How to Lose 20 Pounds in One Month Weight Loss Challenge

Weight Loss Challenge: How to Lose 20 Pounds in One Month

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Is it possible to lose 20 pounds in 30 days? As long as you eat right and you exercise regularly, it is! And with the holidays just around the corner, now is the best time to start shedding the unwanted weight. In today’s post, we are giving you tips on how to lose weight in just a month or less:

Calculating Your Basal Metabolic Rate and Your Physical Fitness

Before you lay out your weight loss plan, you want to check your basic metabolic rate as well as determine your physical fitness. Why? This way, you can adjust your weightless plan accordingly.

You can calculate your metabolic rate using a Basal Metabolic Rate or BMR calculator. The calculator will give you an estimate of the number of calories your body burns in a day. You can also check how fast your body burns said calories and what activities you need to do to boost your weight loss potentials.

To calculate your BMR, here are the formulas:

For women: 655 + (4.35 x current weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) minus (4.7 x current age in years).

For men: 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) minus (6.8 x age in years).

Now to check for your physical activity level, assign a number to each tier of activity, taking into account the calculated calories you burn in a day:

Little or no exercise = 1.2
Light exercise (up to 3 days per week) = 1.375
Moderate exercise (3 to 5 days per week) = 1.55
Heavy exercise (6 to 7 days per week) = 1.725
Very heavy exercise (intense workouts daily) = 1.9

To calculate your caloric rate, multiply your BMR x your physical activity rate. The result is your Total Daily Energy Expenditure or TDEE.

Exercising Regularly

You simply cannot lose weight through dieting alone. You need to supplement healthy and mindful eating with exercise. To lose more weight, add cardio exercises to your fitness routine. We recommend running, biking, boxing, dancing and swimming. Add bits of high-intensity-interval-training or HIIT to your fitness plan as well. HIIT training will strengthen the muscles and boost endurance! It will also torch a lot of calories in just 20 minutes or less! Finally, do weight training too. Weight training helps tone the muscles and add definition to your physique.

Eat Low-Calorie Foods

When it comes to diet and nutrition, you want to focus on fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Get your protein from healthier sources such as poultry and fish. You want to limit your red meat intake to keep your caloric intake in check. Always keep your portions modest so you do not consume more calories than you should. Finally, avoid junk foods, fried, fatty and high-sodium foods.

Smart Snacking

Apart from eating right, you want to snack smartly. Instead of the usual baked goodies, power bars, or candy bars, turn to healthier snacks such as nuts, a fruit or low-fat yogurt. These snacks are high in protein and fiber but low in sugars. They will fill you up nicely so you do not overeat throughout the day!