How to Lose 5 Pounds in a Month: 7 Foolproof Steps

Summer is right around the corner. Wouldn’t it be great if you could lose just a few pounds to look your best in that summer dress you have been saving?

With the right knowledge, losing weight is simple. Having a healthy and fit body requires sensible nutrition, moderate physical activity, and consistency. This contributes to your self-esteem, your quality of life, and makes you feel happier.

In this article, you will find seven easy-to-follow hacks on diet and workouts that will help you lose 5 pounds in 4–5 weeks sustainably.

Is It Possible to Lose 5 Pounds in a Month?

With moderate physical activity and food intake, you can easily lose 5 pounds within a month.

You just need to cut up to 500 calories a day from your diet and spend an hour or so walking or jogging. In return, your body will start burning fat and lose water weight. And you will hit that 5-pound target very soon.

About 80% of weight loss success comes from nutrition, and only 20% comes from regular exercise. That’s why you should start by creating a meal plan that is high in nutrients and gives you fewer calories than you burn.

Decide how many calories you need based on your weight loss goal, age, sex, and activity level. Plan your meals in advance so you eat vegetables, fruit, whole grains, healthy fats, and lean protein. This will ensure you don’t crave fat and sustainably lose weight.

To maintain a calorie deficit, make time to go for a long walk or bike ride 2–3 times a week. An hour-long brisk walk, for example, can burn anywhere from 210 to 360 calories, depending on your weight and speed.

By walking for an hour 5 days a week, you will burn an additional 1,050 to 1,800 calories. 

You will burn even more fat if you also do occasional strength training. Exercises with weights will help you build lean muscle and boost your metabolism.

Is losing 5 pounds a month healthy?

In order to lose 5 pounds a month, you should lose 1–2 pounds a week, which is a perfectly healthy rate.

By keeping this pace, you will not only lose weight but also reap numerous weight loss benefits.

Researchers have found that combining diet and exercise, especially strength training, can boost mental health to a greater extent than either diet or exercise alone.

Higher levels of energy and better sleep are also associated with weight loss. By the way, it was demonstrated many times in various studies that lack of sleep stimulated weight gain. Make sure to get enough sleep when you are trying to lose weight!

As you get rid of extra weight, you will notice improvements in how you feel. In the long term, you will reduce your risk of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

How to Lose 5 Pounds in a Month: Try These 7 Hacks

Weight loss is easy when you have a proven strategy to achieve your goals. The best way to get slimmer is to follow expert advice based on years of research rather than wasting time and putting your health at risk.

Let’s take a look at the seven tips you can follow to ensure you achieve your goal and shed 5 pounds in no time. 

#1 Track your calorie intake

Record and count calories you eat in a food journal or an app and make sure you burn more than you consume. A calorie deficit is a key to weight loss.

In general, it is recommended to start by cutting 500 calories a day from regular intake. But based on your age, size, gender, activity level, and weight loss goal, the number of calories you should eat per day will differ. Use the body weight planner designed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to estimate how many calories you need.

Don’t forget that you should get the right number of carbs, proteins, and fats in your diet, as well as the proper amount of nutrients. By the way, you can also get nutrients from so-called zero-calorie foods without increasing your calorie intake.

#2 Consume more protein

Get at least 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. 

Consuming enough protein will help you build muscle, maintain muscle mass, or prevent too much muscle loss when you are on a diet.

The best sources of protein are lean meat, fatty fish, low-fat dairy products, nuts, and beans. Healthy, protein-packed foods can also help you stay full for longer.

#3 Eat fewer carbs

Reduce carbs to speed up fat-burning.

The number of carbs you need will depend on the type of diet you choose. For example, if you are on a keto diet, you should limit your daily carb intake to 50 grams. In any case, by reducing your intake of carbs which are full of empty calories, you can better maintain a calorie deficit.

Studies show a low-carb diet gets you to your weight loss goals more quickly and effectively than a low-fat diet. However, make sure you get enough carbs from healthy sources, such as whole grains, and avoid processed foods.

