How can I lose at least 20 lbs. in about 2-3 months? or sooner?

Question

I'm really not that heavy.. im about 5"6' and about 138lbs. but eveytime i look in the mirror I feel so fat. I have a stomach and I just want it to be smaller.. does anyone know good excersizes or certain foods I can eat or ANYTHING?

Answer 1

You need to be thinking about being overall healthier and happier, not just skinnier. I've been there, heavier than you, and suffered emotionally for it. Skinny doesn't equal happy. Focus on getting healthier & happier, and look for healthy, reasonable ways to do that. But from your height and weight, it sounds to me like what you really need is not to lose weight, but to tone & tighten some muscle groups.

Twenty pounds in that amount of time is too fast to be safe, and usually results in losing more lean muscle mass than actual fat. The max pace should be something like 1-2 pounds per week if you want to lose weight safely & learn to keep it off.

Your best bet for stomach issues is to cut back on fatty foods and start burning that butter with exercise! Get some workout videos that target your "problem areas" and do those exercises daily, preferably in the morning. Research shows that a person's metabolism (ability to burn calories) remains elevated for up to four hours after exercising. Therefore, if you eat a little light breakfast (because you gotta put fuel in the tank before you try to drive anywhere!) then do your workout, you'll burn more calories not just while you're exercising, but you'll continue to burn calories at a higher rate for the next few hours than if you had not exercised at all.

Also, if you have cable & have the channel "Lifetime", Denise Austin has workout shows on at 7am (yoga & low impact) and 7:30am (faster pace). I would also recommend Pilates exercises (videos available wherever exercise videos are sold) because they really target the "core" muscle groups, i.e. abdominals & back muscles, which is the key to working on the belly.

The best low impact exercise with the most consistent results -- walking. Do it 20-30 minutes per day, at least 4 days per week, at a pace where you're kinda breathy but NOT winded. If you break a sweat & feel your muscles working but can still carry on a conversation, that's perfect.

Stomach -- any variety of situps or abdominal crunches are the best free old-fashioned exercise for the ol' gut. Also, push-ups, believe it or not -- they work the arms and chest, but if you're doing them slow and deliberately and focusing, they work the abs and back too.

Some general tips for healthy eating:

Eat a balanced diet. The body needs a lot of different kinds of nutrients to be healthy & work properly. Beware of diets that tell you to eliminate whole food groups -- they're not meant for long term use, and may deprive your body of essential nutrients if not used with care. You should talk to a doctor before trying any diet that eliminates whole food groups -- same goes for supplements, pills, and very low calorie or liquid diets. Shouldn't mess with those without a doctor's advice and/or supervision.

Eat lean proteins -- skinless chicken, egg whites, turkey breast, fish, veggie burgers -- because they're low in fat, high in protein, help you maintain a level blood sugar, and help build lean muscle mass.

Eat complex carbs -- whole grains, wheat bread, brown rice. Avoid refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sodas, and candy. Drink juice only in moderation, and then choose 100% juice, not juice punches, which are almost totally empty calories with very little nutritional value. But even 100% juice is high in calories, so go easy on it. Drink water instead.

Eat/drink low fat dairy products -- skim milk, light cheese, non-fat yogurt -- and avoid the full fat versions except for occasional treats.

Skip the fast food, except for grilled chicken breast sandwiches with no mayo and bean burritos. Eat lots of fresh veggies and fruits.

At each meal, fill your plate half full with vegetables, 1/4 full with meat, and 1/4 full with whatever starch you're having (i.e. rice, pasta, potatoes). White potatoes are ok, but use very little butter, or better yet, no butter -- use low fat sour cream, low fat cottage cheese, or a sprinkling of light cheddar cheese for flavor instead.

Take a multivitamin (with food, or it won't be absorbed into the bloodstream) so you don't lack any nutrients while you're cutting calories & trying to lose weight.

When you start to feel hungry, drink a glass of water before you make up your mind if you're really hungry or not. Research shows that as many as 30% of people don't recognize thirst -- they mistake it for hunger and eat when they really just needed a drink. If you drink a glass of water & still feel hungry after 5 minutes, go ahead and eat.

If your mouth feels dry, you're already dehydrated, and the body doesn't process foods & burn calories as well when it's dehydrated.

Eat small meals regularly. The longer you go without eating, the lower your blood sugar dips, making you have less energy to keep you moving and making you feel so hungry that you're more likely to overeat & binge on junk foods once you finally give in and eat something.

