Losing weight is hard. Let’s face it. If it were easy, everybody would be able to do it. Women, in particular, have difficulty getting rid of those extra pounds due to hormones, childbirth, and a naturally higher body fat content.
Approximately 1 in 5 Adults in America are considered obese, and 19% are women. This is a pandemic that must be stopped. But what is the fastest way to lose weight for women? Let’s look at what to do when you feel hopeless about losing weight and how to approach weight loss and be successful.
What Is the Fastest Way To Lose Weight for Woman
Losing weight comes down to calories in versus calories out. You must be in a calorie deficit to burn fat and lose weight. The fastest way to lose weight for women is to find a solid meal plan that works, exercise at least 3 times a week, and stay consistent with the plan.
Losing weight is really hard, but with a strict plan and an organized approach, it is possible.
Meal Planning for Weight Loss
Weight loss for women starts with meal planning. The first step to developing a good weight loss plan and routine is to get that diet in check. Weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise, so you must follow a meal plan to promote weight loss and keep you within a calorie deficit.
A healthy diet is a key to successful weight loss. Yet, a study by the National Library of Medicine reported that diet intervention was just over 60% more difficult for women to accept than men.
Women have busy lifestyles, multi-tasking trying to raise children while also working full-time jobs most of the time, which may be one reason why dieting is more complicated. In addition, women’s bodies are also programmed to hold on to fat, while men’s bodies are naturally leaner. This, too, could be a result of why women have a more challenging time with weight loss.
The three steps to creating a meal plan for weight loss include:
- Figuring out what daily caloric goal is right for you
- Create a meal plan that is consistent with this caloric goal
- Staying consistent with the plan, and tracking progress
Finding the Proper Calorie Goals
When trying to find the fastest way to lose weight for women, you must first figure out the proper amount of calories you should be consuming per day. There are a few different ways to figure out how many calories you should be consuming per day. One way is the Mifflin-St Jeor formula. This formula considers your current weight, sex, height, age, and activity level to determine a current calorie goal.
Another formula you can use to come up with the same information is the Harris-Benedict equation. This equation is somewhat similar to the Mifflin St Jeor formula but is a bit simpler.
Mifflin-St Jeor Formula
Females: (10*weight [kg]) + (6.25*height [cm]) – (5*age [years]) – 161
Males: (10*weight [kg]) + (6.25*height [cm]) – (5*age [years]) + 5
Harris-Benedict Equation
Females: BMR (Basil Metabolic Rate) BMR = 655.1 + (9.563 * weight in kg) + (1.850 * height in cm) – (4.676 * age)
Males: BMR= 66.5 + (13.75 * weight in kg) + (5.003 * height in cm) – (6.75 * age)
Create a Meal Plan Consistent With Your Calorie Goals
Now that you know how many calories you should consume per day to lose weight, creating a meal plan that is consistent with that goal is important. You may want to reach out to a nutritionist or dietitian for help with this, just to be sure you are meeting all required food groups while still maintaining your caloric goal.
When creating a meal plan for weight loss, you break down your macronutrients first and then fill in the rest with healthy fruits and veggies. Macronutrients are determined based on your weight, the number of calories needed per day, and your weight loss goal. They are broken down into protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Protein
Protein is what builds muscle. A high protein diet is essential when finding the fastest way to lose weight for women. Protein helps to keep you feeling fuller for a more extended period and reduces the number of empty calories in your diet.
For muscle maintenance, it is recommended that women eat 0.3 grams of protein per pound of body weight; if your goal is to build muscle, you should aim for about 0.8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates should make up about 55-60% of your diet. Therefore, it’s essential to focus on adding only whole-grain sources and avoid processed grains and refined sugars. Unfortunately, carbs have been getting a bad rep lately. Still, they are super important when building a diet plan because carbohydrates fuel your body.
Some examples of healthy carbohydrates to include in your diet are:
- Whole wheat pasta
- Rice
- Quinoa
- Bulgar Wheat
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Oats
- Nuts & Seeds
Fats
Although a diet too high in fat will cause you to gain weight, including some fat into your diet is still important. On average, women should consume about 20-35% of their diet in fat. It’s important to add healthy fats to your diet and avoid eating too many saturated fats. Healthy fats, or monounsaturated fats, are ideal because they provide your body with the fat it needs without adding too much cholesterol.
Foods high in monounsaturated fats include:
- Avocado
- Salmon
- Cheese
- Fatty fish
- Eggs
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Stay Consistent and Track Progress
The final step to finding the fastest way to lose weight for women is to stay consistent with your plan and track all progress made. Consistency is key! You can’t expect to lose weight overnight; it takes time and patience. However, tracking each small victory you achieve will help you stay focused and motivated.
