It usually takes around a few weeks to months, depending on your body structure, type, and metabolism, to see noticeable changes in weight
While weight loss is among the most wished-for events, experts call for consistency and focus on your health goals. Weight loss occurs when you regularly eat healthy and burn more calories. However, apart from a well-balanced diet, many other factors also influence the rate at which you may expend energy and, therefore, shed kilos.
According to studies, it usually takes around a few weeks to months—depending on your body structure, type, and metabolism—to see noticeable changes in weight loss, with a safe and sustainable rate being about 0.5 to 1 kilogram per week. However, experts believe that a lot of other factors also play an important role. Many people do see initial changes within a month, while many have slow progression and take longer.
How does weight loss happen?
Whatever you consume—solid food and drinks—is added to your overall calorie intake. And so, the number of calories that you burn daily—called total daily energy expenditure—comes into action. There are three major components of energy expenditure, including:
Basal metabolic rate or BMR
It includes the number of calories your body burns when performing basic bodily functions like breathing and pumping blood.
Thermic effect of food
This involves the calories that are used to digest, absorb, and metabolize food.
Non-resting energy expenditure
These are calories used during physical activity and are broken down into two categories: working out and other forms of movement outside formal workouts like walking.
Factors that lead to weight loss
While there are several factors that affect the rate at which you lose weight, a few may be out of your control, which include:
Time period
Weight loss cannot happen in just a day and is a continuous process that occurs over several stages. Experts say weight loss happens mostly in the first few weeks as your body adjusts to being in a calorie deficit and exercising more frequently. However, after some time you may reach a plateau.
According to studies, it happens due to physiological and hormonal changes that occur as your body tries to regain the weight it has lost for survival. And so, it is important to be consistent as well as patient.
Your gender
Experts believe that men burn more calories than women due to higher BMR as they have more body mass due to more body mass and fat-free mass.
Age
Most people gain weight until 75 years of age, however, after this, their body weight starts to decline. Doctors say as you grow older, you may experience a spike in fat mass and low bone density and muscle mass.
Calorie deficit
Your calorie deficit affects how quickly you lose weight. However, doctors recommend not having a large calorie deficit as it can increase your risk of nutrient deficiencies and losing muscle mass rather than fat mass.
A few other factors also affect your weight loss rate, which include
- Genetics
- Sleep
- Medications for depression, hypertension, epilepsy and diabetes
- Underlying health conditions like chronic stress, depression
- Family history of obesity and being overweight
