If you tell people that you've lost 20 pounds in just under two months, they'd probably ask you what kind of pills you were on, or about the magic potion you've been gulping. Not all miracle weight loss stories are successful because of some quick-fix method that had to do with pills/ready-made smoothies. So is it possible to lose 20 pounds in 2 months?
Surprisingly, it is.
The clincher here is that our bodies aren't designed to function the same way, therefore revealing different results among different people. Your height and your body's metabolism is what will determine how much weight you can lose.
The body tends to lose weight really fast when one suddenly subjects their systems to small-portioned foods, controlling calorie intake that leads to massive weight loss initially. But without physical exercise or a healthy diet plan, this can backfire in more ways that one. To keep an eye on your progress, it is advisable to visit a doctor every month to evaluate your upward success, without your health deteriorating.
For those of you who want to witness quick results in a healthy manner, try following a diet known as
The Paleo Diet (give it a month before judging its effectiveness), which gained worldwide recognition when
Dr. Loren Cordain, wrote a book (with the same title) about a prehistoric way of eating. The diet is fairly simple to follow - foods to avoid include all sorts of dairy, legumes, carbohydrates in any form (whether wholegrain or refined), processed meats, packaged foods, junk food, sugary snacks, including a not-so-excessive intake of fruits.
The diet promotes the consumption of lean meats (chicken, turkey, seafood, and the like), red meat (without visible traces of fat, and eaten occasionally), eggs, lots of vegetables, and a controlled portion of nuts. The driving force behind the diet, is exclude the things that our bodies weren't used to back in the day, namely grains and dairy. Low-fat foods aren't an option either, when it comes to the diet. For inspiration and help about how to follow this diet, check out Steve Kamb's website
Nerd Fitness, for inspirational transformation stories, tips and tricks, including fat-busting exercise tutorials.
Diet to Lose 20 Pounds in 2 Months
Some of you may think that to win this weight battle, you'd have to starve yourself silly, but you don't have to. Wanting to lose 20 pounds in a span of two months isn't wishful thinking, but is something that is very much possible if done the smart way, combined with a rigorous exercise routine of course.
Breakfast
I cannot stress enough on how important this meal of the day is. If you want to lose weight the right way, prioritize this as your number one meal. Get your essential nutrients during this time of the day when your metabolism is running on high mode. You tend to burn more during sun up than sundown. So stack on these eats and alternate it with other items in this list as the week progresses.
- 2 eggs (twice a week only and use only olive/vegetable oil while cooking)
- Brown bread (two slices)
- Non-fat milk/cream
- All natural fruit juices/shakes (either freshly squeezed or made with organic ingredients)
- Fruit salad bowl
- Oats
- Bran flakes with milk (non-fat)
- Bagels with unsalted butter non fat/low far cream cheese
- Turkey sandwich with tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce
Munchies
It is important to keep your metabolism running, so snack on a handful of nuts or seeds, and drink at least one mug of black coffee or green tea, with the latter being more healthy than the former. Drop in one slice of lemon in it with mint leaves, with one cube of brown sugar if you can't take the bitterness of the green tea. It not only rids the body of toxins, but promotes weight loss. Here are the list of munchies that you can choose from to munch on everyday. Only one of the following coupled with liquids is allowed.
- 1 mug of green tea with a slice of lemon/mint leaves
- Freshly made fruit juice (not canned/packaged)
- Almonds/peanuts/cashews/pistachios (unsalted, hand full)
- Seeds like sunflower/pine
- Unsalted crackers
- Single bagel with unsalted butter
Lunch
After you're done with munchies, eat lunch an hour after this to give your stomach enough time to clear up some space. Alternate between the different lunch food options here to keep it different and flavorful every time. Drink plenty of water during the course of the day, or even during munchies time to kill hunger pangs.
Portion sizes have to fill up only a quarter plate and drink a glass of water 10 minutes before you start eating. If you cannot finish what you are eating, don't push yourself. Instead make smaller portions the next day, and do not stop on drinking a glass of water 10 minutes before you eat.
- Salad (your choice of vegetable) with poached/grilled chicken/beef/seafood, coupled with non fat salad dressing
- Grilled/poached chicken steak with a side of mashed potatoes
- Stir fried vegetables with shrimp and fried brown rice
- Pita bread with hummus
- Tofu salad
- Sushi with wasabi sauce (or you can experiment with other sauces)
- Cottage cheese wrap with vegetables
Evening Snack Time
Don't eat anything at all except for lots of water, or if you'd like you can have another mug of green tea. Skip dinner completely, and only munch on an apple/orange or a bowl of cherries/grapes before 7:30 pm. Get used to not eating at all after this time, and ignore food cravings post 7:30 pm. Not even water should be ingested during this time. You can eat dark chocolate and non fat desserts once in a week on Sundays only, so that you get accustomed to indulging in your favorite sweet dishes on one dedicated day. Opt for baked foods instead of fried/deep-fried to eat healthy alternatives where you even consume much fewer calories.
Get Off That Behind
And now for the most important part of the diet program - you need to get physically active. So take the stairs instead of going on that tempting elevator ride, walk for 45 minutes either in a park, at the beach, in your neighborhood or on a treadmill. You pick the place, and do it five times a week. Along with this, combine exercises that require muscle building, like squats, lunges, planks, and the like, in your workout routine. Strength training and free weight exercises will sizzle fat in no time.
I hope that this low-calorie diet plan is the answer to your question, is it possible to lose 20 pounds in two months, because as you can see the calorie intake is far lesser and more controlled, than you're otherwise used to. For those of you who cannot stick to the Paleo Diet, this seems like a simpler option to switch to especially if you're the sort to use certain food options, that are restricted as part of the paleo diet. With dedication, hard work, and motivation from friends and loved ones, you'll be able to accomplish so much more than previously intended.
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