There's no easy way, no short-cut to "hotness" but if you just commit yourself & stay focused, it's worth the effort. You'll feel better, you'll look better, and you'll feel better about how you look. :-) Good luck!

Answer 2

Be careful of the fad diets. Keep in mind that a lot of fad diets are asking that we deprive ourselves of things that our bodies need, for example, low carb diets. A lot of people that go on those diets become tired and sometimes very sick. Our bodies need the carbs.

The greatest key to losing weight is to limit your food take, i am not talking about starving. I am talking about eating three good meals a day as well as light snacking.

Don't eat a lot of sugary foods. Avoid a lot of fried foods and foods that are high in fat.

You can still eat your favorite foods, but don't eat them as often.
Drink plenty of water and remember to get plenty of excercise.
You don't need to work yourself into the ground, just good excercise 3 times a week is suitable 30 minutes a day. A good brisk walk is good as well
if you do these things you will lose an average of 2 pounds a week which is 8 pounds a month. Once your body feels that it has reached it's ideal weight, you will stop losing. BUT keep in mind, DON'T BREAK THE HABIT. Some people tend to think that they have lost weight they can stop what they are doing. That's not true, you have to keep up on it.

Also talk to your doctor and maybe he can recommend a dietician to you and even help you determine whether or not your weight is appropriate.
138 should be fine for a person that is 5'6"
I used to think I was really fat and I am 5'3". I have large bone mass and I was told that I should weigh 150. At 150 I look good and I look healthy.
Good luck to you.

Answer 3

When I want to drop weight, I do the 3-day rotation diet: I tend to lose 8lbs in the three days. It is all about food combination. It really works if you have the will power to stick to it for the three days, take a 4 day break and back on it again...Make sure to drink water. (also, have you tried hydro cholonics?)

3-DAY ROTATION DIET (LOSE UP TO 10LBS)

** This diet should only be used three days at a time and then eat sensibly for four days and start again. **

Day 1

Breakfast
black coffee/tea
1/2 grapfruit/or juice
1tbl spoon peanut B.
1 slice wheat toast
water


LUNCH

1/2 can tuna
1 slice toast or cheese (low fat)
black coffee/tea
Water

DINNER

2 slice mat 3 oz (baked or grilled)
1 cup string beans
1 small apple
1 cup vanilla ice cream


DAY 2

Breakfast

Black coffee or tea
1 hard boiled egg
1 slice toast (wheat)
1/2 banana
water

LUNCH

1 cup cottage cheese or 1/2 can of tuna
5 saltine crakers
water

DINNER

2 weiners (Ball Park Franks)
1 cup broccoli or cabbage
1/2 carrots or turnips
1/2 banana
1/2 cup vanilla ice cream
water


DAY 3

Breakfast

blk coffee/tea
1sl ched. cheese
1 small apple
5 saltine crackers

Lunch

1 hard boiled egg
1 slice toast (wheat)
black coffee or tea

Dinner

1 cup tuna
1 cup beets or carrots
1 cup cauliflower or greens
1 cup cantaloupe
1/2 cup ice cream

Answer 4

No carbs for 2 weeks. Try it. Your stomach will shrink but after the 2 weeks bring in only fruit and whole grains (brown rice and nuts). You'll get rid of lots of water weight...prob about 5-10 lbs in those 2 weeks and slower as the nuts and grains get brought in.
walk walk walk.

Answer 5

Just keep it healthy. Don't eat too much bread, pasta, rice or potatoes- they're very dense calories. Eat more high-volume foods, foods that contain lots of water. Soup is good, fruits and veggies are great. Skim milk, eggs, lean protein. Don't forget to get enough water.

Answer 6

Hi I wrote a rapid weight loss book. The website isnt fuly done, but you can get the jist of it at http://www.thegraciousdiet.com

I advertise 20 lb in 30 days.

Check it out

Answer 7

Drink a glass of water as soon as you get up. Do a colon cleanse. Do stomach tightening exercises. Eat / drink grapefruit and juice.

Ride your bicycle, walk, do aerobics. Get a mini-trampoline.

You must be young.

Mary P.

Answer 8

Atkins. You will lose weight fast but, you won't keep it off unless you stay on it. My husband lost 80 pounds. I lost 30. In less than 4 months.

Answer 9

Running and sit-ups are the best thing for your midsection. Also eat lowfat healthy foods and don't over induldge on carbs.

Answer 10

If you need support, I run a web ring for dieter's who keep online journals of their progress. Our members are helpful and supportive and the best part is it's free. You're welcome to check it out...here is the link to the main site: http://pub33.bravenet.com/sitering/show.php?usernum=2786503725