Losing 50 pounds in 8 weeks is a huge challenge, but one that is totally achievable. Doing exercises such as high-intensity interval training and aerobic exercises will help but the real key to success revolves around your food intake. Here are 14 tips that will help make a success of your 50 pounds in two months weight loss journey without having to exercise.
1. Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting (IF) is a powerful weight-loss tool that can help you dramatically and safely cut back your calorie consumption. There are a number of IF methods, including alternate-day fasting and 16-8, where you have a 16 hour fasting period and an 8-hour eating window. During the feeding window, you should eat 500-1000 calories. As well as reducing your calorie intake fasting will increase your metabolic rate, and force your body to tap into stored body fat for energy so that it increases your amounts of energy.
2. Stay Away From Trans Fats
Trans fatty acids result when hydrogen is added to unsaturated fats. As well as being linked to heart disease and insulin resistance they have also been shown to increase belly fat. One study indicated that a high trans-fat diet can result in a 33% increase in abdominal fat.
To avoid trans fats, become a label reader. If it lists trans fats, put it back on the shelf.
3. Carry Healthy Snacks
Being able to anticipate and prepare for when you’re going to be hungry throughout the day is a key strategy to successful weight loss. Having home-prepared snacks ready to eat can be a lifesaver when those hunger pangs strike, as well as providing a host of other health benefits.
Here are five simple snacks that work well:
- Almonds
- Apple chips
- A healthy smoothie
- A hard-boiled egg
- A small tin of tuna (packed in water)
4. Ditch the Processed Grains
Pasta, bread, bagels, and cereal are all processed grains. Milling, refining, and bleaching the grains decreases their nutritional value while increasing calorie density.
Whole grain varieties are better because they retain some of the nutrients and fiber, but even these are somewhat processed and may be high in calories.
From now on, eat only whole grains. That means:
- No white rice
- No white flour
- No white pasta
5. Eat More Monounsaturated Fats
Monounsaturated fats have the ability to reduce blood cholesterol levels and insulin levels. The best food sources of monounsaturated fats are:
- Olives
- Nuts
- Avocado
- Olive Oil
- Canola Oil
- Peanut Oil
6. Eat More Omega-3 Fats
Getting more Omega 3 fatty acids into your body will revolutionize the way your body looks, feels, and acts, especially in relation to weight loss.
Here’s what upping your Omega 3 content will do for you . . .
- Improve your insulin sensitivity
- Help to burn fat
- Speed up your metabolism
- Depress the production of cortisol
- Give you more energy
- Help to build muscle
7. Do A Detox
A 14-day detox is a great way to cleanse your body of toxins and other impurities. This can effectively open the floodgates to fat loss. Cleansing the right way is not about your body starving. It is about providing the right nutrients that help to flush out the toxins, bringing your body back into its natural balance.
8. Eat More Coconut Oil
The humble coconut has been the subject of much research lately. Many of these have been concentrated around their ability to help people lose weight.
Unlike long-chain fatty acids, the medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil do not circulate in the bloodstream. Instead, they are directed to the liver where they are converted into energy. So, rather than storing the fats from coconut oil as fat, your body uses them to produce energy.
Studies have shown that substituting oils containing long-chain fatty acids (olive oil) with oils comprised of medium-chain fatty acids (coconut oil) results in more fat loss. Coconut oil is especially beneficial for losing fat around the abdominal area, where visceral fat accumulates. Visceral fat is the most dangerous fat there is, as it is associated with many diseases.
In a recent study, women with high levels of abdominal fat supplemented their diets with one ounce of coconut oil per day. After 12 weeks, they had a significant reduction in both their BMI and their waist circumference.
This was done in the absence of exercise or dieting. It was all down to the coconut oil. Healthy fats like coconut oil are also good energy sources.
9. Calorie Tracking App
Maintaining a negative calorie balance is the key to successful weight loss. But calorie counting can be a real hassle. A calorie tracking app will make it easier to record your calorie intake and help you to cut out those extra calories.
10. Add Herbs to Your Diet
Research over the last decade or so has revealed that a number of herbs that have been used as part of a healthy diet by native peoples around the world are excellent weight loss aids. Here are 3 of the best . . .
- Turmeric
- Cumin
- Ashwagandha
11. Increase Your Protein Intake
Protein does more than help you build muscle; it also assists in fat loss.
That’s because protein is very filling, decreases your appetite, and has the highest thermogenic effect of all the macronutrients. That means that it takes more calories to digest than fats or carbs.
The lean body mass-building potential of protein when combined with weight training, also helps to reduce belly fat. That’s because muscle requires five times as many calories as body fat to maintain yourself. So, the more muscular you are, the leaner you will be!
12. Create a Weekly Menu
Your weight loss plan will never succeed if you are constantly wondering what your next healthy meal will be. It’s much better to create a weight loss meal plan in advance. From there you can write out your shopping list and take it with you when you hit the grocery store. That way, you’ll have everything that you need right in the kitchen to create the foods that you want and streamline your daily routine.
13. Food Journal
Keeping a food journal is a great weight loss aid. By writing down everything you eat, you will be monitoring your daily calorie intake. This will make you more mindful of sticking to your weight loss goals. Also, once you have recorded your daily intake, you will be unlikely to eat again as the act of recording your food will psychologically put a period on your caloric intake.
14. Go Easy on Yourself
When you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you are going in the opposite direction to the majority of people out there. You’re also facing an environment that will put temptations in front of you all day long. To expect yourself to never slip up is an unrealistic goal. One unwise food choice will not ruin your progress.
The point here is that you shouldn’t beat yourself up if you make an unwise decision and put on a couple of extra pounds. Your success will come from establishing lifetime habits that are sustained over the long term. A little stumble here or there will not curtail your results – unless you allow it to!
Conclusion
Individually the fourteen weight loss tips provided are effective but taken together they comprise an extremely powerful means of weight reduction. Stay focused so as to end each day in a caloric deficit and you will be steadily working toward your weight loss goal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it possible to lose 50 lbs in 2 months?
Yes, it is possible to lose 50 lbs in two months. However, doing so will require cutting back on your calorie consumption, increasing your fiber content, getting 7-8 hours of sleep, keeping up your water consumption, and following all twelve of the weight loss tips covered above.
What is the best type of exercise for weight loss?
The best type of physical activity for weight loss is HIIT training, which increases the heart rate while burning a ton of calories. However, all forms of cardio exercises are good. Your exercise plan should also include bodyweight exercises and resistance exercises. Plan to do 120-150 minutes per week of exercise.
