Losing weight differs from individual to individual, but for someone with no health issues, losing 2 pounds per week is a healthy way to do so and maintain it for a long time. Losing 50 pounds can take 6 to 7 months if you’re doing it healthily. Remember to eat more healthy fats and carbohydrates, have a calorie deficit diet, switch to more nutritious meals, stop midnight snacking, drink enough water, and exercise regularly. You don’t need to follow a strict routine from the beginning, and you don’t need to cut out your favorite ice cream or alcohol either. Eating things in moderation and being active can help you healthily lose weight and maintain it for a long time.
Weight gain is always easier than losing it, and when it comes to losing as much as 50 pounds, what you need more than anything is self-motivation.
While exercising and diet are equally important, motivation will keep you going.
Sitting in front of the computer working for 8 hours a day is the new normal. And adding the popular fast foods plus having high-stress levels to the list adds to the issue of obesity, making its prevalence 42.4% in 2017-2018 in the U.S.
While many fad diets can make you lose 50 pounds in 15 days, it’s not healthy.
If you’re going through a health issue like PCOS, which makes it difficult to lose weight, then self-motivation and a positive mindset are necessary.
So how can you lose 50 pounds healthily? How much time will it take?
Losing weight healthily
When we’re trying to lose weight, the most popular question is how can we lose weight fast?
Although various fad diets can help you lose 50 pounds as quickly as you wish to, when you do that, there comes a breaking point where everything comes crashing down.
You might suddenly give up on a diet and go back to your regular diet, which will make you gain even more weight than before, or you might exhaust yourself to the point of malnutrition.
There’re various factors to consider before trying to lose 50 pounds. Considering your BMI isn’t the right way to approach it, as it can be inaccurate.
It doesn’t consider your metabolic factors and parameters, physiological health, physical health, sleep, or mental health.
Everything good for our body requires constant effort. But not everything can be achieved by it, and not everyone has the same ability to lose weight.
Your weight accumulates many factors, such as your genetic predisposition, family history, personal medical history, and relationship to food growing up.
Pounds to lose per week
The healthy way to do this is to lose 2 pounds per week. Generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.
You need to have a calorie deficit diet to consume fewer calories than your body requires. To lose one pound of fat, you’ve to cut 3,500 calories.
This can’t be done solely based on cutting down on your meals but will also require you to burn calories by exercising.
By losing 2 pounds per week, you can aim to lose 50 pounds in about 6 to 7 months.
I’m not being too ambitious here because there comes a time when you might take a break or hit a stagnant weight and need to recalculate your plan of losing 50 pounds.
After losing 15 pounds, our body recognizes the pattern, and reducing extra pounds becomes difficult by following the same plan.
At this point, your body requires even lesser energy, and you’ll have to recalculate the calorie intake you need to cut moving forward.
Healthy ways to lose 50 pounds
1. Eliminate munching
The first thing to tackle is eliminating munching from your daily life. It’s easy to fall into snacking or drinking anything when you feel bored, especially the late-night snacking.
This is only adding more calories to your daily average. Unless you eliminate this habit, all the hard work you’re putting in won’t affect your body.
Some people also do emotional eating where if they’re extremely happy, sad, or even stressed, they try to cope with it by filling themselves up with food, and it’s mostly not healthy.
Recognizing when you tend to snack, for example, while working can help you understand the pattern and eliminate it by being conscious of it.
It’s not that all snacking is bad. For example, if you switch to snacking on fruits or nuts, it’s the healthier version of this habit.
2. Making calorieswork for you
Everyone fusses about the daily intake of calories when looking at ways to lose weight.
Since 50 pounds is a big milestone to reach, you need to understand how to make calories work for you, not the other way.
One thing you should never do is skip your meals.
Missing out on meals or eating half of what you used to before isn’t going to work, and you’ll probably end up being cranky all day long due to hunger pangs or having nutrition deficiency in your body.
