How Fast Is Too Fast to Lose Weight?

It depends on how much body fat you have to lose. That is the whole answer, so let me break it down.

If you are not drastically overweight

Say you are under about 30 percent body fat as a man, or under about 40 percent as a woman. In that case, do not lose more than about 2 percent of your body weight per week.

Past that, you are almost certainly losing lean tissue along with the fat, and that is the part we do not want to lose.

If you are above those numbers

If you are over those body fat levels, you have more room. Getting to a healthier weight matters more than the small amount of lean tissue you might lose on the way, and lean tissue comes back fairly quickly and easily when you have that much body fat. Faster loss can be appropriate here, as long as it is done with a plan.

What that looks like on the scale

It is hard to give one number because it depends on your size. For an average body weight, I would not aim for more than 1 to 3 pounds per week. Someone with a lot more to lose can go faster, but a big deficit is a lot for your body to deal with, so it should be a plan and not a free for all.

If you want a pace that fits your body, that is what a consultation is for.

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