Diet and Workout Plan to Lose 30 Pounds
If you want to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, this article will show you how you can do it without starvation and hardcore workouts.
Losing 30 pounds in 30 days sounds a little bit extreme. But there has to be a really good reason why those extra 30 have to go in a month. A wedding you need to attend perhaps? Or a sports competition maybe?
The bottom line is, it can be done! But you will need to work very hard and exercise consistently in those thirty days in order to achieve this goal.
The tips we give below might not be sustainable for long time weight loss, but for 30 days, they will have the scale right where you want it to be, or somewhere close.
How to Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days
1. Remove Sugar from Your Diet
There are no two ways about this, unfortunately. The one thing that has to go from your diet is sugar if you are looking to lose 30 pounds in 30 days.
Cutting out sugar does not just mean leaving out the obvious sources of sugar like cakes and soda. It means not indulging in fruits that are high in fructose, like bananas.
Replace sugary foods with healthier, fiber dense alternatives like avocado and broccoli.
Too much sugar in the blood gets transformed into fat, and that is the last thing you want if you want to lose 30 pounds in 30 days.
Use the tips in this article to quit sugar cold turkey.
2. Reduce Your Portions
Do not starve yourself, but in order to minimize the calories you have been taking, your portions have to be smaller than you are used to.
The number of calories you consume has to be lower than those you burn. The fewer calories you consume, the more weight you'll lose.
You can maintain a huger calorie deficit without hunger pangs by eating high-fiber foods.
There is a common practice among Japanese where one stops eating when they are 80% full. You may want to practice this too because you do not have to clear everything on your plate.
3. Eat More Protein
You must increase your protein intake if you hope to lose 30 pounds in 30 days.
Protein will allow you to maintain a calorie deficit without hunger because it'll keep you full for longer.
Research has also shown that protein reduces appetite and helps boost metabolism. These are the best protein sources according to nutrition experts.
4. Carbs Have to Go
Usually, this would be an extreme suggestion, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
For the 30 days you will be looking to lose weight, avoid carbs like the plague. Carbs have an uncanny ability to mess up with your hunger hormones, increase insulin sensitivity and raise blood sugar levels.
If you can't avoid them completely, take small portions of complex carbs that will also make you fuller for longer.
5. Avoid Salt/Sodium
If you are in the habit of eating too much salt, stop right away. In equal measure, quit eating salted snacks.
Too much salt in the body will increase water retention and make the scale go up by up to 7 pounds. So, eat little to no salt.
6. Drink 3 Liters of Water A Day
A dehydrated body will retain most of its water in anticipation of thirst. This retention leads to water weight, which will have your scale reading a much higher number. By all means, stay hydrated. But it does not stop there.
Since you will be maintaining a calorie deficit, you might struggle with hunger every now and then. You can combat hunger by drinking 2 glasses of water before meals.
One study found that drinking 500ml of water before meals can help you lose 44 percent more weight.
Carrying a water bottle with you all day long will make it easier to drink 3 liters a day. Invest in a BPA-free water bottle if you don't already have one.
7. Combine Strength Training with Cardio
Both cardio and weight training will help you lose 30 pounds in 30 days.
However, multiple studies have shown strength training is more efficient in losing weight than cardio.
This has partly to do that strength-training boosts your metabolism up to 4 hours after you have stopped training, and also as you sleep. It also helps you build lean muscles, and muscles enhance weight loss.
Luckily, you can combine strength training and cardio in this 28-day home workout plan, which has short workouts of 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Avoid Drinking Alcohol
Drinking alcohol will increase your calorie intake and interfere with fat oxidation.
Replace alcohol with water and fruit-infused beverages.
9. Get Enough Sleep
Getting enough sleep will help you lose weight and manage stress.
For one, lack of sleep interferes with leptin and ghrelin (hunger hormones), increasing your chances of overeating.
Secondly, poor quality sleep raises cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that will cause you to crave unhealthy foods.
Aim to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night and use these strategies to get deep sleep.
10. Quadruple Your Veggies Intake
You may not lose 30 pounds in 30 days if you skimp on veggies. Veggies will help you maintain a calorie deficit without hunger because they're very low in calories.
Eat them in every meal and make sure they cover at least half of your plate. Eat them first!
11. Stay Disciplined
You have to recognize that losing 30 pounds in 30 days is tough. Therefore, surmise all the willpower and discipline to adhere to a strict diet and exercise regimen without failure.
Here is a 7-day meal plan to help you achieve this feat:
Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days – Meal Plan
Go back to day-1 after every 7 days until day-30.
Eat every meal with at least 1 cup of veggies.