Your body needs food like a car needs fuel to work, and it’s as simple as that. Stopping yourself from having proper healthy meals will kick in your body’s primitive instinct.
This will slow down your metabolism as your body goes into survival mode, conserving your energy, and you won’t lose any weight.
Starving yourself can also shrink your muscles which you don’t want to do. You need not eat less than 70 percent of your overall calorie needs.
You need to shift from calorie-dense food to nutritionally dense food. But where you’re deriving these calories from matters the most.
For example, eating a cookie with 100 calories will digest quickly and spike your blood sugar level.
So, when you crash again, you’ll crave more such food. On the other hand, if you have a banana that’s also 100 calories, you’ll get potassium and fiber, keeping you healthy and nourished.
3. You need fats
Another thing people totally try to eliminate from their diet is fats. Thinking all fats are bad for your body, they march forward to eliminating the good ones.
Fats are necessary for absorbing nutrients in the body like vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
Fats like cholesterol help your body produce hormones like estrogen and testosterone growth hormone.
Going for that fat-free yogurt could be a mistake because it’s loaded with sugar or salt if you look at the ingredients closely.
When you remove fat, the product doesn’t taste as good, so they replace it with what does.
That 2 percent Greek yogurt is better for your meals than the advertised fat-free yogurt.
4. Say no to a no-carb diet
You don’t need to cut carbs out of your diet to lose weight. In fact, you need them.
The reason why the no-carb diet is popular is because of the simple carbs. Carbs that are prepackaged such as chips, cookies, and cakes, are simple carbs, and that’s unhealthy.
Try to understand the science behind it as the chemical structure in them is usually one to two glucose molecules put together, which are easier to break away.
On the other hand, the complex carbs found in fruits and vegetables are healthier because they have long carbon chains that take a while to break away for the body.
This is what your body needs as it helps balance the blood sugar, and the fiber keeps you fuller for a long preventing you from snacking.
5. Don’t overwhelm your body
With the correct motivation, when you finally take steps toward losing weight, a common mistake people tend to make is to do everything at once.
You don’t have to cut out all the snacks, alcohol, and sweets and start exercising simultaneously.
You’re overwhelming your body, and you need to take baby steps towards achieving your healthy body weight.
If you start by walking each day for 45 minutes and just eliminating your midnight snacks, that’s a good first step you should be proud of.
Slowly you’ll start to make more changes.
Also, the idea of cheat days is something most people don’t like because it makes them feel like they did something they shouldn’t have when all they had was a slice of pizza.
Instead of thinking of it as a cheat meal, treat it as ordinary food that you need to have in moderation and not so often.
6. Exercise
Losing weight is not just taking care of your diet but also exercising. Find ways to include 40 minutes of exercise in your day for 5 days a week.
Including an activity that gets your heart rate going up for 40 minutes a day, plus increasing your activity level in your daily routine, can transform your life completely.
If you’re struggling, simply starting by walking and increasing it can help you reach your goal. Find out a different form of exercise to try, and you can find one that allows you to remain fit and is fun to do.
7. Importance of water
Hydration is an essential part of the weight loss journey.
When you’re not hydrated enough, your body confuses it with hunger, signaling that it’s hungry when all you need is water.
- Water is a natural appetite suppressant, and just drinking a glass of water 30 minutes before your meals can prevent you from overeating.
- Drinking more water helps you burn more calories. Drinking cold water makes it expand more energy or calories to heat up the water for digestion.
- It helps remove waste from your body and retain nutrients and electrolytes your body needs.
- With enough hydration, your body will burn more fat.
- Water also helps muscles, connective tissues, and joints to move correctly and help other organs function better. It also prevents muscle cramps and fatigue.
Some people indulge in sipping a beverage, such as coke, with their meals.
By replacing it with water, you’re eliminating a lot of extra calories that your body doesn’t need with plenty of water that your body definitely needs.
Plain water can be tasteless to drink, so try changing your water into fused water and adding lemons, ginger, cucumber, or mint leaves to make it more refreshing.
