Losing weight slowly and steadily is a lot better than attempting to lose 10 pounds in two days. There are times, however, when you're trying to get ready for a special occasion or trying to break out of a plateau, when slow weight loss is just not an answer. While extreme diets are never a good option, some strict changes in your routine can produce significant weight loss in two weeks.
Step 1
Cut down your calories to about 1,200 per day. To do this, you can choose to keep a food diary and read labels to help you estimate amounts, or you can design a diet using a site such as SparkPeople. Make sure that you focus on foods that will make you full. For example, a piece of grilled chicken will probably have less calories than a piece of cake, but it will make you feel like you had much more to eat.
Step 2
Eliminate sugars and white flours from your diet. Eat only whole grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice and rye bread. Even then, restrict your portion size and eat carbs only on the first half of the day, when you're active and more likely to burn the sugars consumed.
Step 3
Switch to drinking water and have tons of it. Eight glasses is the absolute minimum. You should be drinking between 10 and 12 for maximum benefits. Water keeps you full so you eat less, speeds up your metabolism (especially if you're drinking icy water) and flushes out toxins and waste produced by dieting and exercise. You can also drink herbal teas, vegetable juices (avoid fruit juices because of their high sugar content) and diet drinks.
Step 4
Work out for 60 minutes a day, five to six times a week. For best results, combine cardio/aerobics training with a resistance training program. Choose exercises that challenge your body but do not make you get out of breath, as that improves your cardiovascular system but does little for fat burning. For weight training, alternate muscle groups so there is at least 24 hours between workouts, to allow muscles to recuperate and improve.
Step 5
Add a large cup of vegetables to each meal. Focus on dark leafy vegetables, which contain the most amount of fiber with few calories. Fiber keeps you full so you eat less and will also improve your digestion, so your body can process calories ingested better.
Step 6
Add metabolism boosters. Green tea and coffee speed up metabolism, as do spicy foods such as cayenne pepper, hot mustard and Jalapeno peppers. Avoid fat burners that contain stimulants, as they can have serious side effects.
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