Be persistent
It usually takes years or decades to gain a lot of weight. Trying to lose it all as quickly as possible by starving yourself does not necessarily work well long term; instead it may be a recipe for “yo-yo dieting”.28 To succeed, you need something that works long term.
In addition, you need to set realistic expectations for health and weight loss goals. You can read more in our detailed guide on realistic expectations.
What to aim for
carb diet, and then on average about one pound (0.5 kg) per week as long as you have a lot of weight remaining to lose.29 This translates into about 50 pounds (23 kilos) per year. However, weight loss doesn’t occur at this rate in everyone.
Every 5 pounds of fat loss roughly equals 1 inch lost around the waist (1 kilo = 1 cm).
Young males sometimes lose weight faster than this, perhaps twice as fast.30 Post-menopausal women may lose at a slower pace.31 People on a very strict low-carb diet may lose weight quicker, as well as those who exercise a lot (a bonus).32 And if you have an enormous amount of excess weight to lose, you could start out much faster — although initially, some of the weight you lose will be due to water loss.
As you get closer to your ideal weight, the loss may slow down until you stabilize at a weight that your body feels is right. Very few people become underweight on a low-carb diet as long as they eat when hungry.
Initial stalls
Are you coming off a period of semi-starvation (which can occur with calorie-counting)? Focus on your waist circumference and health markers (see advice #4) at first, as it sometimes takes several weeks before weight loss is apparent.33
Weight-loss plateaus
Expect weight-loss plateaus: months where nothing seems to happen on the scale. Everybody hits them.34 Stay calm. Keep doing what you’re doing and eventually things should start happening again (if not, check out the other 17 tips).
How to keep the weight off long term
Losing a lot of weight long term and keeping it off will likely not happen unless you change your habits forever. If you lose weight and then return to living exactly the way you did when you gained weight, don’t be surprised when the excess weight returns. It normally will.
Maintaining weight loss usually requires long-term change and patience. As tempting as it may be, don’t fall for one of these magical diet scams.
Forget quick fixes: If you lose some weight every month, eventually you may get rid of all your excess weight. That’s inevitable progress. That’s what you want.
PS: Long-term change is hardest in the beginning, especially during the first couple of weeks. It’s like quitting smoking. Once you develop new habits it becomes easier and easier every week. Eventually it may come naturally.