Let’s face it, weight loss isn’t easy. It’s even harder when you have an intense goal, such as losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Whether you need to drop those pounds for medical reasons, or you want to look good for a special occasion, it all comes down to how practical your plan is and how disciplined you can be.
For many people, quick weight loss with fast results is more desirable than a slower process that takes time to show results. While it’s understandable why many prefer this option, we must be clear that fast weight loss is rarely ever sustainable. Such drastic changes are too hard on the body and your body ends up “fighting back”.
One way it does this is by inducing food cravings and you may ultimately hit a plateau. If your overall plan isn’t sustainable, the plateau will frustrate you and you may take it as your cue to give up on weight loss altogether. In such a situation, you’ll most likely end up regaining all the lost weight, not to mention the toll this process may take on your mental health.
That being said, let’s review the 10 pounds in 2 weeks goal – is it safe? Is there a diet and workout combination that will help you achieve it?
What Is Safe Weight Loss?
Safe weight loss that is healthy and sustainable involves a loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week.
This is according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC 8). Experts in the CDC explain the simple reason behind this stating that – healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program”, it’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits.
So people who lose weight gradually and steadily (approximately 1 to 2 pounds per week) are more successful at keeping weight off. Technically, losing 1 pound of fat requires a deficit of 3,500 calories through diet, exercise, or both (3).
For example, if you maintain your current weight eating 2,500 calories per day, and you go on a diet that requires you to eat 2,000 calories per day (or keep eating 2,500 but start exercising to burn 500 calories per day), you’ll end up with a total weekly caloric deficit of 3,500 calories:
500 calorie deficit per day x 7 days in a week = 3500 calorie deficit.
You’ll lose exactly 1lb per week. After 2 weeks of consistent diet and exercise, you’ll lose 2lbs.
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At the same time, if you want to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks you’ll need to create a much larger deficit. To lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, you’ll likely need to lose 5 pounds in one week. That’s 17,500 calories less than your maintenance amount per week. This translates to a daily deficit of 2,500 calories, rather than the recommended 500 from before.
You should assume you need to consume 2,500 calories a day to maintain your current weight. Losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks through diet alone means you won’t eat – a 2-week fast is dangerous and you shouldn’t consider it at all. You could try to meet the weight loss target with a combination of diet and exercise.
No matter how solid your loss of 10 pounds in 2 weeks diet and workout plan is, this rate of weight loss is neither safe nor sustainable. However, if after doing the math, you’re still convinced that you need to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, here’s what you need to know.
Is It Possible to Lose 10 Lbs in 2 Weeks?
As demonstrated above, no, it’s not. From the example given above, there’s no way to go on a 17,500-calorie deficit a week. Not only is it impossible, it’s also an incredibly unhealthy and unsafe thing to consider doing.
However, in some cases, some people may find themselves losing 10 pounds in 2 weeks. This is often due to excessive water weight and the weight loss is water rather than the desired fat loss. Therefore, this is not something to celebrate. This phenomenon is known as rapid (or sometimes unintentional) weight loss.
The CDC has stated that healthy weight loss caps off at just 2 pounds per week and anything more should give you cause for concern.
The Cleveland Clinic and the Mayo Clinic explain that such fast weight loss can be caused by both physical and psychological issues such as (18, 17):
- Cancer
- Thyroid problems where the gland is either overactive or underactive
- Dental problems – if you can’t eat due to an issue in the mouth, then your weight may drop rapidly
- Drug and/or alcohol abuse
- Crohn’s disease
- Heart problems such as stroke or heart failure
- Mental problems or disorders such as anxiety, depression, Parkinson’s, or eating disorders
- A parasitic infection
- Swallowing problems
- HIV/AIDS
- Diabetes
If you notice your weight dropping at incredibly fast speeds, please make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible.
How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks with Workout
The unfortunate truth we need to come to terms with is that working out won’t help you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks. The most it will do is help you lose up to 4 pounds in the same timeframe.
This is done by increasing the number of calories you burn during your workout session, and reducing the total amount of calories you consume (19). First, calculate your maintenance calories. Set a calorie goal with a deficit of 500-1,000 calories. If you’re above average weight, you can cut more calories.
