Go on a 2 Day Diet

Going on a two day diet can be a great way to jumpstart your metabolism and prep your body for a long-term diet. The good thing about dieting for only two days is that it’s not a long time. Adhering to a few short-term rules in order to lose weight is very achievable. You can stay disciplined and shed some extra pounds through healthy eating and healthy exercise. If you reduce the amount of calories you eat, fast for a couple days, and eat regularly for the rest of the week you can maximize your weight loss.

Steps

Keeping Yourself on Track

  1. Set goals. Be sure to set goals for yourself and make sure they are reasonable. It is unhealthy to set impractical goals that cannot be met or that put too much pressure on you so set realistic weight loss goals.[1]
    • Do not starve yourself to lose weight.
    • Keep in mind that you only have two days so don’t go overboard with how much you exercise or what foods you limit yourself to.
  2. Hold yourself accountable. By keeping track of your exercise and food intake, you can take responsibility for your efforts to diet. If you can answer to yourself for the amount of work you are putting in to reach your goal you will feel more satisfied when you reach it. [2]
    • Weigh yourself once daily, in the morning right when you wake up and after you go to the bathroom. Weight shifts throughout the day weighing yourself multiple times a day could cause you to feel you weigh more than you actually do.
    • Reward yourself for small successes.
  3. Support yourself. Encourage yourself by posting goals. It is always helpful to have constant reminders of the goals you have set and by posting them, you can visualize what you need to do to reach your goals.
    • Write down your goal weight, total pounds you’d like to lose, or how dieting will make you feel and post them around the house. [3]
    • Post pictures of your progress on social media so friends and family can comment on your success and keep you motivated.
    • Give yourself the credit you deserve no matter how much you lose by the end of two days.
  4. Journal about your progress. To reflect on your weight loss journey and keep you motivated right down your thoughts and feelings throughout the day in a journal.

Determining Proper Nutrition

  1. Learn the healthiest options for your food intake. Some foods are considered superfoods because they do much more than just maintain a healthy weight. Superfoods can improve eyesight, develop your mind, strengthen bones, and ward off diseases.
    • Try fiber-rich superfoods such as oats, blueberries, and broccoli.
    • Eat superfoods high in protein like black beans and salmon.
  2. Calculate ideal caloric intake. Using your weight, height, age, and activity level. You can develop an exercise routine and meal plan based on this and begin to lose weight in an organized and deliberate way. You can do so here: http://www.calculator.net/ideal-weight-calculator.html
  3. Boost your metabolism. Metabolism is the process of converting food into energy and your individual metabolic rate is how many calories your body burns during the process. Metabolism can be attributed to genetics, food intake and physical activity. By eating certain foods you can accelerate the processes that burn calories. [4]
    • Naturally burn fat by eating egg whites, lean meat, whole grains, lentils, blueberries, almonds, salmon, spinach, turkey and oatmeal.
    • Water, green tea, coffee and milk are great drink options for boosting your metabolism.
    • Eat spicy foods, especially those containing the ingredient capsaicin to increase your fat burning power. Chili peppers, cayenne peppers, hot mustard, salsa and wasabi are a few good options. [5]
  4. Eat foods that keep you feeling full. It can be difficult to lose weight if you are always hungry. One way to combat this is to fill up on healthy foods that keep you satiated for long periods of time. Fiber, fat and protein are the foods that keep you fuller long; slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates and keeping energy levels steady.[6]
    • Foods that satisfy your appetite longer include apples, avocados, beans, chickpeas, pickles, dark chocolate, eggs and nuts.
    • You can reduce the amount of unnecessary calories by eating foods that keep you full longer.
  5. Consume great tasting food. Many people dread going on a diet because of limited food options, but delicious, healthy and diet-friendly foods do exist. [7]
    • Find healthy alternatives to the foods you love like whole grain pasta, low-fat cheese and coffee drinks made with skim milk.
    • Many vegetables and fruits have very few calories and are a great option for delicious and flavorful, yet healthy foods. Some examples are strawberries, bell peppers, asparagus, mushrooms, apricots, tomatoes, cantaloupe, plums, and star fruit. [8]
  6. Choose energy-boosting foods. Select foods that contain healthy fat and provide you with plenty of energy for the day. Many times people turn to unhealthy sugary foods to provide them with the energy they need to carry out their daily activities but healthy and energy-boosting foods are out there. [9]
    • Iron-rich foods keep you energized. Sources of iron include plant-based foods like spinach, sesame seeds and beans.
    • Eating a balanced diet helps to maximize your energy.
    • Avoid processed and artificial foods and consume natural food not out of a box or can.
    • Don’t restrict all fat from your diet — healthy fats contain antioxidants that increase your energy. Limit saturated and trans fats (trans fats are often labeled as "partially hydrogenated oils").
  7. Snack on healthy treats. When you are in need of something sweet or salty and want to snack in between meals, opt for healthy treats that are low calorie but still satisfy your cravings. [10]
  8. Combine foods to create tasty blends. Reach for interesting combinations of foods that surprisingly taste delicious and are low-calorie. [11]
    • Hard-boiled eggs with hot sauce
    • Popcorn with sea salt and no butter
    • Natural peanut butter and whole grain bread
    • Melons sprinkled with balsamic vinegar
    • Zucchini chips with sea salt and paprika
    • Edamame with sea salt
    • Cereal mixes with fresh berries
    • Crunchy seaweed and soup
    • Apples and cinnamon
    • Black beans and salsa

Developing an Exercise Routine

  1. Gather exercise equipment. Purchase the equipment needed to reach your goal weight. Purchasing equipment that can be costly; a more affordable option is to utilize things around your home. Or join a nearby gym.
    • Use paint cans or canned goods as hand weights.
    • Borrow equipment.
    • Purchase used equipment from Amazon, eBay or garage sales.
    • Choose exercises that require little to no equipment, such as walking or jogging outside, bodyweight exercises, riding a bike, etc.
  2. Maintain a routine. Create a pragmatic exercise routine to stimulate metabolism, build muscle, and maintain energy.[12]
    • Do strength training exercises two to three times weekly to build muscle. This can boost your metabolism and cause you to burn more fat overall.
    • Aim for 150 minutes of aerobic exercise each week.
    • Attend classes at your gym or community center, like Zumba dance, Pilates, yoga, kickboxing, spin, etc.
    • Become a member of social clubs that involve physical activity like bowling or softball leagues.
    • Stick to your routine. If your routine gets interrupted, quickly recover and get back on track.
    • Modify your routine if you find it to be ineffective.
  3. Stay active. If you haven’t been physical active for a while, start slow to avoid injuries. Besides a daily exercise routine, incorporate physical activity into your daily routine. [13]
    • When given the opportunity, skip the elevator and take the stairs.
    • Try to build in exercises you actually like and mix it up so you don't get bored and your body doesn't plateau.
    • Utilize your lunch hour to walk or jog outside your office or place of work.
    • Gradually increase the length and intensity of your exercises.

Warnings

  • Remember that two days is not a long time so you might not shed as many pounds as you’d like during this period.
  • Don’t aim too high by setting unrealistic expectations. On a safe and healthy diet you will only lose 1 to 2 pounds in a week.
  • Be sure to make healthy food choices during your diet by opting for items low in sugar and sodium.

Things You'll Need

  • Healthy food items
  • Exercise equipment

Related Articles

Sources and Citation

You may like