How to Lose Belly Fat In 2 Weeks According to the Zero Belly Diet

So you want to slim down and you want to do it, stat. While fast weight loss isn’t really the best strategy (it’s not always safe or sustainable) and focusing on how you feel (vs. the number of the scale) is typically more effective for reaching your goal, sometimes you have a fast-approaching deadline, such as your BFF’s wedding, that’s fueling your determination to get after it. Hey, you’re not alone—plenty of people would like to know how to lose belly fat in two weeks. Spoiler alert: I was one of those people.

Load Up On Avocados

For test panelist June Caron, incorporating fresh produce such as avocados was one of the best ways to lose stomach fat in 2 weeks. The 55-year-old lost six pounds in the first week of following the program for how to lose belly fat in 2 weeks. "Learning to eat real, chemical-free, fresh foods has been the best thing that ever happened to me," she says. "I am never hungry and I'm still losing weight." Glowing skin, healthy nails, and better sleep were Zero Belly Diet bonuses, says Caron.

Avocados are a double-whammy for losing belly fat. First, they’re packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (aka good fats) that dim your hunger switches; a study in Nutrition Journal found that participants who ate half a fresh avocado with lunch were 40 percent less likely to desire food for hours afterward. Second, unsaturated fats like those found in avocados seem to prevent the storage of belly fat. (These creative ways to eat avocado will help you up your intake.)

Mix Up a Plant-Protein Smoothie

Test panelist Bryan Wilson, a 29-year-old accountant, lost an impressive amount of weight in just six weeks on the program, and he attributes his success to the Zero Belly Diet shake recipes. "I love the shakes. I added them to my diet, and almost immediately I lost the belly fat," says Wilson. "I crave sweet foods, and the shakes were an awesome alternative to bowls and bowls of ice cream I would have had."

Protein drinks can help you burn belly fat in 2 weeks and they make a delicious, simple snack. But most commercial drinks are filled with chemicals that can upset your gut health and cause inflammation and bloat. And the high doses of whey used to boost protein levels can amplify the belly-bloating effect. The Zero Belly Diet solution: Try vegan protein, which will give you the same fat-burning, muscle-building benefits, without the bloat. (Here’s a complete guide to easy-to-digest plant proteins.)

Power Up with Eggs

You'll find lean, satiating protein in every single bite you take on the Zero Belly Diet. The muscle-building macronutrient is fundamental to the plan for how to lose belly fat in 2 weeks. Plus, eggs happen to be one of the easiest and most versatile delivery systems in the universe. They're also the best dietary source of a nutrient called choline. Choline, which is found also in lean meats, seafood, and collard greens, attacks the gene mechanism that triggers your body to store fat around your liver. (That's why eggs are one of the best foods for weight loss.) One Zero Belly Diet recipe, a breakfast hash with sweet potatoes and fresh farm eggs, became test panelist Morgan Minor's go-to breakfast, and after just three weeks on the program, the female firefighter was proof that the plan is full of best ways to lose stomach fat in 2 weeks.

Drink Citrus-Infused 'Spa Water'

One of the plan's top tips for how to lose belly fat in 2 weeks? Start each day by making a large pitcher of "spa water"—that's H20 filled with sliced whole lemons, oranges, or grapefruits—and make a point of sipping your way through at least eight glasses before bedtime. Citrus fruits are rich in the antioxidant D-limonene, a powerful compound found in the peel that stimulates liver enzymes to help flush toxins from the body and gives sluggish bowels a kick.