FAQs
Does the timing of meals matter when losing weight?
No. Some people believe that eating their dinner after 7 pm will automatically make them gain weight.
If you’re able to do that and be happy, it’s wonderful. But if you don’t feel at all, is there even a point to doing this?
You don’t need to punish yourself this way. The timing of the day doesn’t matter when trying to lose weight, but calories will affect you losing your weight.
If there’s a calorie surplus which means you’re eating more than your body requires, you will gain weight.
Does skipping breakfast helps you lose weight?
It depends on the body and the person and their relationship with the food.
Some people can handle not having anything in the morning other than a glass of milk or perhaps coffee and going about their day usually.
On the other hand, some people don’t enjoy this feeling, and they need to fuel their body to have a great kick start to their morning.
If they stop eating breakfast, they’ll lose focus on what they’re supposed to do and feel hungry, making them crash later on.
Can cutting out gluten help you lose weight?
There’re people with gluten intolerance or have celiac disease for whom gluten isn’t suitable. But cutting it out isn’t necessary if you don’t have gluten issues.
It’s a protein found in many grains, including wheat, barley, and rye. It’s commonly found in bread, pasta, pizza, and cereal.
Going gluten-free might seem like a good idea, but if you do, then you need to be aware of a few things.
Gluten-free foods are commonly less fortified with folic acids, iron, and other nutrients than regular foods containing gluten, and these foods also tend to have less fiber and more sugar and fat.
It’s not necessary to go gluten-free to lose weight because most of it is us being influenced by the marketing of such products or by celebrities.
Can intermittent fasting help lose weight?
There’s a massive debate regarding intermittent fasting and if it helps lose weight.
From one point of view, restricting your meals to an 8 hours window will help you keep in check and eliminate extra snacking.
But on the other hand, the rule of consuming anything within an 8-hour window can be made wrong when one eats calorie-dense foods such as cakes, chips, cookies, sodas, etc.
Many people end up gaining weight by doing it wrong.
Can the keto diet help you lose weight?
The Keto diet is followed by eliminating carbohydrates from the diet, and this is why it’s so difficult to follow because your body does, in fact, need it.
You can follow it in the short-term but following it long-term comes with some side effects such as metabolic changes that affect your cardiovascular health and your physiological and metabolic health.
People also face higher cholesterol and irritable bowel or gastrointestinal issues.
To summarise
There’s no perfect weight loss plan, especially losing as much as 50 pounds.
You should start recording your food intake, see whether your eating is healthy, and recognize the hidden ingredients that could be causing you to intake hundreds of calories.
Being mindful of your diet, exercising, getting better sleep, and hydrating is a healthier way to approach weight loss. You don’t need to cut out everything you enjoy, but eating healthier and exercising can help.
FAQs
How fast can I realistically lose 50 pounds? ›
Losing 50 Pounds Is Doable
You can expect it to take around six months, more or less, depending on your metabolism, diet plans, and exercise regime. As long as you watch what you eat, track your calories, and continue to work out regularly, then you'll lose that weight.
Dropping 50 pounds can have dramatic effects on your body. You are likely to sleep better, especially if you were suffering from sleep apnea. Your cholesterol and blood pressure are likely to drop, and surprising things like memory function and the health of your eyes may even improve.
Is losing 50 pounds in 6 months realistic? ›The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a gradual, steady, sustainable, and realistic weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a week (10). So, is it possible to lose 50 lbs in 6 months? Yes. Assuming there are 25 weeks in half a year, you can lose between 25-50 pounds healthily.
How many miles would you have to walk to lose 50 pounds? ›You burn about 100 calories per mile walked. 50 lbs of weight loss equates to 50 x 3,500 calories or -175,000 calories. In which case, to loose 50lbs in ~3 months (100 days) means a deficiet of 1750 calories a day. To achieve this -- just by walking -- equates to 17.5 miles a day (if my math is correct).
