Many people want to lose weight to maintain their health or want to prepare for a special event. Losing 5 pounds in a week may seem impossible, but with diet and exercise, it can be done!
Step
Part 1 of 3: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Limit carbohydrate intake
Research shows that the fastest way to lose weight is to stick to a low-carb diet. In order to lose 5 kilograms of weight in a week, reduce the consumption of foods that contain lots of carbohydrates.
- Carbohydrates are found in a variety of foods. Limit carbohydrate intake by reducing the consumption of foods whose largest composition is carbohydrates, such as grain-based foods. Bread, rice, pasta, and other grains that contain lots of carbohydrates can be reduced within safe limits because the nutrients can be obtained from other foods.
- Dairy-based products, root foods, and fruits also contain carbohydrates. Reduce the consumption of these foods, but do not eliminate them altogether because they are a source of nutrients that are beneficial for maintaining health.
Step 2. Eat low-fat protein
In addition to limiting carbohydrate intake, consume fat-free protein as needed. Running a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates is beneficial in accelerating weight loss.
- Make sure you consume low-fat protein sources as low-calorie foods that are beneficial for weight loss. For that, consume skinless poultry, eggs, low-fat beef, seafood, legumes, and tofu.
- Choose a protein menu at every meal and consume healthy snacks to meet the recommended daily protein requirement, which is 90-120 grams or approximately the size of a checkbook.
- Protein makes you feel full longer, preventing hunger and cravings. Therefore, protein consumption supports weight loss programs.
Step 3. Fill half the plate with vegetables
To complete the diet, make it a habit to eat half a plate of vegetables and fruits as a low-calorie menu that contains a variety of important nutrients.
- The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that you eat half a plate of fruits or vegetables. This diet can be applied to almost any diet program, even if you are losing weight. However, the consumption of fruits that contain lots of carbohydrates and sugar should be limited.
- Consume at least 1 serving of vegetables consisting of 1-2 cups of green vegetables at each meal. If you prefer to eat fruit, eat a small piece or a maximum of cup of fruit cut into small pieces.
- Fruits and vegetables are low-calorie foods. Eating low-calorie foods serving each meal is useful for reducing calorie intake for weight loss.
Step 4. Drink water as needed
Even though you don't need to lose weight, make sure your body's need for water is always met. In addition, drinking water is beneficial for weight loss.
- Many health experts recommend that you drink at least 2 liters of water or 8 glasses a day. However, this is only a general guide. Some suggest that you drink up to 13 glasses of water a day.
- Get in the habit of drinking fluids that do not contain calories, such as water, refreshing solutions, caffeine-free coffee and tea without milk and without sugar.
- When you are dehydrated, your body sends a signal to your brain that conveys the message that you are hungry. As a result, you eat food or snacks so that you take in more calories than you need.
- In addition, make it a habit to drink 1-2 glasses of water before eating so that you feel full so that you eat less.
Step 5. Take meal replacements
Many health experts and nutritionists do not recommend losing 5 kg in a week because it is unsafe or difficult to achieve. However, you can lose weight significantly if you consume shakes or bars as a meal replacement.
- Food substitutes are generally very low in calories and high in protein, so they can be consumed as a substitute because they contain protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and essential minerals found in food ingredients.
- Diet programs that are run by eating substitute meals are very diverse. You can run a diet program under the supervision of a nutritionist after consulting a doctor. These programs are usually more expensive, but more secure.
- Purchase meal replacements at the supermarket or grocery store for dieting. Before shopping, look for product information through the internet and then choose the one that fits your financial budget and lifestyle.
- Meal replacements can be consumed when running a very short diet program. Do not take meal replacements on a low-calorie diet for more than 2 weeks.
Part 2 of 3: Exercising Routine
Step 1. Do at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week
Exercising for cardiovascular training or aerobic exercise is beneficial to burn more calories. When combined with a diet program, these exercises help you lose weight fast.
- The United States Department of Agriculture recommends that you do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical exercise, or about 2.5 hours a week. If you want to burn more calories, make sure you exercise 300 minutes a week.
