How to Lose 70 Pounds in Eight Months

The Mayo Clinic advises dieters lose no more than 1 to 2 lbs. a week for healthy weight loss. That may not equal 70 lbs. over the course of eight months, but it comes close to your goal. If you lose 2 lbs. a week every week for eight months you will lose a total of 64 lbs. With the proper combination of healthy foods, consistent exercise and positive lifestyle choices it is possible to achieve your weight loss goals in a relatively short amount of time.

Instructions

• 1

  Find a diet plan that's right for you, your personality and your lifestyle. There are many variables to consider when choosing a diet. If you are rushed for time, a plan with prepackaged meals may be your best option. If you need variety, diet plans with a wide range of food choices are probably best for you. And if you require emotional support, you may want a diet plan from a company that offers meetings or one-on-one counseling.

• 2

  Add exercise to your daily schedule. When you move, you burn more calories and boost your metabolism so you're burning more calories throughout the day. Look for an activity that suits your life and finances. You may choose to walk 30 minutes during your lunch break, swim in the mornings before work or play basketball with your kids in the afternoon. As long as you're getting your heart rate up, you're working toward your weight loss goals.

• 3

  Log a record of your goals, food intake and exercise. This helps keep you accountable and can inspire you to increase your weight loss. In 2008 Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research published a study that found people who kept food journals lost twice the weight as those who did not.

• 4

  Get enough sleep. The Mayo Clinic suggests adults aim for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. This will boost your energy levels and help keep stress at bay. A study performed by neurologist Dr. Michael Lacey of the Atlanta School of Sleep Medicine and Technology discovered people who didn't get as much sleep lost more muscle than fat. Dr. Lacey also found lack of sleep can be harmful to your metabolic rate.

• 5

  Stay motivated even if you experience weight loss plateaus or setbacks. Your body fluctuates based on a variety of health factors, which can make it easy to give up on your big picture goals. Use the journal of your food intake and activity to find areas where you can improve your diet and exercise levels and avoid future pitfalls.