3 months time is a perfect time period for weight loss goals. With a quarter of a year’s time, it’s great to keep track of your weight loss goals. Further, the time duration is enough to achieve your goals easily without any fast pacing. Additionally, the duration ensures safe, healthy, and appropriate weight loss.
As slower weight loss is generally thought to be safer, three months is a good amount of time to lose a considerable amount of weight. In 3 months, it’s safe to aim to lose about 15 to 20 pounds. This means you have to aim for 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Whether you’re looking to lose weight for the first time or working to get the body of your desire – here’s some insight on how to make a smart and effective 3 month weight loss plan that can work for you.
Create Your 3-Month Weight Loss Plan
1. Prepare Your Diet For Weight Loss
Before starting any weight loss or diet program you should always speak to your doctor or with a registered dietitian. By doing this you will be able to find out the details about the diet program and that will help you stay safe.
Additionally, they will provide their valuable input regarding your diet plan and may provide additional guidance that is appropriate for your health. A registered CARESPACE dietitian near Kitchener Waterloo Ontario (or somewhere near you) can create a meal plan for you that will help induce weight loss in addition to guiding you towards healthy foods to help you lose weight.
In order to create your 3-month weight loss plan, you have to count your daily calorie intake. It’s always good to target to cut out more than 500-1000 calories from your daily diet to lose 2-3 pounds per week.
2. Manage Your Daily Consumption
Your weight loss plan mainly depends upon two things – daily food consumption and exercise. You have to make sure that you depend on healthy snacks and drink adequate amounts of fluid.
Depend On Fruits And Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are high in nutrients like fiber, vitamins and minerals and are also low in calories. So adding more fruit or vegetable helps cut down on your overall caloric intake. Further, eating more vegetables will help you feel full.
- Advertisement -Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables to maintain a healthy diet. Choosing a different colored fruit or vegetable is an easy way to eat different vitamins and antioxidants.
Go for about 1-2 servings of fruit a day (about 1 small fruit or 1/2 cup of sliced fruit per serving) and at least 3-4 servings of vegetables (1 cup or 2 cups leafy vegetables per serving).
Stick To 100% Whole Grains And Lean Protein
Whole grains are an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole grains offer a “complete package” of health benefits, unlike refined grains, which are stripped of valuable nutrients in the refining process.
All whole-grain kernels contain three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. Each section houses health-promoting nutrients.
Whole grains include: brown rice, 100% whole wheat pasta, oats, quinoa, and 100% whole grain bread. Popcorn is also considered a whole grain.
Apart from 100% whole grains, consume lean protein with each meal as consuming adequate protein helps support weight loss in addition to keeping you feeling satisfied.
Consume lean proteins such as: poultry, beef, pork, eggs, dairy products, legumes, and tofu.
Eat Healthy Snacks And Drink Adequate Amounts Of Fluid
Maintaining a healthy snack is appropriate when you’re trying to lose weight. For this, a low-calorie snack can be a good option when there are more than 3-4 hours between meals, before or after a workout or you’re feeling very hungry and there are more than 3 hours until your next meal.
Maintain your snacks between 100-200 calories as this will help get you to your next meal without blowing your daily calorie budget. Including fruits, vegetables and lean protein help keep snacks calorie-controlled while still being nutritious.
You can go with healthy snacks options that include cottage cheese, fruits, hard boiled eggs, air-popped popcorn without butter.
Apart from healthy snacks, it’s necessary to stay hydrated for a better result in 3 month weight loss plan. Aim to drink about 7-8 glasses of clear, sugar-free liquids daily.
Further, avoid sweetened beverages. Avoiding soda, fruit juice, punch, sports drinks, energy drinks, kool-aide, sweet tea, lemonade, sweetened coffees, etc. can make a huge impact on your daily calorie intake.
Also Read:
- Apple Diet Plan: 7 Day Diet Plan to Lose 10 Pounds in a Week
- 16:8 Diet Plan: 16/8 Intermittent Fasting Complete Guide
- Copenhagen Diet: 13 Day Diet Plan For Weight Loss and Detox
3. Physical Activity For Weight Loss
As per the CDC, regular physical activity is important for good health, and it’s especially important if you’re trying to lose weight or to maintain a healthy weight.
When losing weight, more physical activity increases the number of calories your body uses for energy or “burns off.” The burning of calories through physical activity, combined with reducing the number of calories you eat, creates a “calorie deficit” that results in weight loss.
It’s recommended to do about 2-3 hours of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. You can go with aerobic activities like walking, jogging, swimming, biking or hiking.
Additionally, you can opt for weight lifting or resistance training for a better result in your weight loss plan. You can go with strength training like weight lifting, Pilates or isometric exercises like push-ups or crunches.
Note: Avoid doing strength training every day. It’s important to allow your muscles to rest and recover after each strength training session.
The Bottom Line
To stay on track with your 3 month weight loss plan always keep track of your meals, snacks, and beverages. Additionally, keep track of your weight daily to monitor your weight loss journey.