It’s possible to lose 10 pounds in 1 month due to lifestyle and dietary changes. However, losing this much weight in 1 month may not be a safe target for everyone.
Increasing exercise levels and modifying your dietary choices are important ways of managing your weight safely and effectively. Losing weight fast can be risky, however, so it’s best to focus on long-term goals.
We explain how specific changes might help you meet these goals.
Try cardio for weight loss
Aerobic exercise — also known as cardio — is a type of physical activity that increases your heart rate to burn more calories and strengthen your heart and lungs.
One older study from 2013Trusted Source found that for overweight adults, burning 400 or 600 calories per aerobic exercise session 5 days per week for 10 months resulted in clinically significant weight loss.
Current guidelinesTrusted Source recommend doing 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 70–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week.
Walking, jogging, boxing, biking, and swimming are just a few forms of cardio that can help burn calories and support weight loss.
Find some tips on workouts to get you started.
Eat fewer refined carbs
Cutting down on nutrient-poor, refined carbs can improve the quality of your diet and further weight loss.
Refined carbs are those that are stripped of their nutrient and fiber content during processing, such as white bread.
Refined carbs are high in calories and low in nutrients. Your body also absorbs them quickly into your bloodstream, which can lead to blood sugar spikes and increased hunger.
Research has linked diets that are high in refined grains with a higher body weight compared with diets that are rich in nutritious whole grains.
For best results, replace refined carbs like white bread, breakfast cereals, and heavily processed packaged foods with whole grain products like quinoa, oats, brown rice, and barley.
Counting calories
To lose weight, you need to use more calories than you consume, either by decreasing your calorie intake or by increasing your daily physical activity.
A moderately active adult male needs around 2,400 calories per day, and a moderately active adult female needs 1,800 to provide enough energy for their body’s needs while maintaining a steady weight.
Counting calories can keep you accountable and increase your awareness of how your diet may impact your weight loss.
An older review from 2014 looked at data for over 16,000 people. It concluded that weight loss regimens that incorporated calorie counting resulted in an average of 7.3 pounds (3.3 kg) more weight loss per year than those that didn’t.
However, cutting calories alone may not be a sustainable strategy for long-term weight loss. You’ll likely need to pair it with other diet and lifestyle modifications.
Additionally, not all carbs are the same. Whole grains can be high in calories, but they also provide fiber and other essential nutrients. Fiber will help you feel full and satisfied for longer, which can contribute to weight management.
Choose better beverages
Choosing healthier beverages may also help with weight loss.
Soda, juice, and energy drinks may have high levels of added sugar and extra calories that can contribute to weight gain over time.
One review concluded that, on average, drinking water at mealtimes for 12 weeks could lead to a 5.15% loss in weight, but better quality studies with more follow-up are needed.
To support weight loss, cut out high calorie, sweetened beverages and aim to drink 34–68 fluid ounces (1–2 liters) of water throughout the day.
Eat slowly
Slowing down and focusing on enjoying your food while listening to your body is an effective strategy to decrease intake and enhance feelings of fullness.
For example, one study in 25 women found that eating slowly resulted in greater feelings of fullness and satisfaction than eating quickly, which could make it a useful strategy for weight loss programs.
Taking smaller bites, drinking plenty of water with your meals, and reducing external distractions can help you eat more slowly to increase weight loss.
Add fiber to your diet
Fiber is a nutrient that moves through your body undigested, helping to stabilize blood sugar, slow stomach emptying, and keep you feeling full longer. Experts have linked foods that are high in fiber to weight loss.
Multiple studies demonstrate that fiber has a powerful effect on weight loss.
Current guidelines recommend consuming 28–36 grams of fiber daily from foods such as fruits, veggies, legumes, and whole grains.
Eat a high protein breakfast
Increasing your intake of protein may help you lose weight. Starting the day with a healthy high protein breakfast, for instance, can leave you feeling satisfied and reduce the temptation to snack mid-morning.
suggests a high protein diet may help with weight loss and reduce the risk of obesity and related issues, such as cardiovascular disease.
Oats, yogurt, eggs, cottage cheese, and peanut butter are a few staple foods you can enjoy as part of a healthy, high protein breakfast.
Get enough sleep every night
A lack of sleep can disturb your metabolic and hormonal balance. A 2022 review concluded that establishing a regular sleep schedule could help boost weight loss as well as overall health.
Most adults need at least 7 hours of sleep in every 24 hours.
To increase your chances of getting enough sleep, try:
establishing regular sleep schedule
minimize distractions in the room where you sleep
avoid alcohol, caffeine, and heavy meals before bedtime
Add resistance training for weight loss
Resistance training is a type of exercise that involves working against some type of force to build muscle and increase strength. It may not lead to rapid weight loss but it can help improve body composition while on a weight loss diet.
Examples include sit-ups and lifting weights.
This type of training may:
improve lipid profiles
reduceTrusted Source the loss of healthy lean mass during weight loss
reduceTrusted Source fat mass
