How Much Weight Do You Need to Lose to Be Healthy?

One of the hardest things to determine for those interested in weight loss is how much is enough?  How many pounds per week should you lose?  How much should you lose in a month?  Many fad diets promise big weight loss in a very short time – however, that’s a bad route to follow.

It’s far better to take the slow and steady approach and practice good weight maintenance.  Just as you didn’t gain that weight overnight, your weight loss plan should focus on taking it off over a longer period of time.  Don’t hit the gym seven days a week for six hours a day and expect fifty pounds to be gone in a month – all you’ll end up doing is injuring yourself.  The best way to plan for weight loss is to try to lose about four to eight pounds during a month’s time.

In this plan, you will lose one to two pounds of weight per week.  This is enough to see the weight loss as it happens, but is healthy enough that your body is not sent into shock.  Attempting to lose too much weight too quickly can send your body into starvation mode, and you will actually gain weight, no matter how few calories you take in!

When you want to achieve healthy weight loss, slow but steady is the best rule to live by.  Focus on cutting down your caloric intake per week to meet your weight loss goals.  For instance, to lose a pound, you will need to cut out about 3,500 calories in a week’s time.

You also need to ensure you have the right exercise program.  There are a wealth of enjoyable activities to be found at your local fitness center.  This will help you burn those calories faster and ensure that you are not starving yourself during the process.