A pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories; to lose one pound per week, or four pounds in four weeks, you need to burn or reduce your caloric intake by 500 calories each day. You have to double that effort to bring your weight loss to two pounds per week or eight pounds in four weeks.
8-10 weeks is that optimal time for cuts. If you need more than that, take a 1 week break for maintenance calories then resume dieting.
The general recommendation is to aim for a weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week, which translates to a maximum of 8 pounds in 4 weeks. This is considered a safe and sustainable rate of weight loss that can be achieved through a combination of healthy eating habits and regular physical activity.
"In general, 1 to 2 pounds per week, or 4 to 8 pounds per month, is a safe and sustainable amount to lose," says Sarah Gold Anzlovar, M.S., RDN, LDN and founder of Sarah Gold Nutrition. "Some people may lose more than that in the beginning, but it's often a lot of water weight and not true fat loss."
Weight loss is a complex process that involves multiple factors, including diet, exercise, genetics, and overall lifestyle. While it is theoretically possible to lose 20 or 15 pounds in 3-4 weeks, it is crucial to consider the potential risks and implications of rapid weight loss.
After taking Ozempic® for one month
Two of the STEP trials, which are large clinical trials that looked at how semaglutide could help with obesity, showed that average weight loss after four weeks of taking semaglutide at 0.25 mg alongside lifestyle change was around 2% of body weight.
So if you lose 1lb (0.45kg) a week you could hope to reduce your waistline by an inch after four weeks. Dieticians advise that if you eat 500 calories less than your daily requirement you will lose about 1lb every seven days (expect some variation from person to person).
Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.
What is an aggressive mini-cut? A mini cut is an aggressive style of dieting that drastically reduces calories for a few short weeks—usually 4-6—to lose weight quickly. This primes the body to begin growing muscle again.
But when you lose weight on any diet, belly fat usually goes first. There are many approaches to weight loss. There's no one-size-fits-all method that everyone finds effective or lasting.
The 4 Week Cutting Diet
As mentioned previously, you'll need to manually work out your calorie deficit which can bear done with an online calculator. You'll want to maintain macronutrient ratios of around 30-50% calories from carbs, 30-40% from protein and 20% from good fats.
Following the 1-2 pound per week guideline, most people can expect to lose 4-8 pounds within one month. That might not seem like a lot, but it can equal 0.5-1% of your body weight if you weigh 200 pounds. The amount of weight loss can be different for everyone.
Most experts think the appropriate body fat range for beginning a bulk or cut should be between 10-15% for men and 20-25% for women. This range is ideal as it provides enough energy to build muscle while allowing for visible definition. Once you hit the upper end of the range, start cutting.
The Science of Fat Loss
Think of it like a balloon losing air—it deflates, but doesn't disappear immediately. Over time, your body adjusts, but the jiggly feeling can be a temporary step along the way.
How do you get rid of subcutaneous fat? The best way to lose subcutaneous fat is by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. You can lower your subcutaneous fat level by focusing on a fat-burning diet and exercise plan. In addition, getting enough sleep and keeping stress at bay are important for losing subcutaneous fat.
To lose weight effectively and safely, aiming to lose 1 to 2 pounds (lbs) per week may be best. This means that losing 20 lbs may take 10 to 20 weeks. To lose weight, people will likely need to follow a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Some popular diets are effective initially but challenging to maintain.
Activities like running, cycling, swimming, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are commonly used to accelerate fat loss. Strength Training Lifting weights is crucial for building and maintaining muscle mass. Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest, helping actors stay lean.
Ozempic is not approved for weight loss. However, semaglutide is approved for weight loss under the name Wegovy. Ozempic has a smaller dose of semaglutide than Wegovy. It's important to note that if you start taking either of these drugs for weight loss, your body may get used to it, establishing a new normal.
If you're trying to lose weight, you should aim for doing cardio at least five days per week for a total of at least 250 minutes (4 hours, 10 minutes) each week. Contrary to what many believe, you can do aerobic exercise seven days per week. If this goal seems daunting for you, start slow.