Losing weight is no walk in the park. Some have tried and given up, while others have tried and attained their weight loss goals. Those who have succeeded in losing weight attribute their success to knowing what weight loss entails. The secret to weight loss is focusing on healthy eating, maintaining a calorie deficit, and engaging in physical activity. You must combine all three of these to lose 10 lbs in 10 days. If you focus on these three pillars of weight loss, you will be surprised at how relatively manageable it is to lose weight. Read on to dive into whether you can lose 10 lbs in 10 days both safely and effortlessly. All our recommendations are expert-approved and have been backed up with valid scientific evidence.
How To Lose 10 Lbs?
The idea of losing 10 lbs in 10 days seems appealing but unfortunately it is a complete and utter lie. The reality is that you can drop a couple of pounds in ten days if you adopt several of the practices we cover later in this article. Before we go any further, here’s your reminder to talk to a professional before making any adjustments in your diet. Contrary to what you may think, you will need both medical and professional guidance throughout your weight loss journey. So, make an appointment with a nutrition expert right from the word go. Without further ado, here are the practices that can help you lose weight safely and sustainably:
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Watch Your Calorie Intake
As mentioned earlier, one of the keys to weight loss is cutting calories. If you consume fewer calories than your body burns, you will eventually lose weight. The amount of calories your body burns daily depends on your age, weight, and activity level (4).
Read More: BetterMe Calorie Tracker: Weight Management Has Never Been Easier
However, before you start burning calories, you ought to know your daily calorie needs. Here is a sample of recommended daily calorie intake for both males and females in different age groups (3):
Males between 19 and 20 years:
- Very active: 3, 000
- Moderately active: 2, 800
- Sedentary: 2, 600
Females between 19 and 30 years:
- Very active: 2, 400
- Moderately active: 2, 000 to 2, 200
- Sedentary: 1, 800 to 2, 000
Males between 21 and 30 years:
- Very active: 3, 000
- Moderately active: 2, 600 to 2, 800
- Sedentary: 2, 400
Males between 31 and 50 years:
- Very active: 2, 800 to 3, 000
- Moderately active: 2, 400 to 2, 600
- Sedentary: 2, 200 to 2, 400
Females between 31 and 50 years:
- Active: 2, 200
- Moderately active: 2, 400 to 2, 600
- Sedentary: 1, 800
Males over 51 years:
- Active: 2, 400 to 2, 800
- Moderately active: 2, 200 to 2, 400
- Sedentary: 2, 000 to 2, 200
Females over 51 years:
- Active: 2, 000 to 2, 200
- Moderately active: 1, 800
- Sedentary: 1, 600
To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. A deficit of 500-1000 calories per day is recommended to help you lose weight at a safe and sustainable pace. For you to cut major calories, you can try and follow either a low-calorie or a very-low-calorie diet. Such meals will help you consume fewer calories than your body uses. Let us walk you through both of the diet plans.
Low-Calorie Diet Plans
A low-calorie diet tends to limit your calorie intake to 1, 200 or 1, 500 daily (10). It is recommended that you consult with a nutritionist if this diet plan is the right one for you. If they do give you the go-ahead, then remember to eat a balanced diet so that you don’t miss out on any nutrients. These include vital nutrients like fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Ask your dietitian for help when designing a low-calorie meal plan.
Here is an ideal example of a 1-day low-calorie diet plan (10):
Breakfast
- One medium slice of whole-wheat bread with two teaspoons of regular jelly, half a cup of shredded wheat with a cup of 1% fat milk, a three-quarter cup of orange juice, and one cup of regular coffee.
Lunch
- A sandwich made with two medium slices of whole-wheat bread, two ounces of lean, unseasoned roast beef, one lettuce leaf, three slices of tomato, and one teaspoon of low-calorie mayonnaise. Also, have one medium apple and one cup of water.
Dinner
- Two ounces of salmon cooked in one and a half teaspoons of vegetable oil, three-quarter of a medium baked potato topped with one teaspoon of margarine, half a cup of green beans, half a cup of carrots, one small white dinner roll, one cup of unsweetened iced tea, and two cups of water.
Snack
- Two and a half cups of popcorn prepared with three-quarter teaspoons of margarine.
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Very Low-Calorie Diets (VLCDs)
Another meal plan to consider when you decide to cut calories for weight loss is a very low-calorie diet. Such a diet comprises meals that are fewer than 800 calories daily. Other restrictive very low-calorie meals may consist of 500 calories daily.
The 500-calorie diet contains a quarter of the daily recommended calorie intake for most adults. Eating such little calories comes with its risks (11). There are the risks of nutritional deficiencies, gallstones, and muscle loss.
Therefore, before you consider a VLCD, make sure you talk to your dietitian and physician. You need medical supervision when on such a diet as it can be potentially dangerous to your health. In most cases, doctors will recommend the low-calorie diet instead of the very low-calorie diet. It is more appropriate for helping obese people lose weight both quickly and safely.
