Can I Lose 50 Pounds In A Year?
*The content on this site is provided for general information and entertainment purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a licensed healthcare professional (Read full disclaimer here).
This site contains affiliate links. If you click on one of these links and make a purchase, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Is it possible to safely lose 50 pounds in a year?
Many people resolve to lose weight in the New Year — or any other time during the year — but feel overwhelmed at the mere thought of the challenge.
However, it is actually very possible for most people to lose 50 pounds in a year, as this is well within the healthy recommended rate of weight loss – according to mayoclinic.org – of 1 – 2 pounds a week.
This may seem like a lot, but it can be easily accomplished by making small changes to your diet and lifestyle. For instance, you could start by cutting out sugary drinks and snacks, and replacing them with water and fruits or vegetables.
In addition, you could make time for 30 minutes of exercise every day. While these changes may seem small, they can add up to big results over time — and 12 months is plenty of time. So if you’re looking to make a major change in a year, know that it is entirely possible to lose 50 pounds in a year or less.
Popular posts
Healthy weight loss tips to lose 50 pounds in a year
Here we will outline some simple lifestyle adjustments that will help you lose 50 pounds in a year.
But first, the need for a calorie deficit.
What's a calorie deficit and why do you need it to lose weight?
A calorie deficit occurs when you burn more calories than you consume. This can be achieved through diet or exercise, or both. When you create a calorie deficit, your body is forced to burn stored fat for energy, which results in weight loss.
In order to lose 50 pounds in a year, you will need a calorie deficit of around 500 calories per day. This results in a deficit of 3,500 calories per week, which, according to mayoclinic.org, is roughly equivalent to around one pound of weight loss – of course, given that there’s 52 weeks in a year, you might get away with slightly less.
Before you plan your diet, you need to know what your calorie maintenance level is. This is the number of calories you need to consume each day to maintain your current weight. Once you know this number, you can create a calorie deficit by eating less or exercising more.
Next, we’ll outline some tips on how to plan your diet.
Diet - lose weight by eating less
To lose one pound per week through diet alone, you would need to eat 500 calories less than your maintenance level, which would mean the average male sticking to a 2,000 calorie a day diet and the average female sticking to a 1,500 calorie a day diet.
Of course, this is just a general guideline and everyone’s requirements are different.
One way to get an estimate for your daily calorie maintenance level is to use a calorie calculator.
Of course, if you burn 250 calories a day through exercise you won’t need to cut your calories as much to reach your goals.
But whatever daily calorie budget you decide on, make sure to choose nutrient-rich, low calorie foods.
Some good options include:
Leafy green vegetables
Lean meats
Fish
Eggs
Fruits
Nuts and seeds
Whole grains
Beans and legumes
In addition, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
Example meal plans
You can create your own meal plan from scratch, but you may find it helpful to start with a premade plan.
Here are some examples of healthy meal plans.
The keto diet
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet. The average person on the keto diet consumes 70 percent of their calories from fat, 25 percent from protein, and 5 percent from carbohydrates.
One benefit of the keto diet is that it can be highly satiating, meaning you feel fuller for longer. This can be helpful when trying to lose weight, as it can help to reduce cravings and the urge to snack.
Many people find a keto diet easier to stick to than a traditional calorie-restricted diet, as it does not require you to count calories – at least as strictly.
However, it is important to note that the keto diet is not suitable for everyone, and it can cause some side effects, such as the “keto flu” in the first few weeks. So, if you have any concerns, it is important to consult with a doctor or registered dietician.
As with the above recommendation, you may find it helpful to stick to a meal plan, at least in the beginning. Fortunately, there are done-for-you plans that remove the learning curve entirely.
Exercise - lose weight by moving more
Assuming you were at your maintenance level before you started doing any extra exercise, you would need to burn an extra 500 calories each day to lose one pound per week.
