How to Lose 30 Pounds in 2 Weeks (Without Exercise?)

Need to lose 30 pounds in only 2 weeks? Now, this might not even seem possible but it’s achievable under the right circumstances and if you’re doing what works to get results.

Now it doesn’t matter if you have a big vacation coming up or if you bet your friend that you could do it. To lose 30 pounds you’re going to have to take things up a notch. Weight loss itself isn’t very easy for most people and to lose 30 in only 2 weeks is going to be hard (1). But with that said it doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

If you’re looking for tips on how to lose 30 pounds in 14 days then you’re going to get better than that. I’m going to share with you a complete plan of action you can use to get the results you want. But with that said there are a few circumstances that you’ll have to have for it to work effectively.

This plan of action will work if you want to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks but it’s going to require a lot of consistency and commitment. That’s because losing 30 pounds in that short of a time frame isn’t going to be easy. But if you fit under the right criteria and are ready to put in the work then you can definitely drop those 30 pounds in only 2 weeks.

Is It Healthy to Lose 30 Pounds That Fast?

Lose 30 pounds for a woman

The truth is people have lost a lot more weight in a shorter time frame and were totally fine (2). I know losing weight so rapidly can be frowned upon but at the end of the day, it’s going to be healthier than keeping that weight on your body.

Plus losing a lot of weight rapidly has been found to increase motivation to keep going (3). Those who succeeded with rapid weight loss were more likely to keep losing weight than those who didn’t get many results initially. It’s not surprising that you lose motivation if you put in the work but don’t have any results to show for it (4). So following a 2-week diet and exercising plan that’s more on the extreme side can lead to better long term results.

But with that said you’re also going to have to keep in mind you can’t keep this 2-week diet and exercise plan going forever. I know the huge initial weight loss is going to be very motivating but it’s going to end up wearing you down in the long run (5). So it’s going to be best to not burn yourself out by keeping this diet and exercise plan going longer than a couple of weeks. It’ll be best after the 2 weeks are up to start scaling back the diet plan.

Just make sure you don’t end up going off the deep end after the 2 weeks are up. Far too many people end up binging and throwing their diet plans out the window after the 2 weeks are up. This leads to yo-yo weight gains and studies have found this to not be very healthy (6). You could end up losing more lean and toned muscle mass (7). This can lead you to become skinny fat which can also cause more serious health problems like cardiovascular disease (8).

Without Exercise? Yep but Gotta Cut Calories

cutting calories

So if you want to lose 30 pounds in 2 weeks without exercise then you’re going to have to cut your calories. There are no two ways about it you can’t lose that much weight in such a short time if you’re not in a caloric deficit. Your calorie intake needs to be significantly lower than your metabolic rate to lose weight that fast.

To find out your metabolic rate go here and it’ll calculate how many calories your body burns throughout the day. This will give you a ballpark number to work with to figure out how many calories you need to lower every day. Ideally, you’d be able to go for a little while tracking your calories and see how your body responds. But since you only have a couple of weeks then you’re just going to have to use this number as a starting point.

So let’s say your basal metabolic rate is 2400 calories. The next step is to figure out how many calories you need to lower this number to be in a caloric deficit big enough to lose the 30 pounds in 2 weeks. Now it’s a lot more complicated and there’s more involved but to make things easy you’ll need to put your body in a 6000 calorie deficit to lose 2.2 pounds.

So if you then divide 30 pounds by the 2.2 you’ll get 13.64. Then multiply this number by your metabolic rate (2400) you’ll find out you need to cut 27,280 calories in 2 weeks. This comes to about 1950 calories per day…

This means you can only eat about 450 calories a day if you’re not exercising. So I can only recommend that it’s best if you add in some exercise like walking, running, biking, etc. That way you can burn off even more calories that won’t have to come out of your diet.

Cut Your Carb Intake

One of the tricks of the trade to lose weight quickly is to lower your carbohydrate intake (9). You’ll not only flush out much of the water weight but you’ll also burn through more of your fat stores. Your body first burns calories from carbs and sugars so you’ll end up burning through your fat last. So once you cut out those carbs and sugars your body will begin to prioritize using your fat stores for fuel.

I’m not very big on the keto diet since it’s not sustainable in the long run. Cutting out carbs and sugars forever isn’t something most people are likely to stick with for the rest of their lives. But significantly cutting down on your carb and sugar intake is more than doable. It’ll promote healthy blood sugar levels which works very well with a low calorie intake on a weight loss diet.