For example, someone who is maintaining their current weight and eats 3,000 calories per day can reduce the calories they eat by slightly more than 1,000, which will still leave them with enough energy for daily workouts. However, someone who is maintaining their current weight on 2,200 calories won’t have the same allowance.
Once you’ve set your calorie deficit, add exercise to burn more calories per day. To achieve the maximum amount of healthy weight loss in 2 weeks, you can cut 500-1,000 calories from your diet and burn an additional 500-1,000 calories through exercise. You’re going to do a lot of exercise to burn 1,000 calories. To put things into perspective, here’s a list of calories burned by a 155-pound person per hour of each exercise according to Harvard Health (2):
- Lifting weights – 216 – 432 calories
- Low-impact aerobics (walking, yoga, elliptical) – 396 calories
- High-impact aerobics (jumping rope, jumping jacks, knee highs) – 504 calories
- Swimming – 720 calories
- Running – 600 calories
- Cycling – 850 calories
The best exercises for losing weight require intense bursts of energy. A workout plan to lose pounds in 2 weeks will involve some combination of the following:
- 30 minutes of running to burn 300 calories
- 15 minutes of rope jumping to burn 200 calories
- 30 minutes of HIIT to burn 400 calories
- 30 minutes of swimming to burn 350 calories
- 1 hour of cycling to burn 850 calories
These exercises can be spread throughout the day to fit into your schedule. You can vary the specific exercises each day to keep things exciting. On certain days of the week, you should include 3 sets of 10-12 reps of the following exercises to build muscle:
- Push-ups
- Pull-ups
- Weighted squats
- Bench press
- Deadlifts
- Tricep dips
- Weighted rows
Read more: 10 Exercises to Flatten Stomach, and What Else You Should Do to Lose Belly Fat
How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks Without Exercise
There is no healthy way to hit such extreme weight loss goals with or without exercise. Any diet or program that promises you as much is lying to you simply to promote themselves and make sales. Chances are that after trying it, you’ll end up with more problems than simply having some extra weight.
How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks with Diet
In the same way as working out can’t help you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, diet also won’t help you achieve this goal. Any diet that promises to make this a reality is a fad diet that will cause more problems than it’s worth.
Research has shown that such diets are not only nutritionally inadequate, they also only promote short-term changes, are difficult to maintain in the long term, have no scientifically backed benefits, block out major food groups, and don’t insist on the importance of physical activity/exercise (4, 5).
Such diets also cause adverse side effects to the health of any individual and can be incredibly detrimental to people with chronic health issues.
However, a proper diet is still essential for healthy and steady weight loss. To start, make sure you have a good understanding of how many calories you eat per day. Now subtract 500 to 1,000 calories from this figure to create a calorie deficit, making sure not to go below 1,200 calories per day. Here’s what to eat to lose weight:
Lean Protein
A protein-rich diet is essential for weight loss. Lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, and fish can help you feel full while keeping calories low. You should eat at least one serving of a protein-rich food at each meal.
A diet with a large proportion of protein has been shown to reduce appetite, which helps control calorie intake (16).
High-Fiber Foods
Including enough high-fiber vegetables in your diet can also help reduce energy intake and total caloric intake throughout the day. This is because high-fiber foods are more satiating.
High-fiber foods also slow down digestion, so you feel fuller for longer after eating them. Fruits and vegetables contain a high amount of water, which can also help make you feel full. They’re also chock-full of nutrients such as vitamins A, C, E, K, and B6, folate, potassium, and magnesium (15).
You should try to eat 5 servings per day of fruits and vegetables. Include berries and citrus fruits as often as possible – these are lower in sugar and won’t spike insulin levels as high as some higher-sugar fruits.
Complex Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, and legumes are a great way to fuel your workouts. Whole-grain breads and pastas contain similar calories to their refined counterparts and are full of nutrients that boost metabolism (12).
It’s important to eat complex carbs in moderation throughout the day. However, if you’re planning a workout or spending some time outside, having some additional energy without feeling weighed down can help you push yourself even further.
