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.
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:
- Quorn lunch bowl (161 calories)
- Green miso noodle bowl (198 calories)
- Mediterranean vegetable chilli (190 calories)
- Pork pittas with mango and pomegranate salsa (222 calories)
- Tuna and red pesto pasta (370 calories)
Dinner:
- Wholewheat spaghetti with roasted vegetables (400 calories)
- Wild mushroom risotto (317 calories)
- One-pot tuna puttanesca (429 calories)
- Lemon chicken and rice stir-fry (204 calories)
- Chinese vegetable chow-mein (170 cals)
Snacks:
- Medium apple with 2tbsp peanut butter (283 calories)
- Energy balls (106 calories)
- Banana smoothie (165 calories)
- Red pepper hummus (128 calories per portion) with 4 x cracked black pepper Ryvita crackers (136 calories)
- Baked chickpeas (71 calories)
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:
Meal plans for weeks 3 and 4
Breakfast:
- Strawberry and rhubarb breakfast bars (388 calories)
- Scrambled eggs and mushrooms (91 calories)
- Boiled egg with toast soldiers (285 calories)
- Alpen No Added Sugar cereal (199 calories)
- Kiwi, Greek yogurt and blueberries (95 calories)
Lunch:
- Spring vegetable soup (130 calories)
- Chicken pittas (176 calories)
- Winter root vegetable tagine (353 calories)
- Vegetable tortilla (390 calories)
- Rainbow cabbage salad (129 calories)
Dinner:
- Smoked salmon stir-fry (429 calories)
- Roast lamb with potatoes and rosemary (381 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.
- Split pea and vegetable curry (300 calories)
Snacks:
- Homemade cheese straws (40 calories each)
- Quick pizza (218 calories)
- Super greens dip (62 calories) with 4 x cracked black pepper Rivita crackers (136 calories)
- Spicy baked chickpeas (70 cals)
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:
- Spinach omelette - 1 medium egg, 60g of spinach (94 calories)
- Two crumpets with butter (183 calories)
- Blueberry Bircher muesli (105 calories)
- Grapefruit, satsuma and pomegranate (75 calories)
- Mixed spice museli (424 calories)
Lunch:
- Tarka dahl (137 calories)
- Sweet potato pasta (198 calories)
- Baked stuffed peppers (240 calories)
- Minestrone soup recipe (190 calories)
- Leek and potato soup (140 calories)
Dinner:
- Salmon and potato salad (470 calories)
- Pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes (473 calories)
- Steak with reduced fat chips (425 calories)
- Tuna and tomato calzone (410 calories)
- Lean lamb chop with couscous (560 calories)
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)
Lunch:
- Pitta pesto pizza (500 calories)
- Salmon and scrambled egg bagels (639 calories)
- Tuna and red pesto pasta (370 calories)
- Mixed bean salad (180 calories)
- Bacon and broccoli pasta salad (340 calories)
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.
- Freeletics Fitness: Apple, Google Play
- Nike Training Club: Apple, Google Play
- Workout Trainer: Apple, Google Play
- 7 Minute Workout: Apple, Google Play
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 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.
