A Viral TikTok Influencer Shares Tips on Losing 10 Pounds in Just 6 Weeks

Losing weight is an incredible achievement that takes immense dedication and hard work. It often requires a lifestyle overhaul that demands consistency and commitment to a workout routine and a healthy, balanced diet. Achieving your weight loss goals quickly and safely without resorting to diet pills or unhealthy starvation tactics is truly worth celebrating.

But losing 10 pounds in just 6 weeks while still eating the food you enjoy? It may seem unbelievable, but Lindsey Ramsey, Director of Content Operations at Delish, did just that. Ramsey’s high school reunion jump-started her weight-loss journey, which she documented extensively in her recent column. 

Wanting to make an impression during the reunion, she embarked on a healthy weight-loss challenge as part of her self-care and wellness project inspired by her social-media habits. This led her to viral TikToker John Schaefer, co-founder of MNML Health who now has over 815K followers and more than 4.7 million likes.    

Schaefer’s Doable Weight-Loss Approach 

Ramsey was drawn to Schaefer’s approach because it is simple and easy to do. As an overview, Schaefer’s strategy involves: 

1. Eating below your non-restrictive and doable daily caloric limit. This follows the principles of the nutrition TikTok buzzword “calorie deficit” diet. 

2. Meeting your daily protein goal.

3. Drinking 80 ounces of water per day.

4. Performing strength training workouts twice a week.

5. Walking more than 10,000 steps per day.

6. Doing intermittent fasting for a minimum of 16 hours per day.

7. Having an accountability partner to make sure you stay on track with your plan. 

The 6-Week Plan 

Ramsey reached out to Schaefer a month and a half away from her reunion to kick-start her weight-loss project. After discussing the tenets of Schaefer’s program and identifying some roadblocks, a 6-week weight loss plan was set. 

Her daily caloric limit was calculated by multiplying her goal weight by 12 while her daily protein goal was determined by multiplying her goal weight by 0.6. She also purchased a large water bottle, went on fasting and weight training, and was given access to MNML’s video workouts, recipes, and an accountability community. Schaefer was Ramsey’s dedicated accountability coach.

Interested in her weekly diet under the program? Here's a brief look: 

Weeks 1-2   

Her daily intake for the first two weeks comprised eggs, chicken breasts, spinach, and salad, among others. Hitting her protein goal was quite a challenge, and she remedied this by adding protein shakes to her diet.  

For her water intake, she made sure to bring her full large water bottle everywhere while her exercise routine involved alternating between Schaefer’s total bodyweight workout and a bike ride. Her daily steps were below the 10,000-step target but, as Shaefer pointed out, “the awareness of my movement was the goal.” 

(Image by Delish)

Weeks 3-4

Given that this was the period leading up to Thanksgiving, staying committed to the program was an even harder endeavor but she was able to pull it through. In this case, Schaefer, her accountability partner, was very encouraging and reminded her of the importance of not stressing out or feeling guilty about food.  

During holidays or big events such as Thanksgiving, the trick, according to Schaefer, is this: “create big caloric deficits leading up to the event, drink extra water and match every alcoholic drink with one, and finally squeeze in activity when you can.”

Weeks 5-6

The last two weeks saw Ramsey taking on more challenging workout routines, namely: 20- to 30-minute full-body classes coupled with consistent 10-minute core classes. Her diet consisted of salads loaded with chicken and hard-boiled eggs, turkey to replace her usual beef chili, her Delish Steak Grain Bowls recipe, and frittata with soy chorizo, spinach, and tomatoes. 

(Image by Delish)

The Results 

By 6th week, she lost 10 pounds and was fully ready to attend her reunion. Ramsey's results were impressive. She reached her goal weight in a short period and felt stronger and more energetic without feeling deprived of the foods she enjoyed and without gaining weight. At the heart of Ramsey’s experience can perhaps be summed up into Schaefer’s advice that “fitness and nutrition are meant to enhance your life, not be your life.” 

Conclusion

Similar to other sustainable weight loss success stories, any health tip or technique depends on your overall health conditions. What Ramsey’s weight-loss journey emphasizes though  is that being consistent with any healthy physical activity, eating right, and journeying with others with the same goals are and will remain crucial to your health and fitness.