# Need to lose 10 lbs in 2 weeks! Can I do it, and how? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 7, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016 "2004-07-07T21:48:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/1 "2004-07-07T21:48:11Z")
Argh! I have a period custome exhibition in 2 weeks and given that in the past 3 months I’ve gone through a wedding, three birthdays, 2 BBQ, and the fourth of july all you can eat lamb spectacular I cooked up, I’m about 10 lbs too large for some of the custome. I’ve also been neglecting my regular excercise ::looks sheepishly to the ground:: routine. So how can I pull this off? Anyone been succesful at doing somehting similar? Got any tips? ---
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/2 "2004-07-07T21:52:17Z")
There is a vinyl jogging suit you can buy for about 8 dollars that will make you sweat so much when you work out where that and work out like crazy and also commit to only eating Jell-O every other day for the 2 weeks. On the days when you don’t eat Jell-O make sure you don’t eat any bread and do not eat anything past 8 pm. Good Luck ---
**Author:** ![mlerose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@mlerose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlerose)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/3 "2004-07-07T21:52:36Z")
1. Are you male or female? 2. If female, where in your cycle are you? 3. What’s your metabolism like? Have you been successful in losing small amounts of weight in a relatively short period before? I think your ability to do this would probably depend on your answers to those questions. Don’t count on it being a permanent weight loss; usually weight dropped very quickly comes back easily. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/4 "2004-07-07T21:53:13Z")
Not in any healthy fashion. When it comes to weight loss, “slow and steady” is the name of the game. There may be some diets out there that will allow you to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks, but most of it will be water loss and will not stay off once you resume your normal eating habits (and you will!). You’re probably better off trying to go the real way. Lose 4 pounds over the next two weeks and then try dropping the other six over the next three to five weeks. Get a slightly bigger costume. Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/5 "2004-07-07T21:59:49Z")
> [@mlerose](#): > > 1. Are you male or female? Male. > [@](#): > > 1. What’s your metabolism like? Have you been successful in losing small amounts of weight in a relatively short period before? My gut feeling is that it’s a bit slugish. The last time I remember trying to loose weight I was succesful in losing 20 pounds but it took me like 2 to 3 months of hard work ☹ > [@](#): > > Usually weight dropped very quickly comes back easily. Oh I figured that much. Though hopefully with some steady excercise I can maintain my new weight or atleast level out while I change my (very bad as of late) eating habits! I just really, really don’t want to spend $200 on a new custome ☹ Plus I’m not entirely happy with my figure so I do plan on a long term solution, but if I go and buy the bigger custome and I loose the weight… well there’s always ebay. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/6 "2004-07-07T22:05:59Z")
Well, you could try catching the flu-like thing I had three weeks ago. Not eating much for three days, and the subsequent loss of appetite pretty much melted away 7 or 8 pounds. But if the weight-loss through pain approach doesn’t appeal to you, you could always get your costume taken out a bit by a local tailor. ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/7 "2004-07-07T23:23:24Z")
The traditional way athletes “make weight” if they’re over is through dehydration. It’s possible to lose 10 pounds over night through sweating and spitting. (I know wrestlers who “spit down” the water weight) But, it’s not healthy and you feel like utter crap. since you have two weeks, try living on nothing but protein shakes (this is what we did to make weight while rowing). Also not that great for you and you’ll still feel crappy, but you’ll lose any excess water weight. But as soon as you begin to eat normally again, it’ll all come back… ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2004, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/8 "2004-07-07T23:25:36Z")
Spring Break 1985, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida After my purse was stolen leaving me the $2.00 that was in my pocket for the week’s food, I lost 20 pounds in one week. I did drink lots of beer courtesy of ladies’ night and generous guys at various bars, but my total food consumption per day was 1 bag of peanut M&M’s. Oh, and I stayed up about 20 hours a day. I left a size 10 and returned a size 6. Seriously. So it can be done. I don’t recommend it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@Live\_Better\_Electrically](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Live_Better_Electrically)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/9 "2004-07-08T00:17:37Z")
Go on the induction phase of the Atkins Diet. I lost weight like crazy in those two weeks (eventually losing a total of 65 lbs., which I have kept off for two years). ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/10 "2004-07-08T03:32:40Z")
