8 week weight loss plan: How to lose 2 stone in 2 months

Want to learn how to lose 2 stone in 8 weeks in a way that's healthy and sustainable? Check out these meal plans, exercise plans and expert advice.

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If you want to know how to lose two stone in eight weeks, this carefully curated diet will take you through the steps to do it in a way that's healthy and sustainable in the short-term. 

Losing weight quickly is rarely advised, as it often involves some form of extreme dieting and intense exercise. Experts often warn this is one of the least sustainable ways to lose weight - as you're likely to put the weight back on as soon as you stop dieting. Instead, a combination of healthy weight loss techniques, maintenance and combatting the weight loss plateau is the best way forward.

Dietician Kimbeley Gomer explains, "An eight-week plan is a good start to obtaining sustainable weight loss. The research is crystal clear that 98% of people who go on a weight loss diet will gain back the weight (and many times more) in two years, so the goal is not to lose weight fast, but to lose weight in the most sustainable, healthy way possible." She adds, "One of the big mistakes is following a plan that is too restrictive. The goal is never to be hungry because hunger will always win. Willpower doesn't work - we run out of it. The most effective way to stay full and satisfied is to eat foods with low calorie density and high nutrient density."

With this approach, losing two stone (12.7kg or 28 pounds) in a short space of time is doable, according to Personal Trainer Claire Smith from The Training Room - and doing so doesn't have to be an intensely restrictive process. Claire suggests, "Look at it as a lifestyle change rather than crash dieting – this way it is more sustainable too. A fat loss of between one to two pounds a week is the most healthy and safe. It may be that more weight is lost within the first two weeks and it’s important to create healthy habits rather than drastically cutting calories or cutting out a whole macronutrient, such as carbohydrates."

How to lose 2 stone in 8 weeks

To lose any weight (and keep it off), you have to be in a calorie deficit. This essentially means consuming a fewer number of calories than the number of calories you burn a day. Many popular diets use this method for weight loss, such as the Fast 800 diet.

The eight-week weight loss plan for losing two stone is divided into four stages, each one carefully designed to limit your calorie intake. Each stage also comes with exercises that start gently and gradually build up to help burn those calories. By week seven, you'll be on a beginners' running guide, plus skipping and swimming during the week.

Kimberly recommends eliminating alcohol and fast food from your diet as a starting point, and limiting the number of times you eat out at restaurants. Why not try buying a bottle of the best non-alcoholic wine to help reduce your alcohol intake?

"Restaurants add tons of salt, sugar, and oil to food," she explains. She goes on to recommend picking one or two meals per week that you don't make at home, and figuring out ahead of time which restaurants can provide you with the healthiest options.

A close p of a person using a knife and fork to eat a salad

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Tips for an 8-week weight loss plan

  • Concentrate on eating whole, unprocessed foods - these will fill you up better
  • Include as many vegetables as possible a possible in meals - they are low in calories but will still fill you up
  • Each meal should consist of vegetables as the biggest part of the meal, along with protein, starch/grains, and fruit
  • Overt or added fats (avocado, oil, nuts/seeds, nut butters, etc.) should be limited in the eight week plan, but healthy fats may be added later
  • Don't eat in front of the TV or computer - this will allow you to better concentrate on eating when you are hungry and stopping when you are full

Is it possible to lose two stone in two months?

As a general rule, it is recommended that people looking to lose weight aim to lose one to two pounds per week, meaning losing two stone would take anywhere between 14 to 28 weeks. 

If you're someone who is not used to planning calorie-restricted meals or exercising very regularly, an eight-week plan may not come easily at first. Claire advises, "It could be that you lose two stone in two months, depending on your metabolism, starting weight and physical activity levels – however, it is more realistic to be aiming for one stone in that same time period and anything you can lose above that is a bonus."

Meanwhile, Kimberley adds that taking the same approach won't work for everyone. "In my experience, clients who come to me for weight loss have different weight loss personalities," she explains. "There are those that are highly motivated, type A people who do better with a written out specific meal plan, while others have more success making gradual changes. Both ways can result in weight loss success."

She adds, "It also depends on where a person is starting from, how much weight they want or need to lose, and how motivated they are to make a lifestyle change. It has been established that traditional dieting results in failure at weight loss sustainability, so thinking instead about weight loss success needs to include not only a food plan but also attention to lifestyle."

You should also bear in mind that because the number of calories you burn in a day differs from person to person - based on factors like age, height and starting weight - you should use a calorie deficit calculator before starting the plan.

And remember, the NHS recommends a daily calorie intake of 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men. Always seek medical advice before taking on any new diet or exercise plan.