Make sure you’re tracking your calories every day with a nutrition tracking app such as MyFitnessPal. This will give you a close estimate of how many calories and carbs you’re putting in your body. I know it can seem like a pain to have to record everything you eat but it’s going to be critical to do so over the next 2 weeks. Studies have found people drastically underestimate their food intake (10).

I’ve had clients who asked me why they weren’t losing weight. It became obvious when I had them write down everything they were eating for a few days. The foods they chose to eat were significantly higher in calories and carbs than they should have been eating. So I’d keep your carb intake under 20% over the next couple of weeks or maybe closer to 10%.

One trick I’ve been using is to take Keto Elevate in the morning. It contains highly effective ketones that signal for your body to start burning your fat stores for energy. This kicks your body into “keto mode” so you can get even better results in a shorter time. I just add a scoop to my morning cup of coffee.

No Liquid Calories

An easy way to cut out those excess calories to lose 30 pounds is to drop the liquid calories. Instead, drink plenty of water along with the above eating habits. This means no soda, fruit juices, smoothies, milkshakes, etc.

If you have to drink soda then go for a zero-calorie diet version. I know these aren’t the greatest in the world especially when it comes to long-term weight loss. But since you’ll be on this for 2 weeks it’ll be a much wiser decision than going with a high-calorie and sugary soda.

Now you should be eating more protein in your diet over the next couple of weeks to make up for the loss in carbs. High protein diets have been found to cause more weight loss since your metabolism has to work harder to process them compared to fats or carbs (11). Plus high protein diets lead to leaner bodies since your muscle needs it to build itself (12). And higher-protein helps to keep you feeling fuller for longer which can keep those cravings at bay (13).

If you’re having trouble getting in enough protein then go with a low carb protein shake. This will not only give you a big boost in protein but it’ll also keep your carbs and calories super low. I’ll usually go with a low carb protein shake instead of having a meal at lunch or dinner if I’m trying to lose weight.

At Home? Then Skip the Weight Training

It might sound like the opposite of what you should be doing but over the next 2 weeks try skipping the weight and resistance training workouts. Since you’re trying to drop weight so fast it’s best to not add on more muscle during this time. One of the reasons the scale can lie to you is by not going down when you’re working out with resistance training.

This is because your body could be burning fat and gaining lean muscle. Now you want muscle, especially in the long run. It’ll tone up and shape your body. If you don’t add on any muscle then you could easily become skinny fat. This is when you might appear to be thin but your body is mushy, dimply, and unshaped from lack of muscle tone.

So instead add in more cardio to burn through extra calories. Even if you go on a walk for a couple of miles a day. This is going to go a long way to lose 30 pounds then lying in bed all day. It’s best to keep moving and live an active lifestyle if you want to keep burning through calories. This is one of the tricks of naturally thin people… just keep moving all the time!

Running, walking, bicycling, swimming, stair climbing, hiking, jump roping, etc. are all great body weight ways to get in your cardio. Wearing an Apple Watch is a great way to track how many calories you’re burning in a workout. This gives you a number that you can use to see if you’re still on track to lose 30 pounds.

How can I lose 30 pounds quickly?

Even though it’s going to be tough it’s more than achievable to lose 30 pounds in a short time. But it’s going to be easier if you have more weight to lose. If you only have 10-30 pounds total to lose then it’s going to be more difficult than those who have 50+ pounds to lose. This is because your body is going to quickly drop this excess weight once you start cutting back on calories and adding in exercise. This is one of the reasons why it can be so difficult for many to lose those last stubborn pounds.

The Last Word

At the end of the day, it’s going to be tough to lose 30 pounds in such a short time frame. If you’ve never dieted before or worked out then it can seem like even more than a challenge. Instead, you might want to try to only lose 10 pounds or 20 pounds.

But if you’re set to lose 30 pounds then it’s something that can be done. Especially if you already have a lot of weight to lose. Just keep in mind you’re really going to have to change your eating habits every day to avoid any weight gain. Processed foods, fast food, and potato chips shouldn’t be making an appearance over the next 2 weeks.

Be sure to also keep track of your sleep schedule. You’ll lose more weight the better quality of sleep you’re getting. One of my hidden weight loss strategies is to simply sleep better. It’ll instantly lower your stress levels and promote a strong healthy metabolism. Plus you’ll have more self-control over the increased hunger you’ll feel while dieting.

I know it might seem crazy to only eat about 500 calories per day to lose 30 pounds. But if you simply add in some exercise you could lose 30 pounds much easier. But if you want to lose 30 pounds without exercise then you’re going to have to drastically cut back your calories.