How to Lose 5 Pounds in 2 Weeks

Here’s a quick check list to follow that will all but guarantee you lose a minimum of 5 pounds within a 2 week period.

1. Drink nothing but water, all day, every day. How much? At least one gallon. Yes, you’ll be in the bathroom a lot, but you’ll be surprised at how much better you feel. Remember, drink nothing else. No pop – not even diet– and certainly no alcohol.

2. Watch your salt intake. We all need sodium in our diet, but most people tend to overdo things and cause unnecessary bloating that translates to pounds on the scale. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding salty foods will combat this and actually cause you to lose those excess pounds.

3. Here’s an obvious one: Eat less than you usually do. It’s not necessary to deprive yourself. The true key to losing weight is simply eating less than you burn off. But you also have to eat enough to keep your metabolism burning. The best way to do this is by eating smaller, healthy meals 5 to 7 times a day. Be sure to eat a lean protein (skinless chicken breast, turkey, fish), complex carbohydrate (brown rice, sweet potato, oatmeal, whole grain bread), and fruit or vegetable at every meal. You should be satisfied but not stuffed. For good measure, throw in a couple of servings of nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) twice a day.

4. Exercise. You didn’t think we were going to do this without it, did you? Getting cardiovascular exercise will improve your results and your overall health, and it doesn’t take much. For this two week period, kept it simple. Walk at a moderate pace on a treadmill or outdoors for at least 30 minutes. Do this a minimum of three times per week.

5. Most people overlook the importance of getting plenty of good sleep when trying to lose weight. Recent medical research has shown that the quality of your sleep may directly affect hormonal activity that’s related to your appetite. Go to bed early and sleep well.

Follow these five guidelines religiously for two weeks and you'll be on your way to tightening that belt an extra notch in no time.

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