Can You Lose 10 Pounds in a Month? Experts Explain the Safe Way

It’s natural to want to maximize your efforts when starting a weight loss journey. And if you’re aiming for ambitious goals, you might be wondering if it’s feasible and safe to lose 10 pounds in a month.

Here’s the expert perspective: For the average person, safely shedding 10 pounds in just one month is generally not achievable, according to Michael Glickman, MD, a board-certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician and founder of Revolution Medicine, Health and Fitness. He cautions that attempting to lose weight at such a rapid pace can increase your risk of developing gallstones – painful deposits of digestive fluid in the gallbladder. Additionally, it significantly raises the likelihood of regaining the weight later on. Neither of these outcomes is desirable for long-term health.

Meet the experts guiding this information: Michael Glickman, MD, is a board-certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician and founder of Revolution Medicine, Health and Fitness. Michael Hamlin, CSCS, is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the founder of Everflex Fitness.

Naturally, individual results vary greatly depending on factors such as your starting weight. While having ambitious weight loss targets is fine, aiming for 10 pounds in a very short timeframe is a challenging benchmark for most individuals. So, what constitutes a safe amount of weight to lose in a month, and what is the recommended approach? Here’s what the experts suggest. While the idea of quick results is appealing, understanding if can you lose weight in 2 weeks requires a look at sustainable rates.

Dr. Michael Glickman, obesity medicine physician and founder of Revolution Medicine

How Long Does It Safely Take to Lose 10 Pounds?

The timeline for losing 10 pounds will differ for everyone, influenced by individual factors such as starting weight, genetics, nutrition, activity level, stress levels, and more. Dr. Glickman advises allowing anywhere from two to three months to realistically achieve that 10-pound weight loss goal. He adds, “For some, this could take longer, so be compassionate with your body and prioritize what’s best for your health.”

When considering a safe rate of weight loss over a given period, aim for losing one to two pounds per week, Dr. Glickman recommends. Some individuals might experience quicker weight loss initially during the first month after significantly reducing calorie intake and adopting a healthier diet. However, he notes that a substantial portion of this early loss on the scale is often due to losing water weight. If you have obesity and are making drastic changes to your eating habits while starting an exercise program after being largely sedentary, you might see more significant results early on compared to someone with a lower starting weight making less drastic adjustments. It’s important to distinguish between rapid initial loss and sustainable fat loss; sometimes, even without conscious effort, people wonder if they have lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks without trying.

Safe and Sustainable Tips to Support Weight Loss

According to Dr. Glickman, a safe and effective approach to weight loss is comprehensive and involves multiple factors. This includes optimal nutrition, regular physical activity, stress reduction techniques, and sufficient sleep. He emphasizes that it’s not necessarily about simply eating less, but rather being mindful of incorporating a diverse range of plants into your diet and avoiding processed foods, refined oils, and refined carbohydrates.

Michael Hamlin, CSCS, adds that successfully losing weight involves integrating sustainable healthy habits into your daily routine that you genuinely enjoy. This could mean participating in a workout class with friends a couple of times a week, preparing a plant-based meal with your partner, or listening to your favorite podcast while taking a solo walk. Considering intense workout routines, understanding the fastest way to lose 20 pounds in 1 week is often linked to extreme methods and is typically unsafe.

Here are 15 tips experts recommend for supporting safe and sustainable weight loss:

1. Protect your sleep schedule. Lack of sleep can lead to an increase in ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates hunger. This can trigger late-night snacking and ultimately raise your daily calorie intake, Dr. Glickman explains. Aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night. Getting enough sleep also boosts your energy levels, making it easier to incorporate more physical activity throughout your day.

2. Commit to daily walks. This may sound simple, but taking 30 minutes for a daily walk can be incredibly beneficial, says Dr. Glickman. He clarifies, “It isn’t about calorie burning – it’s about the mobility, the happy hormones your brain releases, and the physiological anti-inflammatory responses that have long-term impacts on your weight.” Incorporating daily steps offers health benefits such as reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and can even contribute to living longer. While any movement helps, walking at a brisk pace provides the most significant health perks.

3. Eat plants. Research indicates that plant diversity has a highly positive effect on the gut microbiome. The gut microbiome influences your metabolic set point (the weight your body naturally tries to maintain), insulin levels, and how fat is stored, notes Dr. Glickman. Plant-based diets are also associated with a reduced risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, offering significant advantages for your overall health. His suggestion is to try dedicating one day or one meal per week to being plant-based to help support your gut microbiome and ensure you’re consuming plenty of vegetables.

