In today’s world of false advertising, there are many ways in which diets and exercise routines are marketed that may make losing 40 pounds appear like a magical quick fix. However, this couldn’t be further away from the truth. For many of us, losing weight is the ultimate goal, but we’re not essentially equipped with the knowledge of how to do it. When it comes to losing a significant amount like 40 pounds, chances are it will take time, patience, and effort.
In our article, we tackle the big questions regarding shedding those pesky pounds. From exercise routines to follow and diets to consider and the possible challenges and obstacles you may face, we decode how long it takes to lose 40 pounds.
The first thing you need to grasp is the basics: how do fat pounds get stored in your body, and then, with your dedicated efforts, will it possibly go away? The answer is both basic and complex: you need to reduce your energy intake.
It is considered healthy to lose 1-2 pounds of body weight per week. Extreme restrictive fad diets, juice cleanses, and other regimes implying extreme calorie restriction are considered to be damaging to your health. They lack essential nutrients and typically, you’ll gain all your lost weight back after you cease with this type of diet.
Let’s take a look at the math that’s involved in this process:
These blanket estimations are useful, but weight loss is almost always more complicated than a mathematical equation. A lot of factors can influence how quickly you lose weight and which strategies work best for you. The first is your sex.
Things get more complicated when it comes to how many calories you can burn.
Women generally expend approximately 1,600 to 2,100 calories per day. For many women, cutting 1,000 calories puts them at a daily intake of below 1,200 calories, which doesn’t provide enough in terms of essential micro- and macronutrients, and can slow down their metabolism instead of boosting it. Not eating enough calories may also cause your body to burn lean muscle mass, especially if you shy away from workouts.
When you lose muscle, which requires more energy for your body to sustain compared to fat, your metabolism drops further and weight loss becomes even more difficult. For most people, consuming a daily regimen of only 1,200 to 1,400 calories constitutes a very low intake that will likely lead to weight loss, but this may be detrimental to your body. So, you might aim to lose closer to 1 pound per week, and/or use another very helpful option – you should start working out to burn some extra calories. Creating a calorie deficit means eating fewer calories than you burn, and you can influence both sides of the equation by eating fewer calories and increasing your physical activity to burn more calories.
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Men may lose closer to 2 pounds per week by eating approximately 1,600 to 1,900 calories per day, but the rate of weight loss also depends on their size and activity level.
The more you weigh at the beginning, the faster you’ll probably see results, perhaps partially due to water weight. However, when you’re moving further toward your goal, you may see that you can’t lose 2 pounds a week with the calorie intake and workout regime you were following earlier.
This is because it takes fewer calories to run your metabolic engine, so greater calorie cuts and more exercise are required to maintain the 2-pound-per-week weight-loss rate. For example, you may achieve results with a 1,900-calorie plan and 45 minutes of exercise per day for the first month or two.
At some point, your weight loss will start to stall and you’ll understand you’ve reached a plateau. Plateau is the phase you enter when you’ve got a little bit carried away with creating an energy deficit and your body decreases the amount of work (metabolism) it’s doing to preserve energy, thereby sabotaging your fat loss efforts. You could be eating the same way you were in the fat loss phase, but your body just says, “Enough.”
To lose more weight, you’ll need to increase your physical activity, decrease the calories you eat, or both. Using the same approach that worked initially may maintain your weight loss, but it may not lead to more weight reduction. Needless to say, this plateau can increase the time it takes to lose 40 pounds.
Exercising is essential for successful weight loss. It helps build and maintain muscle mass and it helps you achieve your daily calorie burn goal without unhealthy calorie restrictions in your diet.
For example, swimming burns between 500 to 800 calories per hour, similar numbers go to jogging, tennis, or football. That means you’ll be able to cover a significant part of your calorie-burning task with an hour of exercise per day. Moving more throughout your day outside of exercising can also help burn extra calories and has important health benefits.
Furthermore, physical activity provides many health improvements on its own.
Exercise is associated with the following benefits:
Exercise is indispensable for weight loss and will help you break the plateau and shed 40 pounds in 5-10 months.
After your first week of following the keto diet, you’ll most likely see a significant drop in your weight. On a regular diet with a calorie deficit and regular exercise regime, most people can expect to lose 1 to 2 lbs a week. However, those following the keto diet typically see a drop of anywhere from 2 to 10 pounds. It’s important to understand that this is mostly water weight because keto severely restricts carbs.
