How to Lose 5 Pounds in 2 Weeks

Losing 5 lbs. means losing approximately 17,500 calories from diet and exercise over the course of time or a third of a lb. (0.15kg) per day. Although your first 5 lbs. (2.3kg) in a large weight loss goal can be lost fairly quickly, the last 5 lbs. can take longer to shed. If you want to lose 5 lbs. in 2 weeks, you can do it by working out more efficiently and reducing your caloric intake until you hit your goal.

Edit Steps

Method One: Metabolism-Boosting Workouts

Work out in the morning. If you currently exercise in the afternoon or evening, consider that morning workouts boost your metabolism for up to 14 hours, or most of your day. Schedule workouts for 20 to 30 minutes after you wake up. ^[1]

Drink coffee before you work out. Coffee has been shown to boost exercise intensity levels, so you will drive yourself harder. ^[2]
- Avoid this step if caffeine on an empty stomach makes you feel nauseated. Drink it before you take a 30-minute walk later and you may push yourself to go faster and burn more calories on your break.

Choose your music. Keep in mind that music over 140 beats per minute (BPM) is best, to raise the intensity of your workout. However, reading or watching TV might actually distract you, making you burn fewer calories. ^[3]
- An app called Cadence can help you plan your workout music according to its BPM. Songs that mirror your heart rate can help you reach high-intensity more easily.

Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Perform 45 minutes of cardio with a 10 minute warm up and 10 minute cool down. The 25 minutes in between should be devoted to sprinting for 30 seconds to 1 minute and returning to moderate intensity from 2 to 4 minutes.
- HIIT boosts the production of the human growth hormone by 450 percent for 24 hours. It helps you lose fat rather than muscle, so it is ideal for weight loss training. ^[4]
- High-intensity is 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. You cannot keep up a conversation and you get “winded.”
- Moderate-intensity is 65 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate. You can keep up a conversation with a friend, but are short of breath.
- If you are in good shape, try Tabata intervals, which feature 4 minutes of 20-second sprints followed by 10-second rests. ^[5]

Sign up for a boot camp or start P90X. Not only will 2 weeks of these interval-based workouts boost your metabolism, they will train your entire body, helping your build muscle and shed more fat.

Start weight training. On days where you don’t do P90X or boot camp, grab some free weights and do 30 to 45 minutes of strength training. Do upper body 1 day and lower body 2 days later.
- Start your week with popular exercises like bicep curls, tricep curls, pushes and chest presses.
- Try new weight machines, kettle bells or TRX straps your send week. Better yet, workout with a friend who can show you how to use new equipment.
- The ideal amount of weight is the amount that lets you complete 2 to 3 sets of 8 reps, resulting in muscle fatigue. You should not be able to complete another repetition at the end of your sets.

Method Two: Eating For Weight Loss

Eat breakfast within 30 minutes of ending your morning workout. It should be rich in protein and approximately 400 calories. Try oatmeal with low-fat milk, Greek yogurt with granola and berries or a 2-egg omelet with veggies.

Eat 3 400-calorie meals and 2 200-calorie snacks. If you are working out, you should never eat below 1,500 calories.
- Losing 5 lbs. with diet and exercise means creating a calorie deficit of approximately 1,250 per day. If you cut 400 to 600 calories, (from 2,000) burn 600 calories and rev your metabolism to burn more calories during the day, you can quickly create this deficit.
- If you don’t like to count calories, consider that most people eat around 600 calories at a meal and cut out 1/3 to 1/4 of your serving size. Eat smaller portions of fatty and starchy foods and increase vegetables for a healthier plate.

Try removing wheat bread from your diet. Replace it with whole-wheat wraps, grains like quinoa, spelt or couscous, sweet potatoes, beans and other starches from fruits and vegetables.

Replace processed sweets with fruit and dark chocolate. Berries are excellent metabolism boosters and fruit rich in Vitamin C helps you handle stress hormones that cause weight gain. Chocolate should be at least 80 percent cacao.
- Cut out processed sweets from alcohol and soda, in addition to candies or baked goods. Each drink usually adds between 150 and 300 calories, meaning your calorie deficit will be hard to meet.

Try varying your diet. Dr. Oz suggests that varying your calorie intake between 1,800 and 1,600 might make your body burn more calories. It may also help you handle cravings if you let yourself have an extra snack a few days per week. ^[6]

Method Three: Shedding Additional Weight

Reduce water weight by lowering your sodium intake. Although it may seem counter intuitive, drinking water reduces water weight by flushing salt through your system.

Eat more fiber from fruit, beans and whole grains. Also, consume 4 oz. of Greek yogurt each day. Both will help you to lose fecal waste that can weight 1 to 4 lbs.
- If you find you are bloated from excess gas due to increased fiber, take an anti-gas pill. Pills with enzymes and other gas treatments can reduce discomfort and bloating within an hour or 2.

Add in 30 minutes more sleep each night. Interval training will make you tired, but extra sleep will also help you balance the hormones that cause weight gain. If you process cortisol better, you may lose weight faster. ^[7]