One pound equals 3,500 calories, meaning you will have to burn 3,500 calories more than you consume in order to lose one pound. [1] X Research source Reduce your caloric intake by cutting portion sizes. Be sure to read the labels on everything you eat so that you can keep track of your calories. [2] X Expert Source Danny GordonCertified Personal Trainer Expert Interview. 18 October 2019. Eat small meals and snacks throughout the day. This will keep your metabolism fast and prevent your body from storing extra fat. Do aerobic exercises like running, hiking, swimming and biking. These will help speed up your metabolism and burn calories. Remember that exercise burns calories, but cannot alone make you lose weight. You will absolutely have to eat less in order to lose weight. [3] X Research source
Think of your metabolism as a fire, and food as its fuel. If you want to keep the fire strong, you will have to keep adding twigs, newspaper, and logs to it. If you stop adding these things to the fire, it will eventually die out. Similarly, if you starve yourself, your metabolism will get weaker and weaker over time. It’s better to eat four or five small meals throughout the day than to eat two or three large ones, because your body will have more time to digest the food. Consider eating smaller meals with snacks in between. This will keep your metabolism working throughout the day. Try these healthy snacks for in between meals: a piece of fruit like a banana or apple, a cup of Greek yogurt, a nutrition bar, some carrots and hummus or a small salad with light dressing.
You should drink a minimum of 8 cups of water each day.
Switch from white bread and rice to whole grain. Cut out empty calories that come from bread, pasta, alcohol, and sugary foods.
Alternate between eating six small meals one day and three bigger meals the next. Switch off between cardio and strength training exercises throughout the week. Try using intervals training to keep your routine exciting. For example, you may try running for 2–3 minutes before switching to walking for 1 minute. This can help your body burn more calories as well. [5] X Expert Source Danny GordonCertified Personal Trainer Expert Interview. 18 October 2019.
Choose an exercise that you enjoy. If you are having fun, you will be much more likely to stick with it in the long term.