But on average, you should lose 10 pounds in exactly 5-6 weeks for a healthier and more achievable estimate. This means that you lose around 2 pounds per week, which is in line with the CDC's recommendation for safe weight loss at a rate of 1–2 pounds per week, a sustainable goal.
While losing 10 pounds in a month may seem like a lofty goal, it's entirely possible by making some small modifications to your diet and lifestyle. Taking it one step at a time and making a few small changes each week can help you lose weight safely and keep it off long-term.
That one- to two-pound weight loss per week translates to about 12 to 24 pounds over the span of three months. "This means you're aiming for four to eight pounds per month," says Dannah Eve Bollig, a trainer and creator of The DE Method.
"By the time you hit 10 pounds, your jeans will feel differently, absolutely," Blum says. "Just a little looser. Theoretically, 10 pounds is considered one size." Once you get past that first couple pounds where you might not be able to tell, Blum says, you really do start to lose body fat.
The Mayo Clinic notes that 1 pound equals about 3,500 calories, so to lose 10 pounds, you'll need to eat 35,000 calories fewer than you burn during those three weeks. This amounts to a loss rate of a little more than 3 pounds per week, which requires a 1,666-calorie deficit per day.
Drinking Water Can Make You Burn More Calories
Drinking water increases the amount of calories you burn, which is known as resting energy expenditure ( 4 ). In adults, resting energy expenditure has been shown to increase by 24–30% within 10 minutes of drinking water.
We recommend losing no more than 1 to 2 pounds per week for sustainable weight loss, which means you could potentially lose 10 pounds in five weeks. However, a more realistic timeline is 10 to 24 weeks, since most people don't have hours to devote to walking every day.
The first place men typically lose weight is the belly, while women tend to lose weight all over, but hold onto weight in their thighs and hips, Dr. Block explains.
For a weight change to show up on your face, you'd need to change your BMI by 1.33 points, the study found. That means a woman and man of average height would need to gain or lose eight pounds and nine pounds, respectively.
Simply walking more often can help you lose weight and belly fat, as well as provide other excellent health benefits, including a decreased risk of disease and improved mood. In fact, walking just one mile burns about 100 calories.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , it's 1 to 2 pounds per week. That means, on average, that aiming for 4 to 8 pounds of weight loss per month is a healthy goal.
Since a pound of fat contains around 3800 calories, losing ten pounds a month requires a caloric deficit of around 1200 calories a day.
Consuming cold water before bed can also help your body to burn more calories during the night while you sleep! Water is a natural calorie burner and drinking cold water before bed causes your body to have to work twice as hard to warm the water up while you are resting, thus burning more calories.
A 5 to 10 percent weight loss can: Decrease hypertension, both systolic and diastolic, by 5mmHg — reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Improve good cholesterol (HDL) by about 5 points, also lowering the risk of heart disease. Lower triglycerides significantly, around 40mg/dL.
So, when do people start noticing the difference in your face? Canadian researchers believe they've found out. "Women and men of average height need to gain or lose about three and a half and four kilograms, or about eight and nine pounds, respectively, for anyone to see it in their face.
In terms of how your body looks, “it usually takes 4 weeks for your friends to notice weight loss, and 6–8 weeks for you to notice,” says Ramsey Bergeron, a certified personal trainer. “Your friends who don't see you every day are much more likely to see a change than someone you're around all the time,” he adds.
While everyone loses weight differently, dropping as little as 3 to 5 pounds can show up on your face first, Eboli says.
Body-weight loss is usually noticed around the belly, waistline, and thighs first. This is because your body stores fat in different locations. For instance, men hold more fat around their belly, while women store it on their thighs and hips. Weight loss gradually starts with a reduction in belly size.
Focus on lean protein, fruits, and vegetables.
Making your plate half protein and half fruits and vegetables is a good plan for quick weight loss. These foods are low in calories and high in essential nutrients. In addition, they will keep you feeling satisfied longer compared to carbohydrate based foods.
For example, someone who is morbidly obese may be able to safely lose around 11 pounds a week, while someone closer to a healthy weight range may only lose as little as 200 grams a week as they have less weight to lose.