How to lose 2 pounds a week with exercise + diet, according to experts

While you might hear the men in your life boast about dropping five or more pounds a week, women all know that’s not really how it goes for us.

(CDC).

, so it’s important to pace yourself, says Keerthana Kesavarapu, DO, a gastroenterologist and associate professor at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

method, connect with a healthcare professional and/or registered dietitian to determine the best approach for you.

In the meantime, here’s what you need to know about how you can lose two pounds per week safely, and the ideal workout plan to complement your weight loss efforts.

, is a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center.

How should I exercise to lose two pounds a week?

two to three times per week, she says. Just remember to build up slowly, especially if you’re not accustomed to regular exercise—you don’t want to risk injury by doing too much too soon.

For cardio, try these activities, per Mitchell:

• Walking
• Jogging
• Hiking
• Cycling
• or elliptical
• Swimming
• Dancing
• or kickboxing
• )
• Any cardio-based group fitness class

. Even light weights can help you lose weight and still preserve muscle mass.

Here are more healthy habits to incorporate into your routine for weight loss, per Mitchell:

• Try to take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Take calls while standing, pacing or walking
• Park further away from your destination to encourage more movement
• If you’re at a desk all day, get up to walk and move around periodically
• in the morning, midday, and before bed
• Take your dog for a walk or walk with a friend
• Play with your kids and get active
• Do chores around the house (yes, it counts!)

whenever you need them, she says.

How many calories should I eat to lose two pounds a week?

from National Institutes of Health (NIH), or one of the following formulas:

• . This is your BMR = (10 x weight in kg) + (6.25 x height in cm) – (5 x age in years) – 161. This will give you a calorie count to follow.
• . To use this calculation, do BMR = 655.1 + (9.563 x weight in kg ) + (1.850 x height in cm) - ( 4.676 x age in years).

during the process is key, he says. As a reminder, you should speak with your doctor or dietitian about how long you should stay in a calorie deficit, since everyone’s needs will be different.

to reduce 500 calories per day, says Valdez.

Keep in mind, though, that this strategy is general guidance, says Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, the founder and director of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit initiative in New Orleans. It could be a good starting point, but metabolic rates are not the same across the board, so the impact of any diet and exercise changes will vary from person to person, she says.

and ellipticals only provide an approximation, she says.

The bottom line? Speak with a professional who can assess your unique needs and help you plan out a path forward. For instance, Kimball’s team uses a device that measures your resting metabolic rate. Then, patients can use that information to work with a dietitian to account for their exercise habits and then determine the number of calories they need to consume for their weight loss goal.

How to mindfully cut calories

First, perform an honest check-in with yourself around your typical eating behaviours. (Keeping a food diary or simply writing down meals in your notes app can help with this). Then, see if there are any patterns or themes coming up across your meals—and if there are any simple tweaks you can make to moderate or limit excess calories. For instance, you might realise that you’re easily consuming 500 calories in snacks after a long day at work, or that your daily Starbucks drink or weekly cocktail has a bunch of calories in it, Kimball says.

Then, you can either consider eliminating those excess calories altogether—or, ideally, identify “replacement behaviours” and healthy swaps that will make your calorie adjustment a bit easier, Kimball says. For instance, you might swap your sweetened frappuccino with a regular coffee or try a weight loss-friendly cocktail instead of your usual happy hour bev.

Is it safe to lose two pounds a week?

muscle and bone loss, she says—both of which have negative long-term implications like weakness, potential falls, and fractures.

The key to safe weight loss progress? Avoid being super stringent about your pace—and try not to put pressure on yourself if you’re losing slowly, Dr. Kesavarapu says. 'You don’t need to set a specific limit for weekly weight loss to be successful,' she says. Instead, it’s better to “trend downward” until you achieve a healthy goal weight that you and your physician determine is adequate, she says. Ultimately, this is the best way to create sustainable health changes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods should I eat for weight loss?

may also force your body to burn more fat, Dr. Ali adds—but of course, it isn’t the only way. Ultimately, the quality of your calories is more important than quantity (think: guacamole will likely be more nourishing than a handful of sweets of the same caloric value), she adds.

What are the best diets for weight loss?

), you can work with a registered dietitian to help you modify it in a way that aligns with your body and wellness goals. In general, it may help to find an eating plan that prioritises protein and fibre, since both can help you feel satiated and prevent muscle loss, Dr. Kesavarapu says.

Related stories:

• Walking for weight loss guide: 4-week plan + top nutrition tips
• Walking challenge: ‘I walked for 30 minutes every day for a month, here’s what happened’
• ‘I started walking 10k steps a day and lost almost 6 stone’

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