Although it is possible to lose 10 pounds in one month, losing weight isn't easy. There is no magic pill. It takes hard work, discipline and lots of dedication. You have to want it, really, really want it.

Diet is everything. It doesn't matter how much you exercise if you aren't eating as lean as possible, the number on the scale will reflect it. This means you must eat salads, baked chicken or fish and fresh vegetables. Dress your salads with low-cal salad dressing, a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar or eat them dry. Ranch dressing is not your friend this month. The only beverage you should drink is water. No sodas – not even the diet kind. They're worse. According to WebMD Health News, people who drink diet drinks gain weight.

The next factor in weight loss is exercise. You have to workout at least one hour three times a week. That hour should consist of 30 minutes of weight training and 30 minutes of cardio. The weights don't have to be heavy. Five pound weights will do the trick. If you're at a gym, use the dumbbells. If you're at home, pick up a pair of five pound weights from a sporting goods store. Either look up a weight training regimen on the Internet or pick up a DVD. Muscle&Strength.com has tons of workout routines to choose from. Cardio consists of any exercise that gets your heart rate up. If you're at the gym, use the treadmill, the elliptical machine or take a kick-boxing class. If you're at home, jog or walk briskly. You could also workout with an aerobics DVD, play tennis or swim laps. The type of exercise you choose doesn't matter as long as you get your 30 minutes of cardio complete.

Lastly, you have to decrease your caloric intake enough for the calorie burning exercise to have an impact on your body. Usually a decrease of 500 calories per day is enough when combined with the minimum of three weekly cardio sessions. It's not rocket science. In order to lose weight, you have to burn more than you put into your body.