Setting a 6-month deadline to shed 60 pounds off your weight sounds quite ambitious. For some people, it is possible and works out so well. However, it can be very frustrating to find out you’re regaining this weight you tried so hard to cut in the past 6 months. This article will give you tips on how to lose 60 pounds in 6 months without regaining.
To lose much weight, you would have to have a bird’s view on things. You will have to consider your general lifestyle, compared to just focusing on workouts and diet.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO LOSE 6O POUNDS IN 6 MONTHS?
Losing 60 pounds in 6 months means you will work towards shedding 10 pounds consistently monthly for six months. If you have been on a weight loss journey, you will agree this is not as simple as it sounds.
Besides, you have to be extra smart with your weight loss strategies so that you don’t end up regaining the weight you have lost after 6 months.
A weight-loss journey requires that you eat less and move more. This will see you creating a calorie deficit in your body, hence allowing your body to tap into your energy stores to burn fats instead for energy during workouts.
Centers for Diabetes Control and Prevention recommend keeping your calorie deficit to a range of 500-1000 calories per day.
You will get rid of 1 or 2 pounds per week at this rate, leading to a total of 24- 48 pounds in six months. The loss will be way below your mark.
However, if you bump your calorie deficit to 1,250 per day, you will get rid of 2.5 pounds weekly, giving a total of 60 calories in 24 weeks (six months).
As you embark on your weight loss journey, your curve will be very high in the first few days. This is because your body will be reacting faster to the abrupt dietary changes and introduction to workouts.
However, as you progress with your journey, you will hit a weight loss plateau because your body will have adapted to the conditions you had set earlier. This stage will require you to make a few adjustments for the curve to start rising gradually.
To create a 1,250-calorie deficit, you will need to consume a minimum of 1200 calories for a woman and 1600 for a man. To further boost it up, you would have to include exercise to help blast the unwanted fats.
THE WEIGHT LOSS PLATEAU
As mentioned earlier, this is the period where even with your regular exercise, your weighing scale still reads the same or slightly less.
Experts are unsure of the exact cause of a weight loss plateau. However, the three main theories backing it up are as follows:
Your body adapts to the weight loss and defends itself from further loss of weight.
You may have stopped following your dietary plans or even workout schedules within a few months.
Your metabolism slows down if you lose weight quickly.
However, after conducting a study on the effect of dietary adherence on the bodyweight plateau, researchers ruled out the third theory. These researchers developed a mathematical model to investigate plausible explanation for reaching a weight loss plateau.
DIETARY TIPS TO LOSE 60 POUNDS IN SIX MONTHS
By now, you have already done calculations on your calorie needs. You have spelled out clearly what exactly you need to get rid of and how.
Reasons such as the above-mentioned calculations and planning out your diet will need you to use your diet journal.
After figuring out your calorie needs, you may distribute them over at least three main meals. Plan out these meals carefully, ensuring they are nutrient-packed.
Having them nutrient-dense simply means including meals such as lean meat, fruits and vegetables, and whole-grain bits.
Alternatively, for a start, you can consider the following plans:
Breakfast- eggs with peppers and an orange
Lunch- grilled salad topped with grilled chicken, lemon juice, and olive oil for lunch
Dinner- Boiled flank steak, boiled rice, and steamed green beans
Snacking may come in handy by helping you stay alert in between your meals, especially during the day. Even so, go for ones with low calories, such as low-fat yogurt or fresh fruit.
Another key point is that you will often make use of your measuring tools. Such a well laid out plan will need you to measure your food portion or calculate what you are taking using nutrition bars at the back of the food’s packages. Do not estimate things.
Besides, stay clear of skipping meals. This could activate your hunger hormones, making you eat more than what is required in your next meal.
HOW TO USE EXERCISE TO CREATE A LARGER CALORIE DEFICIT
Incorporating exercise in your weight loss journey is another strategy for how to lose 60 pounds in 6 months. As mentioned earlier, this is a very high goal, and to achieve it within the designated time, you will have to work with other factors.
According to the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines, consider including a minimum of a 250- minute moderate cardio exercise into your routine weekly. A light walk also qualifies as a moderate exercise.
A longer workout commitment will be more effective in beating your deadlines. Depending on your weight, include more exercises such as cycling and circuit training to blast more fats.
As you embark on the numerous exercises, remember to take an “active break” weekly. During these breaks, you can do as little as walks. This will allow time for your muscle’s recovery. Overtraining will lead to muscle sores or painful muscles, hindering your weight loss goal.
WILL YOU HAVE LOOSE SKIN AFTER LOSING 60 POUNDS?
In the process of how to lose 60 pounds in 6 months, you may have doubts concerning loose skin after the loss.
To answer this question, it’s both yes and no. Having loose skin after a weight loss is dependent on other factors. According to Vivek Prachand, MD., a bariatric surgeon and associate professor of surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine, it is not easy to predict who will have sagging skin after a loss.
He further points out that the magnitude of weight loss does not predict how much excess skin you may have. Other factors such as genetics, lifestyle choices like smoking, and exposure to the sun also play a role in determining your skin’s elasticity.
However, to avoid having sagging skin after your 60 pounds weight loss, consider strength training during your routines.
Strength training will prevent your muscles’ loss, which inevitably accompanies the intense exercises you are doing.
THIS IS WHY YOUR WEIGHT IS CREEPING BACK UP
After completing your 6-month weight loss journey, you notice a pound or two is creeping back. This could leave you frustrated and thinking that you wasted your six months.
According to an article published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, approximately 80%- 90% of dieters gain back the weight they have struggled to cut.
This creep back has been attributed to your weight- set point, which is the exact weight that your body has been programmed to be and depends on the following factors:
Genetics
Hormones
Behavior
Environment
HERE IS HOW TO LOSE 60 POUNDS IN 6 MONTHS WITHOUT REGAINING
The following are tips on how you can prevent a creep back of weight after losing it.
While creating your diet, go for a healthy, long-term one and stick with it.
Even when eating healthy foods, practice portion control. This will help keep tabs on your intakes.
Replace dieting with healthy eating habits for life—these you can adopt to easily and for good.
Be consistent with your workout. Also, consider being an equal opportunity exerciser where you do both aerobic and resistance training.
Avoid stress as it will only make you eat more than what is required.
Have an ample sleep. Lack of sleep will activate your cortisol levels, affecting your decision-making abilities, especially when it comes to food matters.
Record your weight daily to keep tabs and correct any problems early.
BOTTOMLINE
Be careful, especially when planning a weight loss diet, as some of these could be extreme and unrealistic.
The best way on how to lose 60 pounds in 6 months without regaining is adopting a healthy lifestyle, rather than on and off diet plans.
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