DAY 1
Breakfast: Peanut butter, chia, oatmeal
Add 3 cups of water to a cup of oatmeal, and two tablespoons of chia and bring to the boil. Once thick, sprinkle more chia seeds and drizzle two tablespoons of peanut butter.
This is a fiber-dense, low-fat dish that will hasten digestion and keep you full for a long time.
Lunch: Bean, Potato and Veggie Hash
Peel and cube potatoes, 4 cups and bake. To another baking sheet add 1 can pinto beans, 1 bell pepper, ½ cup mushrooms, garlic powder, eggplant, and cubed carrots. Once baked, mix the potatoes and veggies and serve.
Dinner: Stuffed zucchini
Scoop out some of the flesh of three zucchinis. Sauté ground beef, onions, and spices of your choice. Fill in the zucchini boats with the mixture and pop them into the oven for 35 minutes.
DAY 2
Breakfast: Avocado, spinach egg wrap
With two eggs, make a firm omelet. Wrap in smashed avocado, tomato slices, and wilted spinach. Add lemon juice and pepper to taste, and a very little salt if at all. Cut into two and enjoy it.
Lunch: Chicken lettuce wraps
Cook the ground chicken in onions, ginger and garlic. Spoon the chicken into the lettuce wraps and serve.
Dinner: White bean soup
Sauté potato and carrots, celery, zucchini, add a can of navy beans, vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
DAY 3
Breakfast: Avocado egg salad
Slice ½ avocado and add to two hard-boiled eggs. Add chopped scallions, a tablespoon of Greek yogurt and lemon juice to taste. Use two slices of sprouted rye bread to make a sandwich.
Lunch: Pork and asparagus
Brush 1 boneless loin pork chop, a cup of fresh diced asparagus, one diced potato and with olive and add seasoning of your choice. Bake for 35 minutes.
Dinner: Ginger chicken noodle soup
Add a variety of vegetables: carrots, ginger, skinless chicken breasts, and boil, stir in pasta and boil some more.
DAY 4
Breakfast: Baked sweet potatoes
Bake two sweet potatoes, split them down the middle and top with chia seeds and almonds
Lunch: Vegetarian bean tacos
Add onions and sliced bell peppers to oil, and spices and herbs as preferred. Stir in beans and tomatoes and serve in tortillas.
Dinner: Chili-stuffed peppers
Cook ground turkey in a skillet and cut one large poblano pepper lengthwise. Fill each half with the seasoned pepper and pop in the oven for five minutes and broil.
DAY 5
Breakfast: Raspberry, almond smoothie
Mix ¼ cup raspberries, 4 tablespoons sliced almonds, ½ cup almond milk and a preferred spice for taste in a blender until smooth. Top with sliced almonds.
Lunch: Slow-cooked chicken
Cook carrots, onions, chicken in a slow cooker, once ready, add tomato paste and garlic or seasonings of choice. Serve with brown rice.
Dinner: Lentil-tomato soup
Add onions and garlic to hot oil and stir in lentils, seasonings, and water; and let simmer. Once done, stir in tomato paste. Season with coriander.
DAY 6
Breakfast: Baked oatmeal with pears
Combine the oats, baking powder, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add a cup of almond milk, yogurt, and oil and stir in pears slices and bake. Top with preferred nuts.
Lunch: Pork and sweet potatoes
Add cooked sweet potatoes to pork stir-fried over medium heat and serve.
Dinner: Curried noodles
Scramble eggs, in another saucepan, sauté garlic, pepper, and squash. Mix eggs and veggies and add cooked whole-wheat pasta.
DAY 7
Breakfast: Bacon and broccoli egg wrap
Use two eggs to make an omelet, wrap in the cooked bacon and veggies and voila! Easy, healthy breakfast!
Lunch: Citrus chicken salad
Cook cubed chicken breast until browned. Add the cubes to a bowl of shredded carrots, cabbage, tomato slices, and cabbage.
Dinner: Barley and beef soup
Cook ground beef, carrots, and celery. Stir in barley and let boil. The barley in this dish is a rich source of fiber.
The Bottom Line
It's possible to lose 30 pounds in 30 days. But you have to be very disciplined and strictly follow the above plan.
The best part is most of the recommended habits above can help you lose weight long-term. For instance, drinking a lot of water and eating veggies in every meal are habits you must maintain to keep the weight off after 30 days.
You also have to keep exercising because combining exercise with diet is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off.
You don't even have to do hardcore workouts, these 15-minute home workouts can help you lose weight and keep it off.
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Diet and Workout Plan to Lose 30 Pounds
Source: https://flabfix.com/how-to-lose-30-pounds-in-30-days-meal-plan/