How to Lose 50 Pounds in Three Months
Losing 50 pounds in three months is an ambitious goal for sure — but one that could completely change your life and appearance, not to mention improve your health. Here is some advice to get you started on your goal.
Losing 50 pounds in three months is an ambitious goal for sure — but one that could completely change your life and appearance, not to mention improve your health. Here is some advice to get you started on your goal.
By the numbers, you would have to burn 175,000 calories in order to lose 50 pounds, since each pound lost requires 3,500 calories burned. In 100 days, which is slightly more than three months, you could theoretically decrease calories by 1,750 a day and achieve result. This calculation does not take into account the complex nature of body composition, including water weight, muscle, bone and body fat. However, by changing the way you eat and incorporating intense exercise, you can realistically lose 50 pounds in three months.
Step 1
Download the free LIVESTRONG MyPlate calorie tracker app for iPhone and Android. It's helped millions of people lose weight the healthy way by getting support from an active community as they track their eating and exercise. Use it to determine an appropriate calorie goal for you, taking your height, weight, gender and activity level into consideration. Then, you can track how many calories you consume, burn and net on a daily basis. This guide shows you how.
Step 2
Consume 30 percent lean protein, 30 percent healthy fat and 40 percent low-glycemic carbohydrates in order to optimize fat-burning. These numbers are approximate, but they can be used to figure out about how many grams of each macronutrient you should take in per meal or snack.
Step 3
Perform three to five resistance training workouts per week, no loner than 60 minutes in duration each. Follow that up with 30 to 60 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per day, depending on your fitness level. Cardio training is cumulative, meaning that several smaller sessions are equivalent to one long-duration workout.
Step 4
Ask your doctor about whether to incorporate supplements — for example, a whey protein powder to use as a mid-meal snack and/or post- and pre-workout shake. Liquid amino acids can also be used as an alternative.
Step 5
Eat one free or "cheat" meal per week. This means whatever cravings you have experienced during your week of dieting, you may now indulge. Eat whatever you want for one meal without worrying about the calories. This once-per-week cheat keeps you body from down-shifting its metabolic rate, which can stop your weight loss efforts dead in their tracks. Keep the cheat to one meal, once per week.