The Best Diet & Exercise Program to Lose 100 Lbs

To lose 100 pounds, you need a diet and exercise program that allows you to burn fat and build muscle. According to the textbook "Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology," the amount of muscle versus fat has a direct impact on your metabolic rate. Muscle cells burn more calories than fat cells, so the more you reduce your fat stores and build up muscle, the higher your basal metabolic rate will be. Consult your doctor before beginning any diet and exercise program.

Cardiovascular exercise, or cardio, is one of the best ways to lose 100 pounds. Cardio is designed to burn fat and make your heart and lungs function more efficiently. Cardiovascular exercise is also a way to begin a workout program. It allows you to burn fat to a point where you are more fit and stronger and your heart has more endurance before adding strength training to your routine. Cardiovascular exercise can be done in the gym or on your own and can be anything that increases your heart rate to its aerobic or anaerobic threshold. This allows your heart to learn to use oxygen more efficiently and causes your body to rely on fat as an energy source. Do cardiovascular exercise at least four times per week to help you lose 100 pounds.

In conjunction with cardio, you need to consistently weight train to reach your goal. Once you are settled into a cardio regimen and you have lost some excess fat, you can begin a strength training routine to begin building and developing muscle. The textbook "Exercise Physiology: Energy, Nutrition and Human Performance" describes how strength training employs weights, such as dumbbells, weighted medicine balls or kettlebells, to increase muscle tone and to help you build overall strength. The formation of healthy muscle is also a way to ensure a higher metabolic rate will burn more calories when resting. Like cardio, you can strength train at the gym or on your own. Choose exercises that work different muscle groups, and allow at least 24 hours of rest before exercising the same muscles.

In addition to your cardio and weight training, adopt a diet that will lead you to your 100 pound weight loss goal. A high-fiber, low-calorie diet is one of the best ways to do so. Add vegetables, fruits and low-fat proteins to provide the vitamins, fiber and protein that your body needs as fuel. Reducing calories in conjunction with exercise helps you maintain a calorie deficit, burning the excess energy stored in your fat cells. To lose 1 pound requires a calorie deficit of 3,500 calories weekly, or 500 calories daily. Combining exercise with diet allows you to safely lose 2 pounds per week. By enjoying foods that are high in fiber and protein, you'll feel full longer, which helps you to reduce your daily calorie consumption.