You may be thinking it is impossible to lose 20 pounds in a month without exercising, but I am here to tell you that it can be done! Below, I will share with you How to Lose 20 Pounds In a Month Without Exercise. This is 100% legitimate and is not a gimmick nor does it include crazy supplements or diet pills. I don’t appreciate those things in your weight loss anyways!
However, this 20-pound loss process isn’t easy by any means. There will be challenges, but it can totally be done with the right mindset and dedication. The aim is to lose fat and gain muscle. This could be a great way to start the year off right!
Tips on How to Lose 20 Pounds In a Month Without Exercise
Let me first start off by saying that NOT exercising isn’t a good thing, don’t get me wrong.
However, I will be brutally honest with you and tell you that right now, this momma is busy, like many of us are! I maintain a home of 3 growing boys and a busy little girl who all go to different activities during the week and I maintain a full-time business at home. I really just don’t have a lot of time to figure out when to exercise for weight loss and when not too. I mean, can you relate?
Us moms usually find that we want to take care of ourselves but we are always last on the list— we take care of everyone else before ourselves. It’s not a bad thing, we’re doing good deeds but it definitely takes a toll on our bodies as time progresses, even our minds.
Side note: These are pants that I eventually made holes in the thigh area because of my thighs rubbing together. This eventually happens to all.of.them. I am so over it! That’s why I started my weight loss journey.
1. Getting Realistic About Time & Mommy Life
You might be thinking.. okay, Josie— get off your lazy butt and do something about it!
For the last 5 years, I have given every ounce of effort that I could into exercising. I tried eating healthy food, but I also suffered from aggressive depression, which leads to a lot of emotional eating for me, like many. The honest truth is that the cycle was a true struggle that was hard to overcome given my already busy life and obligations.
Sadly, only foods like chocolate, Little Debbie snacks, and meals packed with sugar made me feel “better”. Of course, that was only a temporary solution so I would eat more and more calories. To the point where I grew an addiction to sugar. Sugar addiction is a REAL struggle. It is much more common than you realize and I don’t wish it upon anyone!
2. Overcoming Sugar Addiction as a Hard-Working Mother
If you are serious about wanting to know how you can lose 20 pounds in a month, then you will most likely have to face your existing sugar addiction. Buckle down and keep reading this weight loss guide!
There are dozens of “diet” plans and yes, even supplements you can use that help with sugar cravings. You can do your research and may find that following those help you to overcome this struggle and conquer weight loss. Alternately, you can do a basic Whole 30 style diet plan which naturally eliminates sugar from your food.
Be warned: This is not an easy choice. Your body will go through detox of sorts and you will have headaches and even some nausea the first week as your body struggles to work without feeding that sugar addiction. This is where mental toughness kicks in!
3. How and Why I Persisted Through the Sugar Detox
Can I tell you what this did for me? Detoxing from sugar was a HUGE thing for my body. I achieved a 10-pound loss in the first two weeks because of this. It also made me aware of how much sugar is in the foods we eat. It is EVERYWHERE! The difference in how I began to feel and look was immediate.
Yes, the first few days were tough, but once I got past that time period, I realized how much better I felt and the good impact it had on my weight loss!
4. Is it Going to be Hard to Lose 20 Pounds in a Month with a Sugar Limiting Diet?
You might be thinking: I’m not really a sugar person, but I am not happy with my weight. I can’t say that the reason you aren’t happy with your weight is because of sugar (I’m not a doctor of course) but you will be surprised at how much sugar you eat in a day that is added to meals that we think are “ok”.
Example: How many times have you picked up a juice from the fruit section thinking “This is good for me, I’m going to buy it and drink the entire thing! Woohoo, I just got my entire serving of fruits and veggies”? This is so wrong! Did you know that according to the American Heart Association, women are suggested to have just 25 grams of sugar a day?
5. The Real Truth Behind Much of the Healthy Juice Options
Here is an example of a popular “healthy juice drink” that claims to have no added sugar. Yes, some of this sugar is from the fruit, however, most of this sugar is the added fructose in the apple juice, plum puree and the other ingredients they label.
