Lose 50 Pounds in 5 Months: Is 10 Pounds a Month a Healthy Weight Loss Pace?

It’s human nature to want quick results, particularly when it comes to weight loss. As a consequence, many people set unrealistic goals for themselves in terms of how much weight they want to lose and how quickly they want to lose it. 

One common goal people often have is losing 50 pounds in 5 months, which equates to an average of 10 pounds per month. But is this a healthy weight loss pace?

Take a moment and read this article. We’ll examine whether losing such a significant amount of weight in 5 months is feasible. We’ll also discuss what constitutes healthy and natural weight loss and whether this ambitious goal fits within these parameters.

Can You Lose 50 Pounds in 5 Months?

“I aim to lose 50 pounds in 5 months” – this is a common weight loss goal many people set. At first glance, it may seem achievable due to the seemingly ample timeline.

However, upon examining the fundamentals of weight loss, it becomes clear that achieving such a goal within this period is unrealistic. Not only is it unattainable, but even employing various weight loss strategies won’t make it possible to shed 50 pounds in just 5 months. Extending the timeline would make this goal more feasible, but sticking to the original time frame means even consistent efforts won’t result in a healthy loss of 50 pounds.

So, how long will it actually take to lose 50 pounds? Before we answer this question, let’s revisit what constitutes healthy weight loss.

How to Lose 50 Pounds in a Healthy Way

A realistic plan that fits the healthy weight loss basics targets reducing 5 to 10% of your body fat in six months (1). This means that if you weigh 200 pounds, your goal could be to lose 10 to 20 pounds in six months (5 or 10% of 200 pounds). 

Another healthy weight loss goal you can set is to lose 1 or 2 pounds every week. According to the CDC, this healthy goal can help you lose weight healthily, steadily, and gradually (7).

Based on this, it would mean that you would target losing 4 to 8 pounds monthly (1 pound x 4 weeks) or (2 pounds x 4 weeks).

A more realistic goal would be to shed 20 or 40 pounds (4 pounds x 5) or (8 pounds x 5) in five months. So to answer the question “how long would it take to lose 50 pounds?” it would be more than five months and possibly more than seven months.

The benefit of using these realistic weight loss goals is that you increase your ability to keep the weight off without various health issues. 

Find further reading on this in our Is It Possible to Lose 30 Pounds in 30 Days? article.

Side Effects of Rapid Weight Loss

Rapid weight loss is linked to several health problems, including (9):

• Loss of lean muscle
• Malnutrition, particularly if you’re using diet plans that don’t include enough protein
• Electrolyte imbalances
• Dehydration due to loss of water, which is often confused with fat loss
• Hair loss
• Menstrual irregularities
• Constipation
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Dizziness

BetterMe App helps you achieve your body goals with ease and efficiency by helping to choose proper meal plans and effective workouts. Start using our app and you will see good results in a short time.

What Is the Best Way to Lose 50 Pounds in 5 Months?

Some people are still adamant that they can shed 50 pounds in five months. Perhaps they have heard of a friend who managed to shed such a large amount of weight in this exact timeline. Yes, your scale can show a 50-pound decline after five months.

However, this decline does not indicate fat loss only. When you lose weight rapidly, a large portion of the weight lost is water weight or even muscle. This explains why and how rapid weight loss causes muscle loss and dehydration.

As previously stated, the best way to shed 50 pounds is to focus on getting rid of it slowly and steadily. This means doing away with the five-month timeline. Healthy weight loss is a long-term and steady process that will take longer than this duration.

With the timeline lengthened, you can focus on the following practices to help you drop 50 pounds:

Healthy Eating

When it comes to weight loss, one of the phrases you will hear time and time again is healthy eating. Healthy eating is equated to successful and steady weight loss as it focuses on the right foods.

However, the concept of healthy eating goes beyond eating the right foods. It may help bring clarity to why you may not see results despite eating these recommended foods. This is because you’re missing information on other aspects that are included in healthy eating for weight loss, which are as follows:

Read More: Healthy Ways to Sweeten Coffee

Reducing Your Calorie Intake

Whether you want to shed 6 or 50 pounds, you must eat fewer calories than your body burns every day (3). You can use a reputable calorie-counting app to help keep track of the calories you consume.

But before you do this, you must become familiar with your daily calorie requirements. Several factors will influence the calories you need to consume to help you lose 50 pounds, including your age, sex, and activity level (5).

