How I lost 3 kg in 3 weeks!
Posted by Mush Panjwani on April 10, 2010
I don’t believe in short-term weight loss programs. Even if you are successful in losing weight through a few weeks or months of a diet or exercise routine, you put it back on as soon you go back to your ‘normal’ lifestyle. That’s why it’s much better to make long-term lifestyle changes that you can live with, for example:
- Eat more fruits and vegetables; cut unhealthy fats and sugars, reduce processed food; eat slowly and in small portions…
- Make some exercise part of your routine, whether it’s walking, jogging, swimming or playing your favorite sports a few times every week…
- Learn to sleep well; reduce stress; maintain good posture…
- Know your ideal weight, considering your height and structure, and figure out the calories you can consume, considering the amount of exercise you can do. (Tough one!)
Having said all that, there are times when one needs to get rid of a few kilos quickly. I usually maintain my weight at 75 kg. But every once in a while, I find myself guilty of putting on an extra kilo or two. And for such occasions, I have figured out a diet that helps me lose one kilo per week, without starving or intense exercising.
During my recent trip to Dubai, Saudi and Cardiff, I let my guards down and ate big breakfasts, lunches and dinners; I didn’t exercise at all. I put on 3 kilos in 10 days! Here’s the diet that got me to lose the 3 kilos in 3 weeks:
- First breakfast around 7 AM: A glass of juice made from one apple, one carrot and one orange
- Second breakfast around 9 AM: A glass of skimmed milk and a banana
- Snack around 11 AM (if hungry): A handful berries or grapes
- Lunch around 1 PM: Any vegetable or beans salad, sometimes with tuna or salmon, but without any dressing. Or a vegetable sandwich
- Tea/coffee around 3 PM: With skimmed milk, without sugar
- Snack around 5 PM: Mixed nuts, unsalted, unprocessed, with raisins
- Dinner around 7 PM: Whatever has been prepared for the family meal – usually a curry of vegetables or beans or lentils, sometimes fish or chicken, minus the bread and rice.
- 6-8 glasses of water during the day
- No food allowed after dinner – home-made yogurt or a handful of dates when really hungry. It’s best to sleep early.
What about exercise? Just the usual 45-minute walk at night, plus a 2-hour hike once a week. What about dinner parties? Lentils, vegetables, salad, yogurt with a bit of chicken or fish – but no bread or rice.
I am not qualified to advise on food and nutrition, but wanted to share something that always works for me. It may or may not work for you, but what’s the worst thing that could happen? Questions? Comments?
anna said
I loved your post…there is no losing weight without exercising..i want to get rid of just 3kg but it sometimes feel like 100 kg and 100 years toward success..thank you for sharing this kind of diet.
Shreya said
I gained 3 kgs in a few days by getting back on my bad binging habits.. I dont know how to get rid of it.. I was losing weight before binging .. around ten kgs but i gained three back.. how shud i lose it? Any help? I’ve got my boards so I get all tensed and start eating every time I get back from school and then rush on my cosstrainer to exercise.. I guess I’m just lost by the aroma of food…. I want to get conscious again.. before its too late.. :’(
Mush Panjwani said
Shreya, try a ‘cheat day’ when you can binge on whatever you like, but the rest of the week must be the healthy and non-fat diet. Also, it’s better to make long-term changes to the diet, rather than committing to something that you can’t sustain in the long run. Hope that helps
Shreya said
Yea. You’re probably right.. I should try that… Thanks
lia said
very good advice .. I also lost 5 pounds this month, but honestly, because I take the medicine slimming body … a bad way, but fast
anna said
Yeahh..medicine are a fast ally!
Dave said
Nice one Mush, I think some of your other commenters are missing the point: a healthy long-term diet is ideal but sometimes we just want to lose a few kg quickly and your diet is excellent. I can’t imagine keeping that up for month after month but nor would you need to. Anyone should have enough willpower to follow your diet for a few weeks, after all it’s just going back to what we SHOULD be eating!
For the record: I have a similar goal – get back the 6-pack abs I had when I was 20, which at 47 years old and sitting in an office all day isn’t easy. For me that’s losing about 5kg (which I aim to replace with 5kg of muscle). Like you I have cut down my calorie intake, because that’s the key – fad diets don’t work, you just have to burn more calories than you take in. But I also set a goal of burning 1000 calories a day, so that’s usually rowing/running 10km during the day plus a gym workout at night. It works!
I hope anyone else reading this page is equally inspired. Anyone can do it.
Thanks,
Dave
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Sunita Saldhana said
Can someone please tell me how to manage when there are just two of us at home? My daughter needs to put on weight and I need to reduce.It’s so difficult managing menu’s that work for both.
sadaf said
Sunita, I would suggest you do the cooking for both but just add chapati or rice in her diet and you try and avoid it.
Cheers, Sadaf.
Sunita Saldhana said
Thanks Sadaf.
MarytheRapunzel said
Sentence of the week
“But every once in a while, I find myself guilty of putting on an extra kilo or two.”
the usage of guilty word is awesome!
I agree with Trevor; but as u don’t use rice and bread during your weight loss session. I would suggest to add atleast one thin brown chapati during a day which would be quite healthy addition in your meal. Or add a bowl of any cereal (wheat,oats etc).
thanks
Maryam.
Mush said
Tashfeen, bhoona gosht is ok, chatni is ok, but rogani naan is not
Sima, the 50% concept is interesting and i am sure it would work too!
Trevor, ‘controlling the triggers’… yes!
Trevor said
Hi Mush,
Congratulations! It’s not an easy thing to do. A couple of thoughts. You gained 3kg in 10 days…about 50-75% of that was water (there’s a good physiological reason for that) and losing the same 3kg was also probably about the same amount of water. It always happens in rapid weight gain or loss. Also consider carefully why you ate so much during your trip. You have a long life ahead of you and understanding why you did that and whether you can control those triggers has more to do with your long term health.
Sima said
Very healthy, I’m sure , but,man, I’d die on only berries and nuts ! Especially for breakfast. Juice is fine but need to have my toast and jam !(That’s probably why i haven’t lost 3 kg!) But — aha — i dont have lunch, just dates or a couple of biscuits, and then an early dinner (normal)
But for those who cant leave the usual food, try something else — reduce what ever you eat by 50%. Its been tried and tested (not by me though!)
Tashfeen said
it sounds v English….
wat abt our Bhona howa Gosht with rogani naan n chatnni:):):)lol
its gud 2 hav a healthy food but its a bit dffcult 4 us with a typical life style