How Much Weight Can You Realistically Lose in a Month?

How much weight can you realistically lose in a month? With a moderate calorie deficit, a realistic pace for most people is about 2–4 kg (4–9 lb) a month. The exact amount depends on the size of your deficit, your starting weight and how much of the loss is water.

My own weight loss of almost 40 kilos took two years. That works out to less than two kilos a month on average, and that is exactly why it worked: it was a pace I could keep up.

How much weight do you lose with different calorie deficits?

A kilo of body fat holds roughly 7,700 kcal (about 3,500 kcal per pound). That gives a rough estimate:

• A daily deficit of 250 kcal: about 7,500 kcal a month, or roughly 1 kg (2 lb)
• A 500 kcal deficit: about 15,000 kcal a month, or roughly 2 kg (4 lb)
• A 750 kcal deficit: about 22,500 kcal a month, or roughly 3 kg (6–7 lb)

The calculation is a simplification. Your energy use drops slightly as your weight goes down, and no day goes exactly to plan. The direction still holds.

Why do you lose more in the first weeks?

When you eat less, especially carbohydrates and salt, your body lets go of water. That is why the scale can show a kilo or two less after the first week, even though only a fraction of that is fat.

It also explains why the pace slows down after a couple of weeks. Nothing has gone wrong. Read also: water retention vs body fat.

Your starting weight affects the pace

The higher your starting weight, the higher your energy use, and the more weight you can lose eating the same amount of food. As your weight comes down, the same deficit takes slightly less food than it did at the start.

A common recommendation is about half a kilo, or at most a kilo, a week (roughly 1–2 lb). A faster pace is hard for most people to keep up.

Can you lose 5 kg (11 lb) in a month?

Five kilos of fat is roughly 38,500 kcal, which means a daily deficit of almost 1,300 kcal. For most people that is too much: hunger, tiredness and muscle loss all increase, and the weight easily comes back.

The number on the scale can still drop by five kilos in the first month if your starting weight is high and you lose a lot of water. In that case not all of the loss is fat. Read also: results do not come from punishing yourself.

How I track my progress

1. I weigh myself at the same time in the morning a few times a week.
2. I look at the weekly average and the direction over several weeks.
3. I only judge the pace after 2–3 weeks.
4. If the direction does not change in three weeks, I check my logging first and only then cut calories.

Frequently asked questions

How much weight can you lose in a month?

With a moderate calorie deficit, about 2–4 kg (4–9 lb) a month is realistic for many people. Your starting weight and the size of the deficit affect the pace.

Is it possible to lose 5 kg in a month?

The number on the scale can drop that much if your starting weight is high and you lose water. As pure fat, it would take a daily deficit of almost 1,300 kcal, which is too much for most people.

How much weight do you lose with a 500 kcal deficit?

About half a kilo (1 lb) a week, or roughly two kilos (4 lb) a month.

Why does weight loss slow down?

The early water loss ends, and your energy use drops slightly along with your weight. Logging also often gets looser without you noticing.