Will I have loose skin if I lose 50 pounds? ›However, in most cases, small amounts of weight loss, such as 20 or fewer pounds, typically don't lead to the development of loose skin. However, larger amounts of weight loss, such as 50 pounds and over, especially over a short period, can considerably increase your risk of loose skin.
What should I eat to lose 50 pounds? ›Eliminate certain carbohydrates and cut back on overall carbs to enhance weight loss when you have 50 pounds to lose. Choose carbs rich in fiber – such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds to meet daily carbohydrate needs.
Will loose skin tighten over time? ›Because skin is a living organ, it can tighten up some over time. Age, the length of time excess weight was present, and genetics all play a role in how much your skin can tighten. Eating well, staying hydrated, and looking after your skin health can help.
How do you keep skin tight when losing weight? ›- Lose weight gradually. Although it may not always be an option, losing weight slowly is the best way to prevent loose skin. ...
- Lose weight by building muscle. ...
- Eat a balanced diet. ...
- Quit smoking. ...
- Stay hydrated. ...
- Protect your skin.
Some specialists use the term “phantom fat” to refer to this phenomenon of feeling fat and unacceptable after weight loss. “People who were formerly overweight often still carry that internal image, perception, with them,” says Elayne Daniels, a psychologist in Canton, Mass., who specializes in body-image issues.
What happens if you eat 1,000 calories a day? ›However, other studies show that while consuming 1,000 calories a day may result in significant weight loss, most people cannot sustain it and often experience significant weight regain . The reasons include regaining lost muscle mass and increased appetite. Also worth noting is that the human body can adapt.
How many calories should I eat to lose 50 pounds? ›
Cutting out 3,500 calories will result in losing 1 pound. So if you eliminate 7,000 calories in a week, you'll see a loss of 2 pounds. To cut out 7,000 calories in a week, you'll need to cut out 1,000 calories a day. In this scenario, you'll lose about 50 pounds in 6 months.
Can an obese person lose 50 pounds in a month? ›It leaves us asking, is it truly possible to lose 50 pounds in a month? The truth of the matter is that it could be possible. However, it is extra challenging and is unhealthy. Experts acknowledge that in one month, the most pounds you can lose safely range from 4 to 8 pounds (7).
Will walking 2 miles a day help lose belly fat? ›Walking might not be the most strenuous form of exercise, but it is an effective way to get in shape and burn fat. While you can't spot-reduce fat, walking can help reduce overall fat (including belly fat), which, despite being one of the most dangerous types of fat, is also one of the easiest to lose.
Can I lose weight by walking 30 minutes everyday? ›Walking is a great way to improve or maintain your overall health. Just 30 minutes every day can increase cardiovascular fitness, strengthen bones, reduce excess body fat, and boost muscle power and endurance.
How many pounds can you lose in a week walking 5 miles a day? ›That means you'd burn roughly 500 calories each day and 3,500 calories in a week — the equivalent of one pound of fat. That's ideal, since it's generally considered safe to lose one to two pounds per week.
How many pounds of weight loss is noticeable? ›CDC further recommends that you need to lose around 5-10% of your total body weight to notice changes. For instance, if you weigh 170 pounds, you need to lose roughly 8.3-17 pounds to notice a difference. The results should also be measured after at least three months, for certainty.
What is the healthiest way to lose 50 pounds? ›For most people, a weight loss of two to three pounds per week represents a healthy and sustainable approach to losing 50 pounds or more. You will need to cut 3,500 calories from your diet to lose one pound of fat – so cutting back 1,000 calories a day will equal two pounds of weight loss per week.
Does flabby skin go away? ›Loose skin after weight loss is not permanent and will disappear over time. After a month or two, you should no longer see excess skin hanging from your body. If you are still having problems with excess skin, then you should see a doctor.
Does drinking water help you lose weight? ›Water can be really helpful for weight loss. It is 100% calorie-free, helps you burn more calories and may even suppress your appetite if consumed before meals. The benefits are even greater when you replace sugary beverages with water. It is a very easy way to cut back on sugar and calories.
