Diet and exercise guides

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Introduction - Is it possible to lose 80 pounds in 10 months?

Shedding 80 pounds may seem like a daunting challenge, but it’s certainly not impossible. In fact, if you’re consistent and commit to an appropriate level of effort, it is well within the realm of possibility to lose 80 pounds in 10 months. 

To do this, you will need to make changes to your diet and your exercise regime, working toward reaching a target of 2 pounds per week. 

Here, we will outline a few suggestions to help you get started on your weight loss journey.

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Diet and exercise tips for losing 80 pounds in 10 months

To lose weight and achieve your weight loss goals, it is essential to create a calorie deficit. This means consuming fewer calories than you burn each day, resulting in a slow but steady decrease in overall body mass.

To achieve 80 pounds of weight loss in 10 months, a consistent deficit of around 7,000 calories per week will be needed (according to Mayoclinic.org, 3,500 calories is approximately equivalent to 1 pound of weight loss). 

You can achieve a calorie deficit through diet alone. However, this approach requires significant effort and discipline, as it can be difficult to maintain such a rigorous calorie-cutting regime for extended periods of time. 

So you will likely want to combine a mix of diet and exercise to reach your goal.

But before you create a calorie deficit, you will need to know your maintenance level, which is the amount you need to eat to stay at your current weight. 

It’s not strictly necessary to know precisely what it is, as you will likely create a deficit simply by eating less and moving more. But it’s helpful to know, as it will make meal planning much easier.

A calorie calculator will help you get an estimate, but if you want a more authoritative figure, you should consult a registered dietician.

The following calculator is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice from a licensed healthcare professional.

CALCULATE YOUR OPTIMAL CALORIES
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Once you know what your maintenance level is, you can plan your diet.

Diet - how many calories a day should I stick to?

To lose 2 pounds a week through diet alone, you would need to eat around 1,000 calories less each day than your maintenance level. 

For example, if your maintenance level is 2,500 calories a day, you would need to stick to a diet of around 1,500 calories a day to lose 2 pounds a week. However, assuming you were aiming to lose 1 pound through diet and the rest through exercise, you would only need to eat 500 calories less than your maintenance level.

Sticking to a set meal plan each day can be challenging, but with some determination and focus it is absolutely achievable. 

When it comes to adopting a calorie restricted diet, one of the most important things you should do to avoid harming your health is to ensure that your diet is nutritionally balanced. After all, your body needs key nutrients in order to function properly, and if you don’t get enough of these vital essentials, your health can suffer.

There are a few different factors that contribute to a nutritionally balanced diet on a calorie restricted diet. For one thing, you’ll want to focus on eating plenty of foods rich in key vitamins and minerals. These might include fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains. 

Additionally, you’ll want to make sure your meals contain the right balance of macronutrients like carbs, fats, and protein.

By making these considerations when planning out your calorie restricted diet, you can ensure that your body gets the nutrition it needs for optimal health. 

And by stocking your fridge and pantry with healthy ingredients, planning your meals ahead of time, and committing yourself to making the right choices when eating out or at social gatherings, you can stay on track and reach your weight loss goals. 

So if you’re ready to get serious about sticking to a daily calorie quota with your diet, just take it one step at a time and trust that the results will follow!

Exercise tips for effective weight loss

illustration of people performing various exercises

Many people struggle to find an activity they enjoy enough to stick with. If you’re one of these people, don’t despair! Even something as simple as walking will suffice.

Walking comes in many different forms and can be adapted to fit any level of fitness or ability. Whether you prefer to spend a leisurely hour strolling along a pleasant path or power through a tough hike up a steep hill, there’s a walking workout that will suit your needs.

And since walking doesn’t require any special equipment or training, it’s easy to get started right away. When it comes to burning calories, brisk walking is the most effective.

According to Harvard Health, a 155-pound person can burn around 175 calories from 30 minutes of walking at a brisk pace (4 MPH).

Assuming you were aiming to lose a pound a week (50% of your weight loss) from exercise, you would need to spend around 60 – 90 minutes a day walking. Fortunately, this likely won’t be necessary – more on this later.

Of course, you may prefer to add additional exercises into the mix, many of which will burn more calories in less time. 

Consider getting a treadmill or a stationary bike

It may also be a good idea to invest in some exercise equipment. A treadmill will remove any excuses you have not to go for your daily stroll. If you prefer cycling, a stationary bike can be just as good as the real thing – even better perhaps, as you can adjust the resistance.

And they needn’t cost a fortune. High quality, non-motorized treadmills can be picked up for well under $500. Stationary bikes for even less.

Simply being more active during the rest of the day will burn a surprising amount of calories. This likely won’t replace the need to have dedicated workout sessions, but it will reduce the amount of time you need to spend doing them.

How fidgeting can torch a lot of calories

When it comes to burning calories, most people think of going to the gym or doing intense workouts. However, even simple day-to-day activities can contribute to calorie burn and help us get in shape. 

This is what’s known as non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).

Even something as simple as fidgeting can play a major role in our overall energy expenditure.

