How to Lose 50 Pounds In Six Months
Eat less and exercise more. Well, that didn't take long to explain, did it? OK, off you go!
Still reading, are you? Yeah, I know, unfortunately, it's not quite that easy, is it? In fact, with literally thousands of questionable sources offering information and advice on the best ways to lose weight, it can be extremely difficult and confusing knowing what to trust and where to start. Should you follow a strict diet and cut out entire food groups or should you opt for a wider more balanced calorie-controlled diet? Should you join a group? Should you try one of those all-inclusive pre-packaged diet plans? Should you do high-intensity exercise in short bursts or is it better to do moderate-intensity exercise for longer? The answers to these questions depend on a lot of factors. And if you're reading this blog, I suspect you've tried some things that didn't quite pan out.
A quick disclaimer. I don’t actually recommend trying to lose 50 lbs (22.5kg) in six months unless you absolutely have to. It is both very demanding and more often than not, if you go too strict too soon, while the “results” may appear sooner, they are often short-lived.
That said, it is doable, and If you’re absolutely determined to lose weight fast, read on. Otherwise check out our related article: How to lose 50lbs in a year
Gut Check
I'm certainly not going to lecture you about the health risks associated with being overweight. I suspect you're reading this because you already know them and are looking for some insight and help to get and to stay motivated. But, first, do you really need to lose fifty pounds? Here's a handy BMI and weight chart to check your ideal weight range. If you are indeed 50 lbs overweight, and you are determined to lose it in the relatively short period of six months, you've got work to do.
As we all know, there are literally hundreds of fad diets, weight-loss programs, weight-loss clubs, and outright scams that promise quick and easy weight loss. However, the foundation of successful weight loss remains a healthy, calorie-controlled diet combined with increased physical activity. Normally, I advise against counting calories as we can become too focused on the actual calorie count and lose sight of our overall health picture. However, if you are determined to pursue such a bold time frame, you can do it. As Johnny Two-Stroke says in The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain, "It's possible, it's just hard work. I'll help!" And I will help you get started.
Here We Go!
OK, here's the lecture (oh you must've been expecting one!): For successful, long-term weight loss, you must make permanent changes in your lifestyle and health habits. You must understand and be honest with yourself about how you got to be overweight in the first place. There are many issues that can derail our weight-maintenance efforts or conspire to find comfort in calories. If you've gained weight from comfort eating because of a challenging relationship, stressful job, crazy living situation, grief/loss, depression, illness, or anxiety, you must address those issues first or else you're almost certainly setting yourself up for failure.
In other words, make sure you're ready. Sustainable weight loss takes time, effort, and a huge commitment. This will be an everyday thing. Make sure you're ready to make permanent changes to your diet and habits. Before committing to spending the summer, fall, Hallowe'en, Thanksgiving, and the holidays eating less and exercising more, check in with yourself:
What is my motivation to lose weight?
Why is there such a rush to lose weight? If there isn’t one, take more time. The less restricted you are, the bigger your chances are of making long-term sustainable lifestyle changes that you can stick to!
Can I eliminate or manage triggers for stress-eating?
Have I addressed any mental-health issues that trigger comfort-eating?
Am I willing/able to change my eating habits?
Am I willing/able to change my lifestyle choices and activities which encourage overeating?
Do I physically have the time and energy in my life to dedicate to a serious weight-loss program?
Am I willing/able to set boundaries with my family, friends, and co-workers who are less than supportive of my goal?
Speak with your healthcare provider if you need help addressing stressors or emotions that seem like obstacles to your readiness. When you identify these obstacles, you'll find it easier to set goals, stay committed, and change habits. If your weight gain is related to relationship issues, you may want to consider consulting a counselor for help with setting and enforcing boundaries.
Online-therapy.com has a great selection of trained therapists.
Doing It For Me
No one else can make you lose weight. No one else can truly make you want to lose weight. If you're doing it for someone else, you're setting yourself up for failure. You must undertake diet and exercise changes to please yourself. Let's be honest, this is not going to be a great deal of fun. At least not initially. So what is going to give you the burning drive to stick to your weight-loss plan?
Normally, I wouldn’t recommend bribing yourself with the promise of a reward for working out. However, If you've read my recent blog, "I Want to Want to Work Out," you know I prefer to include something pleasant at the end of my workouts. A reward if you will. However, reaching a long-term goal is, in a way, its own motivational force. Picturing yourself fitting into that outfit that makes you look AMAZING, confidently lounging on the beach during a planned holiday vacation, or having less stuff to shake while you're shaking your stuff on the dance floor are all examples of positive motivational images. Better overall health is a great motivator as well, although, admittedly, NOT getting such-n-such a disease/condition is not as exciting as picturing yourself parasailing in the Caribbean!
