Losing weight in a healthy way is more important than meeting specific goals. Losing 25 pounds in three months might not be sustainable or safe for some people. But progress is possible no matter what.
As many as 55 percent of American adults say they want to lose weight.If you’re specifically interested in losing 25 pounds in three months, know that while this amount can be within the parameters of healthy weight loss, it may be too much, too fast, for some people.
Experts recommend following the established safe guideline of 1 to 2 pounds per week.Losing a significant amount of weight in a short time, often in the form of a “crash” diet, can be unhealthy — and the weight you lose is likely to come back when you resume a “normal” diet.
With some dietary changes and increased exercise, you can maintain good health while working toward your weight loss goals — whatever they may be.
Tips for Diet Changes
Try Tracking Calories in a Positive Way
Download a calorie tracker app, which allows you to log your food intake and exercise habits while getting support from an active community.
Meal Planning
Build a meal plan that meets your calorie target, and place the emphasis on nutrient-dense foods like lean protein, fruits, and vegetables. Nutrient-dense foods are those that pack lots of micronutrients into foods that are low in calories.
An app like MyPlate can also help you determine which foods are best and help you start making small changes.
Be Mindful of Empty Calories
When you evaluate what you eat each day at your current weight, you may be able to reduce your intake of certain less nutrient-dense items. For example, you could consider trading out a regular soda for a diet version, with the intention of slowly moving toward drinking water or a flavored calorie-free sparkling water.
Schedule Regular Meals
Eat regular meals,and focus on consuming healthy snacks (such as raw veggies, unsweetened yogurt, fruit, or nuts and seeds) if you are hungry in between meals.
Remember: Food is fuel, and your body needs consistent input to regulate blood sugar levels and maintain energy. The steady intake will help you decrease unwanted cravings.
Measure Appropriate Portions
“Eyeballing” portions can often lead to inaccurate results. Once you’ve established your calorie target, learning about portion sizes can help you keep track of what you’re eating.
Be Kind to Yourself
Track what you eat, but remember that you are not “bad” for eating any particular thing. You can move on with your day and choose nutrient-dense foods for your next meal or snack. If movement will make you feel good, go for a walk.
Tips for Exercise
Look for Cardio Opportunities
Perform moderate-to-vigorous cardio exercises such as jogging and swimming 30 to 60 minutes per day. Use an online calorie calculator to estimate the calorie burn you get for various activities, which is an estimation based on factors like your current weight, as well as your pace and duration of activity.
Remember, not all exercise happens at the gym.Physically demanding weekend chores, like yard work, are significant calorie burners.
Weight Training for Metabolism
Train your muscles twice weekly by lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing body-weight exercises. Examples include push-ups, sit-ups, and squats.These activities build muscle tissue, which helps increase your metabolism.
Try New Things
Vary your workouts to help prevent boredom and prevent overuse injuries.For example, use a stationary bike one day, then take a brisk walk up hilly terrain the next.
The Takeaway
Weight loss recommendations advise losing 1 to 2 pounds per week for safe and lasting results. While 25 pounds in three months may be feasible for some people, for others this might be too high of a goal.
Weight loss is about getting into a calorie deficiency, which you can do by reducing the amount of calories you eat, while also increasing your body’s calorie burn with regular aerobic exercise and building muscle with strength training.
Always talk to your doctor before beginning a weight loss program.
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Resources
Brenan M. 43% of Americans Say They Are Overweight, 55% Want to Slim Down. Gallup. December 26, 2024.
McGlynn ND et al. Association of Low- and No-Calorie Sweetened Beverages as a Replacement for Sugar-Sweetened Beverages With Body Weight and Cardiometabolic Risk. JAMA Network Open. March 14, 2022.
Eom H et al. The Association Between Meal Regularity and Weight Loss Among Women in Commercial Weight Loss Programs. Nutrition Research and Practice. July 5, 2021.
Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle medicine by the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. Her experience includes corporate wellness, teaching for the American College of Sports Medicine, sports nutrition, weight management, integrative medicine, oncology support, and dialysis.
She earned her master's in exercise and nutrition science at Lipscomb University.
Andrew has served as a president and board member of the Nashville Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She was recently elected a co-chair of the fitness and medicine group in the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
Ian Kenney began his writing career in 1994 at a small daily in Florida covering the politics and crime beats. Kenney's fiction and poetry have appeared in "The Florida Review," "Kudzu" and "The Missouri Review." Currently, he is a writer and producer in documentary and reality television. Kenney holds a Bachelor of Arts from Florida State University