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Design Your Meal Plans
Weight loss is a rollercoaster ride full of ups and downs. You’ll have to learn to control your weight and keep that number on your scale where you want it through trial and error. Sticking to a meal plan will help you with that. But before you go jumping in headfirst, make sure you take note of the following (9):
- The number of pounds you want to lose
- Your activity level
- Your dietary requirements based on an existing health condition
- Any individual, religious, or cultural dietary requirements
- Your cooking expertise and the complexity of the recipes
- The time you have for shopping and food prep
- The number of people that will follow the meal plan
Here are some weight loss meal plans that you can consider for your weight loss journey (1):
Sample 1
Breakfast
- Two quinoa edamame egg muffins, a piece of grilled tomatoes and mushrooms drizzled with some olive oil, and a glass of almond oil.
Snack
- Two rice cakes spread with two tablespoons of butter and a sliced banana.
Lunch
- Tuna salad sandwich prepared with whole grain bread and salad vegetables such as diced tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers, a medium-sized banana, a handful of nuts, one sliced orange, and a cup of lemon and ginger herbal tea.
Snack
- A hard-boiled egg, two oatcakes, and an arugula portion.
Dinner
- Chicken and vegetable stir fry with one cup of steamed brown rice, two squares of dark chocolate, and a handful of walnuts.
Sample 2
Breakfast
- A whole-wheat English muffin with apple and peanut butter and a cup of low-fat milk.
Snack
- A carrot cake energy bar.
Lunch
- One medium baked potato with 100 grams of beef chili and 28 grams crème Fraiche, with a side serving of either peas or green beans.
Snack
- Raspberry frozen yoghurt pop.
Dinner
- Salmon with pineapple-avocado salsa and a portion of leafy greens. Also eat a cocoa chia seed pudding, a handful of strawberries, and a hot drink of oat milk before bed.
Sample 3
Breakfast
- Oatmeal with banana, pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of maple syrup alongside coffee prepared with low-fat milk.
Snack
- Chocolate peanut butter cup and some apple slices.
Lunch
- Mashed avocado, roast turkey, and chopped tomatoes on two slices of whole-grain toast, topped with extra virgin olive oil, shelled hemp seeds and cayenne pepper, and a handful of blueberries.
Snack
- A portion of hummus with raw vegetables for dipping and two oatcakes.
Dinner
- Greek mac and cheese casserole, a portion of steamed asparagus, broccoli or any other vegetable. Also, have some Greek yoghurt with berries or nuts for dessert.
Sample 4
Breakfast
- A berry smoothie with some protein powder.
Snack
- Tofu “egg” salad stuffed tomato.
Lunch
- A bowl of bean and vegetable soup drizzled with some extra virgin olive oil, one slice of whole-grain seeded bread, slightly steamed vegetables such as garden peas, broccoli or carrots, and a fruit portion.
Snack
- Lemon, pistachio, and a berry frozen yoghurt bark.
Dinner
- Slow cooker sweet potato curry served with one cup of cauliflower rice, one wheat paratha and a satsuma.
If you do decide to start a keto meal plan for weight loss, then you absolutely have to do your research in order to come up with a practical keto menu. Here is a 2-day diet plan sample to give you ideas on what to include in your 7-day keto menu (7):
Day 1
Breakfast
- Egg muffins with cheddar cheese, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes.
Snack
- Roast turkey, cucumber, and cheese roll-ups.
Lunch
- Spiced cauliflower soup with bacon pieces or tofu cubes.
Snack
- Celery sticks and pepper with some guacamole.
Dinner
- Garlic and herb buttered shrimp with zucchini noodles.
Day 2
Breakfast
- A smoothie prepared with almond milk, spinach, nut butter, protein powder, and some chia seeds.
Snack
- A boiled egg.
Lunch
- Shrimp and avocado salad with tomatoes, herbs, lemon juice, olive oil, and feta cheese.
Snack
- Flax crackers with cheese.
Dinner
- Garlic butter steak with asparagus and mushrooms.
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Avoid Eating Junk Food
You will also manage to lose 10 pounds if you keep away from junk food. Junk food refers to foods with high calorie content but little to no nutritional value (6). They also tend to have high carbs and high sodium content.
Most of these foods tend to fall into two categories: fast foods and snack foods. The danger of eating junk foods is that they tend to be low in their satiation value. Therefore, the chances of overeating them are quite high, which ultimately leads to consuming more calories that you burn and gaining weight.
Read More: How To Stop Eating Junk Food: Tips And Tricks To Improve Your Eating Habits
Below are examples of junk food that you ought to avoid:
- Chips or fried foods
- Candy bars
- Baked goods such as cookies and biscuits
- Cheese puffs
- Snack cakes
- Processed snacks
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Watch Your Carbs
Another factor you should consider when researching how to lose 10 lbs in 10 days is your carbohydrate intake. Weight loss professionals are divided into two camps: some argue that you need to restrict carbs to a minimum, while others don’t believe in avoiding a whole food group and instead recommend limiting the consumption of refined carbs when trying to lose weight.
