The healthiest weight loss methods that produce lasting results are slow. They stress shedding a few pounds per week over several weeks, rather than dramatic and immediate weight loss. A 20-day timeline is best used only before an event with a hard deadline, such as a fight-sport match or professional photo shoot.
Low/Slow Carb Plans
No-carb diet plans work by tricking your body into a physiological state called "ketosis," which can stimulate rapid weight loss. Low and slow carb plans simply take advantage of the fact that carbohydrates can interfere with losing weight. Carbohydrate calories break down faster than other foods, leaving you feeling hungry sooner. By drastically reducing your intake of carbohydrates, including sugary drinks, and replacing them with vegetables and lean proteins, you can produce remarkable short-term results. Fitness researcher Tim Ferriss reports you can lose as much at 5 pounds per week with a slow carb diet plan.
Aggressive Calorie Counting
Creating a drastic caloric deficit can make for dramatic short-term weight loss. A pound of fat represents approximately 3,500 calories. If you're reducing calories, it's best to split your efforts between diet and exercise. Dropping 1,700 calories from your daily diet is much harder than cutting out 700 and doing 1,000 worth of exercise. Although it's possible to spend significant money on calorie counting guides, reliable online calculators are available for free.
Water Weight
Losing water weight is a short-term practice best reserved for the final week of your 20-day plan. You should only use this method if you will be held to weighing a specific amount by a set day. Water-weight cutting is the practice of taking on minor dehydration so you don't carry the weight of drinking a healthy amount. It can mean 10 or more pounds of temporary weight loss. However, you will put the pounds right back on as soon as you restore a healthy level of hydration. This method is most commonly used by combat athletes prior to a match, and carries health risks, including organ failure and death.
Maintenance
The problem with a short-term, 20 day, weight loss plan is what happens on day 21. According to health counselor Maya Paul, what happens for most people is a rapid return to or above their previous weight. An aggressive 20-day diet plan can help you reach a specific, time-sensitive goal, or you can use it as a kick-start -- an early period of aggressive weight loss that boosts your confidence and morale going into a longer weight loss program.
References
- "The Four-Hour Body"; Tim Ferriss; 2010
- "Eat, Drink and Be Healthy;" Walter Willett; 2004
- Help Guide: Healthy Weight Loss and Dieting
- Grapple Arts: How to Cut and Make Weight
Member Comments