Many trendy diets, workout plans and challenges out there advertise the ability to lose weight in 21 days. With that said, we asked health experts, dietitians, nutritionists and trainers if this popular numbered day amount is realistic, and more importantly, if it’s a healthy goal for anyone who wants to lose weight and not gain it back later. We checked in with Trista Best, registered dietitian, Izma Almasar, nutritionist and health specialist and Kristina Borseti, wellness coach and certified Pilates trainer to learn more.
So, How Might Someone *Healthily* Lose Weight In A 21-Day Period?
The general consensus among our sources is that it *is indeed possible* to lose weight in 21 days healthily, but a small amount. One way to get into meal planning, time management and to help learn other health skills involves intermittent fasting, which Best and Almasar recommend. Intermittent fasting allows you to set specific times for your meals, helping you form a reliable schedule, as experts often note that successful weight loss happens through consistency. This means that you’d have a set window for your meals, and fast (though still drinking plenty of water and exercising) during the remainder of time. If someone were to eat their meals in the frame of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for example, they would not eat in the other 16 hours.
“Intermittent fasting can be an effective means to achieve weight loss in under 30 days,” Best says. “It is most beneficial because it doesn't require significant cut backs on any macronutrient or calories.” She continues, adding that while the weight loss may occur slowly, the dieter can be confident that they are experiencing weight loss that will last rather than a rapid form of weight loss that will inevitably return. “It is important to remember your eating window should still include balanced meals,” adds Best.
It’s also important to note that this kind of “fasting” does not at all mean starving, as it is about training your body to adapt to scheduled meals rather than depriving it of them. This, Almasar explains, means that doing this within a 21 day period could allow you to see healthy weight loss and small changes while preparing your body to lose more gradually in the long run. “Intermittent fasting is a safe and healthy way to reduce body weight,” Almasar says. “You can choose a daily approach that limits daily eating for 8 hours and fasting for 16 hours. Eat normally during these periods and do not over- [or under] eat.”
Borseti advises looking to lose weight healthily by “digging a bit deeper as to why you actually want to lose the weight.” Then, she says, to reverse engineer the goal. “Break up a bigger goal into smaller ones and create milestones,” she says, like having your first milestone in 21-30 days. “Then create action items that will best suit this timeframe,” she says.
Something that happens to many of us during our weight loss journeys is skipping one meal and binging at another. In order to avoid this, Borseti says to remember to always eat breakfast, prepare lunches ahead of time and eat a portion-friendly dinner at least 2 hours before bed. “Try this for 21-30 days and you will see changes,” Borseti says. She concludes that it is possible to lose some weight in under 30 days but stresses to “be realistic, and encourage yourself to think a little deeper.”
