Lose 5lbs In A Week Without Exercise: 8 Steps That ACTUALLY Work

You can lose weight without exercise. In fact, you can actually drop a few pounds in just a week if you follow the right steps.

As a certified personal trainer, these are the exact eight steps I recommend to clients looking to lose weight quickly, be it to kickstart a longer weight loss journey, make weight for a competition, or achieve a slightly leaner look for a photoshoot.

Brief disclaimer: This type of weight loss mostly results from the loss of water and glycogen and is not pure fat loss.

Key Takeaways

• Weight loss requires a calorie deficit (eating fewer calories than you burn). The best way to maintain one is to track your nutrition with an app like MacroFactor.

• Additional steps that help you lose weight more quickly include cutting out added sugars (for glycogen and water loss), reducing your sodium intake and drinking enough water (to avoid water retention), eating more protein (to burn a few extra calories during digestion and feel fuller), and avoiding alcohol.

• Improving your sleep is also highly beneficial for short- and long-term weight loss, as it helps keep ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol under control. These three hormones play a major role in appetite, metabolic health, and keeping your body from retaining water.

8 Steps to Losing 5 Lbs in the Next Week

Step 1: Track Your Food With the Right App

Recommended App: MacroFactor

Use code FEASTGOOD for a 2-week free trial with MacroFactor

Whether you’re looking to lose 5, 15, or 50 pounds, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn, also known as creating a calorie deficit.

Without a deficit, none of the following steps are going to work as well, and you won’t physically be able to shed any fat.

Being in a calorie deficit forces your body to break down fat and lean mass (like muscle) to get the energy it needs. For example, if your body burns 2,800 calories daily but you only eat 2,300, you’re in a 500-calorie deficit.

The simplest way to create a deficit is by following the old advice: eat less and move more. However, this method is not that accurate and often leads to creating a much bigger calorie deficit than needed. As a result, you’re hungry, tired, moody, and risk losing valuable muscle mass.

The better option is to track what you consume (food and beverages with calories) using a nutrition app like MacroFactor. Doing so allows you to eat as many calories as possible while still gradually shedding body fat. That way, you’re not constantly hungry or drained, which makes it way easier to stick with it and actually hit your long-term goals.

A nutrition tracker also lets you monitor your macronutrient intake,meaning carbohydrates, protein, and fats. All of which serve unique and important functions in your body.

For instance, MacroFactor provides calorie and macronutrient targets, allowing you to easily track your daily intake. To simplify things even further, the app can automatically adjust your nutritional targets every week based on your progress and preferred weight loss rate.

Step 2: Cut Out Added Sugars and Processed Carbs

Cutting out foods and beverages with added sugars and processed carbs helps you lose weight quickly in a couple of ways:

First, it helps limit your energy intake and makes it easier to create the calorie deficit discussed above. This is because such foods are often calorie-dense and highly palatable, which makes them easy to overeat. 

For example, I’m sure we can all agree that it’s easy to eat a bag of potato chips or a box of cookies (my guilty pleasure foods). But that single snack can easily add 400, 500, or even 600+ calories to your daily total without providing much nutritional value or keeping you full for long. 

Second, reducing your carbohydrate intake (processed carbs and added sugars) depletes glycogen from your muscles. Glycogen is a complex form of carbohydrate stored in your body for energy. 

The interesting thing here is that, for each gram of glycogen, your body stores three or four grams of water. So, if you lose 400 grams of glycogen, you also lose approximately 1,200 to 1,600 grams of water. This is roughly 3.5 to 4.4 pounds of body weight loss before accounting for any fat loss that can occur during the same period.

Also, a somewhat indirect benefit is that by reducing added sugar and processed carbs, you experience fewer cravings. While at first it can be hard to avoid these foods, it gets easier as time passes. This puts you in a better position to stick to a diet plan and achieve long-term weight loss goals.

Examples of foods and beverages with added sugars include:

• Sodas and soft drinks
• Fruit juices
• Sports and energy drinks
• Sweetened yogurt
• Breakfast cereal
• Granola bars
• Candy, candy bars, and chocolate
• Ketchup and other condiments
• Fancy coffee drinks

And here are some common processed carb options to limit or avoid:

• White bread
• White rice
• Regular pasta
• Crackers
• Potato chips
• Breakfast pastries (like Pop-Tarts)

Step 3: Reduce Sodium Intake

Sodium is an essential mineral involved in crucial processes like maintaining fluid balance, blood pressure, and nerve and muscle function (including heart function). 

So, having some sodium is crucial. The upper limit isn’t clearly defined, but you’ll generally come across guidelines like those from the FDA:

“The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 advises individuals 14 years and older to limit their consumption to 2,300 mg/day.”

We won’t dive into the health-related reasons to limit your intake because that’s beyond the scope of this article. However, when it comes to weight loss, too much sodium can disrupt fluid balance and contribute to water retention. 

