Diet and exercise guides

illustration of woman before and after losing weight

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Yes, you can lose 100 pounds in a year, but it won't be easy

It is possible to lose 100 pounds in a year, but it is not going to be easy. Losing that much weight will require dedication and commitment. It will mean making healthy choices every day, both in terms of what you eat and how you move your body. 

However, the good news is that the generally recommended rate of healthy weight loss, according to Mayoclinic.com and others, is 1-2 pounds per week and losing 100 pounds in a year is within this range.

There will likely be setbacks along the way, but if you are determined to reach your goal, you can succeed. The most important thing is to get started on the right foot and to keep moving forward, even when it feels like you’re not making any progress. 

Remember, even slow and steady progress is better than no progress at all. So if you’re ready to make a change, start today and see where the journey takes you.

Healthy, sustainable tips to lose weight at a rate of 2 pounds a week

Losing weight generally requires creating a calorie deficit, or burning more calories than you consume. But how big of a deficit do you need to create in order to lose 2 pounds per week? 

The common advice is to create a deficit of 3500 calories, which would theoretically lead to a loss of 1 pound per week. So a calorie deficit of 7000 calories a week – or 1000 calories a day – would result in weight loss of around 2 pounds a week.

However, this rule isn’t perfect. For one thing, your calorie maintenance level will change as you lose weight. As a result, sticking to your initial plan will likely not lead to as much weight loss in the later stages of your weight loss journey.

It’s important to remember that weight loss is not an exact science, and different people will experience different results. And if you ever feel like you’re not seeing the results you want, don’t be afraid to consult with a professional for help.

How to create a healthy, sustainable diet 

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to create a healthy, sustainable diet that you can stick to long-term. This means avoiding fad diets or crash diets that are not sustainable in the long run. 

Instead, focus on consuming whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and complex carbohydrates. And make sure to drink plenty of water! (read more)

It might also be a good idea to create a daily calorie budget that you stick to every day – or even a weekly calorie budget if you want to allow for a cheat day. This means figuring out how many calories you should be eating each day in order to reach your goal weight within the timeframe you’ve set for yourself. 

There are many online calculators that can help you figure out how many calories you need based on your current weight, height, age, gender, activity level, and desired rate of weight loss. Once you know how many calories you should be eating each day (often called your “maintenance level”), subtract 500  from that number.

This will give you a daily calorie budget for losing around 1 pound a week through diet. For example, if your calorie maintenance level was 2500 calories, you would need to stick to a daily calorie budget of 2000 calories on average.

If you need help creating a healthy diet plan, there are plenty of resources available online or, ideally, from your doctor or registered dietitian. 

The importance of exercise

illustration of people exercising

In order to lose 1 pound a week through exercise, you’ll need to burn an additional 500 calories a day on average. 

However, it’s important to keep your exercise regimen simple and consistent in order to stick with it long-term. This means finding an activity or activities that you enjoy and that fit into your schedule easily. 

For example, if you hate running, don’t try to force yourself to do it every day just because someone told you it’s the best way to lose weight. Instead, find an activity that you enjoy doing—like walking, biking, swimming, or hiking—and do that regularly. 

Even walking will suffice to burn calories. According to Harvard Health Publishing A 185-pound person can burn 189 calories from 30 minutes of brisk walking (4 mph).

You may also want to include some resistance training into your exercise regimen. This will help you build muscle, which will increase your resting metabolism, meaning you’ll burn more calories even when not exercising. The easiest way to get started with resistance training is through bodyweight exercises, such as pushups and squats. Youtube is chock full of bodyweight training tutorials.

If it all feels a bit overwhelming, a certified personal trainer can help you create an exercise plan suited to your needs. You might also find it useful to follow one of the many online popular exercise programs that take care of all the guesswork.

But whatever approach you take, it’s important to keep in mind that consistency is key when it comes to exercise. You won’t see results overnight—it takes time and effort. So don’t get discouraged if you don’t see results right away. Just keep at it and eventually, you will start seeing progress. 

Bonus tip – buy a cheap, non-motorized treadmill

It’s easy to come up with excuses not to go for a walk: it’s too hot outside, you don’t have time, or you don’t have a good pair of walking shoes. But with a treadmill at home, you can eliminate all of those excuses. 

Even a cheap, non-motorized treadmill will do the trick. You can walk at your own pace, in your own time, and in any weather. Treadmills are also a great way to track your progress and see how far you’ve come. So if you’re looking for a way to make walking a part of your daily routine, invest in a treadmill. It may just be the best decision you ever make.

How fidgeting can help you hit your 500 calorie daily burn and other useful tips

If you aren’t managing to burn 500 calories consistently through your workouts, don’t despair.

You may not realize it, but those little movements you make throughout the day – fidgeting, tapping your foot, even twirling your hair – can actually help you burn calories. This phenomenon is known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), and it can play a big role in weight loss. 