Check out this label below: 53 grams of sugar! That is over double what a woman should have in one day. Your weight loss journey won’t be a success if you keep taking sugar every day!
6. I Dare You to Cut Out the Added Sugar from Your Food!
This post is not to bash companies or to say all juices are unhealthy. It is more about making you aware of the hidden sugar you are putting into your body on a regular basis.
Learn to read labels on everything you eat! Even healthy options should be limited when it comes to the amount of sugar you take in a day. Yes, a bit of juice on occasion isn’t a bad thing, but if you make that choice, go for fresh-squeezed that is 100% fruit juice with no additives.
Things that you don’t realize are unhealthy for you, could be the reason why you are suffering. I dare you. Start paying attention to what is on the label of your favorite foods and calculate how much sugar you actually take in your body a day, it might surprise you.
My Results in Just One Month
It was very clear that my body was addicted to sugar after about 1 week. I had headaches, I was very irritable and my depression was coming back full force. In the process of changing my eating habits, I learned that I had a bad yeast-overgrowth going on in my body. I didn’t know before, but this really explained why I was craving sugar so bad.
Yeast feeds on sugar, it’s how it grows.
35 Days of No Sugar = 20 Pounds Lost
So here I am, 35 days of no sugar, dextrose (another name for sugar), fructose, galactose (more names for sugar), cane sugar, honey, and artificial sweeteners. I have also given up gluten by choice and I am eating well and notable weight loss happens every day.
To help stay on track, I make a meal plan each week that helps me eat lots of yummy food! The best part is that I am never hungry and I still get to eat yummy desserts like pictured below.
Thanks to a lot of research on weight loss, I found several GOOD natural sugars and I can’t even tell the difference!
In the last month, I have made a few changes to my diet, but cutting the sugar in my food was probably the hardest. Now that I’ve detoxed, I no longer have cravings for foods with high calories and I feel so good.
Yes, most of my healthy meals, but it’s the small sacrifice that I am making to lose those pounds and gain muscle while still being a working, crazy, busy mom. My next goal is to eliminate added sugars from my kids and hubby’s diet. I believe it’s a vital factor in some behavioral issues we have.
Please let me say that I’m not telling you what food you should be eating to lose 20 pounds and gain muscle. I am just sharing my personal experiences. I am still going to post deals and finds for you that I might not agree with because honestly, it’s why you are here. First and foremost, my job is to help you save money. 🙂
I’d love to hear, have you cut sugar? How many pounds have you lost?
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Jaime
March 4, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Congrats Josie! I’ve been doing the same thing (real, whole food) since November and have lost over 40 lbs! I too learned I had a major Candida overgrowth and through the guidance of a nutritionist, I’ve learned how to live without sugar. Besides eliminating sugar completely, I also went gluten-free and grain-free. I’ve learned to enjoy veggies and protein at every meal. It’s incredible how your body learns to feel full on real, whole food, instead of surviving off of the spikes that sugar gives you. I feel so good and have about 30 more lbs to go. I just recently added in some exercise a few times a week, but yes, weight loss is 70% what you eat and only 30% exercise. Food makes all the different. If you wanna read more about my journey, I’ve been blogging about it too: http://afrugalhome.com/category/personal/weight-loss/ Thanks so much for sharing and inspiring others!
Susan Lebehn
March 4, 2016 at 11:39 am
WOW First off, a mega congratulations to you! I know from personal experience how hard it is to give up sugar….the struggle is too darn real. I applaud you and you just motivated me.
Josie
March 4, 2016 at 11:49 am
aw thanks Susan! It IS hard. Secret ingredient is the natural sweetener erythritol. You can find it in most health food stores or online.
Laura
March 4, 2016 at 7:40 pm
Do you use Stevia?
Josie
March 4, 2016 at 9:21 pm
I do. mostly for my coffee.
Britt P.
March 4, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Hey Josie! Thanks for sharing. I also struggle with depression,weight, and yeast problems. I have been doing so much research to find out what’s wrong with my body lately. I know excess sugar and toxins are a big part. I am also trying to balance hormones amongst other things. One thing that has helped is switching to sparkling waters! I’m addicted and happy about it.I’ve been more and more aware about whats going in our body. Trying to memorize all the different names for sugars,chemicals, undigestibles etc. More people are catching on and so are the companies. A lot of great changes made in 2016,still so far to go. I feel your story does help save $ and lbs. in different ways. Lookin good keep it up!