Fats
It may seem strange to eat fat when trying to lose weight, but healthy fats, such as those contained in olive oil and nuts, are an essential part of any weight loss plan that involves exercise. Healthy fats contain omega-3 fatty acids, which improve muscle recovery after a workout.
Saturated fat is not good for weight loss as it adds increased calories without nutritional value and can contribute to increased e LDL (bad) cholesterol and heart disease (11).
Water
Water is essential for helping the body perform many different metabolic functions. You should aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Avoid sugary drinks such as soda and fruit juices as they contain empty calories without any nutrients or fiber. Try water with lemon or unsweetened tea instead.
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How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks on Keto
The keto diet is a high-fat, medium-protein, and very low-carbohydrate eating plan that has consistently produced great weight loss results in those who partake in it.
In addition to weight loss, it has shown great health benefits in relation to Type 2 diabetes, heart health, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimers, Parkinson’s, and epilepsy (7, 6).
With that being said, despite all the incredible benefits of this diet for general health and weight loss/obesity, it’s no miracle worker. Being on the keto diet won’t help you lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Normal weight loss is limited to just 1 to 2 pounds a week. Any more than this is probably due to an undiagnosed illness or water loss.
Tips to Help You Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks
As we’ve established, you can’t lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks unless you’re losing water weight (not fat) or dealing with a medical issue. The following tips will help you lose 10 pounds in a more reasonable timeline – about 5 to 10 weeks.
Do Circuit Training Workouts
The best way to exercise for weight and fat loss is to do interval-style resistance training workouts. This will also help boost your metabolism. Studies have shown that circuit training burns calories during and after the workout (14). It can be better at burning abdominal fat in less time than steady state cardio exercises, such as jogging or cycling.
Don’t Burn Out – Rest and Get Enough Sleep
The goal of weight loss is to improve your health, not to run yourself into the ground. It’s important that you take care of yourself and get enough sleep every night.
The quality of sleep you get can influence how fast or slow you lose weight. While you’re sleeping, your body releases hormones that help regulate energy and metabolism. Getting a better quality of sleep can also decrease cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone, which increases belly fat storage (13).
Keep a Food Journal
It’s important to keep track of what you’re eating when you’re on your weight loss journey. You can come up with ideas and plans for what to eat next by writing a food journal. This will also help you stick to your diet plan, because if you’re not aware of the kinds and quantity of foods you eat every day, it’ll be more difficult to make other wise choices.
Avoid Mindless Eating (i.e Practice Mindful Eating)
Overeating is often the result of eating mindlessly, i.e. eating when you’re distracted and unaware of fullness. In some cases, people eat when they’re bored.
To overcome mindless eating, it’s important to avoid distractions while eating. When you eat, focus on your food and the flavors it offers. Continuously check in with your body and listen to your fullness cues while you eat (9).
Be sure to only eat when you’re hungry and avoid eating based on your emotional state – find other outlets for your emotions than food.
Is Losing 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks Healthy?
No, it’s not.
A study published in 2017 that compared the effects of rapid and slow weight loss found that while both methods led to a reduction in waist circumference, hip circumference, total body water, body fat mass, fat-free mass, lean body mass, and resting metabolic rate, slower weight loss produced better results in reducing waist circumference, hip circumference, and fat-free mass (10).
Rapid weight loss was found to be better at reduction of total body water, lean body mass (i.e. the weight of your organs except body fat, including bones, muscles, blood, skin, and everything else), and resting metabolic rate (10).
This is not good because lean body mass has nothing to do with fat, so losing it doesn’t get rid of the fat and can slow metabolism due to a loss of muscle mass
How to Lose 10 Pounds in 2 Weeks on a Treadmill
No treadmill routine, no matter how intense, will help you lose 10 pounds of body fat in 2 weeks.
Read more: The Ice Hack to Lose Weight: Is There Science to Support the Claims?
The Bottom Line
Losing 10 pounds in two weeks is not possible. Trying to achieve this goal would mean sacrificing your health or harming yourself. However, by adjusting your expectations and time limit and following a combination of diet and exercise, you can lose weight in a healthy and steady manner with minimal negative effects to your health.