Of course, if you’re going to achieve half your deficit through diet, then you will only need to burn around 250 calories a day. You can do this by adding some extra activity to your daily routine.
Even something as simple as walking can burn 250 calories. For example, according to harvard.health.edu, a 155-pound person will burn around 175 calories in 30 minutes from walking at a brisk pace (4mph).
If you want to lose weight faster, you can increase the amount of time you exercise to burn more calories. You may decide to add additional exercises to your workout regimen.
Just make sure not to overdo it, as this can lead to injuries. It is also important to note that, while exercise is great for weight loss, it is not the most important factor. Diet plays a much bigger role.
Whatever exercise goal you set, make sure it is realistic and achievable. This way you will be more likely to stick to it in the long-term.
Neat - burning calories without even trying
Non exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is when your body burns calories through everyday movements over the course of the day. This can be from things like fidgeting, walking around, and even chewing gum. NEAT is an important part of weight loss because it helps to boost your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.
In fact, research has shown that fidgeting can burn up to 350 calories additional a day. So it may come as no surprise that those who fidget a lot are leaner on average than those who fidget less.
So if you’re looking for a way to burn a few extra calories throughout the day, don’t be afraid to move around – your body will thank you for it.
How to lose 50 pounds in less than a year
To lose weight and achieve a healthy, sustainable weight loss of 50 pounds in less than a year, you would need a stricter approach to your diet and exercise.
Assuming you were aiming to lose 50 pounds in 6 months, you would need a weekly calorie deficit of about 7000 calories.
To achieve this through a 50/50 mix of diet and exercise, you would need to eat 500 calories less than your maintenance level and burn an additional 500 calories on average each day.
Diet
Just as you would need to when losing weight over the course of a year, you’ll need to work out your maintenance level so you can set your daily calorie budget.
For example, If your calorie maintenance level was 2000 calories per day, you would need to stick to a daily calorie budget of 1500 calories.
Planning your meals becomes even more important when you’re trying to lose weight at a faster rate. You may also want to explore other options, such as meal replacement shakes or bars.
Of course, it is important to make sure that you’re still getting the nutrients your body needs. So be sure to consult with a doctor or registered dietician before making any drastic changes to your diet.
Exercise
As with the diet recommendations, you’ll need to increase the amount of exercise you’re doing if you want to lose weight faster.
You may find it helpful to add some HIIT (high intensity interval training) to your workouts. This type of exercise alternates between periods of high and low intensity, which can help you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time.
You can also add more weightlifting to your routine to help build more muscle. Muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue, so this can help you lose weight and keep it off in the long-term.
But if you really want to keep it simple, going for a daily 1 hour walk combined with moving more during the rest of the day (NEAT), should help you burn 500 calories or more each day, which combined with eating 500 calories less than your maintenance level should result in 50 pounds of weight loss in around 6 months.
Why your progress may be slower than expected
You’ve been sticking to your diet and Exercise routine religiously, but the results are not as dramatic as you’d hoped.
Before you get frustrated and give up, it’s important to understand that weight loss is a gradual process. Here, we’ll explore some of the reasons why your weight-loss progress may be slower than expected.
You're eating more calories than you realize
If you’re eating more calories than you think, you’ll struggle to lose weight. Some people will get away with making only minor tweaks to their diet. But others may struggle – in particular those who frequently snack.
There may be no other option for these people than to stick to a strict meal plan that includes snacks and only allows those included on the plan.
You're not drinking enough water
Water is essential for many bodily functions, including proper digestion and nutrient absorption. And according to medicalnewstoday.com, water can help with weight loss.
When you’re not drinking enough water, your body can’t function optimally, which can lead to a slowdown in weight loss. So make sure you’re drinking enough water.
You're not getting enough sleep
When it comes to losing weight, one of the most important factors is getting enough sleep. This has been demonstrated time and again in research studies, which have consistently found that dieters who get fewer than seven hours of rest each night tend to lose less weight from fat, even though they consume the same number of calories as their well-rested counterparts.
