How to lose 40 pounds in 3 months? (A Complete Guide)

Struggling with excessive weight is a tiresome job. Shedding that belly fat or those last extra pounds can be one of the most challenging things you have ever done. 

You may want to lose weight for different reasons. It could be due to your wish of fitting into your old jeans or just because you want to be the fitter version of yourself. 

Any of those reasons are good enough to kickstart your weight loss journey. Yes, losing weight can make you feel better about your body. But that’s not the only reason why you should embark on this personal journey. Losing excessive weight has numerous health benefits apart from just looking great into your new wardrobe. 

So how can you start this difficult journey, and where do you find the motivation to keep going? You need to have a solid plan and achievable goals to help you push yourself to shed those stubborn pounds. 

This article will shed light on various aspects of weight loss and help you formulate a healthy plan to lose 40 pounds in three months. 

How Much Weight Do I Need To Lose?

Before you start your weight loss journey, you need to know how much weight you should lose. This will give you a clear idea about the kind of diet plan you need and help you set a goal. To do so, you need to measure your basal metabolic rate (BMI). 

Your BMI will help you determine how much weight you need to shed to achieve a healthy weight. Your target weight should help you fall in the range of 18.5 to 24.9 BMI. If your BMI is within 25 to 30, it falls within the overweight range, and a BMI of 30 or above indicates obesity. 

To calculate your BMI, divide your weight in pounds by height in inches squared and multiply the result by 703. This will help you realise your weight loss target and subsequently work towards it. 

What Is a Calorie Deficit?

If you have ever tried to lose weight in the past, you might have heard of calorie deficit. Achieving a daily calorie deficit is essential to achieve weight loss. But before doing that, you need to understand what a calorie deficit is. 

Simply put, you tend to gain weight when you eat more than what your body burns daily. There are some calories that you burn every day, even when you are at rest. This is the minimum amount of calories that your body needs to sustain its normal functions. 

Next are the calories utilised by the body to digest, absorb and use food and lastly are the calories you expend on physical tasks like exercising or completing household chores. 

This is the basic calorie expenditure of your body. If you give your body fewer calories than it needs, you will put yourself in a calorie deficit. Regular calorie deficit forces your body to utilise fat and burns it as a source of energy. This results in weight loss.

When your body intakes more calories than its basic requirements, it tends to store the surplus in the form of fat and hence results in weight gain. This is the basic idea behind how and why calories help you lose or gain weight. 

A calorie deficit of 500 calories per day will help you lose weight at a healthy pace. To lose weight faster, you can put your body under a greater calorie deficit. This requires learning about the number of calories you need to support normal functioning. 

If you need 2000 calories per day, you can set your calories goal at 1500. According to experts, it’s not healthy to consume fewer than 1200 calories per day. 

How Can You Achieve a Calorie Deficit?

To achieve a calorie deficit, you can consume fewer calories or increase your physical activity levels. An excellent way to do so is by opting for a combination of both. 

Experts recommend adults engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity or 70-150 minutes of high-intensity workouts weekly. 

It is more sustainable to create a calorie deficit through your diet rather than just relying on exercise. It is considerably easier to eat fewer calories every day than burn them through exercise. It is essential to have a healthy diet while engaging in regular cardio or strength training programmes to lose weight. 

Now that you know what can help you lose weight let’s talk about how you can achieve it. 

How Can I Lose Weight?

However tricky it may seem, you can lose weight by setting your mind to it and working diligently towards your goal. To help you out, we have listed some of the best tips that will assist you in inching closer to your goal weight. 

1. Set a realistic weight loss goal

The first step towards achieving your goal is setting a realistic target. To lose more weight, you’ll need to be more committed to changing your food habits and putting in the exercise. If you have an underlying medical condition, talk to your physician about the best way to approach your weight loss journey. 

A great way of starting your journey is by setting small achievable goals. This will help you stay motivated and also evaluate how well your weight loss plan is working. Try setting weekly rather than monthly goals and assessing how much time you can put into regular workouts. 

2. Eat fewer calories

There are several ways through which you can reduce your calorie intake without starving yourself. It is essential to consume calories that are enough for your body to support its daily functions. Here are a few ways through which you can cut out excessive and unhealthy calories from your diet

• Eliminate Sugary Beverages: Drinks like soda, fruit juices and even your morning coffee contribute to your daily calorie intake. 

Instead of drinking orange juice in your breakfast, opt for whole fruit. Rather than picking up your favourite latte, try a black coffee with no sugar. 

Alcoholic drinks pack a significant amount of calories too. The calories from these drunks are unfulfilling and lead to weight gain, diabetes and heart diseases. 

• Chuck out that processed food: Saying no to your favourite burger or a plate of fried chicken might be a tough task, but it is a necessary one. 

Processed food contains high levels of sugar, fat and salt that contribute significantly to your weight gain. Slowly start replacing these items with minimally processed food. You can start small by replacing your sugary cereal with chia pudding topped with fruits. 

• Eat small meals: Instead of gorging on three meals every day, try having six small meals throughout the day. This will reduce your hunger pangs and keep your energy levels up. You can have healthy snacks such as a handful of nuts or an apple between your meals. 

3. Exercise

Getting in a regular workout will help you lose weight and improve your overall health. If you have been living a sedentary lifestyle, then kickstarting your exercise program can seem complicated. 

To prevent that, start by doing mild intensity workouts and build up to vigorous activities with time. Walking for 30 minutes daily can work wonders for your health. 

Designate a particular time slot for your exercise and stick with that routine. This will help you regularise your body to work out during that time and prevent you from slipping up. 

Strength training, along with cardio, is a great way to lose weight. Lifting weights will help you build stamina and increase your endurance levels. It also helps in improving your metabolism that contributes to weight loss. 

4. Weight Loss Supplements 

Weight loss supplements alone cannot help you lose weight. You need to make lifestyle modifications and diet changes for the weight loss supplements to work. If you are struggling with weight loss, certain medications available at Ofnoah can help you along the journey.

• Phentermine

Phentermine is a prescription weight-loss drug that belongs to the class of medicines called anorectics. Phentermine acts by suppressing your appetite and hence restricting your calorie intake. It increases the neurotransmitter levels of your brain that decreases your hunger pangs. 

• Orlistat

Orlistat belongs to a class of drugs called lipase inhibitors. It helps you lose weight by inhibiting your intestine from absorbing dietary fat. This medication is effective when used along with behavioural modifications and diet changes. Orlistat can reduce dietary fat absorption by 25%, which gets excreted through your bowel movements. 

The Final Take 

Losing weight can seem difficult if you do not know the right way to approach it. You can lose weight by creating a calorie deficit through diet modification and regular exercise. To start your weight loss journey, take small achievable steps and work towards sticking with your goals. 

If you are struggling with weight loss, consult your doctor or a nutritionist to guide you towards the best path to lose weight. It is essential to adopt a weight loss programme that is healthy and safe. 

Article made possible by Tanya. Tanya is a content strategist at ofzoey.com. She has been working in social media and content marketing for five years. She specializes in the health, tech, innovation, and travel sectors. When she is not writing, you will find her teaching math, and trying new recipes and listening to audiobooks.