How to Lose 30 Pounds of Fat

More than one-third of American adults are overweight or obese according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While many people do want to lose their extra weight quickly, evidence shows that those who lose one to two pounds per week are more successful at keeping the weight off. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. To lose weight, you have to maintain a caloric deficit or take in fewer calories than you burn through a combination of physical activity and healthy eating.

Instructions

Basal Metabolic Rate

• 1

  Figure out your basal metabolic rate (BMR). This is the amount of calories your body burns on a daily basis just staying alive. For men, the calculation is 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.8 x age in years). For women, the calculation is 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years).

• 2

  Factor in your activity level to determine how many calories you actually use daily. If you are sedentary, multiply your BMR by 1.2. If you are lightly active, multiply the figure by 1.375. If you are moderately active, multiply your BMR by 1.55. Multiply your BMR by 1.725 if you are very active.

• 3

  Subtract between 500 to 1,000 calories per day through diet and exercise to achieve your weight-loss goal. To lose 30 pounds, you would need to have a deficit of 105,000 calories. If you had a caloric deficit of 500 calories per day, it would take you 210 days to lose 30 pounds. With a 1,000 daily caloric deficit, it would take you 105 days to lose 30 pounds.

Diet: Creating a Caloric Deficit

• 4

  Replace your three daily meals with smaller, regular meals including breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. According to the National Weight Control Registry, 80 percent of people who are able to lose weight and keep it off eat breakfast every day.

• 5

  Choose more foods that are high in protein such as meat, fish and soy and avoid high-carb foods to lose more weight. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that people who eat more protein and less refined carbs have better weight-loss results than those who eat refined carbs. Replace simple carbs such as potatoes, white rice, white pasta and sugar with more complex ones, such as oatmeal, whole grains, yams and vegetables, to keep you feeling full longer and regulate your blood sugar.

• 6

  Choose healthy snacks between meals. Chips, candy and other "junk food" are often high in calories but offer very few nutrients so you feel hungry soon after you eat these foods. Snack on healthier choices such as vegetables, low-fat yogurt, fruit or air-popped popcorn to satisfy your hunger and keep you going until your next meal.

• 7

  Avoid soda and juice, which add empty calories to your day. A glass of soda is 150 calories while a glass of juice is 120 calories. Water will satisfy your thirst without adding any extra calories.

• 8

  Write down everything you eat. Keeping a journal can double your weight-loss results because you have a better idea of how many calories you are eating and if you are staying within your daily caloric limits.

Exercise

• 9

  Choose to be active whenever you can. Walk instead of drive whenever possible and take the stairs rather than the elevator or escalator.

• 10

  Aim to burn an extra 300 calories per day by adding moderate-intensity exercise. Walking briskly, cycling, swimming or jogging for at least 30 minutes will burn calories and keep your heart and lungs in shape.

• 11

  Add resistance training to your daily workout. This will not only limit any muscle tone you will lose from dieting but will actually help build more muscle tone. Muscle is more metabolically active than fat so the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns daily.

• 12

  Increase the amount and intensity of both your cardio and weight resistance workouts. As you get stronger and fitter, your body will be less challenged by the same workout and will actually burn less calories. Aim to change your routine every four to six weeks to avoid hitting a weight-loss plateau.

• 13

  Add rest to your day and avoid overtraining. Your body needs to recover from exercise. Failing to allow your body enough recovery time will actually stall your weight loss. Your body will be too tired to work at its peak level and you will be more susceptible to injury.