So How Long Does it Really Take to Lose 20 Pounds or More?
Let's take a look at some testimonials across the web (or go straight to The Plan + Bonus Tips to Speed Up Your Progress). This also applies to anyone wondering on:
- How to lose 5 pounds in a week
- How to lose 20 pounds in a month
- How to lose 30 pounds in a month
According to an article on Yahoo:
"When it comes to losing weight, the first thing to understand is daily calorie intake. A single pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories. In order to lose one pound a week, you would need to alter your food intake such that you consume 500 fewer calories per day. Doing this would result in losing one pound a week, which would mean losing 20 pounds would take 20 weeks. One pound a week equals 20 pounds of loss over 20 weeks, or five months." -Source: How Long Does It Really Take To Lose 20 Pounds? Here's What We Know
According to some of the 9 Women interviewed on Women's Health Magazine:
"I lost the first 20 pounds in about seven to eight months". "It took me two months to lose 20 pounds". "I lost 20 pounds in about four months". "It took me six years to lose 53 pounds.". "Over the course of the past 10 years, I lost 80 pounds." -Source: 9 Women Share Exactly How Long It Took To Lose 20 Pounds Or More
According to Center for Well, there are a few scenarios:
By only Working Out - "Say you exercise five days a week, burning 700 calories each time. That burns an extra 3,500 calories per week. Since there are about 3,500 calories in one pound, it would take you one week to lose one pound and 20 weeks to lose 20 pounds."
By A Healthy Calorie Restriction - "Let’s say a woman reduces her daily calories to 2,200 and starts taking 30-minute walks, burning an additional 200 calories. That puts her at a 500 calorie deficit each day and a 3,500 calorie deficit per week – that’s one pound lost each week! Generally speaking, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week can be a healthy rate. How long does it take to lose 20 pounds healthily? At this rate, you could lose 20 pounds in 20 weeks, which is very sustainable."
By Walking - "After walking for 1 hour, a 150-pound person burns: 24 calories at a moderate 3 mph pace. Done daily, they’d lose 1 pound in 2.23 weeks and 20 pounds in 44.6 weeks. 340 calories at a very brisk rate of 4 mph. Done daily, they’d lose 1 pound in about 1.5 weeks and 20 pounds in 29.5 weeks."
-Source: How Long Does it Take to Lose 20 Pounds
So I'm sure you have an idea on how long it takes, the general consensus seems to be between 4 months to 1 year. One of the out liars being 2 months, which is of course achievable. Now if you're like me and thinking "is there a way to lose the 20 pounds faster?" Then you've come to the right place, because if you want to lose 20 pounds fast? Then check out my recommended plan, but first:
- The focus here is to get healthy first! The weight will come off naturally from there
- Safety comes first! Make sure that you are monitoring yourself and avoid straining yourself too far
- Keep your expectations Neutral! Your results may vary from someone else's for many reasons
- Be Patient! This process takes time, a lot of people quit right before the magic happens
- Keeping the Weight Off! This isn't a fad diet or trend, it's the path to the new you!
- Prepare Yourself For The Commitment
- Take Out The Garbage
- The Transition to Fat Burning
- Enter The Healthy Keto Diet
- Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!
- Introducing........Intermittent Fasting (IF)
- Exercise
- Bonus Tips to Speed Up Your Progress
Before we get into the goods, it's worth noting that I am not a doctor and although I tried these myself and it has worked for me. I highly advise that you consult your physician or doctor before attempting any of these.
1) Prepare Yourself For The Commitment
Set yourself up mentally, because there will be obstacles on your path. Understand that this process takes discipline, time, and effort on your part. The good news is that it will get easier over time, and hey you might even enjoy the process.
It is also helpful to write down your reasons for losing weight, this is your WHY! This is your compass, something to come back to when you're feeling un-motivated or just "meh".
For myself, I bought a pair of jeans that were intentionally smaller than my current size. My goal/why for losing weight was to fit in those jeans.
I found this more powerful than just setting a "I want to lose x lbs this week", it had no substance. No real meaning to me, so come up with a WHY that resonates with you!
2) Take Out The Garbage
No really, I can smell it all the way from here. Jokes aside, what I actually mean is to go to your kitchen and throw out (better yet, give away) all of the junk food and processed sugars. As well as anything that can deter you from your goal which is to lose weight.
The process of elimination is the best and easiest place to start, that includes your meals. Look at what could be contributing to your weight negatively, and can that be eliminated (or replaced with something healthier) from your meals?
The biggest factors to a stubborn weight are refined carbohydrates (bread, pasta, cereal, etc.), refined and processed sugars (including sugar alternatives), and any processed or fried food.
3) The Transition to Fat Burning
For a long time, you may have trained your body to burn carbohydrates (perhaps without even knowing). If you look at your daily diet, a lot of it may contain a heavy amount of carbs (being Indian myself, we would eat roti and rice almost every day). Because of that, your body looks to burn the carbs first for fuel. Where do you get the carbs? Your diet of course, and what happens when your body can't find carbs? You get hungry and need to re-fill......with mainly carbs.
Because of this, the body has been trained through eating to look for carbs first. But that's going to change, because now you want your body to use fat for energy. Now you may have heard of this story before and know where it ends, but before you jump straight into Intermittent Fasting. A lot of people fail at it because they miss some crucial steps as well as understanding the why, this is one of them.
Training your body to burn fat means that your body will be adjusted to use fat for fuel. The best way to do this is to introduce more fat into your meals while reducing your carbs significantly. This is where the ketogenic diet comes in, not just any keto though, but.....
