How to Lose 40 Pounds in 60 Days

Losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time will take a toll on your body, so consult your doctor before undertaking the challenge. Whether weight needs to be lost quickly for health reasons, to look great on your next beach vacation or both, combining proper nutrition and proper exercise will lead to success in losing 40 lbs. in 60 days.

Things You'll Need

• Weight loss journal
• Measurement tape
• Weight scale

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Instructions

• 1

  Commit to your lifestyle change publicly. By announcing your new goal to close friends and family, you will receive the support and help that will motivate you to achieve your goal. Letting people know that you are going to commit to weight loss will also make you feel more accountable for your actions.

• 2

  Discuss your weight loss plan with your doctor. She will provide you with resources and tools to help you on your path to better health. Make sure to talk about any health concerns you may have as well. Your doctor can also perform a physical examination to ensure that you don't have any problems that will hinder your progress.

• 3

  Take your beginning measurements and record them in a weight loss journal. Measure your waist, hips, thighs, chest, upper arms and your weight. This will give you a starting point and allow you to create specific goals based on your measurements.

• 4

  Eat fewer calories. To lose weight, you must burn more calories in a day than you consume. To do this, limit the calories you intake. The number of calories you should eat depends on your current weight, but you should never go bellow 1,200 calories, regardless of your weight.

• 5

  Eat healthier. To lose 40 lbs. in 60 days, not only do you have to eat less, but you must eat right and not consume empty calories. Avoid candy, fast food, greasy food, red meat and bleached wheat products. Load up on fruit, vegetables, lean meats, nuts, beans, legumes and whole wheat.

• 6

  Eat four to six small meals a day. Eating large meals a few times a day will leave you hungry in between meals and more likely to snack on junk food. To avoid this, eat four to six small meals throughout the day. This will help keep the hunger pangs away while keeping you from exceeding your calorie limit.

• 7

  Do at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise three to five times a week. Cardiovascular exercise is the type of workout that gets your heart pumping and your metabolism burning fat. Running, walking, cycling, jump rope and swimming are all excellent cardiovascular exercises.

• 8

  Do strength-training exercises three to five times a week. Push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, Yoga and Pilates are good ways of building lean muscle. Strength training is important because building lean muscle will increase the amount of fat you burn, even when you're not exercising.

• 9

  Weigh and measure yourself regularly. Recording your measurements on a weekly basis will help keep track of your progress as well as let you know if what you're doing is working or not. If results aren't satisfactory, you can easily alter your workout plan to increase weight loss.

• 10

  Reward yourself when you reach small goals. If you stick to your workout routine or keep under your calorie limit all week without missing any days, reward yourself with a special treat at the end of the week. This will allow you to be proud of your accomplishments as well as keep motivation high to continue on your weight loss path.