The problem is that water retention can mask weight loss and make you feel puffy and bloated. Have you ever weighed yourself in the morning after having a high-sodium meal (say, Chinese food)? If so, you probably weighed more than usual, even if you otherwise stuck to your calorie budget.

Here are some high-sodium foods to limit or avoid:

• Most canned goods (beans, soups, veggies, etc.)
• Deli meats (ham, salami, etc.)
• Bacon
• Sausages and hotdogs
• Frozen microwave meals
• Instant noodles
• Pickles
• Soy sauce
• Teriyaki sauce
• Roasted nuts
• Fast food
• Potato chips

There are also some seemingly low-sodium foods, so double-check the nutritional labels:

• Cottage cheese
• Vegetable juice
• Whole grain or plain white bread
• Low-calorie “healthy” frozen meals
• Marinated meats
• Sports drinks (certain kinds are full of sodium because it’s a crucial electrolyte)
• Plant-based meat substitutes

Step 4: Drink More Water (It’s Counterintuitive, But It Works)

Drinking more water may sound counterintuitive in this context. After all, we just discussed how reducing sodium, sugar, and processed carbs can help you lose water weight and avoid water retention.

However, this step makes sense because when you’re hydrated, your body doesn’t hold onto water as stubbornly. As a result, you’re less likely to get bloated, feel puffy, or struggle to lose weight. 

Additionally, drinking enough water supports digestion and contributes to regular bowel movements. 

This can be particularly relevant if you follow step two from above, because if you cut out added sugars and processed carbs, you will likely replace them with fruits and vegetables, both of which are high in fiber and require water to pass through your GI tract.

So, drinking more water can reduce the risk of constipation and bloating, both of which may otherwise affect your weight loss efforts.

As an added benefit, drinking more water can reduce hunger and keep you from eating when you shouldn’t. Sometimes, mild dehydration can be mistaken for hunger.

According to guidelines from the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, men should aim for up to 3.7 liters (15.5 cups) and women should drink up to 2.7 liters (11.5 cups).

Step 5: Increase Protein at Every Meal

Protein is essential for good health and fitness, especially when looking to lose weight.

First, protein is highly satiating, especially compared to fast-digesting carbs. It takes longer to digest (particularly when combined with dietary fats – for instance, steak and eggs), raises levels of hormones related to satiety (like Peptide YY), and helps keep you full for longer. All of this makes it easier to stick to a lower-calorie diet.

Second, protein has a high thermic effect (TE), a measure of the calories your body burns to break it down. According to research, its TE is 20 to 30%. So, for every 100 calories worth of protein you eat, your body actively burns 20 to 30 calories to digest it. 

This doesn’t make a huge difference, but it’s certainly worth remembering when you consider that the TE of carbs is 5-10%.

Third, protein is essential for muscle health and recovery. Eating enough protein allows you to maintain more muscle while dieting, which means you end up losing mostly fat. 

If you’re short on time or appetite, a quality protein powder can help you hit your targets. My go-to is Transparent Labs 100% Grass-Fed Whey—it’s clean, third-party tested, and doesn’t upset your stomach like some cheaper blends do.

According to research, active individuals should aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (0.7-1 gram per pound). In one paper, Schoenfeld and colleagues recommend splitting up your daily protein intake into four equal doses.

So, if you weigh 170 lbs, you should aim for up to 170 grams of protein daily, split somewhat evenly: 42 grams across four meals or 56 grams across three meals.

Excellent protein sources include:

• Chicken and turkey breast
• Lean beef
• Egg whites
• Tuna
• Low-fat Greek yogurt
• Cottage cheese
• Shrimp

Fattier (higher-calorie) protein sources you can also eat include:

• Chicken thighs
• Whole eggs
• Salmon
• Various pork cuts

And here are some vegan options:

• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Black beans
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Edamame
• Seitan

Step 6: Focus on Gut Health to Eliminate Bloating

One quick way to look slimmer and leaner is to reduce bloating by taking good care of your gut health. Reducing bloating can make your stomach appear flatter, creating a fitter appearance. 

Doing so is also a good way to lose weight more quickly and reduce the risk of water retention or constipation from getting in the way. 

All of this is possible because a healthy gut digests food efficiently, supports healthy immunity, may help control inflammation, and even promotes better nutrient absorption, which is particularly important when eating fewer calories than you burn. 

The gut is also involved in regulating hormones like cortisol and serotonin, which can influence appetite, cravings, and fluid balance. 

The good news is that some of the steps we’ve outlined already help support a healthier gut, namely cutting out added sugars and processed carbs, drinking more water, and increasing fiber intake. 

Additionally, consider having some fermented foods in moderation. Good options include kimchi, kefir, and plain Greek yogurt. These contain beneficial probiotics that feed the healthy bacteria in the gut. 

A good habit to get into is light physical activity after eating – for example, going for a walk after dinner. Doing so has been shown to support digestion, regulate blood sugar levels, and potentially help reduce bloating. Plus, it’s a nice way to get extra steps in for the day and burn additional calories.

