Important note: Please advise your doctor before following any plan. Don’t follow the advice below if you are under 18.
People always ask: “How much weight can you lose in a week?” Well… to answer your question I have good news, awesome news, and bad news.
First onto the good news: YOU CAN LOSE A TON OF WEIGHT IN ONE WEEK
That’s right, you don’t have to be bound to the conventional wisdom of only losing 1 or 2 pounds a week. Extreme weight loss diets can definitely work, but only for a short period of time.
In fact, you can lose up to 15 pounds in one week if you do it correctly.
Now onto the awesome news: ALL THAT WEIGHT YOU LOSE WILL BE WATER AND FAT, NOT MUSCLE
Yup, you read that correctly, if you follow the methods at the end of this post, all the weight you lose during the week will be pure body fat. The conventional statement that losing more than 2 pounds per week leads to muscle, organ, and hair loss is absolute unicorn shit.
How do I know this? Because some awesome scientists from the American College Of Nutrition back in 1999, conducted a study, which tested 2 groups of people for 12 weeks.
One group only did traditional cardio, while the other group only did weight training. Both groups ate 800 calories a day. At the end of the study, both groups lost large amounts of weight, but the one that only did cardio lost large amounts of lean muscle mass, and the one that only did weight training didn’t lose any muscle mass at all.
So there you go, some hard hitting scientific facts that prove that you will not lose muscle during extreme dieting as long as you lift weights.
Note: And if you don’t have a gym membership or if you don’t have access to any weights, then doing a well-designed bodyweight program like Bodyweight Burn is your next best option.
And lastly, the bad news: YOU HAVE TO EAT VERY VERY LOW CALORIES
So yeah…. you have to eat a ridiculously low amount of calories to lose a lot of weight in a week. I’m talking along the lines of 800 calories a day.
The amount that would make any nutritionist hang themselves.
And now, onto the plan, but first, a picture of steaks:

The 2-step plan to lose the maximum amount of weight in a week
Please note that the following plan can be used by both men and woman.
And don’t do this plan if you’re under 18, you’re way too young to be eating such low calories.
I guarantee that if you follow the plan below, you will lose 10-15 pounds(water and fat) in one week:
1) For one week only, eat 800 calories per day.
2) Workout 2-3 times per week with weights. Make sure the weights are heavy and be sure to hit all body parts.
That’s all.
Some notes/tips about the above 2 steps:
- 800 calories is very little food, for any man, woman, or baby walrus. Because of this, I suggest that you only eat 1 meal per day a la Brad Pilon’s Eat Stop Eat. If you eat one 800 calorie meal per day, then you’ll at least feel somewhat satisfied, but if you split that up into 3 or even worse, 6 meals per day, then you’re not going to fare so well on this one week venture. Yes, this means that you will be fasting 24 hours every day for a whole week. Just remember, you will be burning fat, not muscle.
- Whenever possible, eat higher protein and eat foods with high water content such as fruits and soups. Also, drink lots of coffee and green tea, since they both tend to blunt hunger quite well.
- Stick with heavy compound exercises when in the gym. That means no curling and crunching, and if you even step foot on a treadmill, my dumbass radar will go off and I may have to kill you.
- If you can’t lift weights, then your next best option is to do some sort of bodyweight training. You know…exercises like squats, push-ups, lunges, pull-ups, sit-ups, etc..
- This is a mental game more than anything else. When you’re eating very few calories to lose weight faster, your mind starts playing tricks on you. Your stomach is gonna be grumbling more often. And there are gonna be times where you want nothing more than to self-sabotage yourself. Which is why the next point is so important.
- Above all, keep yourself distracted and out of the kitchen. If you’re constantly prancing around the kitchen and thinking about food, you’re going to fail. So keep yourself busy. Read a book, play some video games, take a nap, work on your tan, or shave your pubes. I don’t care. Just do something that doesn’t involve food.
- [EDIT 10/6/2014] I should also add that your protein intake needs to be HIGH. Like really high. In fact, the majority of your calories should probably come from protein, fruits, and veggies if you want this diet to be effective. The protein will help keep you full but more importantly also help maintain muscle.
Remember, this is only for one week
I just wanted remind you all, that this sort of extreme weight loss plan is only a temporary plan.
The results don’t have to be temporary, but the plan is. Please do not try and do this weight loss plan for more than a week.
Doing so is really going to mess with your head and you’ll most likely binge back to your original weight.
After one week, transition to a more moderate weight loss plan for the long haul.
I hope you guys now know how much weight you could lose in a week if went balls to the walls.