How can I lose 50 lbs of my belly fat fast? ›- Limit sugar and sugar-sweetened drinks. A diet high in added sugars may lead to excess abdominal fat. ...
- Eat more protein. Protein may be the most important macronutrient for weight loss. ...
- Consider a low carb diet. ...
- Eat fiber-rich foods. ...
- Exercise regularly. ...
- Track your food intake.
What vitamin deficiency causes sagging skin? ›
How vitamin D deficiency leads to accelerated skin aging isn't fully understood. However, some experts suspect it has something to do with vitamin D's protective and antioxidant properties on the skin.
What is considered extreme weight loss? ›The point at which unexplained weight loss becomes a medical concern is not exact. But many health care providers agree that a medical evaluation is called for if you lose more than 5% of your weight in 6 to 12 months, especially if you're an older adult.
Does skin bounce back after weight loss? ›For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more significant weight loss may need body-contouring surgery or other medical procedures to tighten or get rid of loose skin.
How do I tone my saggy body after weight loss? ›- Identify: Skin or fat? ...
- Build muscle. ...
- Exfoliate. ...
- Moisturise. ...
- Massage. ...
- Boost skin elasticity. ...
- Revisit your fitness & diet plan and slow things down. ...
- Keep yourself hydrated.
Bottom line: Laser resurfacing can tighten skin, usually better than any other skin-tightening procedure. It can also diminish fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots on the skin, such as age spots. The tradeoff is that it requires downtime and has a greater risk of possible side effects, such as scarring.
How do I get rid of saggy lower belly? ›- Cut your calories. ...
- And maybe cut your carbs too. ...
- Bump up your protein. ...
- Stop drinking your calories. ...
- Try intermittent fasting. ...
- Go for high intensity intervals. ...
- Try resistance training. ...
- Get enough sleep.
Too many starchy carbohydrates and bad fats are a recipe for that midsection to expand. Instead, get plenty of veggies, choose lean proteins, and stay away from fats from red meats. Choose healthier fats in things like fish, nuts, and avocados. Even a moderate cutback on carbs (grains, pasta, sugars) can help, too.
Will people notice if you lose 50 pounds? ›Almost always. If you weigh 600 lbs, most people won't notice a 50 lb weight loss, but you might. However, if you weigh 195 lbs, then you will definitely notice. In my case, losing 50 lbs was the difference between a rather large belly to almost no belly at all.
Will I lose weight eating 1200 calories a day without exercise? ›Most people need significantly more than 1,200 calories a day. Therefore, individuals who cut their daily intake to 1,200 calories can expect to lose some weight.
How to speed up metabolism? ›- Exercise more. Add interval training to your cardio routine and burn more calories in less time. ...
- Weight train. Add muscle mass to your body and you can burn more calories at rest. ...
- Don't skip meals, especially breakfast. ...
- Eat fat-burning foods. ...
- Get a good night's sleep every night.
Will eating less help lose weight? ›
Aim for a slow, steady weight loss by decreasing calorie intake while maintaining an adequate nutrient intake and increasing physical activity. You can cut calories without eating less nutritious food. The key is to eat foods that will fill you up without eating a large amount of calories.
Will I lose weight if I eat less than 2000 calories a day? ›You could cut more than that but be sure not to go too low or you'll starve! Most women don't need to go much below 1400 to 1600 calories to lose weight. Men can usually lose weight on no less than 2000 calories a day. The higher you can go and still lose weight, the better.
What exercise burns the most calories? ›According to Healthline, running burns the most calories. A tried and true exercise that requires little more than your legs and the open road, running burns just over 800 calories for a 155-pound adult per hour.
How many pounds can I lose eating 1200 calories a day? ›If 1,200 calories a day is more than 500 calories lower than your weight-maintenance calories, you can expect to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week.
