When you want to lose 14 lbs. in two months, you need to be very precise with your approach. The overall goal is to create a daily caloric deficit that will make you lose 1 3/4 lbs. each week. If you spread this out over eight weeks, which equals two months, you will lose 14 lbs. This takes daily discipline and constant attention to detail.
Step 1
Create a 500-calorie daily deficit. Keep track of the calories you take in for one day to get your current intake. Include the liquid and food calories when you do this. Deduct 500 calories from this amount and make it your new total. This will promote about one pound of weight loss each week through diet alone. For example, if you currently eat 2,100 calories, your new intake will be 1,600. Utilize an online resource such as the Daily Plate for help with tracking.
Step 2
Select foods that are high in nutrients. Avoid anything that is processed, refined or high in empty calories such as deep-fried foods, commercial baked goods and packaged foods. Stick with foods that are as natural as possible such as fruit, vegetables, lean meats, fish, beans and whole grains.
Step 3
Eat frequent small meals throughout the day to keep your appetite suppressed and to boost your metabolic rate. Fix a small meal upon waking up in the morning and eat every two to three hours thereafter. Add a portion of protein and complex carbs to each meal to make them balanced. A whole wheat wrap with beans and brown rice is a meal example.
Step 4
Cut back on the liquid calories. Drink water as your main beverage to keep your body hydrated and to make it easier to abide by your caloric restriction. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women get about 90 oz. a day and men get about 120 oz.
Step 5
Burn 375 calories a day through exercise. Utilize an online resource such as Calories per Hour to determine how much exercise you need for your size. Pick your activity of choice from the list, input your weight and the time you plan on exercising. Hit the "Calculate" tab, and your estimated caloric expenditure will appear. For example, a 200-lb. person burns about 370 calories with 35 minutes of high-impact aerobics. If this is your size, make sure to do 40 minutes to ensure you burn more than 375 calories.
Tips and Warnings
- Keep checking your weight weekly to make sure you are losing. If you stop, decrease your daily intake slightly and increase your daily exercise duration.
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