Sit down with a dietitian to get a wealth of information on your daily calorie requirements. They will help you determine your range, how to meet it, and how to maintain a calorie deficit for weight loss.

Drinking Enough Water

Hydrating is essential and is considered among the foundational principles of weight loss. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drinking adequate water can help with weight management through several mechanisms (13):

• Natural Appetite Suppressant: Drinking water before a meal helps you feel full, reducing overall calorie intake and limiting unnecessary snacking and overeating.
• Increases Calorie Burning: Consuming cold water can raise your body’s resting energy expenditure as it works to warm the water, which leads to increased calorie burn.
• Helps with Waste Elimination: Proper hydration prevents the build-up of waste products such as urine and feces, avoiding bloating and fatigue that can hinder weight loss.
• Reduces Liquid Calories: Choosing water over high-calorie beverages such as sodas significantly lowers your caloric intake, which makes it easier to maintain a calorie deficit that is necessary for weight loss.

Looking at the contribution of water to weight loss, it’s evident that we need to hydrate frequently. However, one question that plagues most people is: how much water should I drink to shed 50 pounds?

There is no standard recommendation regarding the amount of water you ought to drink. Instead, your water limit depends on factors such as your age, body size, activity level, health status, sun exposure, and temperature (2).

Watching Your Portion Size

The other culprit for contradictory weight loss results is portion control. Just because you’re eating healthy foods, doesn’t mean you can exceed your caloric intake recommendations. Remember that each serving contains calories. The more servings you consume, the more calories you attain, which leads to a calorie surplus.

So, while you’re reducing your calorie intake, remember to watch your food portions. Learn to “eyeball” your meals to determine what portions are right and those that are exaggerated (10). This can come in handy for helping you watch your food portions, even when dining out.

Crafting a Meal Plan to Help You Lose 50 Pounds

A well-structured meal plan should be balanced, nutritious, and tailored to meet your weight loss goals while ensuring you receive all essential nutrients. A good meal plan should include:

1. Lean Proteins: Sources such as chicken breast, turkey, fish, legumes, and tofu are essential for muscle repair and growth.
2. Vegetables: A variety of vegetables, particularly leafy greens, provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are essential for overall health.
3. Fruits: Incorporating a range of fruits gives you important vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.
4. Whole Grains: Opt for whole grains such as brown rice, quinoa, oats, and whole-wheat products for sustained energy and fiber.
5. Healthy Fats: Include sources such as avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil to support heart health and satiety.
6. Dairy or Dairy Alternatives: Items such as Greek yogurt, milk, or fortified plant-based alternatives offer calcium and protein.
7. Hydration: Water is essential for metabolism and overall health. Herbal teas and infusions can also contribute to your fluid intake.

Sample Meal Plan

Here’s a sample meal plan to help you get started on your weight loss journey. This is just an example, and it’s important to consult a registered dietitian or healthcare professional to create a personalized meal plan that suits your specific needs.

Day 1

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt with berries and almonds
• Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus
• Lunch: Grilled chicken breast with quinoa and roasted vegetables
• Snack: Apple slices with peanut butter
• Dinner: Baked salmon with brown rice and steamed broccoli

Day 2

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with almond milk, banana, and chia seeds
• Snack: Celery sticks with almond butter
• Lunch: Mixed greens salad with grilled tofu and a side of whole-grain crackers
• Snack: A handful of almonds
• Dinner: Turkey meatballs with zucchini noodles and marinara sauce

Day 3

• Breakfast: Whole-wheat toast with avocado spread and boiled eggs
• Snack: Fresh fruit smoothie with spinach, banana, and almond milk
• Lunch: Quinoa bowl with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and avocado topped with lime dressing
• Snack: Edamame beans
• Dinner: Grilled shrimp with whole-wheat pasta and roasted vegetables

Day 4

• Breakfast: Whole-grain waffles with Greek yogurt and strawberries
• Snack: Roasted chickpeas
• Lunch: Lentil soup with whole-wheat pita bread
• Snack: Hard-boiled eggs
• Dinner: Baked chicken breast with sweet potato and steamed asparagus

Day 5

• Breakfast: Green smoothie with spinach, banana, pineapple, and almond milk
• Snack: Apple slices with cheese cubes
• Lunch: Grilled salmon salad with mixed greens and avocado dressing
• Snack: Hummus with whole grain crackers
• Dinner: Stir-fry vegetables with tofu and brown rice

We’ve discussed more low-calorie weight-loss meal plans in our Meal Plans to Lose Weight blog post.