Is it realistic to lose 50 pounds in 3 months? ›The National Institute of Health recommends setting realistic weight goals and that is to say that losing 50pounds in 3 months is neither a realistic nor an achievable weight goal. The National Institute of Health recommends trying to lose about 5% to 10% of your total body weight in a period of six months (6).
What are the stages of fat loss? ›- Phase -1 – GLYCOGEN DEPLETION. Glycogen Depletion: ...
- Phase -2 – FAT LOSS. This is the sweet spot for healthy weight loss. ...
- Phase -3 – PLATEAU. ...
- Phase -4 – METABOLIC RECOVERY. ...
- All the Phases of Weight Management:
Dropping 50 pounds can have dramatic effects on your body. You are likely to sleep better, especially if you were suffering from sleep apnea. Your cholesterol and blood pressure are likely to drop, and surprising things like memory function and the health of your eyes may even improve.
Can I realistically lose 50 pounds in 5 months? ›You will need to cut 3,500 calories from your diet to lose one pound of fat – so cutting back 1,000 calories a day will equal two pounds of weight loss per week. At a weight loss of two pounds per week, you will lose 50 pounds in 25 weeks, or a little less than six months.
Can you lose 50 pounds in 3 months? ›The National Institute of Health recommends setting realistic weight goals and that is to say that losing 50pounds in 3 months is neither a realistic nor an achievable weight goal. The National Institute of Health recommends trying to lose about 5% to 10% of your total body weight in a period of six months (6).
Is it possible to lose 50 pounds in 2 months? ›To lose 50 lb (23 kg) in 2 months, you'd need to lose an average of 5 lb (2.3 kg) per week, which requires burning 2,500 more calories than you consume in a day.
Can you lose 50 pounds in 1 months? ›
Experts acknowledge that in one month, the most pounds you can lose safely range from 4 to 8 pounds (7). This occurs when you focus on healthy eating, maintaining a calorie deficit, and exercising. The target of losing 50 pounds in one month is higher than what experts recommend.
What is a realistic weight loss goal for 5 months? ›A more realistic goal would be shedding 20 or 40 pounds (4 pounds x 5) or (8 pounds x 5) within five months. To answer how long it would take to lose 50 pounds, it would be more than five months.
What is realistic weight loss in 5 months? ›Losing weight safely typically involves losing 1-2 pounds per week ( 1 ). This would allow you to lose 20 pounds within about 5 months at 1 pound per week or 2 1/2 months at about 2 pounds per week.
How much weight will I lose if eat 1200 calories a day? ›If 1,200 calories a day is more than 500 calories lower than your weight-maintenance calories, you can expect to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. If it's less, then you might lose fewer pounds a week.
How many calories should I eat a day to lose 50 pounds in 3 months? ›To lose 50 pounds in three months, you will need to create a weekly calorie deficit of at least 14,000 calories, in order to lose about four pounds a week. That means you will need to create a 2,000 calorie daily deficit.
Do obese people lose weight faster? ›Your starting weight plays a key role in how fast (or slow) you lose weight. The more overweight a person is, the faster they can lose. Conversely, if you want to lose those last 10 pounds, the process will be painfully slow.
What is the max amount of pounds you can lose in 2 months? ›Although everyone's body is different, in general people can expect to lose one to two pounds a week if they are doing so in a sustainable manner. "Over the course of two months or eight weeks, a healthy weight-loss goal is eight to 16 pounds," White said.
What is the maximum weight loss in a month? ›The CDC state that a person can safely and effectively lose about 1–2 lb a week. Based on those numbers, in a month, a person could safely lose 4–8 lb.
How can I lose 10 pounds fast after 50? ›- Move more. The underlying principle of losing weight is burning more calories than one consumes. ...
- Get enough sleep. ...
- Do not skip meals. ...
- Hack the commute. ...
- Enjoy exercise. ...
- Buddy up. ...
- Switch up snacks. ...
- Set realistic goals.