How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month?

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In our tech-savvy society, we have become increasingly used to getting quick results. It's okay to claim instant satisfaction when talking about smartphones, but that's not the best policy when it comes to losing weight.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The fad diet that promises to lose a lot of weight makes you hungrier and in the worst case it leaves you with unhealthy habits and you gain weight again.

So what is the magic number to lose weight and keep it off? According to reliable sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is 1 to 2 pounds per week. That means that, on average, losing 4 to 8 pounds per month is a healthy goal.

It is possible to lose a lot more at least in the first few months of the diet, which means that it is not healthy or you will lose weight in the long term.

Losing the healthy way

Losing weight can be incredibly easy and incredibly challenging at the same time.

The math tells us that if we consume fewer calories than we burn, we will end up burning stored fat for fuel. One pound equals 3,500 calories. If you want to lose 1 pound per week, you should eat 500-1000 fewer calories. But life is not that easy. Here social events, parties and celebrations revolve around food.

When trying to lose weight, a solid diet and exercise plan aimed at staying healthy - just not putting on a new outfit or looking good at an event - will help you lose and avoid weight. It is important to pay attention to both improving your diet and getting more physical activity.

Strength training, such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises, as well as some high-intensity interval training, can increase your metabolic need to lose extra pounds. Steady-state aerobic exercise can also help distribute some calories.

"Exercise increases your metabolism rate and builds more muscle mass, allowing you to continue burning calories after a practice session," says Dr. Amy Siegel of the Austin Regional Clinic.

The good news is that you don't need to lose a lot of weight before you can start making positive changes in your health. According to the CDCitredFred source, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight if you are overweight can lower your risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.

Why doesn't the "diet" do it?

There is a reason it is called the "yo-yo diet." Depriving yourself is not sustainable and you will eventually revert to familiar eating habits.

According to Dr. Peter Leport, director of the Memorial Care Center for Obesity at Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, there is some science behind why we gain weight after rapid weight loss programs.

“The body responds quickly when you lose weight quickly and feel hungry. If you keep losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, the body will adjust and it seems to be my weight and you won't be too hungry due to the rapid weight loss, ”he says.

The exception to the 1 to 2-pound recommendation is when people have weight loss surgery. Dr. Leport said that most of his bariatric surgery patients weighed 100 pounds and could lose 20 pounds per month after surgery, 10 pounds later in the month, and 5 pounds later in the month.

"The surgery forces them to eat slowly and less."

Choose a plan

To lose weight and keep it off, you need a plan that you can stick to.

If you are just beginning your weight loss journey or have had trouble finding a compromise plan in the past, it is a good idea to seek help. Your doctor can recommend dietitians who can work with you to create a healthy eating plan that is right for your needs and long-term goals.

A dietitian can teach you healthy habits and ways that you are monitoring portion sizes and avoiding excess sugar, salt and saturated fats, all of which contribute to health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

“Often a patient needs help and needs access to a program. I have a program that I put together for patients in my office that includes class and diet instructions, ”says Dr. Leport.

Both Dr. Leport and Dr. Siegel recommend programs like Weight Watchers because they are helpful in learning to control portions without depriving yourself of certain foods.

BOTTOM LINE:

Concentrate on creating a healthy lifestyle for yourself to achieve true success. There should be no temporary way to finish healthy eating and exercise, these should be regular habits.

“The time it takes for a person to reach their goal depends on how many pounds they need to lose on weight did not come overnight, and it will not decrease overnight,” says Dr. Siegel.