You can track your progress using a journal, a Fitbit device, or even just mark it down on a calendar every time you weigh in. This will help you see the changes taking place and keep your mind focused on your final goals!
Exercise for Weight Loss
The fastest way to lose weight for women is a combination of diet and exercise. Of course, diet is most important, but exercise is a close second. To be successful in your weight loss journey, you must include some form of physical activity not only for faster results but also for a healthier lifestyle.
A combination of less intense cardio, HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training), and weight-bearing exercises is the best way to lose weight and get the recommended amount of daily activity.
Less Intense Cardio
Less intense cardio workouts are a great way to ease into a workout routine without risking the danger of over-training. Some examples of less intense cardio include walking, slow-pace jogging, yoga, stretching, and swimming.
Suppose you’re new to working out and haven’t incorporated much movement into your day recently. In that case, it’s a good idea to start with some less intense cardio to ease your way into a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise. One popular and successful way for women to ease into a workout routine is interval jogging.
Interval jogging is when you walk for a certain amount of time and then jog for another, less amount of time. As you become more conditioned and used to the physical activity, you add more time to the jog and less time to the walking portion of the workout.
Example Interval Jogging Workout
Week 1: Jog for 1 min, walk for 3 min
Week 2: Jog for 1:30, walk for 2:30
Week 3: Jog for 2 min, walk for 2 min
Week 4: Jog for 3 min, walk for 1 min
Week 5: Jog for 3:30, walk for 45 sec
Week 6: Jog for 4 min, walk for 30 sec
HIIT Training
HIIT training is a high-intensity exercise that boosts metabolism and significantly expedites weight loss. Although HIIT Training is a highly successful weight loss method, it is intense; therefore, It is not recommended for people new to working out or have an ailment that could result in injuries, such as heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis.
HIIT Training targets fat loss by increasing your heart rate via some form of cardio activity and then slowing your heart rate back down for a brief period while performing another exercise that focuses on strength training. This training method is highly effective for people struggling to lose belly fat. It’s also great for busy people because you can get an effective workout in a short amount of time.
HIIT Workout Example:
HIIT Training circuit: Repeat this circuit 3x
45 seconds: Mountain climbers
10 seconds: Break
45 seconds: Planks
10 seconds: Break
45 seconds: Burpees
10 seconds: Break
45 seconds: Cobra Push Ups
10 seconds: Break
45 seconds: High Knees
10 seconds: Break
Weight Bearing Exercises
Women tend to gravitate towards cardio when hitting the gym, but research shows that adding strength training to your workout routine will significantly increase the rate at which you lose weight. So, if you want to know the fastest way to lose weight for women, strength training is something you want to add.
You can add weight to your workouts using dumbbells, resistance bands, or weight training machines.
Dumbbells
Dumbbells are one way to easily add weight to your training regime and are easy to buy and store at home if you don’t like to go to a gym. There are hundreds of different exercises you can do using dumbbells, and they’re a great way to increase stability and balance, thus making exercise easier for you in the long run.
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are perfect for women that are new to working out and have limited space. They are small, portable, and easy to use. Resistance bands work by using your body weight combined with the extra resistance of the rubber band. Resistance bands are great because you only need a few different sizes (easy, medium & hard), and they’re much easier to transport and store than dumbbells.
Weight Training Machines
Some women do prefer to work out in the gym. If that’s the case, weight training machines are another great way to add strength training to your workouts. Different machines target different muscle groups, and the machines will guide you on how to do each exercise correctly. Weight training machines are a bit easier for beginners just learning how to strength train and are perfect for learning the movements before moving on to a dumbbell workout.
Example of a Weight Bearing Workout Routine
Cardio Warm Up: Jog for 5 minutes on 5mph
Strength Training Circuit: Do This 3x
Dumbbell Curls: 10 reps 10lbs
Dumbbell Reverse Lunges: 12 reps 20lbs
Lat Pulldown Machine: 12 reps 25lbs
Tricep Kicks: 8 reps 15 lbs
Dumbbell Step-ups: 10 reps 30lbs
Finding a Program That Works for You
The best and fastest way to lose weight for women is to find a diet and exercise program that works for you and stick with it. Consistency is key, and tracking your progress will help you stay motivated for success.
Reach out to a nutritionist, personal trainer, or health coach if you need more guidance, and don’t be afraid to ask family and friends for help if you ever feel stuck! Your health is the most important thing you have on this earth, so make time for yourself and get healthy today.