Last Updated on April 13, 2016 by Michael Brockbank
I don’t believe that exercise and fitness should feel like a life-altering chore. There is no reason why it shouldn’t be fun and engaging. Don’t get me wrong, there will be plenty of things you’ll have to change if you want to remain fit. But that’s not saying that it can’t be easy. As I strive to meet my goal of 180 pounds, I’ve developed an easy course of action if you want to lose weight in a week. How much you lose is dependent on your own determination.
How to Lose Weight in a Week
Before we start, realize that you probably won’t drop more than 10 pounds within seven days. Although there are ways you can exceed that number, a lot of them are incredibly unhealthy. These are steps that I take myself in order to lose weight in a week. The amount that is lost depends on activity and the quality of the food you eat.
- Set Calorie Goals
Setting your goals for calories each day can help you monitor how much your consuming as well as give you an idea of how well you’re doing. I would suggest using MyFitnessPal for this process. You can enter in your measurements and set your current physical activity. The system will then help you define a goal that is best for you. Since I spend a great deal of time at a computer all day, my calorie goals are set to less than 1760. This is the base number for losing at least two pounds per week. - Plan Your Meals Logically
You don’t have to starve yourself in order to lose weight. You just need to be logical about what you put into your body. When calculating your calories, bare in mind the nutritional value of the foods you eat. It’s OK to have a maple cream chocolate egg, just as long as you don’t eat too many of them. You want to be mindful of the number of carbs and sugars you consume every day. Make sure you’re eating foods that are conducive to health and try to limit the sugary snacks. Personally, I have a thing for Progresso soups. - Schedule Cardio Workouts
Cardio workouts can be anything from walking a mile or two per day to playing 30 minutes in front of the Xbox Kinect. It’s all about getting that heart rate elevated. For me, it’s putting on my weighted gloves and playing Kinect Sports Season 2 for 30 minutes. You’d be amazed by how many calories you can burn just by playing a video game. In my case it averages out to just over 11 per minute. Get yourself to work up a sweat in what ever activity you’re planning. Just make sure that it’s something you can do once or twice per day. - Find What Motivates You
Once you have a basic plan of action, you need to find what motivates you to continue. Without this constant reminder, it can be ultimately easy to fall off the wagon – so to speak. Myself, I operate this blog and make YouTube videos of my progress. The thought of people watching me helps me stay the course. I also want to dress up as a Marvel superhero for Halloween. Unless I go as “The Blob,” that’s not going to happen unless I reduce my body mass. Find what keeps you going and you’ll find it easy to lose weight in a week. - Find Buddies
The buddy system works great in just about any circumstance. That’s one of the things I like about MyFitnessPal, you can easily find friends or invite family members to join you for free. This can also be a form of motivation. Having someone else encourage your progress can be momentous when looking to drop a few pounds. With all of the communities on Facebook, Twitter and other social sites, find one that is perfect for you and get involved with the group. In most places, no one is going to judge you for what you look like right now. - Take Each Day One at a Time
Alcoholics Anonymous isn’t the only group that can benefit from taking one day at a time. Focus on the here-and-now if you want to lose weight in a week. If you’re past your calorie goal, do extra exercises to make up the difference. Add more into your daily routine. Drink enough water to keep you hydrated and healthy. Focus each point on what you can do today for fitness and don’t worry about the end result. - Be Committed
Work on your daily goals and commit to your weight loss. If you do poorly one day, don’t let it affect the next. There have been plenty of times where I would still lose weight in a week even though two or three of those days were horrible on food intake. Be determined to succeed no matter the situation. Proper fitness will require a long-term commitment and perseverance when you have a bad day or two.
Free tools such as MyFitnessPal are great when you want to lose weight in a week. I use Runkeeper, Fitbit and several other tools that track everything for me. I would suggest doing the same if you want to keep accurate data. You don’t need to succumb to fad diet plans or buy the latest workout machines if you simply want to shed a few pounds every week. It’s all about keeping your body moving and changing your eating habits.
What is your favorite cardio workout for weight loss? What kind of a support structure do you have for fitness?
About Author