Make a motivational list and post it on your fridge or workspace.
Hang picture postcards or magazine pictures of your upcoming vacation.
Eliminate or limit nay-sayers from your orbit.
Surround yourself with or seek out people who support you and encourage you in positive ways, without shame, embarrassment, or sabotage.
Keep a weight-loss journal.
Brass Tacks
OK, here goes: Eat less and exercise more! Sounds so simple, right? Well, it is, sorta! Because a pound of fat is the equivalent of around 3,500 calories, to lose 50 lbs in six months requires burning off "an extra" 1000 calories/day (3,500 x 50 lbs ÷ by 182 days). I recommend a 500/500 plan of attack: consume 500 calories less and exercise to the equivalent of 500 calories burned.
In essence, the magic formula is this:
{(500 calorie deficit/day) + (500 calorie workout/day)} x 182 days = 50 lbs less six months from now.
A calorie deficit means burning more energy than you take in as food and beverage. The trick is knowing how many calories you burn in a typical day. Your resting or Basal Metabolic Rate is highly dependent on your age, weight, body type, and genetics. Your total calorie usage is dependent on your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and your daily routine. A construction worker or gym teacher is likely going to burn more calories than an office worker, for instance. However, it is possible to estimate our daily calorie requirement or BMR.
Estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR)
You can use this handy formula from Healthline to estimate your basal metabolic rate (BMR): (Weights are in pounds and heights are in inches)
BMR for men = 66 + (6.2 x weight) + (12.7 x height) – (6.76 x age)
For example, a 40-year-old, 280 pound, 6-foot-tall (72 inch) man has a BMR of 2,446.
(BMR = 66 + (6.2 x 280 lbs) + (12.7 x 72 inches) – (6.76 x 40 years) = 2,446).
BMR for women = 655.1 + (4.35 x weight) + (4.7 x height) – (4.7 x age)
For example, a 40-year-old, 225 pound, 5 foot 6-inch-tall woman has a BMR of 1,756.
(BMR = 655.1 + (4.35 x 225 lbs) + (4.7 x 66 inches) – (4.7 × 40 years) = 1,756).
This means that, at rest, this man would burn approximately 2,446 calories in a day and this woman would burn approximately 1,756 calories in a day. To run a 500 calorie deficit to lose 1lb per week, this man would need to consume 1956 calories/day and this woman would need to consume 1256 calories/day.
How many calories are in your workout? That depends on a lot too. But a very basic rule of thumb is about 100 calories per mile. It takes about twenty minutes to walk a mile at a brisk pace, so an hour and twenty minutes to walk five miles. It takes even less time to speed-walk or jog those five miles. Other exercise activities, like riding a stationary bike or swimming, are also pretty close to 100 calories/mile. A more detailed list of calorie loss by activity can be found at this Healthline page.
As a personal trainer, I am reluctant to leave it at that. There are so many factors that affect how many calories we burn from certain activities. Our own body weight, for instance, has a big impact. As does the intensity of the exercise. Just above I implied that walking burns just as many calories as running. This, of course, is an oversimplification as running five miles is more "cardio-vascular" and so burns more fat than walking five miles.
Strength training
It may seem a little counterintuitive to incorporate strength training into your exercise routine when your main goal is to lose weight but the benefits should NOT be overlooked! Sure, it may slow down the speed at which the number is reduced on the scale initially, but long term it will improve your body composition (ratio of fat to muscle). When you have a higher percentage of lean muscle mass, not only does it increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which allows you to burn more calories and fat during the day, having a leaner body composition will increase your chances of being able to keep the weight off long term!
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Just Get Started!
By simply paying attention to the number of calories you take in and how much exercise you get every day, you are halfway there. If you've estimated your BMR, chosen an exercise schedule, and have got started, you can begin to gauge your progress. This is why keeping a journal will be helpful, especially for the first month. You can see how much weight you are losing and, by inference, what your actual BMR is. This will help you adjust your exercise schedule and your calorie intake.
Buy a Food Scale
They're inexpensive and very helpful. Ok, ok, simmer down and un-roll your eyes! I'm not suggesting weighing every meal every day, far from it. However, many products list their calorie content by weight, e.g. "one serving size is 4 ounces." Or worse, it may be in grams! Well, how are you supposed to eyeball 4 ounces or 20 grams? By weighing a portion equal to the serving size, you can physically see how much that looks like. This will help you tremendously with portion control. This is especially important when it comes to foods that vary greatly in dry weight vs cooked. An 8 ounce (40g) serving of dry pasta may look minuscule but once it’s cooked, it’s a different story.
