Staying cooped up at home in 2020, meant that people had easy access to their food pantry. For 71 million Americans, this resulted in unwanted weight gain. According to a recent survey, roughly 60% of individuals in the U.S. are eager to feel healthier. Whereas 51% want to shed a few extra pounds.
But, the U.S. is not the only region struggling to keep the weight in check. Based on a new global study from 30 different countries, 45% of people stated they are currently trying to slim down. For those looking to reduce the excess weight, 52% of the people state they would rather eat healthily and exercise rather than follow a strict diet.
The question is, what is the right way to lose weight? And how long does it take to lose 60 pounds? Here, we compiled a detailed 60-pound weight loss guide that will resolve all your questions. Including some practical weight loss tips that can get the job done.
Table of Content
Healthy Weight Loss – Covering the Basics
When trying to drop 10, 20, 40, or 60 pounds, it’s important to first set realistic goals. Properly planned and down-to-earth goals keep you energized, determined, and focused. While unrealistic expectations will only undermine your efforts. So, what’s realistic?
In the long run, people should aim to lose 1–2 pounds (0.5 – 1kg) a week. For this kind of healthy weight loss, you would burn roughly 500 to 1,000 calories more than you munch on in a day. All of that can be achieved through regular exercise and lower calorie diet.
Many people want to lose weight without dieting. When it comes to finding the best way to lose weight, there isn’t one option that works wonders for everyone. Statistically speaking, it boils down to a couple of factors. Think of variety, consistency, and intensity. These include:
- Developing healthy eating habits – Dieting is limiting. But, healthy eating is liberating! Healthy eating for weight loss features a variety of foods. The perfect example of weight loss foods include legumes, seeds, lean meat, fish, veggies, fruits, etc.
- Doing regular weight loss exercise – Even a simple 15 min walk can burn 100 extra calories. That’s a whopping 700 calories a week, which is the same as 10 lbs weight loss over a year.
- Making mindful decisions – Mindfulness and weight loss go hand in hand. Mindful eating gives the person the power to control their feelings and thoughts about food, rather than to let them control you. So, start eating slowly and mindfully. Savor the food and enjoy every bite.
- Focusing on the journey, rather than the destination – Don’t worry too much about how long it will take you to lose weight. Worry about making it happen. If you need more time, take it. The goal is not to lose motivation, but to remain determined to achieve the desired goal.
- Making sleep a priority – Sacrificing sleep can decrease the number of pounds lost and can promote overeating, experts explain. That’s what makes sleep for weight loss such a key component in shaping the body.
How Long Does It Take to Lose 60 Pounds?
Countless Americans want to lose 60 lbs quickly and painlessly. But, these are results that take effort, time, and determination to achieve. If you’ve decided to fight tooth and nail to have the body you’ve always dreamed of, then you can lose 60 pounds in about 6 months to 1 year. That’s achievable if you’ve stuck with the recommended weight loss of shedding 1 to 2 pounds a week.
In the first few weeks, you may notice faster results. But, the time frame and goals vary depending on what you are using to get rid of the excess pounds. That includes the level of exercise you use for weight loss, the food you eat, and the snacks you munch on.
How Long Does It Take to Lose 60 Pounds With Diet and Exercise?
Diet and exercise are the ultimate combos for reaching the 60-pound weight loss goal. That’s because the diet controls the calories you put in, and exercise manages the calories that come out. Ideally, you should be reaching your goal in half a year. That is if you regularly eat well and work out. Any activity will do.
How Long Does It Take To Lose 60 Pounds With Exercise?
In terms of shedding the excess pounds only through exercise, some people are beginning to see results in 2 to 3 weeks. But, it can take up to a year or more to reach the 60-pound weight loss goal. That’s because the food you eat plays a predominant role in losing weight. So, you might want to focus on your eating patterns to make the most of them.
How to Lose 60 Pounds in 1 Month With Exercise?
