A Working Checklist for Rate of Weight Loss
Rate of Weight Loss: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
How quickly weight can be lost in a way that is safe and likely to be sustained. Faster loss is easier to achieve and harder to keep, and the rate that holds is the one you are still following in a year.
Key takeaways
- Commonly advised rate: 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) a week
- Typical daily deficit for that rate: 500-600 calories
- Most useful single change: Set the first target at 5 per cent of your current weight.
- Commonest mistake: Aiming for more than about 1kg a week outside medical supervision.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Do
- Set the first target at 5 per cent of your current weight
- Keep resistance training in the plan to protect lean mass
- Write the maintenance plan before you reach the target
- Judge progress on several weeks of data, not single readings
Do not
- Aiming for more than about 1kg a week outside medical supervision
- Cutting protein while cutting calories
- Treating a bad week as a failed attempt
The numbers behind the list
The reasoning behind both lists, in numbers.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Commonly advised rate | 0.5-1kg (1-2lb) a week |
| Typical daily deficit for that rate | 500-600 calories |
| Clinically meaningful loss | 5-10 per cent of body weight |
| Protein while in a deficit | often advised at 1.2-1.6g per kg |
| Resistance training | at least 2 days a week to protect lean mass |
If you change one thing
Set the first target at 5 per cent of your current weight. It heads the list. If you take nothing else from this page, take that.
Where to go next
- Popular Beliefs About Rate of Weight Loss, and What Is Actually Published
- Rate of Weight Loss: A Beginner-Friendly Start
- Rate of Weight Loss — the reference entry
- Body Mass Index: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- Portion Sizes: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
When to speak to a doctor
See a GP before starting if you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, take insulin or medication that can cause low blood sugar, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of an eating disorder. Unintentional weight loss should always be assessed. Very low calorie diets belong under clinical supervision only.
Where this comes from
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarised or generalised beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to a GP, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 999.
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