It typically takes several years or more to put on excess body weight. When it comes to losing it however, many individuals want to see their unwanted body fat gone ASAP. Lured by before and after photos on social media touting dramatic weight loss results in 6 months or less, they begin to envision a whole new version of themselves coming soon.

They pay for the program, or the supplements, or the special meals. Day 1, let the transformation begin!

The months that follow usually end in 1 of 2 ways: Either the plan is quickly abandoned, or it is "successful" in a completely unsustainable fashion. Maybe the dieter restricted enough to lose some weight quickly, only to face that same unsightly number on the scale again a year later.

Or, perhaps the plan or coach they selected did have some merit, but they entered the process with sky high expectations that weren't met fast enough. Driven by impatience and a desire to "find what works for me" (AKA the magic bullet), they bounce from gym to gym, diet to diet, trend to trend.

So the questions become, what are appropriate expectations for someone starting a weight loss program? ‘How fast should I be losing weight?’ ‘And, if I'm not, how long should I wait around before declaring the plan a failure?’

Healthy Rate of Weight Loss

Most dietitians and nutrition professionals agree that weight loss of approximately 1lb per week is a healthy, sustainable rate. "Approximately" is truly a key word here, due to a litany of variables that could affect someone's rate of weight loss.

For example, a significantly overweight individual may experience weight loss at a greater rate than 1lb per week. In this case, it may be appropriate to utilize the alternative guideline of losing 1% of total body weight per week. A 150 lb individual would be hitting that number at 1.5lbs per week, while someone 350 lbs might lose 3.5lbs in that same timeframe.

So the next time you see an ad for a weight loss program claiming you'll be down 30lbs in the first 30 days, make sure the number on your bathroom scale says 750 lbs before you sign up.

It's important to note that "approximately" can certainly mean losing less than 1lb per week as well, and a weight loss rate of a few pounds per month is often more realistic for many people. Even after achieving the caloric deficit necessary to facilitate weight loss, there are no guarantees the process will be linear or consistent; in fact, it more than likely will not be.

When is the appropriate time to abandon a program? If you’re noticing your mood, energy, exercise performance, or sleep declining over an extended period (several weeks or more), it may be time to reevaluate. While weight loss is difficult to predict, a program moving in the right direction should at least yield positive results on a subjective basis. You should be feeling better over time, generally speaking. 

Factors Affecting Weight Loss

In a perfect world, anyone could get into a caloric deficit and systematically lose 1-3lbs per week in a predictable fashion. Unfortunately, with nearly 75% of the U.S. population categorized as overweight or obese, we know weight loss is rarely systematic or linear.

There are a number of different factors that may affect how quickly an individual loses weight, including a few that are beyond individual control.

Gender

Body fat percentage is a key factor in the rate of weight loss, as someone's fat-to-muscle ratio directly affects their resting metabolic rate (RMR). Women typically have a higher percent body fat than men, and often burn 5-10% fewer calories at rest. As a result, men tend to lose weight at a faster pace than women. One of the best ways for women to increase their resting metabolic rate and therefore increase rate of weight loss is by building muscle through resistance training and sound nutrition.

Age

Along similar lines, older adults also tend to have higher fat-to-muscle ratio than younger adults. As an individual ages, their RMR may decrease significantly, making weight loss increasingly difficult. Appropriate resistance training and nutrition is also recommended for this population in order to maintain healthy body composition.

Current Body Composition

As discussed above, significantly overweight or obese individuals may see an increased rate of weight loss in terms of absolute pounds lost. However, they may not see a greater rate of weight loss as a percentage of total body weight than someone who is overweight but not obese.

Diet History

A history of repeated attempts at weight loss, especially those that included severe caloric restriction for extended periods, may affect an individual's ability to lose weight over time.

"Yo-yoing" as a result of crash dieting may lead to what's known as body fat overshoot. In cases of body fat overshoot, someone who has lost weight will rebound to an even higher body fat percentage than when they began the crash diet.

The reason for this is the associated loss of lean body mass that typically accompanies rapid weight loss via severe calorie restriction. While an individual may have lost body weight, they’ve also lost muscle mass and inadvertently lowered their RMR. This results in suppressed metabolic function and weight loss becoming increasingly difficult after each subsequent crash diet.

Additional factors that may affect the rate of weight loss include degree of caloric deficit, sleep, medications, medical conditions, and family history.

Setting Expectations

As you can see, achieving weight loss goals in a consistent, predictable fashion requires many variables falling into place. That said, it is possible to achieve steady progress via coordinated effort towards variables an individual can control, such as diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management.

Work in these areas often requires trial and error, and a long-term commitment to making and sustaining minor improvements. As such, it's important to manage expectations when it comes to how quickly you'll see significant weight loss. Most people overestimate how much change will occur in six months, but underestimate how much progress can be made in two years.

Many individuals cite longevity as a primary goal, yet seem to be on a tight deadline when it comes to making lifestyle changes. The reality is, health and wellbeing is the ultimate long game. 

If you’re planning on sticking around for a while, chances are you’ll interact with food for the rest of your life. So why be in such a rush? The best weight loss is weight you’ll never see again, trust the process.