According to one study, an individual who fiddles and fidgets throughout the day can burn up to 350 calories in a single day, simply by tapping their toes or shifting in their chair. And while small movements like these may seem minimal on their own, they can add up over time and have a significant impact on our overall fitness goals.

Furthermore, choosing active transportation options over more sedentary means is another easy way to increase our NEAT. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking around our office during breaks are great ways to get started on the road to better health. 

With just a few small changes to our daily routine, it’s possible to not only lose weight and tone up, but also improve overall wellness and well-being. 

A 30 minute brisk walk combined with some NEAT activities over the course of the day could easily burn over 500 calories. So why wait? Start moving today!

How to lose 80 pounds in less than 10 months

Losing weight can be challenging, especially when you’re trying to do it at a faster rate than normal. Many people strive to lose more than 2 pounds per week – often significantly more.

However, achieving such rapid weight loss requires a significant caloric deficit in order to create the energy imbalance needed for fat burning. This may involve significantly cutting back on calories or increasing exercise levels. While such an aggressive weight loss plan can be effective in the short-term, it also comes with some drawbacks.

For one thing, your body may respond poorly to sudden changes in its routine, leading to side effects like fatigue or difficulty concentrating. Additionally, rapidly losing weight puts more pressure on your metabolism and likely leads to muscle loss. Therefore, before embarking on a fast weight loss plan, it’s important to consult with a doctor who can help you determine if the plan is right for you and assist you in creating safe and effective strategies for reaching your goals. 

With the appropriate guidance and support system in place, however, there’s no reason why you can’t shed those extra pounds at a pace that suits your needs and lifestyle.

Cutting down the calories with Meal replacement shakes

For dramatic calorie reduction, or even for those aiming for a more slow and steady pace of weight loss, meal replacement shakes are a popular option.

At first glance, meal replacement shakes and weight loss smoothies may seem like a fad diet that won’t help you achieve long-term weight loss results. However, these quick and easy drinks can actually be a very effective way to consume fewer calories without feeling like you’re missing out.

By delivering a combination of nutrients and healthy protein to the body, these drinks help to suppress your appetite and keep you feeling full for longer. What’s more, depending on the brand, they are often high in fiber and fortified with vitamins and minerals, making them an excellent choice if you’re looking to maintain or improve your overall health. 

If you prefer, there’s also the option of making your own smoothies or meal replacement shakes from scratch. This way, you will know exactly what ingredients go into them.

So if you’re looking for an easy way to cut down on calories without going hungry, switching to a meal replacement shake or weight loss smoothie could be the perfect solution!

Why am I not losing weight as quickly as I hoped I would?

You’re doing everything right—eating healthy, working out, drinking plenty of water. So why isn’t the weight coming off as quickly as you want it to? Unfortunately, there are a few reasons why your progress might slow down when you’re on a diet. Here’s a look at a few of the most common culprits.

You're eating too much "healthy" food

Just because a food is considered healthy doesn’t mean you can eat as much of it as you want. In fact, many “healthy” foods are high in calories and low in nutrients, which can actually do more harm than good if you’re trying to lose weight. 

To make sure you’re not overeating, pay attention to portion sizes and make sure you’re eating a balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean protein.

You're not getting enough sleep

When you don’t get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin—a hormone that triggers hunger—and makes it harder for leptin—a hormone that signals fullness—to do its job. 

As a result, you end up feeling hungrier and eating more. Aim for seven to eight hours of sleep every night to keep your hormones in check and maintain your weight-loss progress.

You haven't made any real changes

If you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you need to make real changes to your lifestyle. This means eating healthily most of the time, exercising regularly, and managing stress in a healthy way.

Making these changes might take longer than following fad diets or taking weight-loss supplements, but they’ll be worth it in the end. Plus, once you’ve reached your goal weight, you won’t have to worry about gaining the weight back. 

How weighing yourself on a regular basis could keep the pounds off

bathroom scales

Regularly weighing yourself is one of the most important things you can do if you are trying to lose weight. By keeping track of your progress and seeing how much weight you have lost, you can better monitor your diet and course of action. 

In addition, regular weigh-ins help to keep you motivated and accountable by clearly demonstrating your progress over time. And if a weight loss plan has worked for you in the past, regularly weighing yourself is an excellent way to prevent regaining any weight once the diet has ended. 

Moreover, studies have shown that people who step on the scale more often tend to be more successful at losing and maintaining their weight than those who don’t. Whether it’s checking in on a daily or weekly basis, monitoring your weight with regularity can go a long way towards ensuring that you stay healthy, trim, and fit. 

So if you’re looking to keep off any unwanted pounds, remember: put the scale to work!

Conclusion

So, if you’re looking to lose 80 pounds in 10 months, it is definitely possible – but it won’t be easy. You’ll need to be very consistent with your diet and exercise routine, and make sure that you are constantly pushing yourself to achieve a calorie deficit. 

If you can do that, though, the results will speak for themselves. 

By taking one step at a time and focusing on the positive changes you are making in your life, you can shed those extra pounds in no time and reach the healthiest weight for your body. So don’t hesitate – go for it! You can do it!