How to Lose 50 Pounds with Exercise

Most people believe the best weight loss plan to lose 50 pounds in 5 months is an exercise routine. Therefore, you can find many people trying to sweat off those pounds in the gym. 

However, as previously mentioned, healthy weight loss won’t see you drop 50 pounds in 5 months. If this does happen, it isn’t your body fat but is more likely to be water weight and muscle loss. Exercise is indeed a great weight loss plan. 

There is no specific best exercise to help promote weight loss. Different routines will work better for different people. Finding what works for you will be the most beneficial workout for you – one that is manageable to do frequently and consistently. However, fitness professionals acknowledge that the following are some of the best workouts to help you burn calories (12):

If you tend to let yourself off the hook, raise the white flag when things get tougher than you expected, send yourself on an unconscious binge-eating trip – BetterMe app is here to help you leave all of these sabotaging habits in the past!

Resistance Training

Trying a resistance training activity such as weight training can help you burn more calories. This is because it increases your muscle size and density. Improved muscle mass increases your resting metabolic rate, which helps you burn more calories (12).

Running

Running is considered to have an edge in calorie-burning compared to other activities such as walking. According to Medical News Today, an individual who weighs 160 pounds can burn 15.1 calories per minute while running. However, the same individual will only burn 8.7 calories per minute walking (11).

Read More: Anti-Gravity Yoga: What You Need to Know

Cycling

Cycling is also an effective weight loss aerobic activity to consider. An individual who weighs 125 pounds and rides for half an hour can burn between 210 and 240 calories (6). If you weigh 155 pounds and cycle for at least 30 minutes, you’ll burn between 260 and 298 calories. If you increase your pace, you tend to burn more calories. For example, if you weigh 125 pounds and bike vigorously for 30 minutes, you may burn between 300 and 495 calories (6).

How Much Exercise Do I Need to Lose 50 Pounds?

One pound of fat contains approximately 3,500 calories (4). So, let’s do the math. If you burn 300 calories in one workout, you’ll need almost 584 workouts to lose 50 pounds (3,500 calories x 50 / 300).  

If you implement other practices such as maintaining a calorie deficit, it may take you a shorter duration. Remember that, like weight loss, exercise requires patience and consistency. 

You’ll need to be patient and keep putting in the work, regardless of whether your scale tips or not. Remember that exercise has many health benefits in addition to weight loss and can help you live a longer, healthier, better quality life.

FAQs

• Is losing 50 pounds in 5 months realistic?

Losing 50 pounds in 5 months is quite ambitious and may not be realistic for everyone. Healthy weight loss typically ranges from 1 to 2 pounds per week, so aiming for 10 pounds a month may be too much. However, it’s essential to consult a healthcare professional to create a personalized and safe weight loss plan.

We’ve discussed this further in our How To Lose 50 lb in 2 Months blog post.

• What does losing 50 pounds do to your body?

Losing 50 pounds can have significant impacts on your body, both physically and mentally.

• Improved cardiovascular health: Losing 50 pounds can strengthen your heart and reduce the risk of heart disease (14).
• Reduced pressure on joints: Less weight means less stress on your joints, which can alleviate pain and improve mobility (14).
• Better blood sugar regulation: Weight loss can help manage blood sugar levels, which reduces the risk of diabetes (14).

However, rapid weight loss can also cause negative effects, such as loose skin and muscle loss. It’s important to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable manner in order to minimize these risks.

• Is a 50-pound weight loss noticeable?

Yes, losing 50 pounds is typically noticeable. It can result in a visible reduction in body size, changes in the way your clothes fit, and better overall body composition. Friends and family may also notice these changes, which can lead to positive reinforcement and motivation to continue with healthy habits.

• Will I have loose skin after losing 50 pounds?

Loose skin is a possibility after significant weight loss, such as losing 50 pounds. Factors such as age, genetics, speed of weight loss, and skin elasticity all play a role in whether you’ll experience loose skin. Engaging in strength training exercises and staying hydrated can help improve skin elasticity, but for some, surgical options may be considered for the removal of excess skin.

The Bottom Line

Healthy weight loss doesn’t encourage you to try and lose 50 pounds in 5 months. Instead, this concept asks you to set an achievable and realistic timeline. It will save you the disappointments, health issues, and frustrations that come with such an unrealistic weight loss target. Have patience and aim to lose 50 pounds steadily and healthily. To help you achieve this, you must eat healthy and exercise regularly. Eventually, the pounds will go away.