How to Lose Three Pounds a Week on a Diet

The diet industry is big business. There are many "fad diets" claiming to help you lose large amounts of weight extremely quickly. Unfortunately, these are not healthy, nor sustainable. Starving yourself will lead to a significant decrease in metabolic rate, and what little nutrients your body gets, it will attempt to store as fat to combat the starvation.

Losing 3 lbs. per week is not easy, but is achievable by following a few simple steps. Adjust your diet and tailor your lifestyle and exercise routines for a healthy and sustainable way to lose weight, and keep it off.

Instructions

• 1

  Understand the required "calorie deficit." In order to lose 1 lb. of weight, you will need a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories. So to lose 3 lbs. each week, you will need to burn 10,500 calories more than you consume. This does not mean you need to reduce your calorie intake by this amount each week. Rather, take steps to increase your calorie deficit by speeding up your metabolic rate through exercise and healthy eating choices. A higher metabolism leads to a higher basal metabolic rate, or burning more calories at rest.

• 2

  Eat 5 to 7 smaller meals per day and drink plenty of water. This will give your metabolism a healthy boost and keep hunger at bay.

• 3

  Consume plenty of fruit and vegetables. These should make up the foundation of your diet and equate to half your portion size at each meal. Fruit and vegetables are highly nutritious, contain little to no fat and calories, and provide a valuable source of fiber---essential for healthy digestive function and regulation of insulin response.

• 4

  Remove any refined carbohydrates or simple sugars from your diet. This means cutting out processed foods, packaged ready meals and sauces, confectionery, cakes, jams and syrups.

  Instead, opt for complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats and wholegrain breads and cereals. These will provide a sustained release of energy, preventing you from reaching for the snack drawer.

• 5

  Increase your cardiovascular activity. The US Department of Health recommends a minimum of 30 minutes "prolonged physical activity" (sweat inducing), 3 times per week. Notice this is the minimum; exercising more regularly will help burn more calories and break down fat reserves, helping you achieve your weight loss goals more quickly. Jogging, cycling and swimming are all good examples of cardiovascular exercise.