HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN I LOSE IN 3 MONTHS?
Everyone wants to stay in good shape. Having your ideal body can boost your confidence. The key to staying fit is eating well and exercising regularly. But sometimes, we need to catch up. This is when you start gaining weight and losing your body shape.
We usually realize this when an event approaches. The worst part is you only have three months or less to shed all that extra weight and look your best for the event. Such a short time frame makes you wonder how much weight you can lose in 3 months.
This is when we start searching for quick fixes that promise instant results. In our fast-paced world, we always look for instant solutions to our problems. But when it comes to losing weight, aiming for quick fixes isn’t the best idea.
Today, let’s talk about how much weight you can lose in 3 months and how we will do it.
HOW MUCH CAN I LOSE IN 3 MONTHS?
Well, it depends on where you’re starting from.
Naturally, someone with a higher body fat percentage can shed fat more quickly than someone with a lower body fat percentage since they have more to lose.
Men with over 25% body fat and women with over 35% can typically shed around 1-1.5kg (2-3lbs) of fat per week while maintaining muscle mass. This could result in a loss of between 12-18kg (26-39lbs) in 3 months.
Keep in mind as you start to lose body fat and get leaner, the rate of fat loss will slow down. So, aiming for the lower end of the 12-18kg range is more realistic.
Fat loss will be slower for already leaner individuals (men at 10% body fat and women at 20% body fat). You can expect to lose around 0.25-0.5kg (0.5-1lb) weekly. Over 12 weeks, this translates to 3-6kg (6-13lbs).
When considering how much weight you can lose in 3 months, paying attention to what you’re losing: fat or muscle mass is essential. An aggressive diet can cause you to lose muscle and fat, which is not ideal.
Losing large amounts of muscle and fat mass can lead to what some call “skinny fat.” Instead, aim to reduce overall fat mass, which is healthier and helps you achieve the body you desire.
Additionally, the rate you lose fat varies from person to person. Factors like genetics, lifestyle, exercise frequency, and calorie deficit all play a role in determining how quickly you can shed fat.
The rest of this article explores the best strategies for losing fat so you can make significant progress over the next three months.
HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT IN 3 MONTHS
Embarking on a weight loss journey involves making several lifestyle changes. Follow these tips to ensure a healthy and prosperous journey to shedding those extra pounds.
- CALORIE DEFICIT
The cornerstone of weight and fat loss is maintaining a calorie deficit.
Simply put, a calorie deficit occurs when you consume fewer calories than your body burns daily. This creates a negative energy balance, leading to weight loss.
When you eat fewer calories, your body taps into its stored reserves, such as body fat, to fuel your daily activities.
You won’t lose weight if you’re not in a calorie deficit.
And if you believe you’re in a calorie deficit but aren’t seeing results, you likely aren’t.
We provide a detailed guide on determining your daily calorie intake for fat loss in our article “How much should I eat to reduce body fat?” This resource explains how to calculate your daily calorie goal and the appropriate amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
To establish a calorie deficit, begin by calculating your maintenance calories—the number of calories you need to maintain your current weight. Then, subtract 200-400 calories to create the deficit. For instance, if your maintenance calories are 2500, aim to consume between 2100-2300 calories to promote fat loss.
- Exercise And Workout
There are two main methods to achieve the calorie deficit mentioned earlier.
- We can eat less.
- We can burn more.
Cutting down on food can be challenging, especially if we’re already following a low-calorie diet, and let’s face it, food is just too delicious!
That leaves us with option 2 – We need to burn more.
We’re going to achieve this through exercise.
Exercising is always the preferred approach when it comes to losing fat. If we don’t exercise but maintain a calorie deficit, we might lose weight, but it could be a combination of muscle and fat, leaving us looking like a smaller version of our former selves.
This could lead to the dreaded “skinny fat” appearance – where we have low muscle mass and relatively high body fat.
Exercising is the best way to preserve or increase muscle mass while following a calorie-restricted diet. Maintaining muscle while losing fat improves our body composition, giving us the desired toned and robust look.
- SUPPLEMENTS FOR YOUR DIET
Like anything else, dieting has its drawbacks, and vitamin deficiencies are one of the most common! We may need to take advantage of essential vitamins and minerals when consuming restricted foods and meals.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to supplement our diet with multivitamins and essential minerals to ensure we meet our daily nutritional needs.
Alternatively, we can make a conscious effort to get our vitamins through our diet.
While there’s no magic supplement for weight loss, some supplements can support us during our fat loss journey. For example, whey protein supplementation has been studied during a calorie-restricted diet. The results showed that supplementing with whey protein helped retain lean muscle mass and aid in fat loss.
Some individuals struggle to meet their daily protein goals, making a protein supplement worth considering.
Look at our recent article to discover more about supplements that can assist you during your fat loss journey. We discuss the top 5 supplements we recommend during a fat loss phase.
- ADHERENCE AND CONSISTENCY
Last but not least, consistency is crucial for weight loss success. All your efforts will be well-spent if you maintain consistency with your diet and exercise regimen. Adhering to your plan is vital for achieving long-lasting results in any fat loss program.
Your answer to “How much weight can I lose in 3 months?” lies in this principle! It all hinges on your consistency with exercise and diet management.
Moreover, consistency helps in developing sustainable habits for long-term healthy eating.
WHY EXTREME WEIGHT LOSS ISN’T SAFE
Just like too much of anything can be harmful, pushing your diet too far can have serious consequences, too!
The body can only handle losing a certain amount of fat each week. When you engage in extreme weight loss, not only do you shed fat, but you also lose a significant amount of muscle mass. This affects your body’s overall composition negatively and poses various health risks.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, extreme weight loss can result in a slowed metabolism, leading to a host of severe health issues!
FINAL THOUGHTS
Losing weight is no walk in the park. Sticking to a diet and exercise routine takes a lot of dedication and perseverance. Therefore, it should become a necessity and a part of our lifestyle.
Combining a calorie-restricted diet with a well-structured training program is the most effective approach to losing weight and enhancing body composition.
Weight loss doesn’t happen overnight, but if we remain committed to a healthy diet and regular exercise, we’ll be grateful for the results in three months.