NEAT refers to the energy you expend for activities that are not related to sleeping, eating, or exercise. While you might think that these activities wouldn’t have much of an impact on your calorie burn, research has shown that they can actually account for a significant portion of your daily energy expenditure. 

And the more active you are during the day, the more calories you will burn. There are a number of simple ways to increase your NEAT, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking instead of driving, and standing while talking on the phone. 

By incorporating even a few minutes of movement into your day, you can help boost your metabolism and hit your calorie-burning goals.

Tips for staying on track with on your weight loss journey

Trying to lose weight can be a frustrating and discouraging process, especially if you’re constantly seeing fluctuations on the scale. Here are four tips to help you stay on track and motivated throughout your weight loss journey.

1. Keep A Food Diary 

One of the best ways to stay on track with your weight loss goals is to keep a food diary. This will help you become more aware of what you’re eating and how many calories you’re consuming on a daily basis. Additionally, it can also help identify any unhealthy eating patterns that you may have.

According to one study, those who kept food diary lost twice as much weight as those who didn’t.

And if you’re not a fan of paper and pen, you can use one of the many apps and websites that make it easy to track everything you eat and drink. So find one that works for you and make sure to use it religiously!

2. Set Realistic Goals 

If you’re setting unrealistic goals for yourself, it’s only going to lead to disappointment. Therefore, it’s important to set goals that are achievable and realistic. 

While 100 pounds in a year is a reasonable goal, there’s no law of the universe that says you have to lose that much within this timeframe. If you feel stressed out about your slow progress, perhaps aiming for 100 pounds in 18 months would be a better option.

3. Seek Support From Loved Ones 

Losing weight is hard enough as it is, so don’t try to do it alone! Make sure to enlist the support of your loved ones throughout your journey. Whether it’s going for walks together or cooking healthy meals together, having someone by your side will make the process much easier (and more enjoyable). Plus, they’ll be there to help cheer you on when things get tough!  

Conclusion: 

Weight loss can be a difficult process, but it doesn’t have to be discouraging. By following these four tips, you can stay on track and motivated throughout your journey. Just remember to take things one step at a time and soon enough you’ll reach your goals!

4. If you fall off track, don’t beat yourself up

It’s easy to be your own worst critic. When you make a mistake or fall off track on your weight loss journey, it’s tempting to beat yourself up and give up altogether. 

However, it’s important to remember that everyone makes mistakes. What counts is how you deal with them. If you can learn from your mistakes and keep moving forward, you’ll be much better off in the long run. 

And science is on your side.

According to research, being kind to yourself may increase the likelihood of successful weight loss. So, next time you make a mistake or find yourself veering off course, take a deep breath and remind yourself that you can always start again. 

You may not be perfect, but you have the power to choose how you respond to setbacks. Make the choice to dust yourself off and keep going, and you’ll be one step closer to achieving your goals.

Tips for keeping the weight off after losing it

You’ve been dieting and working out religiously and you’ve finally reached your goal weight. Congratulations! Now the real work begins. Here are three tips to help you keep the weight off for good.

Weigh Yourself Regularly

The best way to make sure you’re maintaining your weight is to weigh yourself regularly. This doesn’t mean you need to obsess over every pound, but regularly weighing yourself will help you catch any small gains before they turn into bigger ones. 

Research shows that those who weigh themselves regularly are more likely to succeed with weight loss than those who don’t.

If you see the numbers start to creep up, make some adjustments to your diet or exercise routine accordingly.

Be Mindful of Your Eating Habits

Once you’ve reached your goal weight, it can be easy to go back to your old eating habits. But if you want to keep the weight off, you need to be mindful of what you’re eating and how much of it you’re consuming. 

Indulging in the occasional treat is fine, but make sure that meals are mostly composed of healthy, whole foods. And be careful not to overeat—just because you’re no longer dieting doesn’t mean you should go back to eating like there’s no tomorrow. 

Stay Active

Exercise is important not only for weight loss, but for maintaining weight as well. Find an activity or activities that you enjoy and make sure to do them on a regular basis. 

The CDC recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week and two days of muscle strengthening activities for adults. 

Whether it’s going for a run, taking a dance class, or playing tennis with friends, find something that motivates you and stick with it. Remember, even moderate activity can make a big difference when it comes to keeping the weight off. 

Losing weight is hard enough, but keeping it off can seem impossible. However, by following these three simple tips—weighing yourself regularly, being mindful of your eating habits, and staying active—you can increase your chances of success. So if you want to keep those pesky pounds off for good, put these tips into action and stay on track!

Conclusion

Losing 100 pounds in a year may seem like a daunting task—but it’s definitely possible with some hard work and dedication.

By following the tips we’ve outlined above—eating healthy foods , exercising regularly , and creating a daily calorie deficit — you’ll have a much greater chance of reaching your goals and living a healthier life! 

And of course, you should consult a doctor or registered dietician before starting a diet or exercise program. If you’re still not sure where to start, they can help steer you in the right direction