Rapid weight loss can be dangerous, but for someone who is severely overweight and able to target the excess fat in the body, losing 20 pounds in a month can improve health. Making drastic lifestyle changes that can be implemented long after reaching your goal weight can help you kick-start a successful weight loss plan.

How to Lose 20 Pounds in a Month with 3 Steps

Losing 20 pounds in a month requires a loss of 0.66 pounds per day. Reducing your calories through diet and exercise to achieve this per day loss seems far more manageable than conquering the entire 20 pounds in one giant leap.

1. Prepare for Losing Pounds

How to lose 20 pounds in a month? In order to achieve that great goal, we have to make proper preparation.

Understand BMR. The speed at which your energy burns is called your basic metabolic rate (BMR). A BMR calculator can tell you how many calories you burn just by being alive, see http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/. Once you know this number, you can determine the best exercises to help you speed the fat burning process.

Determine Calories Burn Goals. Think about the amount of activity you engage in each day. This gives you the rate by which to multiply your BMR to determine how many calories you must burn to lose 20 pounds in a single month. For instance, those with a BMR of 3000 who exercise lightly up to three days per week must cut 1000 calories per day from their current intake to lose 20 pounds. The list below helps you calculate your needed caloric intake:

• Limited or no physical activity BMR x 1.2
• Light exercise at least three days per week BMR x 1.375
• Moderate exercise between three and five days per week BMR x 1.55
• Heavy exercise at least six to seven days per week BMR x 1.725
• Very heavy exercise (intense workouts daily) BMR x 1.9

2. Cut Calories

The most importanting answers to how to lose 20 pounds in a month is to cut your calories intake.

• Cut Calories When Preparing Foods. Tricks such as not eating deep fried foods, removing skin from poultry and trimming fat on meat before cooking it, and avoiding bread crumbs and other high-calorie additions can make a significant dent in your daily calorie intake. Steaming is also a good choice.
• Add Fat Burning Foods. You should not starve yourself during your month of weight loss, but you can include foods that help you burn fat. These include seafood (at least three times per week), garlic, apples, ginger, olive oil, green tea, spices, low-fat dairy products, and soy-based foods.
• Eat Foods High in Fiber and Protein. High protein and high fiber foods are healthier and more effective for helping with weight loss than white carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fat. Fiber helps clean out toxins in your body and it speeds metabolism. Protein keeps you feeling full longer so you do not feel deprived when dieting.
• Drink Enough Water. Consume at least eight glass of water each day. It prevents dehydration and helps you feel full and increase your metabolism speed to burn more fat.

3. Set Realistic Exercise Goals

If you want to know how to lose 20 pounds in a month for sure, then exercises should never be ignored.

• Focus on Cardio Training. Since your goal is fast weight loss, you will want to burn as many calories as possible during exercise. Your main focus should be on cardiovascular training that increases your heart rate and speeds your metabolism. Include only short periods of strength training on machines and combine these with longer periods of cardiovascular activity.
• Try Interval Training. Intervals allow you to increase intensity in short bursts instead of giving your all for a full 30 minutes. If your exercise plan includes a 30 minute walk, include three to six 20 second sprints during this time. If you prefer a stationary bike workout, you can ride for 25 minutes and include a few intervals of faster pedalling to up your calorie burn.