Deficitly
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How much weight can you lose in a month?
At a healthy pace of 0.5–1% of your body weight a week, you can lose about 2–4% of your weight in a month. That's 1.5–3.0 kg (3.3–6.6 lb) at 70 kg (154 lb) and 2.2–4.3 kg (4.8–9.4 lb) at 100 kg (220 lb). The first month usually shows 1–2 kg more on the scale, because emptying your glycogen stores also releases water. Later months are a little slower, as a lighter body burns less.
Weight you can lose in a month, by starting weight
| Start weight | Gentle0.25%/week | Steady0.5%/week | Fast1%/week |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg 132 lb | 0.6 kg1.4 lb | 1.3 kg2.9 lb | 2.6 kg5.7 lb |
| 70 kg 154 lb | 0.8 kg1.7 lb | 1.5 kg3.3 lb | 3.0 kg6.6 lb |
| 80 kg 176 lb | 0.9 kg1.9 lb | 1.7 kg3.8 lb | 3.4 kg7.5 lb |
| 90 kg 198 lb | 1.0 kg2.1 lb | 1.9 kg4.3 lb | 3.8 kg8.5 lb |
| 100 kg 220 lb | 1.1 kg2.4 lb | 2.2 kg4.8 lb | 4.3 kg9.4 lb |
| 120 kg 265 lb | 1.3 kg2.9 lb | 2.6 kg5.7 lb | 5.1 kg11.3 lb |
| 140 kg 309 lb | 1.5 kg3.3 lb | 3.0 kg6.7 lb | 6.0 kg13.2 lb |
A percentage is fairer than a fixed number: 4 kg is a comfortable month for someone of 120 kg (265 lb) and a crash diet for someone of 55 kg (121 lb). The NHS and CDC suggest 0.5–1 kg (1–2 lb) a week, which matches the steady and fast columns for an average adult. More on the weekly pace in how much weight should you lose a week.
What a steady diet does month by month
| Person | Eat | Month 1 | After 3 months | After 6 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woman, 65 kg 143 lb | 1,450 | 1.4 kg | 3.9 kg | 7.1 kg |
| Woman, 85 kg 187 lb | 1,650 | 1.8 kg | 5.1 kg | 9.3 kg |
| Man, 85 kg 187 lb | 1,970 | 1.8 kg | 5.1 kg | 9.3 kg |
| Man, 110 kg 243 lb | 2,220 | 2.3 kg | 6.5 kg | 12.0 kg |
Month one is the best month on paper and, with the water, the best on the scale. After that each month is a little smaller, because the same food is a smaller deficit for a lighter body. That's normal, not a plateau: recalculate every few kilos with the calorie deficit calculator (why weight loss slows).
Can you lose 10 pounds in a month?
Only if you start heavy. 10 lb (4.5 kg) of fat in a month needs a deficit of about 1,150 calories a day. At the fastest healthy pace (1% a week) that's realistic from about 105 kg (231 lb) up. Many people see close to 10 lb on the scale in their first month, but 2–4 lb of that is water, and it doesn't repeat in month two.
- 5 kg (11 lb) in a month: needs about 1,260 calories a day below maintenance; at 1% a week from about 115 kg (254 lb).
- 20 lb (9 kg) in a month: about 2,290 calories a day below maintenance, more than most people burn in a day minus a sensible minimum. Not a realistic month of fat loss.
- 2 kg (4–5 lb) in a month: about 510 calories a day: comfortable for almost anyone.
How much weight can you lose in 2 weeks?
About 1–2% of your weight in fat: 0.7–1.4 kg at 70 kg (154 lb), 0.9–1.8 kg at 90 kg (198 lb). If those are your first two weeks, add 1–2 kg of water. That's why "lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks" plans seem to work: most of the drop is glycogen and water, and it returns when you eat normally (why your weight fluctuates).
How much weight can you lose in a week?
0.5–1% of your weight in fat, so 0.4–0.7 kg (0.8–1.5 lb) at 70 kg (154 lb). In week one the scale can drop 1–3 kg, mostly water (what water weight is). Judge your real pace from week 3 on, using weekly averages.
Why faster isn't better
- Bigger deficits cost more muscle, which lowers your burn and makes keeping weight off harder.
- Very low intakes make it hard to get enough protein and nutrients (is 1,200 calories a day safe?); Deficitly never plans below 1,200 (women) or 1,500 (men).
- Rapid loss raises the risk of gallstones, and hunger ends most crash diets within weeks.
Over a year the steady pace wins: 0.5% a week is about 18.4 kg at 80 kg (176 lb). See how long it takes to lose 10 kg.
Track your month
Weigh yourself a few times a week and compare monthly averages, not single days. The weight loss percentage calculator turns your start and current weight into % lost and % a week, so you can see whether you're in the 2–4% a month range.
Sources
- NHS. Lose weight: aim for 0.5 kg to 1 kg (1 lb to 2 lb) a week. CDC. Losing weight: 1 to 2 pounds a week.
- Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. Lancet 2011;378(9793):826–837.