The pace will slow down eventually and you can expect 4 to 10 pounds a month of burned fat while sticking to keto, which is similar to other weight loss diets. This means you can largely expect to lose 40 pounds in the same 5-10 months as on average.
As previously mentioned, fad diets and juice cleanses are incredibly harmful to your health. The same goes for long-term fasting (don’t mistake it for intermittent fasting, which is a safe weigh loss option for some people).
Fasting for a few days probably won’t hurt most people who are healthy, as long as they don’t get dehydrated. However, fasting for long periods is dangerous for everyone.
Your body needs vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from food to stay healthy. If you don’t eat enough, you can experience symptoms such as fatigue and dizziness as a result of orthostatic hypertension (12), constipation, dehydration, and not being able to tolerate cold temperatures.
Fasting for too long can be life-threatening. You may also lose the wrong type of weight, i.e. muscle mass, water, and stored glycogen, and you can get dehydrated (yes, water fasting can make you dehydrated as 30% of daily water intake comes from food) (2). In addition, fasting, especially long-term, may worsen certain medical conditions such as gout, diabetes, and eating disorders (7). You should always talk to your doctor before you attempt any type of fasting regime, even intermittent fasting.
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The speed at which you can lose 40 pounds depends on various factors, including your:
A healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is typically 1-2 pounds per week. Therefore, losing 40 pounds could take approximately 20-40 weeks or 5-10 months. Rapid weight loss can lead to muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, and other health issues.
Research emphasizes the importance of a balanced diet that is rich in nutrients, regular physical activity, and lifestyle changes for creating a sustainable weight loss plan. Implementing extreme restrictions such as 600-calorie diet plans and other fad diets are not recommended as they can harm your metabolism and overall health.
Gradual weight loss is associated with better maintenance in the long term and fewer health risks. Following a holistic, well-rounded approach that includes dietary adjustments, exercise, and associated changes can enhance the likelihood of achieving and maintaining weight loss (13).
Losing 40 pounds in 3 months requires an incredibly aggressive approach, which may not be safe or sustainable. This equates to a weight loss of approximately 3.3 pounds per week, which is significantly higher than the recommended 1-2 pounds per week. Achieving this would require a substantial caloric deficit, which can only be achieved through incredibly strict diet control and intensive exercise.
However, such rapid weight loss can increase the risk of muscle loss, nutritional deficiencies, gallstones, and metabolic issues (11). To enjoy long-term success, you must proceed with gradual weight loss, combined with healthy eating, regular physical activity, and lifestyle changes. It’s also important to set realistic goals and recognize that weight loss isn’t a one-step process. Consulting a healthcare professional for personalized advice can ensure a safer and more effective weight loss strategy.
Walking is an excellent form of exercise for weight loss (9). The amount of walking that is needed to burn 40 pounds depends on your pace, duration, and dietary habits. On average, walking at a brisk pace burns approximately 300-400 calories per hour. Creating a caloric deficit of 500-1,000 calories per day is necessary to lose 1-2 pounds per week. Therefore, incorporating 1-2 hours of brisk walking daily, combined with a balanced diet, can contribute significantly to weight loss.
Consistency is key, and combining walking with other forms of exercise can only make you see results quicker. In addition, adjusting your walking routine to include intervals of higher intensity can help increase calorie burn. It’s also beneficial to incorporate strength training exercises to preserve muscle mass during weight loss (8).
A weight loss of 40 pounds is generally noticeable on most people. This amount of weight loss can result in significant changes in body composition, clothing size, and overall appearance. The visibility of weight loss can be influenced by factors such as body composition, fat distribution, and muscle mass.
Studies suggest that even a 5-10% reduction in body weight can lead to improved health markers and physical appearance (14). Noticeable changes can include a slimmer face, reduced waistline, and more defined muscle tone. In addition to aesthetic changes, the health benefits of such weight loss are profound, including reduced risk factors for various chronic diseases and improved metabolic health.
Losing 40 pounds can have profound positive effects on your body. As previously mentioned, weight loss has the following benefits on overall health:
It’s equally important to lose weight gradually and healthily to ensure these benefits and avoid negative health impacts. A comprehensive approach to weight loss, including dietary changes, increased physical activity, and behavioral modifications, is most effective for achieving long-term success.
To summarize, it can take 5-10 months on average for you to lose 40 pounds, as long as you follow a nutritious diet, work out regularly, keep your fluid intake high (especially when you work out), and maintain a balanced sleep cycle. With patience and dedication, you’ll surely nail it. It’s important to keep in mind that everybody is different and therefore results may vary according to the individual.
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