How to Lose a Pound a Day

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Updated: May 9, 2019

Explore this Article The Logistics Curbing Your Appetite Article Summary Questions & Answers Related Articles

For long-term weight loss, it is not recommended to lose more than 1-2 pounds per week, but if you're looking to jump-start your weight loss or shed some extra pounds before a big event, it is possible to lose a pound a day. Read this article to learn how.

Disclaimer: This article is in no way intended to promote rapid weight loss. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to eat healthy, exercise often, and lose the pounds slowly.

Part 1
The Logistics

  1. 1
    Know the numbers. In order to lose one pound, you will need to burn 3,500 more calories than you consume in a day. How many calories you burn in a given day just by existing will depend on your current weight and level of physical activity. You can calculate this by multiplying your weight by ten.[1]
    • If you weigh 150 pounds, then you burn about 1,500 calories per day just by going about your usual business. If you eat 1,000 calories, then you'll need to burn 3,000 additional calories each day to lose one pound.
  2. 2
    Reduce your caloric intake. To lose a pound a day, you should consume between 1,200 or 1,500 calories a day depending on your weight and how much you exercise. You can cut down on calories by both eating smaller portions and by eating healthier foods.
  3. 3
    Keep a weight loss journal. Studies have shown that people who keep track of what they eat by writing it down lose more weight than those who do not.[2] Write down everything you eat in a journal, and be sure to include the calorie content of each food and add the numbers up as you go.
    • Include the calories you burned from exercising and subtract them from your total.
    • Try using an online food tracking service like My Fitness Pal or Calorie King to make things easier.
  4. 4
    • Cross Country Skiing. Calories burned per hour: 545 (moderate) to 1,125 (intense).[3]
    • Biking. Calories burned per hour: 570 (moderate) to 850 (intense).[4]
    • Running. Calories burned per hour: 850 (for an 8 minute mile).[5]
    • Boxing. Calories burned per hour: 615 (moderate) to 815 (intense).[6]
    • Squash. Calories burned per hour: 850.[7]
    • Swimming. Calories burned per hour: 545 (moderate) to 680 (intense).[8]
    • Rugby. Calories burned per hour: 681 (moderate) to 715 (intense).[9]
  5. 5
    Join an online fitness community. One wonderful community is Fitocracy. The members of this community are on the same journey– a relentless march toward becoming healthy and fit, but with inevitable setbacks. Become active in the community and you will find an increase of support that will lift you up and over hurdles as they arise. The fitocracy platform allows you to share your goals, daily progress, and your setbacks. The most important aspect of such communities might be knowing that others are walking the same path and are ready to offer unconditional support as well as their experiences in overcoming difficulties.
  6. 6
    Drink plenty of water. Not only does drinking water keep your stomach full, it will help replenish your fluids and keep you energetic while exercising. Drink between 10-12 cups of water each day.
    • Add lemon, lime, or cucumber to your water to make it more appealing.
  7. 7
    Don't eat anything after 7:00pm. Remember that your metabolism slows down dramatically while you are sleeping, so you will need to give your body ample time to digest everything you eat before going to bed. The earlier you finish eating for the day, the better. Be sure to eat a proper dinner, though, so that you don't wake up hungry in the middle of the night.