This finding is likely due to a number of different biological and behavioral factors, including increased feelings of hunger, reduced feelings of satisfaction after meals, and a general lack of energy.
Additionally, sleep deprivation may also lead to an increase in stress hormones such as cortisol, which can promote fat storage throughout the body. Overall, there is no doubt that getting adequate sleep is essential for losing fat and achieving overall health and wellness.
So, try to shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
You have an underlying health condition
If you’ve been trying to lose weight without success for an extended period of time, it’s possible that there’s an underlying health condition at play, such as hyperthyroidism. According to verywellhealth.com, conditions like hypothyroidism can make it difficult to lose weight, even when following a healthy diet and exercise routine.
If you suspect that there may be an underlying health condition affecting your weight loss, talk to your doctor about getting tested.
You've reached a weight-loss plateau
It’s normal for your weight loss to slow down after a few weeks or months of dieting and exercise; this is called a weight-loss plateau. A plateau occurs when your body adapts to the new calorie intake and starts burning fewer calories than before.
To break through a plateau, try switching up your workout routine or increasing the intensity of your workouts. You can also try adding more protein or healthy fats to your diet to keep your metabolism revving.
You're stressed
Chronic stress can lead to an increase in cortisol levels, which, as mentioned earlier, can promote fat storage and make it difficult to lose weight. If you think stress may be slowing down your weight loss progress, try incorporating some stress-relieving activities into your routine such as yoga or meditation.
You can also talk to your doctor about taking a low-dose anti-anxiety medication if stress is proving to be too much of a hurdle in your weight-loss journey.
There are many different factors that can affect the rate at which you lose weight; some are within your control while others are not .
If you’ve been stuck at the same weight for a while, don’t get discouraged—it’s normal! Weight loss is a gradual process , so try implementing some of these tips into your routine and give yourself some time .
Remember: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither is the perfect beach body!
How avoid putting the weight back on
When it comes to weight loss, one of the biggest challenges can be avoiding the dreaded weight-gain “rebound effect.” Losing weight is a common occurrence for many people, with some studies suggesting that losing as little as 5% of one’s body weight can result in an automatic increase of more than 10% in calories consumed per day.
So how can one successfully avoid this problematic cycle? There are a few key steps that can help you to maintain your hard-won healthy weight and avoid putting the pounds back on.
First, it is important to focus on making lasting changes to your diet and exercise habits rather than following quick fixes or restrictive fad diets.
Making consistent small lifestyle adjustments over time — such as replacing sugar drinks with water or going for a walk after meals instead of sitting in front of the TV — are often much more effective in creating sustainable long-term results.
Additionally, it is important to establish realistic expectations and find ways to shift your mindset around food so that you see it as fuel for your body rather than a reward or coping mechanism.
Finally, make sure to weigh yourself at least once weekly. Studies have shown that people who weigh themselves regularly are much more likely to lose weight and keep it off in the long term.
So find a time that works for you, put it in your calendar, and commit to stepping on the scale each week. This will help you to track your progress and make adjustments to your diet or exercise habits if you notice yourself gaining more weight than you would like.
Conclusion
It is possible to lose 50 pounds in a year by making small changes to your diet and lifestyle. Creating a calorie deficit is essential for weight loss, and this can be done by eating less and exercising more. Choose nutrient-rich, low calorie foods to avoid the loss of muscle mass.
Adding HIIT to your workouts and weight lifting to build muscle can help you lose weight faster.
Finally, focus on making sustainable changes and getting enough sleep to keep the weight off for good.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-keto-flu-2018101815052
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15681386/
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/obesity-prevention-source/obesity-causes/sleep-and-obesity/
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/11/001120072314.htm
https://ijbnpa.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1479-5868-5-54
https://www.verywellhealth.com/thyroid-hormones-metabolism-and-weight-3233047