Losing weight is never an easy task, and everybody wants to know how long does it take. In most cases, for almost every person, it is not significant what scale shows, but it is what the mirror says. Regarding that, many people don’t care about the number on a scale, but only about other people noticing their weight loss. The truth is that it can’t happen overnight, and it is crucial to prepare ourselves for that. It can be a long time process with many ups and downs, but giving up doesn’t help anyone. If you need help with proper weight loss, click here and find out about that. And in the text below, you can find some facts about the time that everybody needs to get into great shape.
The “before and after” photographies are all around us, photos of people who changed their appearance in six weeks, and mothers who returned to their previous weight just a few months after giving birth. It may look impossible for a regular person, and it may create many complexes. It is not easy to avoid the Internet and advice on it, but it is never a good idea. Every person and body are different, and it is not impossible to calculate the time of losing weight by statistics. You should analyze many factors before deciding what diet is best for you, and maybe the best idea is to contact the specialist. But, still, the question is, how much time do we need to lose weight?
If you ask your doctor or personal trainer how long it will take you to lose weight, you will not get specific answers. Many factors affect weight loss – age, health, physical activity, but also lifestyle. It is realistic, in most cases, to lose from one to two pounds a week. If the weight disappears faster, the yo-yo effect can occur, for example, return to the old weight. The most important thing is to set yourself long-term goals, stay focused, and persevere. There is no magical potion that will help you lose 20 pounds a day, and it is crucial to be persistent. Try not to stress if the weight loss is not visible since it is normal. Your body is expelling the water first, and it is not visible, but the scale will show it. Getting rid of fat is the hardest part, and unfortunately, that is what we see.
If, on the other hand, it happens that the scale shows five pounds less after a week, that does not have to be a good sign right away. There are three explanations for sudden weight loss – loss of body fat, water, or muscle mass. Ideally, with a balanced diet and regular physical activity, we will lose the most fat and preserve muscle. But that is not always the case, as we mainly focus on strict diets that are losing the most water and muscle mass. The scale will show good news, but such results are rarely long-term. The problem with strict diets is the yo-yo effect, but it can also affect health. These diets usually exclude a large number of foods, so although the results are quickly visible, it is better to avoid them.
The older we get, the harder it is for us to lose weight. We all notice that. As we age, we lose muscle mass, which slows down our metabolism and makes it harder for us to burn calories. Life expectancy is not the only factor that affects weight loss. Fitness age, for example, the number of years of physical activity, significantly affects the speed and ability to lose weight. That means, if you train relatively recently, you may lose weight faster than someone who hasn’t been doing it and eating healthily for a long time. That means that long-term success is only guaranteed when we are training regularly. Of course, lifestyle is equally important. If we are not under stress, we sleep enough and have the complete support of the family then we are on a great path to get rid of extra pounds. Stress and the lack of sleep are not good allies in the fight against excess weight. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health, and you can’t expect results if one of them is compromised.
Be aware that probably the other people will see your progress before you. We are always critical of ourselves, and it is never easy to notice something nice. You will see the progress when you realize that the clothes are getting bigger, or it may also be your ring or bracelet. Other people are not looking at us in that way, and they can notice the changes before us. Instead of being suspicious, be happy for their words. And try not to worry since you will see the first results after a week or two. It is not easy to say precisely, but that is the approximate time. Give your body some time, and try to love it as it is. If you are in harmony with your body and mind, losing weight will be much easier because you will notice small changes instead of only the big ones.
The conclusion is that everybody is different. We can train and eat the same as someone else and yet not achieve the same results. What is certain is that you need to be persistent and patient because there is no long-term and fast weight loss in the real world. There is not a universal answer to how long does it take to lose some weight since it depends on many factors. It is crucial to put your health in the first place and try to lose weight healthily. Everything more than a kilogram per week is a reason to worry, no matter how happy you are for that. It may look nice, but it can cause severe problems for your body.