Part 2
Curbing Your Appetite

  1. 1
    Drink green tea. Tea and other caffeinated beverages like coffee help suppress the appetite and boost your metabolism.[10]
    • Try not to drink more than two cups of coffee per day, as it can leave you feeling nervous and jittery.
  2. 2
    Chew gum. Many people overeat and smoke because of an oral fixation. Combat this by keeping your mouth busy with a stick of gum. Plus, chewing gum burns calories and strengthens the jawbone.
  3. 3
    Brush and floss your teeth between meals. Having a clean, fresh mouth will prevent you from snacking on foods, and as an added bonus, will keep your teeth and gums healthy!
  4. 4
    Eat ginger root. Ginger energizes the body and helps speed up digestion.[11] Make ginger tea by boiling some ginger root in hot water, or cut up some ginger and add it to your salad or stir-fry.
  5. 5
    Sprinkle some cayenne pepper onto your food. This will add some flavor to your meal while boosting your metabolism.[12]
  6. 6
    Eat apples. Apples are a dieter's best friend; they help keep you full because they are rich in fiber, they help regulate glucose levels, and keep you feeling energetic even when you are cutting down on calories.[13]
  7. 7
    Keep yourself busy. The best way to eat less is to find something that you enjoy doing even more than (or just as much as) eating food. If you feel the urge to snack, then take a warm bubble bath, paint your nails, read a book, call a friend, go out for a walk, pop in your favorite movie, or go shopping.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    I'm over forty - can I still lose a pound a day?
    Community Answer
    Absolutely. Often the trouble isn't losing weight, but keeping it off. Focus on daily exercise, even taking a walk, and keeping your calories down enough to have the negative calorie balance, and the weight will slowly come off. Intensity is great, but consistency is better for keeping the weight off long term.
  • Question
    How can a teenager lose a lot of weight?
    Community Answer
    Reserve a specific time for exercise daily, cut down your caloric intake, and try fun workouts which you enjoy.
  • Question
    How many pounds can you loose if you only eat an apple a day for 2 weeks?
    Community Answer
    It's impossible to say exactly (there are two many other variables that would need to be taken into account besides the number of calories in a single apple), but eating just an apple a day is a starvation diet and will definitely backfire on you. Your body simply will not tolerate eating so few calories -- you're likely to rebound with a binge and gain back the weight you lost and more.
  • Question
    Can I drink a slimming tea?
    Community Answer
    Of course, but it will not do much good if you do not pair it with exercise and a healthy diet.
  • Question
    What are some good aerobic exercises?
    Community Answer
    Boxing, kickboxing, swimming, running, hiking, biking, walking quickly, aerobic dance workouts, most sports. Just remember to stretch well before you do any exercise.
  • Question
    What sorts of proteins should I eat to feel full?
    Community Answer
    Nuts, chicken, turkey, eggs, beans, and Greek yogurt are all very filling. Whatever you get, be sure that it doesn't contain added sugar; stay away from anything that has19g or more grams of sugar.
  • Question
    What if I can't lose weight no matter how hard I have tried?
    Community Answer
    Don't give up. There are reasons we overeat, and the only way to change our eating habits is to delve deep into our hearts to find out why we consume more than our bodies need. Once we have the answer, we can then control it.
  • Question
    Do you advocate three meals a day or eating small meals more often?
    Community Answer
    Eating smaller meals can make it easier for your stomach and sends the signals to your brain that it's going to be fed again, so it doesn't need to store fat. However, the answer really depends on which scientific literature you read and what your own body type responds to. Why don't you try both ways and see which works best for you? You'd only need to trial it over a small period of time to see what works best.
  • Question
    I'm 160 pounds and I want to lose weight in 2 weeks. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    It is possible. You could follow the steps in this article like drinking lots of water, eating less, not eating after 7pm, etc, but it is not necessarily healthy and it is not good for long term weight loss.
  • Question
    How can I lose weight in two weeks?
    Community Answer
    Exercise. Eat a light breakfast, low calorie lunch, small snacks and a low calorie dinner. This should work.
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    • Find a way to stay motivated. Take before and after pictures, cut out pictures of models/athletes and post them on your refrigerator, or find a weight-loss buddy to exercise and share tips with.
    • Some of the weight you lose, initially, will be water weight. For lasting results, lose the weight gradually by eating healthy and being more active.
    • If you eat a lot of food, cut back little by little, making it a habit to eat a smaller meal. Studies have proven that 5 small meals a day is healthier and helps people lose weight faster than eating three normal-sized meals.
    • Give yourself a goal of how many calories you want burn in a day, but make it achievable and start small.
    • You can keep an eating schedule to know what healthy foods you are going to eat per day. Also don't forget to add time to exercise in between to keep fit.
    • Keep your calorie count at 800 to 900 a day. No matter what you're doing throughout the day keep moving and stay focused.
    • Don't stay up late at night because it will give you the urge to eat.


    • Don't try to lose a pound a day for more than five days in a row, as your body may switch to starvation mode, making it more likely that you will gain the weight back in a short period of time.

    Article SummaryX

    To lose a pound a day, aim to eat between 1,200 and 1,500 calories a day, depending on your weight and how much you exercise. To meet your daily calorie goals, eat low-calorie foods that will fill you up, like vegetables and lean proteins. You should also avoid eating foods that have a lot of sugar, salt, and fat in them. In addition to eat healthier, try to get 1-2 hours of aerobic exercise a day by doing things like running, biking, and swimming. To learn how to curb your appetite and boost your metabolism, keep reading!

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    Article Info


    Categories: Losing Weight

    In other languages:

    Português: Perder Meio Quilo Por Dia, Italiano: Perdere Mezzo Chilo al Giorno, Español: perder una libra por día, Deutsch: Pro Tag ein halbes Kilo verlieren, 中文: 日瘦一斤, Français: perdre une livre par jour, Русский: худеть на полкилограмма в день, Čeština: Jak hubnout rychlostí 0.5 kg za den, Nederlands: Een pond per dag afvallen, العربية: فقدان نصف كيلوجرام يوميًا, हिन्दी: एक दिन में एक पाउंड वजन कम करें, ไทย: ลดน้ำหนักหนึ่งปอนด์ในหนึ่งวัน, 한국어: 하루에 0.45kg 빼는 법, 日本語: 一日で体重を0.5キロ減らす, Tiếng Việt: Giảm 0,5kg trong một ngày, Türkçe: Günde Yarım Kilo Nasıl Verilir

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