Nicole L
March 4, 2016 at 12:43 pm
So proud of you! I went through – well actually still going through the same thing. For let I gave up sugar and carbs thinking it would be “easy” and I would lose weight. I’m down 16lbs which is awesome! but it’s challenging at times. At eat clean most of the time even before doing this so I had no idea how addicted to sugar I truly was – even as a health coach it sneaks up on us all. So glad to be rid of it, to actually have more clarity of mine and focus and to simply just feel good about my health! Kuddos to you my dear and keep up the great work
Shelley
March 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I wish all of you the best of luck I think all of you are making great choices. I just want to throw in that if we all just really, really reduce the amount of processed food we eat, we are going to get away from sugar and chemicals. I try to “Just Eat Real Food” Look up Sean Croxton on his podcast from underground wellness. That is his motto. Its sort of paleo but not. Since I started eating real food, I feel so much better, have lost weight, and my digestive issues (including candida) are under control. I do have to admit though that I don’t coupon the way I used, but its worth it! I do sometimes get depressed that we have a great deal on something that I just won’t buy my family anymore, but oh well, we are all doing better. Josie, keep us posted
Claudia
March 4, 2016 at 2:29 pm
I am so happy & proud of you. Approx 3 years ago I joined a small boot camp gym and the owner used to tell me its not only about how much you exercise its also about what you put in. What foods are you feeding your body. I joined their Body Transformation Challenge and was given recipes & food guidelines to follow (modified paleo). There was a list of foods you couldn’t eat and refined sugar was one of them. I have to say that it was hard but I’ve noticed results. I did not count calories. I would eat until I felt full. That’s when I discovered how much sugar/additives/preservatives are in a lot of the foods we buy at the grocery stores. I started making an effort in cooking my own meals and when going to restaurants not eating certain things because of the way it made me feel. I feel so much better.
Cent
March 4, 2016 at 9:25 pm
Hi Josie,
I would love to get in on a group and get tips and such for this. I’m desperate to start losing weight. I’m not big on exercising either.
Jadenchick
March 4, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Great job!!!!! You look great! I would be interested in you posting your meal plans that helped you detox. All of the ones I pin on Pinterest I never end up making lol
Again congrats on the weight loss, what an amazing accomplishment.
I think this would be a fun feature: if you did a weekly menu from Sprouts or Tader Joes (similar to what you did with Ralph’s)
Thank you again for all of your hard work running this site.
Laura
March 5, 2016 at 12:57 am
Yes! Please add me to the group. Sugar is really everywhere. I would love to join
Taryn
March 5, 2016 at 2:32 pm
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU!!!
I can’t believe you posted this, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
After having twins 10 years ago, I got depressed and it never went away.
And no, I had never had depression before.
I went off my anti-depressants in September 2015 after 8 years!!!
Without any doctors help!!!
Yes, I cried for months!
Yes, I should have had a doctor help me, but I didn’t.
On top of all the depression, I am going through pre-menopause (im on my 10th month)!!!
I have gained weight, mood changes & hot flashes.
I am now seeing a new doctor.
Things are NOT easy. I was never over weight or depressed.
I know that I need to eliminate my sugar!
Unfortunately, I cannot pay for the plan you listed but you have encouraged me to ELIMINATE SUGAR.
Any and I MEAN ANY tips that you can share on detoxing please feel free to share!!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR JOURNEY!
April Clark
March 5, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Thanks for sharing I have a problem with sugar and depression as well!!!I will try too work on it
Crystal
March 7, 2016 at 2:41 pm
Thanks for sharing ! I’m a single mom with thyroid issues I’ve gained 75lbs since my son dealing with depression as well . I enjoy your coupon tips! Hopefully we can find more healthy products to coupon now hat I’m dieting as well . Congrats! On the wieght loss !
Nicole
March 14, 2019 at 1:12 am
Inspired! Please add me to the group!