The Safest Amount of Weight to Lose Per Week

Losing weight too quickly is incredibly risky; it presents dangers to your health and means you are far more likely to regain the weight you lose. On the other hand, slow and steady weight loss means losing more fat, and making sustainable changes in your lifestyle that can keep you fit and healthy for years.

Expert Insight

• Experts agree that the safest amount of weight to lose per week is 1 to 2 pounds. Weight loss at this rate is more likely to be fat, as opposed to the water and muscle you lose when weight loss is too rapid. Losing weight slowly also means making changes in your diet and lifestyle that you can maintain over time, instead of restrictive diets that stunt your metabolism and can't be kept up. Health authorities also stress the importance of visiting your doctor before you begin any weight-loss plan to discuss your strategy and the healthiest ways to approach your personal weight loss.

Calorie Deficit

• A pound of fat has about 3,500 calories, which means losing 1 to 2 pounds per week will require a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day. Your calorie deficit is the difference between the amount of calories you burn and the amount of calories you eat in a day. Your body automatically burns calories just from normal functions such as breathing, but exercise and other activities will increase the number of calories you burn, and a healthy diet will reduce the number of calories you eat. Online calculators can give you a rough idea of how many calories you burn each day based on your size and activity level, and diet and exercise can help you reach your calorie-deficit goals.

Diet and Exercise

• To avoid stunting your metabolism, be sure to eat at least 1,200 calories per day. Often new dieters can be overenthusiastic in their excitement to lose weight and trim their calorie intake too much, but crash dieting will only hurt your weight loss efforts in the long run. Eat a well-balanced diet that includes every food group and focus on portion-control to keep your calories in check. Include moderate to vigorous exercise 3 to 5 times per week to boost your metabolism and increase your weight loss.

Keeping the Weight Off

• Long-term weight loss means making permanent lifestyle changes, not committing to a diet for a few months. Losing weight slowly means it might take you longer to reach your goals, but in that time your body become stronger and improvements to your diet and lifestyle will become habits. By the time you reach your goals, your fitness and overall health will be vastly improved, and it will be much easier to continue living a healthier life.

The Dangers of Rapid Weight Loss

• When you lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week, your body is losing vital muscle tissue, which can lead to a variety of health complications ranging from dehydration to heart problems. If you do find that you're losing more than two pounds per week, increase your intake of lean proteins and whole grains to give your body the fuel and nutrition it needs.