Is it possible to lose 20 pounds in 2 months...?

WITHOUT taking any sort of supplements?

My friend and I are going to the march on Washington Mall in October and we are in a weight-loss competition (October 9 is our deadline goal). We are only to lose weight by diet and exercise, so no weight-loss pills, no throwing up, no not-eating, no lypo, etc.

We began about a month ago and so far I've lost 5 pounds and I've lost but gained back another 5 (poor eating habits). I am modifying my diet and exercise plan to the following:

- 30 minutes cardio 5-6 times per week
- 30 minutes weight-lifting 4 times per week following cardio
- 100 crunches every morning
- no eating after 9pm
- water-only beverage consumption (and PLENTY of it!)
- no breads except limited pasta
- fruits/vegetables for dinner every night (breakfast/lunch can be open to other food groups)

What do you think? Is it possible to lose 20 pounds in 2 months?

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Go vegan.

It's possible but unlikely...and not healthy.

Also: if you hope to keep the weight off (and who doesn't) you shouldn't do anything TO lose it that you aren't willing to do forever.

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Why do you want to lose weight before the march? Are you planning on marching naked???

Let me see...

- 30 minutes cardio 5-6 times per week

That's good, but make sure you change the intensity. If you stick to 30 minutes, your body will get used to it. Try 30 minutes for two weeks, then 35 the next two, 40 and so on. Change the level of intensity as you go along, too.

- 30 minutes weight-lifting 4 times per week following cardio.

After cardio. If you do your cardio after the weights your body will be already in a fat burning mode, making your cardio much more beneficial. If you start with cardio, it will take your body 15 to 20 minutes to begin burning fat.

- 100 crunches every morning

That's silly. The crunches will not make you lose weight, and your poor abs! Try three times a week, and divide them in sets of different exercises.

- no eating after 9pm

I don't understand your logic. I wish you could post your diet, but I sense that you're afraid you won't burn the calories after 9PM.

- water-only beverage consumption (and PLENTY of it!)

That is good, if not too strict.

- no breads except limited pasta
- fruits/vegetables for dinner every night (breakfast/lunch can be open to other food groups)

Again, it would be good to see your diet to determine if your plan is right.


I honestly would aim for a lower fat percentage, as opposed to losing 20 pounds. Remember that muscle weighs too. If you are doing weights, your muscles will grow, giving you the illusion that you are not losing weight, but you're actually losing fat.

PM if you have questions.

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As others have said, it's definitely doable, but I'm not sure whether it's wise. It partly depends on how much you weigh now...if you were significantly overweight, a few lifestyle changes will drop you 20 lbs. in no time, while if you weigh less, you'll have to work harder.

But the bottom line is, competition or no competition, don't make changes you won't be able to stick with long-term if you want to keep the weight off. As soon as you stop the routine, you'll gain back every bit you lost. I found success in gradually eliminating certain things (no beverages except water is definitely a good one), focusing on portion control, and generally getting more active. It's not an all-at-once thing, just small changes that you know you'll be able to live with. Having a stringent routine right off the bat seems like a recipe for yo-yoing.

Updated On: 8/9/09 at 08:28 AM

Sweetsiren, your rules sound exactly like Weight Watchers.

I've lost 30 pounds since late January and swear by the program.

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You need to be careful with the weight lifting -- it's recommended to do it no more than two-three times a week, and you need to have at least one day in between the workouts with weights to let your muscles recover.

Recommended by who? That's just silly.

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Thanks for the advice, everyone! :) I joined that SparkPeople website so we'll see how that goes.

"So, the march is turning into a skin parade?

Are people that worried about how they look while protesting?"

haha not at all. He lives in a different city so we rarely see each other. Last time we were in the same room we got on the topic of how hard it was to lose weight so we challenged each other. The next time we'll see each other is our roadtrip to the March. :)

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"Recommended by who? That's just silly."

This is something I've heard ever since I started exercising on a regular basis over 20 years ago. I've been using Beachbody.com videos for awhile, and they have said this as well. Of course it depends on how much weight you're lifting.
If you're using very light to light weights, it shouldn't be a problem to do it every day. Heavy to really heavy weights is another matter all together.

Updated On: 8/9/09 at 04:12 PM

What may work for one may not work for another... I couldnt't work out with weights for months because I had a muscle tear (that happened when I picked up a suitcase and put it in my car, go figure), so I'm being extra careful.

I've actually been working out with resistance bands, which I like better than weights, although I am still doing the weights.- I must be doing something right, because I got a compliment from a colleague the other day on my arms. :)

Updated On: 8/9/09 at 04:35 PM

Whatever you do, just be sure to start easy enough so that you can develop consistency. If you make it too strenuous, you may get discouraged and quit.

Keep a notebook or journal with every exercise you do (and everything you eat, if you can). Looking at those notebook pages at the end of a week will give you an enormous sense of accomplishment.

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The SparkPeople website you signed up for can be a fantastic resource. It worked for me and it's free. Good luck!