You have the power to decide what carbs you should eat and how much of them (5). They advise that you narrow down your search to carbs with a low glycemic index per serving.
Cutting out all carbs may make you miss out on vital nutrients such as fiber. Therefore, be choosy with your carbs and select those that are nutritious and also have a lower carb content in one serving.
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Try Interval Training
Exercising and cutting down your calorie intake can help you lose weight fast. Hence, you must start an exercise program if you want to lose 10 lbs in 10 days. However, before doing so, talk to both your doctor and fitness trainer.
Your doctor must conduct a health assessment and determine that you are fit to start an exercise regimen. Similarly, your trainer must assess your fitness level to figure out what workout plan best suits you.
For faster weight loss, experts recommend you incorporate short intervals of HIIT workouts into your cardio routine (8). Let’s say you usually jog or run for 45 minutes. Add a 60 to a 90-second burst of higher speed running or jogging after every 5 minutes. Such a HIIT workout will push your body to burn more calories due to a sudden increase and shift in the workout intensity.
Apply the same concept in your other workouts. Suppose you work out on a treadmill. To incorporate a shirt interval of high-intensity training, just increase the incline or resistance. It will make your body burn more calories over the same duration.
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Eat More Lean Protein
The other tactic that will help you in shedding 10 pounds is eating more lean protein. Lean protein is vital as it helps in muscle development. It also increases your satiety, making you feel fuller for a longer period.
As a result, you are less likely to either overeat or oversnack. Upping your protein intake will come in handy when you decide to eat fewer calories. For example, when you decide to go on a low-calorie diet.
In this case, you will get to feel fuller for longer, which helps in suppressing your cravings. It will help you stick to eating low calories, which may eventually lead to weight loss.
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Up Your Water Intake
You might have seen multiple articles insisting on keeping your hydration levels up while on a weight loss journey. Experts state that water is vital for weight loss and can help you shed extra pounds due to the following (2):
- It is a natural appetite suppressant. Experts argue that many a time, people confuse thirst for hunger. Therefore, whenever you feel hungry, first drink a glass of water. It will help in curbing unnecessary snacking and eating.
- It heightens the calorie-burning process. Water tends to help with the calorie-burning process. It increases your body’s resting energy expenditure, making your body burn calories even when you are resting.
- It reduces your daily liquid calorie intake. Drinking water regularly can also help you reduce your daily liquid calorie intake. You get to attain fewer calories from other drinks that contain calories since you drink more water.
- It helps your body burn fat. Water is vital for inducing the metabolism of stored fat and carbohydrates. It helps in metabolizing fat in a process known as lipolysis. This process helps to reduce your overall body fat.
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Move Around More
One of the best ways you can trigger your body to burn more calories is by moving around more. Do not just sit on the sofa and laze around when you have nothing to do. Try to take a brisk walk as it helps your body burn more calories.
Similarly, try to add more movement into your daily routine. For example, instead of taking an elevator, use the stairs. It will activate your lower body muscles and will help you burn some extra calories.
Likewise, try and move around while you are on your break. Instead of sitting, try and take a 5 or 10-minute walk break. A longer walk is even better but that will do depending on how long your break lasts.
You can also try to park further from the entrance. This will help you make sure that you squeeze in a brief walk into your day. Such small and seemingly unimportant changes will help you move around more, further triggering your body to burn extra calories.
The Bottom Line
Although it is impossible for you to lose 10 lbs in 10 days, losing weight more slowly and sustainably is, however, achievable. However, you are asked to only start a weight loss program under professional and medical supervision and guidance.
Losing 10 pounds will entail embracing practices that may take a toll on your body and health. These include practices such as cutting down your calories and increasing your activity. For some people, sticking to these changes may be difficult, that is why you are asked to seek professional guidance before embarking on a weight loss journey. Professional help, advice, and motivation can push you towards attaining your weight loss goals.
DISCLAIMER:
The following article is only meant for general informational purposes. It does not echo any professional advice or help. Therefore, before you act upon any finding in this article, remember to seek professional help.
SOURCES:
- 7-day healthful eating meal plans for males and females proven by science (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Can water help you lose weight? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- How can I lose weight? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- How long will it take me to lose 10 pounds? (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
- How to Lose Weight Safely (2019, webmd.com)
- Junk-Food Facts (2007, webmd.com)
- Keto diet: 1-week meal plan and tips (2019, medicalnewstoday.com)
- Take Off Those last 10 Pounds (2005, webmd.com)
- Weight loss meal plans (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What to know about low calorie meal plans (2020, medicalnewstoday.com)
- What to know about the 500-calorie diet (2018, medicalnewstoday.com)