Atkins induction and go back to exercising. You’re a guy, 10 pounds should be no sweat. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/11 "2004-07-08T04:42:56Z")
> [@Finagle](#): > > Well, you could try catching the flu-like thing I had three weeks ago. Not eating much for three days, and the subsequent loss of appetite pretty much melted away 7 or 8 pounds. But if the weight-loss through pain approach doesn’t appeal to you, you could always get your costume taken out a bit by a local tailor. You know, maybe I _should_ patent the diet idea I had about 5 years ago… [http://www.geocities.com/theevilwriter/malaria.html](http://www.geocities.com/theevilwriter/malaria.html) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/12 "2004-07-08T11:53:32Z")
Thanks for the responses so far guys 🙂 Anyone have any links to the Atkins induction diet? Or maybe the title of a small book on it I cna pick up at B&N? Another question: My friend told me that I should drink 12+ glasses of water a day to “cleanse my body” and help with the weight loss. Is that good advice? I keep hearing things about water weight, won’t drinking that much water increase my water weight? ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/13 "2004-07-08T12:04:33Z")
The basics of the Atkins induction phase: Keep your daily carbohydrate intake below 20 grams. Some would say 20 grams of net cards (That is, carbs minus the sugar alcohols and fiber) but when I went on my induction I stuck strictly to total carbs. I’m 61 lbs. lighter thanks to Atkins. Dunno about the cleansing effect, but water does help some overweight people lose weight, though mainly (AFAIK) as an appetite supressant if consumed immediately before meals. And, of course, exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/14 "2004-07-08T12:53:21Z")
Cut out all starchy food (completely…I know it’s hard). Substitute water for soda pop. Exercise. You will be successful. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/15 "2004-07-08T14:32:53Z")
> [@Kinthalis](#): > > Anyone have any links to the Atkins induction diet? Or maybe the title of a small book on it I cna pick up at B&N? Just drop everything from your diet that isn’t meat, eggs, cured cheese, or green vegetables. No sugar, flour, grains, beans, potatoes, corn, etc. Drink a ton of water. Your initial weight loss will be mostly water. Coincidentally, I restarted induction on Monday and have lost 4 pounds. I find it rather fun, but I’m strange. [http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-325810.html](http://atkins.com/Archive/2001/12/15-325810.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/16 "2004-07-08T15:05:31Z")
I managed it in three weeks, starting in [April](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=248072) with no special diets, just reduced calories and moderate exercise. Since then, I have slowed down my rate of weight loss a bit, mainly by reintroducing some calories at weekends), but I’m currently 30 pounds below my initial April weigh-in. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/17 "2004-07-08T15:18:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > Just drop everything from your diet that isn’t meat, eggs, cured cheese, or green vegetables. No sugar, flour, grains, beans, potatoes, corn, etc. Drink a ton of water. Your initial weight loss will be mostly water. And stay with fresh, whole foods. _Real_ foods. Stay away from the heavily-processed franken-foods like shakes and snack bars and snack chips labeled “Atkins-approved!” or “Lo-carb!” Stick with eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, a big salad and plenty of green veggies every day, and lots and lots of water (no, drinking lots of water won’t make you retain water). ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/18 "2004-07-08T15:28:10Z")
Woo hoo! Ok, I’m going for it. I’ll let you guys know next weekend how it went 🙂 Time to make a salad for lunch, just gotta get some lemons 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![welby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@welby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/welby)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2004, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/19 "2004-07-08T15:58:47Z")
Thought you might find this helpful. Although the site is for diabetics, the carb count guide is very useful. Link goes to the carb counter. [http://diabetes.about.com/cs/carbcentral/a/carb\_count\_main.htm](http://diabetes.about.com/cs/carbcentral/a/carb_count_main.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Kinthalis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kinthalis/32/16084_2.png) [@Kinthalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kinthalis)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016/20 "2004-07-09T22:17:43Z")
ARGH! I’m going crazy!!! I haven’t weighed myself in ehhh, 2 days 🙂 My friend said I shouldn’t look at a scale until next week sometime since weight fluctuates and I might discouraged if I look too soon. But I want to weigh myself!!! BTW, Thanks for the link **Welby** 🙂 I cant find on that article, what is my max carb intake per day? (so far I’ve kept if under 1% but I’m thinking about going for an apple and some pickles 🙂 ). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-to-lose-10-lbs-in-2-weeks-can-i-do-it-and-how/254016.md?page=2)