Have you ever dreamt of dropping some pounds––maybe 10, 20, or even 40? Losing 40 pounds may seem like an unconquerable challenge for many. Although this feeling is entirely understandable, you can incorporate some truly effective habits and hacks to safely rev up your weight loss process and achieve your goal.
If you feel it’s time to lose 40 pounds or more and want to know more about making your journey a success story, then this piece was created just for you. We’re giving you the inside scoop on how to speed up weight loss and shed 40 pounds quicker and easier than you’d ever thought possible.
Losing 40 pounds: The average timescale
So let’s start with the main question: how long will it take for you to lose 40 lbs? Most health professionals will recommend losing 1-2 lbs a week for gradual weight loss as you need to maintain a significant calorie deficit. If you want to chase 2 lbs per week, you’ll need to cut about 1000 calories from your daily eating plan. If you cut your calorie expenditure by 1000 calories a day, you can lose 40 lbs in four months!
But what if you could naturally boost your weight loss and shed those unwanted pounds in even less time? You can nail this if you take a multi-faceted approach by applying some innovative tactics that are getting the folks in the weight loss industry pretty excited.
Know how your body burns calories
Firstly, let’s focus on how your body burns calories, also known as calorie expenditure or energy. Calorie expenditure comprises the following four substantial elements:
- RMR: AKA, the resting metabolic rate. Your RMR equals the calories your body needs to maintain the most basic bodily functions, like keeping your heart pumping and breathing.
- TEA: The thermic effect of activity is better known as the calories you burn during physical exercise.
- TEF: This is an interesting one. The thermic effect of food refers specifically to how much energy or calories you use to digest the food you eat.
- NEAT: NEAT is similar to TEF and is short for non-exercise activity thermogenesis. NEAT includes physical activities not classified as physical exercise, like drumming your fingers and walking from one room to another. These small movements also burn calories!
All these processes add up to the total calories you burn; if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight. It’s that simple.
Here are 5 best tips for losing 40 pounds naturally…
As earlier mentioned, aiming for a slow and steady weight-loss approach is always recommended; however, several studies indicate that rapid weight loss has the same long-term benefits as slower weight loss. Here are some innovative strategies you can use to rev up your metabolism and reach your weight loss goal faster.
#1. Prioritize protein
You may have heard this before, but incorporating lean protein into every meal really boosts your body’s weight loss potential as your body burns more calories during TEF with protein than any other macronutrient.
Besides that, protein promotes lean muscle, keeps you full for longer, and helps you maintain weight after reaching your goal. You don’t have to go full anti-carbs to lose weight successfully. However, finding clever ways to incorporate lean protein, like using protein powder and making protein the foundation of every meal, helps your body to burn calories in more ways than one.
#2. Maintain a calorie deficit by tracking what you eat
Maintaining that calorie deficit can be tricky, especially if you go on your gut. For all you know, you may not be consuming enough nutrient-rich foods, which can make the entire process backfire as you experience adverse effects like intense fatigue.
One of the best ways to ensure you maintain that caloric balance is by tracking what you eat and even how much you move. It may seem laborious at first to track everything you eat and drink, but it eventually becomes second nature as you learn about how many calories there are in the foods you eat. Tracking your calories also makes you think twice about overeating or consuming too many processed and unhealthy foods. When in doubt, pick greens, boiled, grilled and natural meals over less healthy options on the table.
#3. Get that body moving!
Now that you’ve familiarized yourself with how your body burns calories, you can get at it and optimize your NEAT and TEA. Increase your steps, take regular breaks to stretch your body, and stay on your feet as much as possible.
If you add regular exercise that includes both cardio and resistance training, your body will start shedding the fat and building lean muscle. So, remember to prioritize protein in your eating plan.
#4. Practice mindfulness and consistency
Consistency doesn’t mean you can never again eat the foods you love; in contrast, if you try and maintain an overly strict type of consistency, you’re more likely to overindulge. Incorporating mindfulness into your daily routine helps you level up your decision-making, encouraging you to reflect on your choices and live in the moment.
So, instead of eyeballing the next cookie you’re going to eat while you’re already eating one, you’re in the moment as you enjoy the one in your mouth, which will bring those feelings of contentment and satisfaction much quicker and help reduce overindulgence.
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#5. Favor discipline over motivation
You need to be motivated to start a new routine that brings change to your life. However, you won’t always feel motivated, so sticking to your decision in moments of weakness calls for discipline.
Before you know it, discipline will reward you with boatloads of motivation as you see actual progress and move forward, confident and satisfied.
Conclusion: Be smart about weight loss
Losing weight takes time, but if you look at the bigger picture of weight loss, there are some awesome hacks that can help you see results quicker and keep you going on your weight loss journey. Enjoy, be mindful, and make sure you keep your body happy while you shed those pounds.
Feature Image: Diamond Dogs/iStock
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