If you’re just starting your weight loss diet, you may wonder how quickly you can drop the pounds.  Is it possible to lose a bunch of weight in a span of 48 hours if you’re very strict and you never cheat? Can you go to extremes for a short time and come out slimmer on the other side?

Unfortunately, the answer is ‘no’.  No matter what various pills, products, and fad diets may tell you, the odds that you will lose any real amount of weight during a 48 hour period are terrible.  Moreover, any pounds you do lose after starting your weight loss diet in such a way will likely be water weight, not body fat, and will return as soon as you become hydrated again.

Starting Your Weight Loss Diet on the Right Foot

The rule of thumb for most healthy people is to aim to lose up to two pounds per week.  This allows you to make healthy, gradual lifestyle changes and maintain a steady fat burning rate.  One pound of fat is equal to about 3,500 calories, technically speaking.  In theory, this would mean that you’d need to have a calorie deficit of 7,000 calories in order to burn two pounds in 48 hours.  Yes, there is a bit more that goes into it than strict numbers, but this represents the concept at its most basic numbers.

If you’ve ever looked into what it would take to burn 7,000 calories more than you consume, you’ll see why it’s simply not realistic to think that you could achieve that goal in any safe, healthy and realistic way, particularly with the intention of keeping it off.

What Can You Do to Rev Up Your Diet?

Even if 48 hour extreme crash dieting isn’t for you, this doesn’t mean that you can’t use the first two days to your full advantage. Jump starting your weight loss diet can help to make sure you’re on the right track, in the right mindset and that your body is ready for what you have in store.

Consider the following tips to help you in starting your weight loss diet in the most beneficial way for you:

• Eat lots and lots of veggies at each meal and snack.
• Stay hydrated.
• Be physically active – but honor your fitness level so you don’t hurt yourself
• Focus on nutrient density and balance
• Track your nutrition with an app or web-based program
• Find a buddy with similar health values
• Plan your meals ahead of time, make a grocery list and stick to it.