Want even better results? Take it to the next level with Fat Loss Boost
Many people have been asking me, “Can I do this for more than 7 days?”
Uh…
Yes and no.
Technically, you could eat 800 cals per day for a sustained period of time.
But sooner or later it’s gonna backfire on you.
If you want a more sustainable rapid fat loss plan…
Then I highly recommend checking out Fat Loss Boost.
This is a more long-term approach than the strategy I outlined in this blog post.
It’s a strategic rapid fat loss diet that works in 14 day cycles.
So you go hard on the diet for 14 days, lose a crap ton of weight, take a break, and repeat.
And the results from Fat Loss Boost are even better:
““I have been able to lose 10 pounds using this program. Starting weight 186. Weight this morning was 176.”
“I lost 12 lbs for my first attempt. Started at 201.7 and ended at 189.9. I am amazed!!! Thanks to everywhere for all the support and great hacks.”
“Ok people I’m done 😀. I hit 171.8 today, my goal was to break 172 on this round which was what I weighed almost ten years ago (lowest as an adult). That’s 30.2 lbs in just under 3 months.“
Pretty crazy, right?
Definitely give it a look if you want a realistic, yet challenging plan that burns fat faster than anything. you ever tried before.
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Questions? Like steak? Let me know down below.
I respond to (almost) every comment, which is pretty crazy considering there’s been over 3000 comments. Sigh…I need a hobby.
Hi! I’m getting Married in 10 days. I have been off and on for a year trying to lose weight. I’m 5’2 and just turned 50. I started out about a year ago at 150 lbs I’m now 130 and that happen in the first few months. I have been stuck at 130 forever!!!!!! My goal weight from the beginning was to be between 110 and 115. I’m desperate in this last 10 days! Today I had 2 slim fast Shakes 180 calories each… 2 hard boiled eggs and just now for dinner I had a chicken breast and roasted asparagus broccoli and tomato. That’s it besides water. Does that sound like it should work? I just don’t know what else to do! I have been stuck at 130 for so long it’s like a joke!
I would not drink the shakes. Instead, for breakfast have a boiled egg/half toast. Coffee/tea w diet sugar IF u like sweet. lunch;; soup, lettuce w lemon and a tiny bit of olive oil, a fruit. Dinner; beans or lentlls w some added rice VEry little oil. Oil is fattening. IF hungry when going to bed….look for something under 100 cal. Take a Gravol to go to sleep. Cut it in half as it may make you drowsy next day. Do this for one month. You may lose 10 pounds. Do not go over the 500cal daily. COUNT everything that you put n your mouth. I lost 1 pound a week. You may be get luckier and lose more!
Hi, I’m 13-year-old girl, 5’1 and I weigh 113 pounds. I’m looking to lose 13 pounds. I hate exercising so I am planning to only drink water every day and once I reach my goal weight I am planning to start to eat extremely little ( so I don’t gain the weight back) and work my way up to eating normally again. Do you think this will work?
Same reply I gave another girl your age:
Ok, this is a dangerous/delicate situation.
100000 times more dangerous because you’re 13. You haven’t even gone through puberty, there’s no reason for you to force yourself to lose 13 pounds.
– First off, stop only drinking water, in the long run you’re hurting your chances of losing weight.
– Stop starving yourself, don’t follow any of the advice in this article.
– Eat more fruits/veggies. Eat normal, healthy meals.
– Talk to your parents or someone older you trust. Please communicate with them and tell them about how you want to be healthier.
– DO NOT obsess about your weight at this age. Trust me, no one cares as much as you think. You’re not overweight and have a normal BMI. I don’t no why you want to lose so much weight but please be careful and safe.
That is so weird! I just turned 13 and I’m also 5’1 and I weight 112. I have actually had this weight loss since 5th grade. I had weighed 148 (yea I know, that’s a large amount for a 10 year old)I have lost 34 lbs since then though. I honestly just don’t feel good right now though because I just ate a lot at lest I feel like I did this is why I’m on this website. Anyway I feel like I’m gonna just starve myself tomorrow except for an apple (cuz duh an apple a day keeps the doctor away) and 8 glasses of water.
God dammit. Does no one read my comments.
I get it, when I was 13, I thought the way I looked was the end of the world and everyone was judging me. But no one cares more than you. You haven’t even gone through puberty. So I HIGHLY recommend from the bottom of my heart, do not just eat apples and water.
Keith that was deep and really heplpfull thank yo so much
im 16 and weigh 300+ and i really want to lose weight to better my self and be healthy should i follow the plan above or find another plan ?
You dont need to follow this plan but start cutting back on all the processed/junk foods you’re eating. The weight will easily fall off once your do that.
