Lose 20 Pounds in 50 Days with WeightWatchers (WW)

WeightWatchers (now known as WW) can be a useful tool in weight loss, as the program encourages steady results. Instead of eliminating whole food groups, the WW system assigns points for different types of foods based on calories and nutrients. Each person has their own points and can adapt their diet accordingly. “Fad diets are tempting, but they’re not sustainable over the long run,” says Angela Goscilo, MS, RD, senior manager of nutrition at WeightWatchers. While the WW method is very effective, certain things can help the process along. Here’s how to lose 20 pounds in 50 days with WeightWatchers.

Drink More Water

Shutterstock

Drinking water is helpful for weight loss in more than one way. Water is calorie-free, so it’s a great alternative to sugary, high-calorie beverages such as alcohol or sodas. “Drinking more water can help with satiety,” board-certified obesity medicine doctor Vivek Gupta, MD, MPH, tells WW.

Have a Protein-Packed Breakfast

Shutterstock

Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to eat less throughout the day. “To get the most nutrient bang for your breakfast buck and start your day on a high note, choose foods with a mix of carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber,” says Henry Ford Health. “Carbs will give you energy right away, protein will sustain you through the morning, and the fiber will help you feel full for at least a few hours (probably more).”

Watch Out For Added Sugars

Shutterstock

Added sugars are bad for your waistline and your health. Instead of eating sugary ultra-processed foods, have fruit. Although fruits have natural sugars, they are also packed with antioxidants, fiber, and other nutrients.

Eat More Fiber

Shutterstock

“Most processed foods, ultra-processed foods, and beverages do not contain fiber or minimal fiber, making them accessible to absorbable high-calorie content [calorie-dense foods] and favoring obesity,” says the Obesity Medicine Association. “Natural alternatives are ideal high-fiber foods for weight loss.”

Track Your Food

Shutterstock

Tracking your food is helpful for weight loss. “Registry showed that 74.4% of members who lost at least 20 pounds on WeightWatchers and kept it off for at least a year track their food most of the time or all of the time,” according to WW. Keep a journal or use an app to stay on top of your intake.

RELATED:I Lost 13 Pounds in 4 Weeks With These 14 Changes

Set Realistic Goals

Shutterstock

Making huge drastic changes is often unsustainable in the long run. By setting realistic goals that set you up to succeed, you will be motivated to keep going. Remember, it’s not just about losing weight but keeping it off.

Prep Your Meals

Shutterstock

Prepping and planning meals can help you stick to the program. "Many times unhealthy foods are chosen because of convenience," registered dietitian Silvia Veri tells Corewell Health. "If we can take the time out to plan meals, write a grocery list and have fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans available, they will become convenient and eaten more often."

Move Your Body

Shutterstock

Moving your body throughout the day burns extra calories and positively impacts your mental health. Just walking more and sitting less is great for weight loss and for your mood. Find ways to get extra steps in wherever you can—every little bit helps.

RELATED:20 Surprising Foods That Shrink Abdominal Fat in 60 Days

Be Mindful of Portions

Shutterstock

Are you aware of what a portion size is? Knowing what a typical plate of food looks like can help prevent overeating. After a while, it will become second nature.

Lift Weights

Shutterstock

Lifting weights not only supports bone health and overall strength, it encourages fat burning even at rest. “Certain strength training exercises, such as push-ups and squats, are especially effective at helping you burn fat and build muscle because they target multiple body parts at once,” says the University of Maryland Medical System. “Strength training circuits can help boost your calorie burn by getting your heart rate up and serving as a way to do both cardio and strength at the same time.”

Get Good Sleep

Shutterstock

Healthy adults need at least 7 hours of sleep every night for optimum health and wellness. Studies show poor sleep can undermine weight loss and fat burning in a number of different ways: Sleep impacts appetite and cortisol spikes can encourage belly fat accumulation.

RELATED:14 Ways to Naturally Suppress Your Appetite and Lose Weight

Watch Those Pours

Shutterstock

Be careful about your alcohol intake while trying to lose weight. The extra calories really add up even without mixers, and as they are empty calories, you get no nutrition out of them. Alcohol is also notorious for disrupting sleep. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

YouTuber Ashley (@Fairley Simple Life) lost 10 pounds in 30 days using the most simple, easy, and straightforward methods ever. She makes the point that it’s not something that happens overnight, and by taking it slow and steady, she reached her weight loss goals in a reasonable amount of time and couldn’t be happier with the results. So, how exactly did she do it? Ashley says it’s down to two specific things. Read on to find out more!

Walking 10K Steps a Day

Shutterstock

Ashley made sure to hit 10k steps every single day. Walking has many benefits for overall health, wellness, and fitness. “Physical activity, such as walking, is important for weight control because it helps you burn calories,” says Donald Hensrud, M.D. via Mayo Clinic. “If you add 30 minutes of brisk walking to your daily habits, you could burn about 150 more calories a day. Of course, the more you walk and the quicker your pace, the more calories you'll burn.”

