How long does it take to lose weight?

This is a question you have probably wondered about before. It is hard to give a definite answer to that, the short answer is “it depends”. Depends on what you might ask, well, it depends on YOU! Let’s take the example of 10 pounds. You could lose 10 pounds in a month just like you could lose 10 pounds in a year. It depends on your goal and your commitment. There is also a healthy way to lose weight; losing too much weight too quickly is not healthy in the long run and you might and up gaining it all back right after you finished losing it!

Working out and wanting to be healthier is a long-term goal. It matters not just the weight you lose but also keeping it off and living an overall healthier life. This includes your physical activity and exercise, but also your nutrition, and your overall life habits. Of course, nobody is perfect, and it will not happen overnight. But making small changes and being consistent with it is all it takes to lose weight and achieve your goal.

Let’s take the example of 10 pounds of fat. This equals roughly to 35,000 calories as one pound of fat equals 3,500 calories (10 lbs*3,500kcal/lbs). Think of your body as a scale. On one side you have food and fluid (intakes) and on the other side you have exercising (output). To lose 10 pounds of fat would mean you need to have a difference of 35,000 calories between intake and output. Think about it, this is HUGE! It simply cannot be attained in a short amount of time. However, if you have a small difference everyday, it can really add up in the long run.

So how long would it take to lose 10 pounds of fat? Well, let’s say we have a caloric deficit of 300 calories per day, meaning we expend 300 more calories than the total calories we are consuming (ex: expend 2000 calories in a day, consume 1700 calories, 2000-1700=300 cal). In this case, it would take us almost 4 months, or 3.8 months to lose these 10 pounds (300cal*30days*3.8months = 35,000).

Here is one last example for you, let’s say you have a bit more specific goal in mind, and you decide that you want to lose 10 pounds in 2 months. 35,000cal / 2 months / 30 days = 583cal/day. This means you would have to have a caloric deficit of 583 calories per day, which should be coming from exercising (output) but also from your diet (intake) to make sure we have a healthy balance. A caloric deficit of 500 calories per day is healthy for most individuals and would result in losing about 1 pound each week or 4 pounds per month. This may not seem like much, but remember, this is a long-term process, not a quick fix alternative.

As you may see, losing weight can be challenging and can turn out to be a longer process than expected. However, if you truly want to lose weight and keep it off over time, you need to start by making small and sustainable changes. These small changes will add up over time and you will see yourself achieving your goals and living an overall healthier life!