For example, let's say you want to have 250 calories of granola and yogurt every morning to start your day. The box's nutritional label says that there are 100 calories in 33 grams.
Place the small bowl or large cup you'll use every day on the scale.
Use the adjuster knob to set the scale to "zero."
Weigh out approximately 66 grams for 200 calories.
Memorize how high in the bowl/cup 200 calories of your granola is.
The yogurt you buy says it has about 25 calories per two tablespoons. Use a measuring spoon to measure four tablespoons of yogurt for 50 calories. Mix.
You've now got 250 calories in your bowl/cup. Now memorize what that looks like.
Mix up this same amount 181 more mornings!
By being consistent, you can quickly and without weighing anything, prepare your 250 calorie breakfast. The same goes for other foods you prepare. Measure one time, memorize what that amount looks like, and use that memory as a guide going forward.
Shop food scales on Amazon
Learn to Love Veggies
One way you can lower your calorie intake is by eating more plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Strive for variety to help you achieve your goals without giving up taste or nutrition. Loading up on vegetables helps bulk up your meals without bulking up more of you! Especially in the beginning, when our bodies are craving that "full" feeling, a large portion of cooked vegetables adds very few calories, but helps us feel full.
Eat at least four servings of vegetables and one serving of fruit daily.
Replace refined grains with whole grains.
Use modest amounts of healthy fats, such as olive oil, vegetable oils, avocados, nuts, nut butters and nut oils.
Cut back on sugar as much as possible, except the natural sugar in fruit.
Choose low-fat dairy products and choose lean meat and poultry.
Decrease your carbs, especially from sources that prove difficult to eat in moderation. Bread, pasta, pizza, etc. You know the ones!
Related article: How to Combat the Nutritional Decline of Fruits and Vegetables Spoiler alert: we all need to eat more kale!
Free Foods
"No, Your Honor, I did NOT urge my readers to go out and steal food!" Free foods are those that have little to no calories. Raw veggies are, of course, very high on the list.
Carrot sticks are a cliché, but for a good reason. They're crunchy, slightly sweet, but super-low in calories.
A big green salad with a couple of tablespoons of low-fat dressing will only be a hundred calories or so.
Pickles and pickled foods are fantastic for emergency snacking; they have a tangy zip and very few calories.
Air-popped popcorn is bulky and nearly calorie-free; a quart only has about 60 calories. (A tablespoon of butter only adds 100 calories, and satisfies your body's craving for fat, especially during the first month, and helps soothe your rebellious side that wants to cheat.)
Lean protein sources. It’s no surprise that Protein is the most popular supplement in the world. While it’s not entirely “free” from calories, it’s satiating and is the lightest of the macronutrients at 4 calories per gram. Add that to the fact that it provides the building blocks for muscle growth and we’re onto a winner.
Counting Calories
As I said earlier, I normally avoid advising folks to count calories. But if you are serious about shedding two pounds a week for 26 weeks, you've got to get in the habit of keeping a running tab in your mind as your day progresses. You've got to become aware of hidden calories. Earlier, I mentioned a quart of air-popped popcorn, with a pat of melted butter, has about 160 calories. A quart of movie popcorn, conversely, has about 1000! Ok, extreme example, but the point is made. Calories have a way of sneaking in, especially with prepared foods.
However, don't be a slave to calorie elimination. If you like cream in your coffee, have it but count it. Allow yourself to have 100 calories of your favorite cookies, even though it may only be three, but count them. I know someone who starts her day by jump-starting her digestive system with 15 dry-roasted peanuts. Why 15? Because she knows that's about 100 calories worth. A tablespoon of cream cheese has 50 calories. That doesn't sound like a lot but spread it on a couple of stalks of celery, and you've got a pretty filling snack that helps your body's craving for something fatty.
I can't list the calories of all the foods you might like. However, an internet search will quickly help you decide what foods and how much of each you should budget.
Alcohol
Alcohol has calories, plain and simple. If alcohol is a big part of your lifestyle, you'll need to make some tough decisions. Beer has lots of calories and carbs. Wine is better, but still has calories. Distilled spirits give you the most bang for your calorie buck. I'm not a tea-totaler myself, but I also don't drink alcohol very often. Besides the calories, though, is the downer effect it has on our bodies and our motivation. Alcohol lowers our "sales resistance" to fatty, high-calorie foods. Not a good idea when trying to shed pounds. Also, one drink tends to lead to another and another and so on. And as I said in my recent blog "Can You Drink Alcohol Without Gaining Weight," personally, I’d rather have a piece of chocolate cake than the booze!