Weight Watchers

Shutterstock

Ashley used Weight Watchers (WW) to get her diet under control and stay in a deficit. “WW is a weight loss program that uses a combination of simplified food tracking and support from coaches and other members to help people lose weight,” Cara Everett, MS, RDN, LDN, says via NCOA. “The company claims you can lose 1–2 pounds per week on the program, which is a safe rate of weight loss according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

Slow and Steady

Shutterstock

By losing 10 pounds in one month, Ashley was only slightly ahead of the official guidelines for 1-2 pounds a month for safe, sustainable weight loss. By using WW, she enjoyed real foods while still dropping pounds. “Don’t have a dieting mentality,” obesity medicine physician Jeffrey McDaniel, MD, tells Piedmont Health. “Have a lifestyle-change mentality.”

Interval Walking

Shutterstock

By focusing on walking, Ashley simplified her workouts and made weight loss easier. Walking can be adapted if you want to burn even more calories. “You can also alternate periods of brisk walking with leisurely walking,” say the experts at the Mayo Clinic. “This type of interval training has many benefits, such as improving cardiovascular fitness and burning more calories than regular walking. And interval training can be done in less time than regular walking.”

Don’t Feel Restricted to 10K

Shutterstock

If you want to walk more than 10k steps a day, go for it. The more calories burned, the faster the weight will come off. What’s important is moving throughout the day. “It takes effort, but we can accumulate 15,000 steps a day by walking briskly for two hours at about a four-mile-per-hour pace,” Dr. William Tigbe, a physician and public health researcher at the University of Warwick, tells the New York Times. “This can be done in bits. Our metabolism is not well-suited to sitting down all the time.”

Incline Walking

Shutterstock

Want to give your walking workouts an edge? Start walking on an incline. “The higher you set the incline, the more energy your body is forced to use to help activate your glutes, quadriceps, and calves, all of which have to put in overtime when the incline is increased,” certified personal trainer Chrys Crockett tells NBC News. “This increase of energy burns more calories and, depending on your weight and cardiovascular endurance, can also burn more fat.”

RELATED: 7 Proven Tips to Build Muscle After 45 (And No, It’s Not Too Late)

Track Your Food

Shutterstock

One way to make your WW experience more successful is to track exactly what you are eating. “Registry showed that 74.4% of members who lost at least 20 pounds on WeightWatchers and kept it off for at least a year track their food most of the time or all of the time,” according to WW.

Meal Prep

Set yourself up for success by planning your meals ahead. “When you’re busy and don’t know what’s for dinner, it’s more tempting to go for the easy option, like the restaurant drive-through, rather than the more time-intensive choice of thinking about what to cook, ensuring you have the ingredients on hand, and making a meal at home,” says WW. And if you enjoyed this article, take advantage of these 15 Quick Ways to Lose Body Fat Percentage in a Week.

Looking to lose weight fast? Soraya (@project.s.lifestyle) is a weight loss coach and TikTok influencer with a massive following on social media. In her many viral videos she shares tips on how to lose weight and get into the best shape of your life. In one of them, she revealed a few ways to lose weight fast – in both sustainable and unsustainable ways. “If you want to lose weight fast for a special occasion, here's exactly what you need to do,” she says in the clip. We also asked The Diet Diva, Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian, to weigh in on her approach.

Intermittent Fast and Cut Out Fast Food

The first thing you need to do? “Cut out all fast food and limit your eating window from 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM and only have two meals within that time frame,” she says.

Related: Blogilates Creator Cassey Ho Reveals Abs in “Fairytale” Running Shorts

Run a Mile a Day and Do 10 Minutes of Ab Work Daily

Shutterstock

Next up, exercise. According to Soraya you need to “run a mile a day and do 10 minutes of abs right before bed.”

Weigh Yourself Daily

Shutterstock

Finally, “number three, weigh yourself every single day in the morning to keep track of your daily progress,” Soraya says.

If You Do That, You Will Lose Weight, But Likely Gain It Back

project.s.lifestyle/TikTok

“Now, if you do this, you will lose weight fast, but you know what else? At some point you're going to get overwhelmed, exhausted, have overwhelming cravings, go right back to old habits and regain the weight, if not even more weight,” she continues. “On top of that, it'll worsen your relationship with food and create a really toxic relationship with the scale. So forget all that,” she says.

Calorie Deficit with Foods You Enjoy

Shutterstock

“If you want to lose weight and actually keep it off for good, here's what you need to do,” she continues, offering a few healthier weight loss methods. “Number one, eat in a healthy deficit and include foods that you actually enjoy,” she says.

Work Out Three to Four Times a Week

Shutterstock

“Number two, get three to four workouts in per week,” Soraya says, adding that you need to strength train.

Walk 30 Minutes a Day

Shutterstock

“Number three, walk 30 minutes every day,” she concludes.

Related: I Got My Best Body After 50 and Here’s How You Can, Too

RDN Says: Thumbs Up

dietdivatara/Instagram

Collingwood says that Soraya’s advice “is very practical and not extreme,” and overall, gives it a thumbs up. “Incorporating walking, exercise, strength training, etc. along with reducing calories makes perfect sense,” she says. However, “there is no need to do abs right before bed…any time of the day will work.” She also likes that she is encouraging eating foods you enjoy. “She isn’t really giving major guidelines around portions or frequency, so some people might have a hard time with knowing exactly how much they can eat and still lose weight. She is encouraging only a 6 hour eating window which is pretty strict. I tend to recommend at least an 8 hour window and more like a 10-12 hour window of fasting each day.”

💪🔥Body Booster: The less restrictive a weight loss diet you commit to, the more likely you are to stick to it.