Another good habit to get into, not just for this week of weight loss, is to chew your food thoroughly and eat more slowly. While that may not seem particularly important, it will ease the burden on your digestive tract and reduce the risk of bloating and indigestion.

Step 7: Cut Out Alcohol for 7 Days

While alcohol is a diuretic (meaning, it promotes water loss through more frequent urination) and might seem like a good addition to a rapid weight loss plan, we actually recommend avoiding it.

First, alcohol (or ethanol) has calories––seven per gram, or almost as many as the calories in a gram of fat. So, by drinking, you add additional calories to your daily total, which can make it harder to stay in a calorie deficit. 

This applies to low-calorie alcohol like vodka, light beer, and white wine, but is even more crucial to remember if you enjoy high-calorie drinks like cocktails, beer, gin, champagne, and red wine. As a general rule, the sweeter the drink, the higher its calories are likely to be.

Second, alcohol slows fat metabolism: instead of your body burning fat for energy, it prioritizes breaking down the ethanol in your system because it sees it as a dangerous toxin. Even if you’re in a calorie deficit, your body may temporarily slow fat burning in favor of alcohol metabolism.

Third, alcohol can increase your appetite and affect impulse control, making you more likely to indulge in foods you should not be eating, especially high-calorie, salty, or sugary snacks like chips, fries, and desserts.

And lastly, while alcohol is a nervous system suppressant that can help you fall asleep more quickly, it can lead to worse quality sleep. Let’s discuss why that’s not good.

Step 8: Improve Your Sleep

You’ve probably heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: poor sleep can seriously mess with your weight loss efforts. Poor sleep significantly affects three key hormones: ghrelin, leptin, and cortisol. These play a major role in hunger, metabolism, and water retention.

First, we have ghrelin, also known as the hunger hormone. Research shows that poor quality sleep can increase ghrelin, making you feel hungrier and more likely to overeat. 

Next up is leptin, a hormone secreted by fat cells in the body. It works as a thermostat to help maintain a certain body fat percentage and guards against excessive weight loss or gain by controlling appetite, energy levels, motivation, and even the resting metabolic rate (RMR). 

When you lose weight (and body fat), leptin levels decrease, leading to an increase in appetite and a decrease in metabolic rate to help protect against further weight loss. This is inevitable. 

However, when you couple a caloric restriction with sleep deprivation, leptin levels can decrease further, and can guard against weight loss more than if you got the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep.

Cortisol, known as the stress hormone, also plays a major role. Not getting enough sleep can lead to chronically elevated cortisol. 

This is because the body perceives a lack of sleep like any other stress. As such, it activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which regulates hormones such as cortisol. 

The result is elevated cortisol production, which can lead to numerous adverse effects. In this context, the two significant issues are food cravings and water retention, both of which make it more challenging to lose weight.

Now, let’s pick up where we left off in the previous step: alcohol and its impact on sleep. While having a drink can make you feel sleepy and even get you to fall asleep more quickly, research shows that you get worse quality sleep.

Alcohol reduces the amount of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep you get, which can make you feel more tired during the day and increase the risk of waking up during the night. 

So aim for seven to eight hours of sleep. Some good practices include:

• Skip caffeine 6–8 hours before bed
• Avoid alcohol within an hour or two of your bedtime
• Limit screen use for an hour before bed (the blue light emitted can affect melatonin production)
• Wind down with relaxing habits like reading or stretching
• Stick to a consistent bedtime, even on weekends

What Results You Can Expect

If you follow the eight steps from above, you can easily shed three to five lbs on the scale. But keep in mind that this will mainly be water and glycogen loss, not pure fat loss. 

That said, it’s still worth doing it because a week of rapid weight loss can set the stage for a longer journey and serve as a motivational kick to get you going. 

This approach can also be helpful before an event––like a wedding, a photoshoot, a beach vacation, or something similar. You can also use it to ‘reset’ after a binge eating episode as a way to create balance and avoid weight gain.

However, be careful not to fall into a perpetual ‘binge-purge’ cycle, where you transition from binge eating to starving and back to binge eating, because that can be harmful in the long run and ruin your relationship with food.

So, What to do After the First Week?

Honestly? More of the same. You should still track your food intake, avoid added sugars and processed carbs, keep your sodium intake under control, drink enough water, have enough protein, avoid alcohol, and take better care of your sleep.

Your weight loss rate will most likely slow after the first seven days simply because there won’t be as much glycogen and water to lose, and that’s okay. It’s normal to lose more weight initially and less over time.

Focus on a consistent weight loss rate of 0.5 to 1% of your body weight each week. For instance, if you weigh 190 lbs, that would equate to 0.95 to 1.9 lbs weekly. 

Anything more will require a significant (and often unsustainable) caloric restriction, putting you at risk of becoming burned out and quitting.

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