How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month? How Much Is Safe?

If you’re ready to lose weight, it’s only natural to wonder how much weight you can lose in a month. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it’s healthy to lose one to two pounds a week. When you’re eating a healthy diet and fitting more movement into your day, you may be able to lose more than five pounds a month. 

We get it, sometimes an upcoming event can be a real motivator. And that’s fine, take your motivation where you can get it! But it’s also important to zoom out a little and think about your long-term goals.

Turning to fad diets or other restrictive measures may lead to rapid weight loss initially. But the results rarely — if ever — last. You’ve probably gone through an experience like this before. Over time, these doomed efforts can take a toll on your mental health.

A 2020 study suggests that relying too much on food restriction is not only unsustainable, it can lead to undesired weight gain.

Below we’ll look at some of the most effective methods of approaching weight loss goal weight loss goals safely. Whether they are short-term or long-term goals.

You may have a long-term weight loss journey in mind, but health experts tend to agree that setting realistic short-term targets is the best way to reach your ultimate weight loss goals. This means, instead of focusing on the 50 or so pounds you want to lose this year, think about what you can do this week, this month.

But taking a slow and steady approach to weight loss is the best way to achieve sustainable results. There’s nothing worse than achieving your weight loss goals, only to watch your progress slip away. So sustainability is key!

You can always reassess your weight loss plan after six months or so.

The CDC suggests starting with a few specific, realistic, and forgiving goals. Remember, perfection is the enemy of good.

A few simple goals you can start working toward today include:

• Drink water this week instead of sugar-sweetened beverages

• Add a serving of vegetables to your lunch and dinner every day this week

• Take a 15-minute walk during your lunch break

• Drink a full glass of water with breakfast, lunch, and dinner

• Get 45 minutes of vigorous exercise on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Getting at least seven hours of sleep per night can also improve your weight loss efforts, as too little sleep can raise the risk for high blood pressure, while also affecting the hormones that control hunger.

One widely recommended way to kickstart your weight loss journey is to take an inventory of your typical diet. To lose weight, you want to burn around 500 calories more than you consume each day. (Burning more calories than you eat is what’s known as a calorie deficit.)

But it’s important to remember that not everyone responds to diet and exercise the same way. Obesity is a disease that can impede your ability to lose weight. When you start cutting calories, you may find that your body is actually fighting to keep the excess weight by slowing down your metabolism.

Your body composition, sex, age, and other factors also play a role in how fast you lose weight. You may need to cut out more than 500 calories per day or burn more than 500 calories per day to lose weight.

Burning more calories with exercise or other physical activity can also help you hit the same target. If you can achieve a calorie deficit, which means you burn more calories than you consume, you should start to see the effects of weight loss within the month.

It’s tempting to jump on the latest diet bandwagon, but you may be better off sticking with eating strategies that have proven to be healthy and realistic for most people. A 2022 review of several popular diets concluded that while fad diets may produce fast results, they can lead to nutrient deficiencies and are difficult to sustain long-term.

Trying to lose too much weight in a month can also have an unintended boomerang effect. Rapid weight loss throws off your metabolism, causing you to burn calories in a different way. When you return to a normal eating pattern, your metabolism is no longer used to that kind of calorie intake, so rapid weight gain can occur.

A healthy eating plan focuses on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats, such as olive oil.

A 2021 study notes that diets emphasizing these food choices, such as the Mediterranean diet, can be effective in helping with weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight long-term. The study highlights the benefits of eating a nutritious breakfast and avoiding late-night snacking.

In between meals, choose healthy snacks, such as fat-free yogurt or nuts and seeds, instead of calorie-dense processed foods. To the extent possible, opt for nutrient-rich foods low in carbs instead of high-calorie, high-carb items that may come with added sugars, saturated fats, and other unhealthy ingredients.

If you feel you need help modifying your diet and reducing your carb and calorie intake, consider working with a nutritionist or registered dietitian. A doctor-recommended weight loss program can help you make significant changes that amount to ongoing monthly weight loss.

Adjusting your calorie intake is one path to weight loss, but making other lifestyle changes can help you reach your weight loss goals even faster. The key is bumping up your physical activity levels.

A 2017 study looking at how physical activity affects weight loss and weight loss maintenance suggests that regularly exercising for more than the recommended 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity exercise may give you the best chance at sustained weight loss.

Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or running, is the most effective calorie-burning activity, but remember that the same amount of activity may lead to different results for you and a partner. For example, you may need to walk more steps than someone else to burn the same number of calories or get your heart rate to the same level.

And don’t forget strength training! Building lean muscle mass helps you feel more fit and toned and it helps you burn calories more efficiently. The key is to make sure you consume plenty of protein to help you build and maintain muscle mass. Protein also helps keep you full longer, which may keep you from snacking.

If you’ve struggled with excess weight for a long time, weight loss medications can be a game changer. Weight loss medications work in different ways, like helping to regulate hunger hormones in your body.

Healthcare providers prescribe these medications to individuals who have an elevated body mass index (BMI) or who are overweight with a weight-related condition, like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes.

In addition to popular GLP-1 medications, like semaglutide (Ozempic®, Wegovy®), oral medications like the common diabetes drug Metformin can also be prescribed off-label for weight loss.

Unfortunately, weight loss drugs aren’t usually covered by insurance, at least not for weight loss alone. If you are unsure about any of these oral or injectable weight loss medications, meet with a provider to discover the most effective and affordable options for you.

You may be able to lose four to eight pounds per month on a healthy diet and exercise plan. As you set a monthly weight loss goal, consider the following:

• Remember that for many people, factors affecting their body weight and ability to lose weight are beyond their control. Your genetic makeup, for example, may predispose you to a certain body type.

• Your starting weight may also affect how you perceive your weight loss rate. If you have a lot of weight to lose, you may need to adjust your perspective on losing weight. Rather than focus on percentages, prioritize healthy weight loss per month.

• A healthy diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep quality and quantity are the keys to consistent, sustainable weight loss.

• You may be a good candidate for weight loss medications if you are overweight and have weight-related health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.

• It’s important to set personalized, actionable goals that help you make your weight loss journey your own.