- You can choose your preferred exercise for moderate intensity exercise. Make sure you're training until you're short of breath and sweaty by exercising without resting for 20-30 minutes.
- For that, you can walk briskly, jog/run, swim, practice kick boxing, or use the elliptical machine.
Step 2. Do interval training 2-3 times a week
In addition to aerobics, you need to do higher intensity interval training (HIIT). This exercise is beneficial to burn more calories if done regularly.
- HIIT is a relatively new way of exercising. Research shows that this exercise helps you burn more calories in less time. In addition, body fat will be reduced due to increased calorie burning.
- HIIT is a great way to increase your metabolism, or your body's ability to burn calories, for a few hours after you finish exercising, even up to 24 hours.
- You can practice HIIT by doing 1-minute sprints followed by a 1.5-minute moderate-intensity jog. Repeat this exercise for 20 minutes starting with a 5-minute warm-up and ending with a 5-minute cool-down.
Step 3. Perform daily activities with more movement
In order for your body to burn more calories in a week, make sure you move more as you go about your day. The more you move, the higher your daily calorie burn.
- Daily activities are activities you do every day, such as walking to or from the car and doing chores around the house.
- Increase the intensity of these activities and walk more every day. Set aside more time for activities using stairs, walking to and from work, parking the car some distance away, or jogging in place while waiting for an ad to be shown.
Step 4. Don't eat snacks
You can still lose weight by eating healthy snacks 1-2 times a day, but if you want to get results in a short time, don't eat snacks to control your daily calorie intake.
- If you feel hungry before your scheduled meal, drink 1 glass of water or decaffeinated coffee/tea without sugar. The liquid and the taste of the drink make the brain interpret it as a feeling of fullness.
- If you must eat a snack, choose foods that contain 100-150 calories. In addition, meet protein needs by consuming low-fat protein.
- As a healthy snack, have a handful of almonds or other nuts, 1 cup of soy milk, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of hummus, a hard-boiled egg, or fat-free Greek yogurt.
Part 3 of 3: Implementing a Healthy Lifestyle
Step 1. Get in the habit of getting 7-9 hours of sleep every night
A good night's sleep plays an important role in maintaining good health, it is even more important when you want to lose weight. Even if you're only dieting for 1 week, getting a good night's sleep has a huge impact.
- The body will inhibit the weight loss process if the need for night sleep is not fulfilled. The first reason, lack of sleep makes the body release more hormones that trigger hunger. The second reason, people who lack sleep usually prefer to eat fatty foods.
- Get used to sleep 7-9 hours every day. Make a sleep schedule and apply it consistently so that your sleep needs are met. To get a good night's sleep, turn off lights and electronic devices before going to bed.
Step 2. Deal with stress
As with lack of sleep, excessive stress hinders weight loss. Therefore, try to reduce and deal with stress.
- Everyone can experience stress. The body will produce cortisol if you are constantly under stress, even mild stress. In addition to inhibiting weight loss, the hormone cortisol makes you feel tired and hungry.
- Apply stress management techniques and do the following activities in your daily life, such as taking a leisurely walk in the park, enjoying warm water in the shower, chatting with friends or family members, watching a useful movie, or reading a book.
- If you're having trouble coping with stress that makes eating out of control or preventing you from adopting a healthy diet and losing weight, talk to your doctor or mental health professional.
Step 3. Take an over-the-counter diuretic
Losing quite a lot of weight in a short time is not easy. However, you can lose weight if you can take over-the-counter diuretics.
- Diuretic drugs are useful for removing excess body fluids. Sometimes, a diet or lifestyle program makes the body excess fluid. This makes you feel fat, bloated, or causes the scale to show a higher number.
- Take over-the-counter medications for a few days. You will lose a few pounds in a week because your body is releasing enough fluids.
- Do not take over-the-counter medicines for too long as this is dangerous for health, especially if you are not supervised by a doctor. Before taking over-the-counter medications, ask your doctor if they are safe and beneficial for you.
Tips
- Talk to your doctor before losing weight, changing your diet, or starting a new exercise.
- If you feel hungry, drink 2 glasses of water before eating so that you eat less because you are full.