4. Consider a calorie deficit. Determining your individual daily calorie needs is best done with a doctor or registered dietitian, as it depends on factors like your age, gender, activity level, muscle mass, current weight, and your basal metabolic rate (the calories you burn at rest), Hamlin advises. Based on this, they can help you establish a slight calorie deficit – the number of calories needed daily to safely lose one to two pounds per week. While waiting for a consultation, you can explore tools like the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ online body weight planner, which provides daily calorie goals based on your current information, ideal weight, and activity level.

5. Manage stress as best you can. Elevated stress levels can lead to increased hunger hormones and a higher metabolic set point, according to Dr. Glickman. Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol can also contribute to the accumulation of stubborn fat around the abdomen. While easier said than done, try relaxation techniques like meditation, yoga, or journaling to help combat stress and anxiety. If you find managing stress challenging, consider seeking guidance from a mental health therapist. For those looking for targeted fat loss, especially around the midsection, exploring the best way to lose belly fat after 40 often involves addressing factors like stress and hormonal changes.

6. Drink plenty of water. Dr. Glickman points out, “Sometimes we can mistake the feeling of thirst for hunger, so make sure to stay hydrated throughout the day, especially during and after exercise.” The Mayo Clinic recommends that women consume about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids daily, which includes fluids from both drinks and food.

7. Strength train. Studies demonstrate that strength training has a significant positive impact on your metabolism and ability to burn fat. Aim to incorporate resistance training at least three days per week, advises Dr. Glickman. Keep in mind that because strength training builds muscle, you may notice little or no overall change in weight on the scale at times, even while you are actively losing fat.

8. Work in HIIT exercise. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts burn a substantial number of calories and can improve body composition by building muscle, says Hamlin. A 2017 study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research found that women who incorporated HIIT achieved similar body composition and aerobic capacity results in half the time compared to women who did moderate-intensity workouts.

Dr. Michael Glickman, obesity medicine physician and founder of Revolution Medicine

9. Increase fiber. Fiber plays a key role in regulating blood sugar levels, helping to prevent insulin resistance and diabetes. It’s also an excellent source of nutrition for healthy bacteria in your gut, Dr. Glickman notes. High-fiber foods, particularly vegetables, are also very filling without adding excessive calories, Hamlin adds. While fiber supplements or powders are available, the healthiest and most beneficial source is always from plants, according to Dr. Glickman.

10. Avoid ultra-processed foods. Dr. Glickman states that weight gain is consistently linked to the consumption of highly processed and packaged foods. “This includes any food item in a wrapper with ingredients you can’t pronounce, even if the calories and carbohydrates seem appealing,” he explains. His strong recommendation is to always opt for whole foods over packaged ones whenever possible.

11. Cook at home as much as you can. Prioritizing cooking your meals at home is a great way to avoid hidden fats, sugars, and processed ingredients that aren’t typically listed on restaurant menus, Dr. Glickman advises. Focus on the quality of the food you eat and aim for three balanced meals each day. These meals should include a small quantity of complex carbohydrates (like root vegetables and whole grains), a moderate amount of high-quality protein (such as fish, chicken, eggs, or tofu), and plenty of plant-based fiber.

12. Limit alcohol. Alcoholic beverages generally lack nutritional value and are often high in calories, so reducing your alcohol intake is advisable, says Hamlin. When you consume alcohol, your liver prioritizes processing it as an energy source immediately. This means your body burns alcohol calories first, potentially delaying the burning of fat. Furthermore, alcohol can lower your inhibitions, making you more likely to overeat beyond the point of satiety.

13. Keep a food journal. To help with accountability and awareness, Hamlin suggests using a food journal or a tracking app for your meals. This practice provides valuable insight into how many calories you are consuming and at which meals. Research supports this approach; one study found that individuals who consistently tracked their meals at least five days a week experienced “significant and sustained weight loss” over time compared to those who tracked less frequently or inconsistently.

14. Practice portion control. It takes time for your stomach to signal to your brain that it’s full. Hamlin recommends pausing between servings before deciding if you truly need more food. You can implement portion control by pre-packing your meals into smaller containers or using smaller plates, which serve as a visual cue to eat less. A scientific analysis of 14 studies concluded that people who ate smaller portions consumed a “substantial” reduction in daily calories.

15. Set goals. Hamlin emphasizes the importance of thinking about weight loss as a long-term process and setting goals that are realistic for your individual lifestyle. He notes that achieving your goals may require time and patience, and that is perfectly normal. “Weight loss isn’t solely about a caloric deficit, because the body is a super complex piece of machinery, and we can’t simply boil all of weight loss down to calories in versus calories out,” he explains. Embracing a timeline of several months, such as aiming to be lost 30 pounds in 3 months without trying significant changes, can offer a more sustainable path than chasing rapid results.

Ultimately, while the desire to lose 10 pounds quickly is understandable, experts agree that prioritizing a safe and sustainable approach over speed is crucial for long-term success and overall health. Focusing on consistent, healthy habits across diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management is the most effective way to achieve lasting results.