Is it possible to lose 3 pounds in two weeks?

Not only is it possible to lose about 3 pounds in 2 weeks, but health professionals also approve this rate to lose weight, reporting that the safest weight loss in a week is 1 or 2 pounds. Following a low-calorie diet and exercising is the most reliable way to achieve this goal, which will also help you develop habits that will allow you to keep your weight in order. Before starting any weight loss plan, please consult your doctor.

Goals

The best way to lose 3 pounds in 2 weeks is to eat a healthy diet low in calories and exercise several times a week. Keep a food diary to monitor your daily caloric intake. This will keep you focused on the amount of calories you are consuming and how many of these calories you need to burn. Online tools like the ones you can find on the MyPlate website, from the LIVESTRONG website, can help you keep track of the calories in several of your meals, as well as how many calories you are burning when you perform several exercises.

Calories

To lose a pound of fat, you need to burn about 3,500 calories more than those you are consuming. The specialists suggest to stop consuming 500 calories of your daily diet. Assuming that you were previously consuming the same amount of calories that you were burning at the same time, this would eliminate about 3,500 calories from your weekly intake. This means that you could be losing a pound of fat even before you start exercising. If your caloric intake is too low, warns the Cleveland Clinic, you could lose muscle mass and be tempted to eat compulsively. For safer results, the National Institute of Health recommends a minimum of about 1,200 calories a day for women and 1,500 for men.

Diet

Maintaining your weight at the right level requires a relatively low calorie dietand weight loss plans, but it should not be lacking in nutrients, warns the Cleveland Clinic. The US Department of Agriculture recommends a diet with lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, skim milk and low-fat dairy products. The agency also recommends including lean meats, beans and poultry meat, as well as eggs and nuts, for the consumption of good proteins. Avoid foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sugar and extra salt.

Exercise

A healthy exercise program can help you burn some extra calories that a low-calorie diet alone could not. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends exercising at a moderately intense level for about 60 to 90 minutes, five times a week, to lose weight. Moderately intense means that your heart rate increases and you must be sweating. This can be achieved through cardiovascular exercises, such as running or jogging, done by itself or in combination with some strength exercise using Treadmill and other equipment like bikes and rowers. If you add strength exercise, you can decrease the amount of cardio-type exercise from about 45 to about 60 minutes a week. Strength training should consist of about 8 to 10 resistance exercises, with about 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise, twice a week.

You may also check out: How to Choose the Right Treadmill to Workout at Home.

Considerations

Losing about 3 pounds a week is a reasonable goal, but it requires patience and consistency. Building little by little good habits of diet and exercise, you will be able to lose weight and keep it stable. Fad diets and intense exercise can lead you to give up, and often to regain the weight you lost, says the Cleveland Clinic. If you are just starting to exercise, consult your doctor. He can help you monitor your health, and make sure you’re not overreacting. If you are exceptionally obese, I could recommend a specific diet very low in calories.