If you need to lose 50 pounds, you will need to consistently eat healthy and exercise regularly...and maintain these habits for life. This is not an easy feat to accomplish, and in order to reach your goal weight, you will need to put forth effort, dedication and patience. It is important to realize that this weight will not come off overnight. You need to lose weight slowly to ensure that the weight is lost in a healthy manner and to keep the pounds from creeping back once they are lost. If you are determined to lose 50 pounds, it will take you at least 6 months to a year.

Healthy Weight Loss

To lose weight the healthy way, you should lose no more than a pound or 2 per week. During the first few weeks of your weight loss, it is acceptable to lose a few more pounds a week. In these first weeks, you will notice the quickest results.

If you stay true to your weight loss regimen and manage to lose the maximum 2 pounds a week, it will still take you about six months to lose 50 pounds. You should realistically expect to lose 50 pounds within a year or 2. It is better to lose these pounds slowly by developing healthy habits than to engage in a quick fix diet.

If you lose this weight quickly through the means of a fad diet, you will not only put your health at risk, but you will probably gain back all of your lost weight. The weight you lose on these diets is from water, not from actual fat. Therefore, it may appear that you're becoming thinner, but the pounds will come right back when you resume your regular eating habits.

Calculating Calories

In order to lose weight, you need to burn off more calories than you take in from food.  If you want to lose a pound a week, you'll need to burn an extra 500 calories a day, amounting to 3500 calories a week. Likewise, in order to lose 2 pounds a week, you need to burn an extra 1000 calories a day.

Make sure you keep track of your calorie consumption and daily exercise to ensure that you are on track to reaching your goals. Use Fitday's online diary  (FitDay.com) to keep all of this information organized in one place. If you experience extreme hunger, make sure you give your body the nutrients it requires. You should never restrict your calories to the point of starvation. Your daily calorie count shouldn't drop below 1500, especially if you're exercising frequently. You need to properly fuel your body to sustain energy.

Losing 50 Pounds the Healthy Way

There really is only one way to lose 50 pounds the healthy way, and it doesn't entail any gimmicks or tricks. You must consume a healthy and nutritious diet everyday that consists of whole grains, lean protein, a small amount of good fat and lots of fruits and veggies. You must couple these healthy eating habits with a complete exercise plan that entails cardio, strength training and flexibility exercises like yoga. If you want to lose this weight in 6 months, you must engage in physical activity for 45 minutes to an hour, 5 or 6 days a week.