Losing 20 pounds the healthy way

Question
hi! i'm 16 (between 5'4 & 5'5; 138lbs) & i was just wondering how i could lose 20lbs in a safe & healthy way. I've just started walking on my treadmill 40 minutes every morning and 40 minutes every night and i've been trying to cut out the junk food. I wasn't sure if just walking was
enough to lose all that weight (cuz i'm not a big fan of running..). What more could i do and how fast could i lose the weight?? Thanks ! =)

Answer
Hello Jo,

I think that you might want to figure out first your ideal body weight and body fat percent. If you don't have excess body fat, there's no way you can lose 20 pounds "in a safe and healthy way" -- however, you can learn how to eat healthier. Cutting out the junk food is a great stop toward it and now, you might want to learn that it's NOT on the plate that matters. You are growing and exercising so you can afford eating MORE not LESS, but the right foods.

So here are the steps I suggest:

1. Assess your body composition
http://dietandbody.com/diet/nfblog/?p=45

2. Read about "power foods" you must eat

http://dietbody.blogspot.com/2006/10/secrets-of-whole-foods.html
http://dietandbody.com/diet/nfblog/?p=30
http://dietandbody.com/Top-Ten-Power-Food.html
http://dietandbody.com/did-you-know/?p=17
http://bestofweightloss.com/FAQ/2006_07_01_archive.html

3. Enhance your workouts with intervals and strength training
http://dietbody.blogspot.com/2006/10/enhance-your-cardio-with-intervals.html
http://dietandbody.com/articles/virtual_gym.html

Hope it helps,

= TZ

1. Prev:NEED HELP ASAP
2. Next:How much water do I need for weight loss?