Slow and steady progress works best. It’s healthier and better for the body. But, if you need quick 60-pound weight loss results, then you may have to cut 3,500 calories from your diet. This is to lose 1 pound of fat. Therefore, if you cut back 1,000 calories a day, you can lose 2 pounds a week. And roughly 60 pounds in 25 weeks. But, these are just rough estimates. A nutritionist can help you make the right call.
How Long Does It Take To Lose 60 Pounds on Keto?
Everyone is different. That’s why the weight loss rate on keto varies. It is determined by your health state (metabolism, hormones, etc), body composition, and daily habits. If you have consistency, dedication, and plenty of willpower, then, you can reach your goal in 6 months.
Is Losing 5 Lbs a Week Healthy?
Ideally, you should be losing 1 to 2 pounds a week. Don’t try too hard to lose weight fast. This is a healthy and safe weight loss rate. While losing more than that can lead to slower metabolism, muscle loss, and nutrient deficiencies. The problem with rapid weight loss is that it often takes an extraordinary amount of work to slim the body.
With that in mind, even a modest weight loss of 5% to 10% of your total body weight has a high chance of offering health benefits. For example, an improvement in glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure control. Depending on how much you weigh, getting rid of 5% can be seen as a realistic weight loss goal to reduce the risk of health problems like diabetes or heart disease.
- Consult with a physician if you lost over 10 pounds without doing anything in 6-12 months. This is a major portion of your body weight, which might indicate you are experiencing unexplained weight loss. Your doctor will be able to identify the problem and recommend a solution.
What Losing 60 Pounds Does to Your Body?
When you don’t have the extra 60 pounds to worry about, you can move around with ease. The body won’t need as much energy to function as it did when you were heavier. The metabolism can also get back on track. The joint pain won’t be such a pressing issue and your blood pressure goes down. But, you may also get saggy skin and feel colder.
How Many People Are Successful in Weight Loss?
There is a common misconception that almost no one can succeed at maintaining their weight loss results in the long term. But, there is enough data that shows obstacles such as these can be tackled. According to the National Library of Medicine, around 20% of overweight people are successful at losing weight in the long haul.
When defined as getting rid of at least 10% of their initial body weight and keeping those results for a minimum of one year. Members in the Weight Control Registry have lost 33 kg (72 pounds) on average and maintained the weight loss for over 5 years.
To achieve the desired result, members regularly exercised (around 1 hour a day), ate a low-fat, and low-calorie diet. They also avoid skipping breakfast and focus on monitoring their own weight. They maintained their eating pattern through weekends and weekdays.
- Experts claim that weight reduction can get easier with time. In people who managed to maintain their results for 2 to 5 years, the odds for long-term success drastically increase. Plus, they form healthy habits, which become a part of their daily routines.
Why Do People Diet, Lose Weight, and Gain It Back?
After achieving the expected outcome of the fat-burning process, you’ve finally hit the jackpot. The extra pounds are melting off without a hitch, and you are proud as a peacock. But, then, there is this major setback. For every pound you lose, another pound or two keep creeping back. No matter how hard you try, the weight you lost keeps coming back.
Before you start feeling bummed out, it’s probably not your fault. Data shows that 80% to 95% of dieters regain the weight they previously went the extra mile to lose. The reason for that is the “weight set point” explains Cleveland Clinic. This is the weight of the body that is “programmed” to be. And it varies based on the genes, behavior, environment, and hormones.
Together with the metabolism, they are all working on the same team to burn the calories. For the most part, gaining weight happens gradually. This could eventually increase the set point. However, specific lifestyle changes may lower it. One of the most practical weight loss tips is to stay away from quick fixes.
A fad diet will not alter the weight set point. You are only restricting the number of calories you ingest. To figure out the calorie intake, feel free to use a weight loss calculator. Besides, the human body is quite efficient. It will make the most of the fast weight loss for some time.
But, sooner or later, it will adjust to requiring fewer calories to work properly. In time, the weight loss comes to a standstill. That’s unless you begin consuming fewer calories than the diet recommends. This is unhealthy.
How to Slim Down Without Getting the Weight Right Back Up?
