a balance of strength training and cardio exercises. You will need a pair of dumbbells to perform this workout. This workout comprises performing two rounds of the following circuit:
Exercise
Time (in seconds)
Rest (in seconds)
Close-Grip Chest Press
30
30
Leg Raise
45
30
Squat Hold
45
30
Renegade Row
30
30
Plank
45
30
Dumbbell Overhead Press
30
30
Thruster
75
30
High Knees
45
120
Rest for 30 seconds between exercises in the circuit. You are allowed a two-minute rest between circuits. To stick to the rest duration between exercises, keep all the equipment near you before starting the circuit.
Since the rest durations between exercises are short, use that time to take your position for the next lift. You must complete this workout within 20.5 minutes.
HIIT Workout 3 — EMOM
Every minute-on-the-minute (EMOM) workouts are an underutilized form of HIIT workouts. In an EMOM workout, you must complete an exercise within 60 seconds. Your goal with EMOM exercises is to complete each exercise as quickly as possible as the remainder of the 60 seconds is used as rest between exercises.
Time
Exercise
Reps
Minute 1
Dumbbell Squat
15
Minute 2
Renegade Row Push-Up
20
Minute 3
Squat Jump
15
Minute 4
Sit-Up
20
Minute 5
Burpee
10
Complete the 15 dumbbell squats as quickly as possible without slacking on your exercise form. Use the remainder of the minute as your rest before moving on to the next exercise at the beginning of the second minute.
HIIT Workout 4 — AMRAP
In the following workout, you must complete as many reps as possible (AMRAP) of the following exercises within nine minutes. AMRAP workouts are excellent for competitive folks. In these workouts, there are no defined rest durations. You can take as long as you want between exercises to rest. Furthermore, you can also break an exercise to catch a breath. Your ultimate objective is to complete as many reps as possible within nine minutes.
Exercise
Reps
Butt Kicks
100
Jumping Jack
80
Mountain Climbers
60
Side-To-Side
40
Abdominal Row
20
After completing 100 reps of butt kicks (50 right side and 50 left side), move onto the jumping jack without stopping for rest — if you can. The total number of reps you can complete will be your final score. Challenge your friends to beat your score. You can also set your score as a benchmark for yourself and try to beat it in a subsequent workout.
HIIT Workout 5 — Ladder Workout
When used correctly, ladder HIIT workouts can melt fat off your body. The rep structure of a ladder workout is like climbing a ladder. You start with a few reps and work up to high-rep sets. The rest between exercises increases with the total number of reps. Like in real life, you must also come down a ladder. After performing the set with the highest number of reps, work towards the small rep sets. Also, you must do all of this within a specific time limit.
In this HIIT ladder workout, you’ll perform two exercises on a single ladder rung. For example, for this workout, you will perform one rep of the wall ball and dumbbell thruster before moving on to the two-rep wall ball and thruster.
Exercise and Reps
Rest (in seconds)
1 Wall Ball and 1 Dumbbell Thruster
0
2 Wall Ball and 2 Dumbbell Thruster
10
3 Wall Ball and 3 Dumbbell Thruster
15
4 Wall Ball and 4 Dumbbell Thruster
15
5 Wall Ball and 5 Dumbbell Thruster
20
6 Wall Ball and 6 Dumbbell Thruster
20
7 Wall Ball and 7 Dumbbell Thruster
25
8 Wall Ball and 8 Dumbbell Thruster
25
9 Wall Ball and 9 Dumbbell Thruster
30
10 Wall Ball and 10 Dumbbell Thruster
45
After completing 10 wall balls and dumbbell thrusters, continue back down the ladder as far as possible within the remaining time.
Note: The content on Fitness Volt is for informative purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice to diagnose, prevent, or treat health problems. If you’re suffering from a health issue, are pregnant, or are under 18 years old, you should consult your physician before starting any new supplement, nutrition, or fitness routine.
Wrapping Up
Many people follow fad diets to help them drop their body weight quickly. However, most of these extreme methods are unsafe and unsustainable. To lose one pound a day, you must focus on making lifestyle changes that promote weight loss while improving your overall health.
Although the 15 healthy lifestyle tips and five workout routines detailed in this article might not make you drop a pound daily, it will put you on the right path to sustained weight loss. Now that you have all the knowledge you need to shed the spare tire, go ahead and put it to good use. Best of luck!
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Losing Weight. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/losing_weight/index.html
Wishnofsky M. CALCULATION OF DIETS. JAMA. 1957;163(5):384–385. doi:10.1001/jama.1957.02970400056024
Taylor K, Jones EB. Adult Dehydration. [Updated 2022 Oct 3]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/
Miketinas DC, Bray GA, Beyl RA, Ryan DH, Sacks FM, Champagne CM. Fiber Intake Predicts Weight Loss and Dietary Adherence in Adults Consuming Calorie-Restricted Diets: The POUNDS Lost (Preventing Overweight Using Novel Dietary Strategies) Study. J Nutr. 2019 Oct 1;149(10):1742-1748. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxz117. PMID: 31174214; PMCID: PMC6768815.
McEwen BS. Neurobiological and Systemic Effects of Chronic Stress. Chronic Stress (Thousand Oaks). 2017 Jan-Dec;1:2470547017692328. doi: 10.1177/2470547017692328. Epub 2017 Apr 10. PMID: 28856337; PMCID: PMC5573220.
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