A common weight loss question is: “How much weight can I lose in 4 weeks, or how much weight can I lose in a month?”
After all, many people are carrying extra body weight and would love to lose weight, but having a defined deadline like a 4 week weight loss plan makes it easier to wrap your head around your weight loss goal.
But, can you lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks? How much weight can you lose in 4 weeks? What is the best 4 week plan for weight loss?
In this guide to how to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks, we will discuss whether it’s possible, how long it actually takes to lose 10 pounds safely, how much weight you can lose in a month, and tips for how to follow the best 4 week weight loss plan.
We will cover:
- Can You Lose 10 Pounds In 4 Weeks?
- How Much Weight Can I Lose In a Month?
- Tips for How to Lose 10 Pounds In 4 Weeks
Let’s dive in!
Can I Lose 10 Pounds In 4 Weeks?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks or tips for how to follow a 4 week weight loss plan, we need to answer the question: “Can I lose 10 pounds in a month?”
While it’s possible to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks, and some people do lose 10 pounds in a month if they follow the best 30 day diet and exercise plan for weight loss, losing 10 pounds in 4 weeks is generally not safe or recommended for most people.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, healthy fat loss should not exceed 1-2 pounds per week.
If you are trying to lose 10 pounds in 30 days, or 10 pounds in 4 weeks (which is even shorter than losing 10 pounds in 30 days), you have to lose about 2.5 pounds per week, which is above this recommended rate of weight loss.
The reason that you do not want to try and lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks is that short-term, rapid weight loss is unsustainable and can cause a range of health risks.
However, losing 10 pounds in a month is really not that far outside of this recommended range.
If you have a lot of weight to lose and/or are carrying a lot of water weight, it is definitely possible to safely lose 10 pounds in 30 days or take on a sensible 4 week 10 pound weight loss challenge.
To lose one pound of body fat, you have to create a caloric deficit of 3,500 calories, so a 4 week weight loss plan where you are trying to lose 10 pounds in less than a month means that you need to burn an additional 8,750 calories per week or 1,250 calories per day.
This is almost as much as the daily caloric needs of some smaller women and about half that of larger men, according to the USDA, and is above and beyond this daily energy expenditure that you are expected to be burning based on your body size and physical activity level.
Again, this is quite a lot and goes to show that trying to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks is a very ambitious goal and not really recommended.
That said, if you have water weight to lose and you are only concerned with total weight loss and not just fat loss, losing 10 pounds in a month is certainly reasonable.
You may lose upwards of 5 to 6 pounds of water weight within the first week by following the best weight loss diet plan and increasing your physical activity.
This is because your body will start releasing excess water from processed foods, salty foods, alcohol, sugar, and other dietary culprits that cause water retention, and you may begin to balance your hormones such that some bloating and water weight are released.
How Much Weight Can I Lose In a Month?
So, let’s answer the question: “How much weight can I lose in 4 weeks?”
As just mentioned, it is possible to lose 10 pounds in 4 weeks for those who have obesity or are overweight or have a lot of water weight.
However, going with the recommended 1 to 2 pounds of weight loss per week, it is more reasonable for most people to anticipate losing 4 to 8 pounds per month.
This would be true fat loss rather than just total weight loss and requires generating a daily caloric deficit of 500 to 1000 calories, respectively.
Tips for How to Lose 10 Pounds In 4 Weeks
If you are dead set on following a 4 week weight loss plan that will result in losing 10 pounds, make sure that you have clearance from your doctor or know that an aggressive weight loss plan is safe based on having a BMI of at least 25 kg/m2, or having extra water weight to lose.
However, it is highly recommended that you aim to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks instead of trying to lose 10 pounds in 30 days or less.
Here are some tips for how to lose 10 pounds in one month or less:
#1: Count and Measure Everything
If you have a goal to lose 10 pounds in 30 days or less, you have to be meticulous with your 4 week weight loss meal plan and exercise program.
Track and record everything you are eating and all of your physical activity to make sure that you are creating the necessary caloric deficit.
Remember that you can burn more calories by increasing your physical activity and adjusting your diet to facilitate fat loss.
#2: Eat Enough
Crash dieting by cutting your calories too much is not only unsustainable but will compromise your metabolic rate.
This is why extending your 10 pound weight loss goal to six weeks is preferable to a 4 week 10 pound weight loss challenge.
#3: Plan Ahead
Meal planning can be helpful with a 4 week diet plan to lose 10 pounds or any weight loss diet for that matter.
It helps you prepare to have healthy, balanced meals that meet your caloric needs and macronutrient goals without having to whip together something on the fly or buy unhealthy takeout at the last minute because you haven’t grocery-shopped and meal-prepped anything compatible with your diet.
#4: Clean Up Your Diet
The best 1 month weight loss plans will involve cutting out all processed food, sugar, alcohol, refined grains, fast food, high-sodium foods, fried foods, and foods with artificial sweeteners and chemicals.
These foods can be addictive; they can increase appetite, alter your hormones in a way that promotes fat storage, increase cravings for sweet or fatty foods, increase water retention, and cause a host of adverse health effects.
Cutting carbs by following a low-carb diet will help you shed excess water weight, as the body stores 3 to 4 g of water with every gram of glycogen (stored carbohydrates).
If your current diet contains a lot of processed foods and salty foods, you will notice significant weight loss from water weight alone within the first week or two in your 4 week diet plan to lose 10 pounds once you clean up your eating and start eating only whole, fresh, unprocessed foods.
#5: Reduce Your Portions
A good tip for how to lose 10 pounds in 1 month is to cut your portion sizes.
One way to make this easier without feeling deprived is to switch to using smaller plates, as studies show that this can trick the brain into helping you feel satisfied with fewer calories.
Rethink how you distribute your plate, aiming to eat as much fiber and protein as possible, as these nutrients help you feel full and promote a healthy metabolism.
Make at least 2/3 of the plate non-starchy vegetables, with the majority remaining composed of lean proteins and a little bit of healthy fat.
#6: Exercise At Least 30 Minutes Per Day
Increasing your physical activity with planned workouts and daily movement will help you achieve a caloric deficit to lose 10 pounds fast.
Check out our guide to walking for weight loss here.
#7: Drink More Water
According to research, drinking more water can help you burn calories, feel fuller, and regulate body systems, all of which can reduce chronic inflammation to help you lose 10 pounds fast.
Consider trying our 14 day weight loss challenge by drinking more water here.