Maintaining successful weight loss comes down to forming long-term and healthy habits. Not quick fixes. Start by learning what is healthy and what isn’t. Consult with a dietitian or a nutritionist to stay on the right track.
For those wondering what to eat to lose weight, eating healthy begins with a variety of consumables such as veggies, fruits, poultry, lean meats, and grain. As well as yogurt, milk, and cheese. Anything that’s processed, packed with sugar, and salt is considered unhealthy.
Basically, soft drinks, junk food, processed meats, and similar products fall into the unhealthy category. Another thing is portion control. The serving size of the plate helps keep the weight off. The right portions to lose weight feature roughly:
- ¼ of the plate filled with protein
- ¼ of the plate packed with complex carbs
- ½ of the plate loaded with veggies or salad
Skip the empty calories, but go ahead and treat yourself to something nice from time to time. The idea is not to depend on diets for weight loss. But to forge healthy habits for long-term results. Exercise can give you a boost in the right direction.
How Much Difference Can Exercise Make to Weight Loss?
Any exercise is capable of burning calories. But, resistance training has merits that can have a profound effect. Many people wonder how to lose weight without losing muscle or strength. Resistance training can help with that. Options like weight lifting are here to boost muscle, tone, and strength, allowing people to shape their bodies in a healthy way.
A 2017 controlled trial of 141 obese adults studied the effects of resistance training, cardio, or both on body composition. Reports indicate that volunteers who didn’t do a physical activity managed to shed the extra fat. But, they also lost more bone mass and muscle compared to the individuals who did resistance training. That means this kind of training provides a protective element on both the bones and muscles when reducing the calorie intake.
FAQs
- Do weight loss pills really work?
A diet pill is not a magic elixir. You can’t expect to munch on snacks all the time, take a pill, and get fit. But, they may provide a modest benefit. However, combining them with healthy eating and exercising may help a person get in shape. If you don’t have the willpower to eat well or work out, then you are better off spending that cash elsewhere.
- Why am I not losing weight?
A lot of people who have trouble shaping their bodies simply stuff their bellies with too many calories. To slim down safely, the general rule of thumb is to curb the calorie intake to 500 fewer calories than the body needs to keep its current weight.
Unfortunately, most people eat more calories than they burn. So, all their efforts end up being in vain. Of course, there could be other issues as well. Such as lack of sleep, unhealthy food choices, not enough hydration, and a poor metabolic rate.
But, nothing can impact your weight loss results as some health conditions can. Like PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), hypothyroidism, and sleep apnea. They are known to interfere with peoples’ weight loss goals. Talk with a doctor to keep your health issue in check.
- Will I lose belly fat if I lose weight?
You can’t just target belly fat every time you go on a diet. What you can do is lose overall weight, which, in turn, can shrink the waistline. You should be focusing on curbing the harmful layers of visceral fat. So, that the abdominal cavity will function properly. Plus, the body can avoid developing some health problems.
- Losing weight without exercise – is that a bad thing?
The physical activity ensures the pounds you lose come from the extra fat, not the muscle. So, it keeps the fat off for much longer. Those who diet without physical activity can shed 3 to 4 pounds of muscle for every 10 pounds of weight that they get rid of. So, 30% to 40% of the weight they remove is healthy, lean muscle rather than fat.
- Can losing weight harm you?
Your emotional health can take a hit. Especially if you try to do fast weight loss. Losing weight fast is bad for your emotional well-being. When a person doesn’t take the time to settle in their new weight and body shape, it can affect their self-esteem.
Proper weight loss starts with setting realistic goals. Then slowly, but surely working towards those goals. If you are unsure about your weight reduction journey, consult with a specialist. They can help you overcome any obstacles that may get in your way.
- How long does it take for a woman to lose 60 pounds?
From 6 months to 1 year, depending on how dedicated you are. The idea is to focus on healthy eating and any physical activity on a regular basis. Otherwise, it can be hard to see results. So, take it slow and let the body keep up with the fat loss.
