Can you lose 5 pounds per week without starving yourself?

There are always ways to lose weight without starving yourself. However, 5 lbs. per week is a large amount. Starving yourself is one of the least efficient ways to lose weight. Instead of losing fat and building muscle, which will give you the desirable trimmed and toned look, you will lose mass all around, giving you the unpleasant and almost taboo skeletal look. It may help you lose weight temporarily, but when you start to eat again, your body will store all of your food as fat- it will instinctively do this because it is storing up fat to keep itself warm during "seasons of famine"- an ancient defense mechanism. The healthiest amount to lose per week is about 2-3 lbs. The best thing you can do for yourself is to eat a healthy, balanced diet and exercise regularly. Get at least 3 hours of cardio (running, etc.) and at least 1 1/2 hours of weight training per week. This is the only guaranteed way to lose fat weight and keep it off for good.