4) Enter The Healthy Keto Diet
You've probably heard of the keto diet, maybe you even tried it out. Did it work for you? Probably not if you're on this page. However, have you tried the healthy version? Essentially it is the addition of vegetables, and lots of it.
Why vegetables? Because they pack a tremendous amount of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for the body and will set you up nicely for the next step. They will also aid your body in performing other important functions, too numerous to mention so we'll save that for another time. Simply put.....Eat Your Veggies!
In addition to vegetables, we mentioned fat. You'll want to increase your fat intake (see below for some healthy fats as a guideline), avoid any processed or unhealthy fats. You'll also want to increase your protein intake, whether it be from vegetables and nuts or meat. Of course avoid the processed meats, and if you're looking for vegan options, click here.
Healthy Fats: Avocados, Unprocessed Cheese, Butter, Macadamia Nuts, Walnuts, Peacans, Olive Oil, and Whole Eggs (just to name a few).
Nutrient Dense Vegetables: Cabbage, Kale, Broccoli, Leafy Greens, Fermented Vegetables, and Celery.
Acceptable Fruits (in moderation): Strawberries, Blueberries, Lemons, and Blackberries.
This is another touchy topic since I am not a doctor and am simply speaking from my own experience and through research. Also you may have some restrictions in the form of allergies or otherwise. So it is advisable to consult a doctor you trust before making any significant changes to your diet. Maybe even get a blood test.
5) Sleep, Sleep, Sleep!
I'm sure you know that sleep plays a major role in more than just weight loss, but just in case. Poor sleep quality has been shown through studies to increase your risk of weight gain and developing obesity. This is because sleep deprivation spikes up the hunger hormones, which can cause a craving for food leading to weight gain.
The goal is to aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep. If you're having trouble catching those zzzz, a good workout during the day can get your body in the mood for sleep. Sometimes a warm/hot shower before bed can relax the body. Turning down the thermostat for a cooler room can also help, but if your significant other likes it warm. Consider getting them a heating pad.
6) Introducing........Intermittent Fasting (IF)
After a few weeks (sometimes longer) of healthy keto, your body may now be fat adapted. Meaning that your body is now burning fat as the primary source of energy/fuel. On top of that, your body should have a decent reservoir of vitamins and necessary nutrients. Remember when I mentioned to eat plenty of veggies? If you have, then here's the general idea(s) behind intermittent fasting
- When you starve your body of food, it will go looking for sources of energy (the fat that you trained it to look for and use)
- When the dietary fat from your food runs out, your body will go looking for the fat stored across your body
- That fat can be stored anywhere, from your cells, to your legs, to your......belly (see where I'm getting at?)
- Your body will also rely on the reservoir of nutrients you've built up over time to continue functioning efficiently
How to start Intermittent Fasting. You can start by skipping breakfast and pushing your first meal to say 12pm or later. The usual initial target is 16:8 (16 hour fast + 8 hour eating window), once you've worked up to this comfortably. You can extend your fasting period and shorten the eating window, again do this safely.
Take your time with this and pay close attention to your body, you may need to take a step back or adjust here and there. That's completely okay, you know your body better than anyone else.
When breaking a fast, introduce food slowly (especially after longer fasts). Maybe with a light salad first, then a heavier meal after 30 minutes to an hour. You're still doing healthy keto here
This is where you can start to see accelerated, and sometimes exponential results. Like a snowball gathering momentum, this may be the breakthrough to losing weight faster than what the articles suggest.
7) Exercise
Notice that I mention exercise now, there's a reason for that. Because while you are transitioning from carb burning to fat burning, your energy levels are also adjusting. Meaning that you may feel abnormally exhausted at the gym, you can go ahead and try exercising while making the transition. But be careful and take precautions, especially if you have never been to the gym before.
Also, it is known that exercise makes up for 20% of weight loss. While diet accounts for nearly 80%, I think psychology plays a role in there as well. This part is completely up to you since I don't know your gym experience and I'm not a personal trainer. Here's something to keep in mind.
A 150-pound person can burn 306 calories in 30 minutes of stair climbing. Adding a few cardio sessions to your workout per week can boost your weekly calorie burn, which can help you achieve your goal sooner. If you're looking for some workout ideas or a little push, then try the Aptiv Fitness Program.
8) Bonus Tips to Speed Up Your Progress
- Assign an Accountability Partner, because maybe you're not the only one doing this. Or maybe you just need someone (or some people) to light that fire under your......you know.
- Track your progress, either through a spreadsheet, on paper, or through an app.
- If you're into Shakes and Smoothies, then try the Lanta Flat Belly Shake for a faster burn.
- Eat Slowly, as it takes roughly 20 minutes for the brain to process the information from your stomach that it is full. Also pay attention to how you eat, this can aid in other areas too.
- Add Electrolytes to your water, such as Salt, Magnesium, Calcium, and Potassium since they are frequently flushed out.
- Add a little Apple Cider Vinegar to your salad or water (use a straw to drink to avoid damage to the teeth).
- Consider adding Nutritional Yeast to your salad or meals as there are numerous health benefits.
- Try cooking at home, this can be a great opportunity to try new recipes or make up your own. But if you don't have the time, then there's always Hello Fresh!
- Cold Showers can kick start the metabolism (as well as immune system) and speed up the fat burning process.
- Sleep shirtless as it can burn more calories (if you are comfortable in doing so)
- Saunas and Steam rooms increase sweat, leading to more calorie burning and releasing toxins (consult your doctor before using).
- Incorporate a form of Meditation as this can help with stress and mindfulness in losing weight