8 week diet plan: Lose 2 stone in 8 weeks

Meal plans for weeks 1 and 2

Breakfast:

  • Porridge with raspberries (109 calories)
  • Overnight oats with raspberries (196 calories)
  • Poached eggs on toast (189 calories)
  • Mixed berry and yogurt smoothie (89 calories)
  • Banana and honey (99 calories)

Lunch:

Miso noodle bowl

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Dinner:

Snacks:

Exercise: To get started, PT Claire says, "In terms of a basic plan for weight loss, I’d suggest a full-body programme as follows, which can be progressed by splitting it into separate upper and lower-body sessions so that the person is doing more exercises per muscle group. Cardiovascular (CV) training can be progressed by lengthening the time, intensity or even starting to do high-intensity interval training (HIIT)."

Here’s an example of a full-body programme you could try:

Credit: GoodtoKnow / The Training Room

Meal plans for weeks 3 and 4

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Vegetable tortilla

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dinner:

Snacks:

Quick pitta pizzas

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Exercise: The national Physical Activity Guidelines recommend that adults and older adults (aged 19 and over) aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (including swimming, brisk walking and cycling) or at least 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise per week (including running and sports) or a combination of both.

Claire says that building strength over the eight-week period is also essential, "to keep muscles, bones and joints strong and minimise sedentary time (e.g. hours glued to your desk) by breaking up periods of inactivity. Doing all of this will most certainly help you to lose weight over a two-month period." 

Meal plans for weeks 5 and 6

Breakfast:

Lunch:

Dinner:

Pasta with cherry tomatoes

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Snacks:

  • Energy balls (106 calories)
  • Banana smoothie (165 calories)
  • Super greens dip (62 calories) with 4 x cracked black pepper Rivita crackers (136 calories)
  • Spicy baked chickpeas (70 cals)

Exercise: Once you've got the cardio and beginners' strength training under your belt, Claire says, "try to do functional functional exercises which help with active daily living as well as compound exercises that work multiple joints and muscle groups – examples are squats, lunges and press-ups.

"You can get your daily steps by walking instead of driving and taking the stairs instead of using the lift. Keep things simple and take things one at a time to create the habit, then move onto the next stage."

Meal plans for weeks 7 and 8

Breakfast:

  • Bran Flakes with skimmed milk (166 calories)
  • 1/2 grapefruit and 1 toasted teacake (216 calories)
  • 2 slices of toast with 100g grilled tomatoes (125 calories)
  • Boiled egg with toast soldiers (285 calories)
  • Banana smoothie (165 calories)

Banana smoothie

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Lunch:

Dinner:

  • Chicken stir fry (various)
  • Honey and mustard marinated roast salmon (438 calories)
  • Cheese and tomato bake (481 calories)
  • Sausage, mushroom and bean stew (440 calories) - swap out the sausage for a non-meat version to make this dish vegan.
  • Wild mushroom risotto (317 calories)

Snacks:

  • Protein bar (around 300 calories)
  • Energy balls (106 calories)
  • Banana smoothie (165 calories)
  • Super greens dip (62 calories) with 4 x cracked black pepper Rivita crackers (136 calories)
  • Spicy baked chickpeas (70 cals)

Exercise: If you're looking for new exercise plans devised by experts that can help you target your weight loss goals, there are a number of free apps you can try.

As Claire says, "The best thing to do is to take baby steps because a drastic change will possibly lead to a return to an unhealthy lifestyle. By taking it one step at a time, you will ensure that your new normal is sustainable."

If you're looking for more weight loss advice, we've rounded up a list of diets that work fast and the best fat-burning foods. You might also be interested to know what reverse dieting is and how to do the 7-day detox plan.

Kimberly Gomer
Kimberly Gomer MS,RD,LD/N

Kimberly is a dietitian with a Master's in Nutrition in private practice. She has 25 years of experience in coaching clients for health and wellness with a speciality in weight management, diabetes, insulin resistance, and healthy living. She was previously the Director Of Nutrition at the Pritikin Longevity Center for 10 years, before opening her own private practice. She also serves as the Director of Nutrition at Body Beautiful Miami.

Ellie Hutchings
Ellie Hutchings
Family News Editor

Ellie is GoodtoKnow’s Family News Editor and covers all the latest trends in the parenting world - from relationship advice and baby names to wellbeing and self-care ideas for busy mums. Ellie is also an NCTJ-qualified journalist and has a distinction in MA Magazine Journalism from Nottingham Trent University and a first-class degree in Journalism from Cardiff University. Previously, Ellie has worked with BBC Good Food, The Big Issue, and the Nottingham Post, as well as freelancing as an arts and entertainment writer alongside her studies. When she’s not got her nose in a book, you’ll probably find Ellie jogging around her local park, indulging in an insta-worthy restaurant, or watching Netflix’s newest true crime documentary.