Professional Trainers
I really can't stress enough how helpful enlisting the guidance of a professional personal trainer. Especially considering the ambitious goal of losing 50 lbs in six months. If they're really good, they might even be able to talk you out of it! A personal trainer will help you plan your exercise routine as well as helping you with dietary decisions. Being guided by someone from outside your circle and who has worked with many individuals has advantages that you may not be able to imagine. He or she will help you with all aspects of your fitness, not just how many lunges to do on Wednesday. They will help you with nutrition, scheduling activities, and lifestyle choices.
Create Positive Support
If you've got supportive people in your life, by all means, enlist their help. If you've got folks in your life who sabotage your efforts, find a way to neutralize their influence. This effort you're embarking on is long and challenging in general. However, there are going to be days where you just want to say screw it! On those days, you need your support system to bolster you up. There are many ways to create positive support.
Find a workout buddy or two.
Join a running club, aerobics class, or a hiking club.
Join a local weight-loss club/group.
Enlist a personal trainer
Avoid toxic or naysayer types.
Follow some form of diet plan and make sure to prepare your meals ahead of time. By having easily accessible healthy food, you’re far less likely to make poor dietary choices when you get the munchies or when your motivation is lagging!
Fasting Once a Week
If your lifestyle and home life allow for it, you may want to consider some form of weekly fast. It can be total or partial. Obviously, if you've got a toddler or are an on-call firefighter, it's probably not an option for you! However, if you're the meditative type, consider building in a rest day with very little to no calorie intake. A partial fast with just a few hundred calories of protein, especially in the morning, keeps your metabolism turned on while still rebuilding muscles. Check with your healthcare provider or trainer if you have underlying health issues that might make fasting unwise. It's kind of a shot-gun approach, but if it works for you, a total or partial fast once a week will pay off.
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Fat Burning Supplements
Fat burners, also known as Thermogenics, are exactly what they sound like. These dietary supplements are popular among bodybuilders, athletes, and nowadays, everyone in between. They are used to maximize fat burning during and after exercise and to improve overall body composition. Thermogenic fat burners work by stimulating thermogenesis, a metabolic process in which your body burns calories to produce heat. Thermogenic fat burners stimulate hormonal reactions and encourage the body to use fat as its primary source of energy rather than carbs.
It’s also important to note that not all fat-burners are created equally. Some use below-par quality and poorly sourced ingredients that can cause side-effects such as anxiousness, jitters, increased heart rate, or "crashing". Therefore, it’s really important to do your research.
If you’re like me and cold-heartedly unwilling to give up your daily cups of brew, I recommend opting for an all-natural caffeine-free fat burner such as Burn lab pro (for men) and Hourglass fit (for women). Both use high-quality and research-backed formulas and this way, you can get all of the fat-burning benefits without any of the nasty side effects.
See also: The 5 Best Stimulant-free Fat-burners for men and women 2021
Ketone Breath
Hooray! I have Ketone Breath! Ketones are a class of chemicals, the most commonly known one is acetone because it’s found in nail polish remover. Ketones are also a by-product of burning fat and are eliminated through the lungs. This "ketone breath" produces a distinct taste and odor in the mouth that’s different from halitosis. Some people describe ketone breath as having a metallic taste. In addition to a funny taste in the mouth, ketone breath can be fruity-smelling or have a strong odor that’s similar to nail polish remover. Many people report tasting/smelling it most strongly in the morning. There's nothing to be done about it, except maybe taking a sugar-free breath mint before a big date or board meeting. And don't worry, it's normal and means that you are burning fat and losing weight!
Drink Lots of Water
KEEP HYDRATED! This is always good advice, of course, but even more so when shedding pounds. The reason is threefold. Firstly, our bodies need proper hydration to function properly. Secondly, many of the toxins that were stored in your fat are going to be flushed out of your system when you urinate. Thirdly, drinking water, especially before a meal, helps you feel full, reducing the urge to snack.
Change Your Perspective
It's not enough to eat healthy foods and exercise more for only a few months if you want long-term, successful weight loss. These new habits must become a way of life. Of course, in six months, when you are lookin' fine and struttin' your stuff, you'll be able to dial it back a little. But these lifestyle changes start now with an honest look at your eating patterns and daily routine.
The most important thing to remember is that your goal is possible. Every day, when you wake up, take a moment to thank yourself for yesterday’s effort. And as you go through your day, when you get frustrated or tempted to indulge, picture yourself tomorrow waking up and saying to the you-of-today, “Hey, thanks for yesterday’s effort!” Do that 182 times and you’ll have 181 you-of-yesterdays to thank for this wonderful gift.
So, are you ready to eat less and exercise more? You can do this!