Hey I am 213 pounds and I am trying to get 197 in a week. If I do this but not eat and just stick to a green tea diet with lemon juice, apple vinegar and ginger tea with this will I lose it all in a week?
That’s not likely gonna happen. Eat 800 cals per day, do not just NOT eat and drink that stuff. You’ll lose a lot of weight but don’t obsess over 197.
What happens if you’re a teenager and continuously eat 500-600 calories a day?
You devoid yourself of nutrients. You develop a piss poor relationship with food that will likely lead to life-crippling mental problems till you’re 37 years old. Then you’ll realize how stupid it is to diet as a teenager. Then you’ll get married.
Not exclusively in that order.
I’m 16 years old, I’m 5’11,and I weigh 212, I want to be at least 195 in 2 weeks. If I just drink water and eat fruits and vegetables for the next 2 weeks will I reach my goal?
Please don’t do that. Def eat more fruits and veggies but don’t follow the plan I laid out in this article. You’re too young to be doing it.
I am afraid that your advice does not work for everyone. I starved myself to eat 500 cal a day. I did this few times in my life. I only lost 1 pound a week. Sorry to give you the bad news. I think that one would need to eat 500 al or Less without exercise for at least a month to lose 15 pounds.
Hello, I weigh 340. Roughly. I’ve lost 10 pounds. And I’m not sure how. I was wondering if you think this would work for me? Or would cutting out soda and limiting my junk food intake like I’ve done be all I need to do. I should mention that my job is in a factory. So. It’s requires alot of physical movement and lifting objects ranging from 65 pounds to 120 pounds.
Cutting out soda and junk food is an excellent start. I would start with that.
I have followed a high fat, and high protein diet for the past year. I’m 5’1 and was at my highest weight of 270lbs. Today I weigh 147lbs, and I’m still losing. I’m no longer diabetic, and have lots of energy. I guess you can say I’m more low carb than anything. Wish there was an option to post before and after pictures.
If I enjoy cardio, will it kill the plan to alternate cardio and weights? Also, I fast before and after my morning workout and only eat 1 meal around 5pm. On weekends, I “refeed”, but try to stay sensible rather than all-out cheat. Thoughts on this schedule for long-term health/weight loss?
The military diet for me is the best way to reduce weight
Hi, I’m 17 , I’m 5’4 , and African American, and I’m at 190 i want to weigh 120 – 130 but i don’t know how to kick start it off. I’m not depressed or anything but I would like to be smaller . Should I start off using the method in the article to as motivation then gradually change my diet or should I just work out alot? Asking for genuine aid. Anything would help.
Here’s what you do: for the next month, eat 1900 calories per day. That’s it. Don’t overcomplicate ANYTHING else.
OK, I am going to give this a shot on Valentines Day for one week. My weight today is 263.4. I have been on a healthy lifestyle change since January averaging 1200-1500 calories per day with 3 fun eat days (Dinner dates with wifey). I will post my weight loss results on 2.21.18. If you want to follow my weight loss plan and blog here it is. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/grpiii
Hey:) I’m almost 18, female, and around 170 lbs. If I still drink a gallon of water a day will it affect my ability to lose the fat? I’m not too obsessive about the numbers, I just want to get rid of the fat.
water isn’t what causes you to gain or lose weight. It’s your overall calorie intake.
This so much. I’m tired of people saying “if you eat healthy things like ____ then you’ll lose weight.” While that can be true in some cases there’s a misconception with eating healthy meaning losing weight. It’s even more simple than that. Eat 500-1000 less calories than your bmr and you’ll lose a pound a week at minimum if you stick through it. However there is a difference between eating 1300 calories of McDonald’s everyday for a month and eating “healthy” every day for a month, mostly nutritional, but also has a lot to do with glucose/sugars, and fats.
However if you go overboard, your body will switch into starvation mode, experts say anything less than 800-1000 calories per day can kickstart your body’s processes into it. What that means is your body makes ultra efficient use of the food and fat stores you have, so you end up rebounding with your weight.
During highschool (to lose a manner of 70-80 pounds I put on being bedridden and a runner,) I put myself on a diet of strictly rice, vitamins, eggs, and zero calorie tea. I was down from 240 to 180 in about a month, and in two months at 160. As soon as you break that diet though, eating more/less calories, thats where most people rebound.
Td:lr Keith is absolutely correct. Calories matter more than water intake/nutrition when it comes to losing weight. You can eat whatever you want and still lose weight if you’re careful with your caloric intake.
thanks man. I don’t quite get where the belief of water intake affects fat loss comes from.