#4 Prep your meals at home

Cook for yourself so you are in control of what you eat. A healthy meal plan might not be easy to make on your own unless you have a professional dietitian by your side.

Keto Cycle has helped many people not just lose weight but also change their eating habits and lifestyle. It’s now a warm community of people who encourage each other to achieve their goals and you can join them anytime.

When you are on a weight loss journey, it is so important to have the support of like-minded individuals who face the same challenges.

#5 Drink more water

Stay hydrated, or your body might think you are hungry.

It’s healthy to drink at least 8 glasses of water a day, but doubling it will give you extra benefits. Your skin will glow, you will lose weight, reduce bloating, improve digestion, and will have more energy.

You’ll get about 80% of your daily fluid needs from water, and only about 20% from food. If you don’t like drinking water so much, you can eat cucumbers or spinach, which also contain water.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says men should drink about 15.5 cups (125oz) of fluids a day, and women should take about 11.5 cups (91oz).

If you sweat a lot during exercise, you might need to drink more water. Make sure you drink water before, during, and after your workout.

If it’s hot or humid, you’ll sweat more and need more fluids. 

Fluids are lost when you have a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, so you should also drink more liquids.

#6 Start lifting weights

Work out with heavy weights at least three times a week for 20–30 minutes. Research shows that strength training increases your metabolic rate, so you burn more calories even when you are sleeping.

In the comfort of your home, you can do exercises just by using your body weight. No equipment is required, just your own weight or dumbbells.

Depending on your level, you can do 3–6 sets of push-ups for 6–12 reps to strengthen your chest and arm muscles. Also, do crunches for abs, 3–6 sets of 15–20 reps. Lastly, do squats, 3–5 sets of 8–12 reps to build a firm booty.

As you get comfortable doing these exercises with your body weight, try them with dumbbells.

#7 Move more

Spend at least 45 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or riding a bike at a moderate pace 2–3 times a week.

It’s worth replacing the elevator with the stairs or taking the dog for a longer walk than usual. Taking a walk while listening to music, an audiobook, or conversing with a friend can help you burn extra calories with every step. Challenge yourself to walk 20,000 steps each day.

Such steady-state aerobic exercise makes your body switch from using carbs as fuel to burning fat. This will help you change your body composition so that you can achieve the shape you want.

How to Lose 5 Pounds in a Month by Walking?

Walking five days a week for at least an hour can help you lose weight. Also, you must follow a regular walking routine at a pace that puts you in the moderate-intensity zone at 60–70% of your maximum heart rate to lose 5 pounds in a month.

Although walking seems the most natural way for weight loss, it may need to be approached differently depending on your gender and age.

How Many Calories Should I Eat Daily to Lose 5 Pounds in a Month?

In general, there should be a daily calorie intake of 1,500 calories to avoid weight gain, as well as an exercise plan to burn calories to get fit. In a month, this will result in a weight loss of 5 pounds.

While it’s important to count your calories and keep your daily intake under 1,500 calories, it is also important to ensure that these calories come from high-quality food and are divided up into moderate amounts.

You can achieve this by increasing the fiber content of your diet. Plan up to four servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit per day. Don’t consume any sugar besides the natural sugar in fruit.

You can control your hunger hormone, called ghrelin, by eating satiating foods. We recommend consuming more fats: olive oil, avocados, nuts, nut butter, and nut oils are great examples.

You can also benefit from eating lean meats and poultry in moderation, as well as low-fat dairy products.

Conclusion

To lose 5 pounds within a month, you don’t have to put in a lot of effort. Creating healthy eating habits and increasing your physical activity is all you need to do.

Maintain a diet under 1,500 calories which is high in protein, low in carbs, and low in fat. Don’t forget to drink plenty of water since it will help your digestion and keep you hydrated.

Follow these hacks, and it will eventually lead to seeing sustainable results from your weight loss efforts.