So how long does it take to lose weight safely and effectively?
The one answer to the question as to how long it will take to lose your expected amount of weight is that you cannot predict. You have likely heard that the health rate of weight loss is about one to two pounds per week. It can be frustrating, especially with the pounds not coming off visibly or noticeably when you put in a great effort. But, it is important to hang in there if you see these results, along with other health benefits like improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar rates.
It can be difficult to hand onto a challenging diet or exercise schedule when you don’t see pounds coming off visibly after a month or two. And it’s also troublesome to step up on the scale regularly and only see that maybe three or four pounds have come off when you have been so strict with your eating and exercise habits for a decent amount of time. Finally, it can be hard to follow along if you have planned to lose 40 or 50 pounds when the rate of weight loss is only one or two pounds per week.
Even more, the natural weight loss rate of one to two pounds a week could be the best for those who want to maintain a long-term weight change. It is essentially more helpful to maintain your weight loss if you work on updating your overall eating and exercise habits to keep your weight down for good. If you take on extreme exercise habits, you will lose weight quickly. Still, you would have to keep up those exercise habits for a decent period even after you lose your desired weight to increase your metabolism and help keep your body burning calories. You would also have to remind yourself to keep your calorie intake to at least an equal or lower level to the calories you burn daily to help ensure your weight remains the same.
With all of this considered, it may take at least four or five weeks for you to notice your weight loss while taking a standard healthy rate on your own. Then, it may still take another two or three weeks for others around you during the day to notice your weight loss as well. So, don’t worry if people aren’t seeing the results of your diet and exercise within the first month or so. Give it a little time! Then, keep up your efforts for your health and long-term goals. It will all work out in the end.
