How much weight can you lose in 3 months?

When you start losing weight, it’s common to wonder how quickly you can expect the pounds to fall away. You might ask yourself, “How much weight can you lose in 3 months?” Whatever your goals for weight loss, it’s good to know what’s realistic, safe, and healthy. 

In this article, we explore how much weight you can reasonably lose in 3 months. We also review the typical weight loss achieved on different diets and with different medications. 

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What’s a safe pace for losing weight?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a safe pace for weight loss is about 1 to 2 pounds a week. That translates to about 4 to 8 pounds per month or 12 to 24 pounds in 3 months. While it might be tempting to try and lose weight faster, a slow and steady approach is the way to go if you want to lose weight safely — and keep it off long-term.

Why not try to lose weight faster, you might be wondering? Rapid weight loss, though possible, can have significant downsides. Losing weight too quickly can lead to muscle loss, which can slow down your metabolism and make it harder to keep the weight off. Plus, rapid weight loss cranks up your appetite, so you might overeat and actually gain weight. By losing weight gradually, you can minimize muscle loss, maintain a strong metabolism, and develop healthy habits that will help you enjoy your new lighter weight moving forward. 

For some people, especially those using weight loss medications, weight loss might occur more quickly. But even with medication, experts recommend losing weight at a controlled pace to ensure sustainable, long-term weight loss and maintenance. Making other lifestyle changes, such as diet and exercise, can help and are required when taking most weight loss medications.

How much weight can you lose in 3 months — a comparison

From diet and exercise to prescription medications, there are many ways to lose weight. It’s important to choose the one that best suits your current health, body, and lifestyle. Here’s a quick look at how much weight you can lose in 3 months with different approaches.

**Weight loss numbers are estimates. Numbers for medications are based on data from trials that lasted longer than 3 months and have been divided accordingly to estimate the weight loss achieved by 3 months.  

*** Based on a study done on the role of physical activity for weight loss and maintenance with obese men who engaged in high levels of exercise.

****Not FDA-approved for weight loss. People taking it for their FDA-approved use, which is to treat type 2 diabetes, may also lose weight. 

Ways to lose weight 

One of the nice things about losing weight is that it’s totally up to you how you choose to do it. Diet and exercise are the typical go-to strategies for losing weight. Depending on your situation, health, and body mass index (BMI), special diets and/or weight loss medication can be helpful, too.

Diet and exercise

The combination of a well-balanced diet and regular exercise is the cornerstone of any weight loss journey. While many people focus solely on cutting calories, the quality of your diet also plays a major role in how quickly — and sustainably — you lose weight.

A high-fiber diet helps you feel fuller longer and gives you more control over your appetite. Eating nutrient-dense foods can give your body the nutrition it needs without your overloading on calories. These include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Contrary to popular belief, healthy carbs should still be part of a weight loss plan, as they give you needed energy.

That energy comes in handy when you start increasing your physical activity. Research suggests the most effective approach for weight loss is a mix of aerobic exercise (think walking, running, or biking) and resistance training (such as weight lifting or bodyweight exercises). Aerobic exercise helps burn calories, while resistance training helps maintain muscle mass, which keeps your metabolism working at its best.

Calorie counting

The formula for successful weight loss goes something like this: eat fewer calories than you burn. Calorie counting is a straightforward way to follow that formula in your daily life. Tracking the number of calories you eat can help you stay on track with your diet and create a calorie deficit, which is essential for weight loss.

But calorie counting can be challenging for some. It requires being diligent — and honest — about portion sizes. It doesn’t help that it’s easy to underestimate how much food you’re actually eating. Fortunately, various apps make calorie tracking easier, providing a clear picture of how your diet impacts your weight.

With calorie counting, there’s a risk of becoming overly concerned with how many calories you’re eating, which can lead some people to eat too little. This raises your risk of disordered eating, and eating too few calories is dangerous and can even impair your cognition and working memory. 

To be safe, experts recommend reducing your diet by about 500 calories per day (for women) or 600 calories per day (for men). Or, you can aim to eat the daily recommended calorie minimum, which is 1,200 to 1,500 calories for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories for men.

Special diets

Some people like to adopt a specific diet when trying to lose weight in 3 months. Popular options include:

• Keto diet: This high-fat, high-protein, and low-carbohydrate diet is designed to encourage your body to burn fat for energy.
• Paleo diet: This diet focuses on eating whole, unprocessed foods and eliminating grains, dairy, and refined sugar.
• High-protein diet: With this diet, you eat more protein-rich foods like lean meats, eggs, and legumes. It’s intended to increase feelings of fullness while preserving muscle mass during weight loss.
• Vegetarian diet: This diet eliminates meat and focuses on plant-based foods, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes. 
• Intermittent fasting: Rather than adjusting what you eat, this approach focuses on when you eat, cycling between periods of eating and fasting to improve your metabolism.

Each of these diets has its pros and cons. It’s important to consult a healthcare provider or dietitian to ensure one of these diets is safe for you and that you get all the nutrients you need.

Over-the-counter diet aids

Some people turn to over-the-counter (OTC) diet aids to try and lose weight. One proven option is Alli, which is the OTC version of the prescription weight loss pill Xenical (orlistat). Alli works by decreasing how much fat your body absorbs from the food that you eat. Most weight loss on Alli occurs within the first 6 months with people losing about 5 to 10 pounds. Its purpose is to add 2 to 3 pounds of weight loss for every 5 pounds you lose with diet alone.

Diet aids like Alli only offer modest weight loss and come with side effects. And even though Alli is an OTC option, it has side effects and warnings. It can cause gas, loose stools, and more frequent stools. Read the package insert or talk to your provider before taking it. 

It’s also important to use OTC weight loss pills, including Alli, in combination with a healthy diet and not as your only weight loss strategy.

Prescription weight loss medications

If you’ve struggled to lose weight with diet and exercise alone, you might want to ask your doctor about weight loss medication. Options include weight loss injections, appetite suppressants, and more.

Weight loss injections

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 3 injectable medications for weight loss and chronic weight management — Wegovy (semaglutide), Zepbound (tirzepatide), and Saxenda (liraglutide). Wegovy and Saxenda are GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) receptor agonists. Zepbound is a glucagon-like peptide-1/gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GLP-1/GIP) dual agonist. 

They’re used in combination with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity. They help you lose weight by slowing down digestion, so you feel full sooner and longer. They also decrease your appetite and reduce your cravings for fatty, calorie-dense foods. 

How much weight can you lose in 3 months on Saxenda, Wegovy, or Zepbound? In a study published in Endotext, in over 28 weeks (7 months) people lost 5.4% of their body weight on Saxenda compared to those on a placebo. Those on Wegovy lost 12.4%. And those on Zepbound lost 17.8%. Results at 3 months should be comparable. Longer-term loss is the same or higher for the 3 meds. 

Compounded semaglutide is another prescription option for weight loss. It contains the same active ingredient as Wegovy or Ozempic but is made in small batches at a compounding pharmacy. How much weight you lose on semaglutide in 3 months depends on your dosage. If taking an amount comparable to Wegovy doses, weight loss can be expected to be similar to that when using Wegovy. 

Appetite suppressants

The best prescription weight loss pills include Contrave (bupropion-naltrexone), Qsymia (phentermine-topiramate), and Adipex-P (phentermine). These work by decreasing appetite and cravings. Adipex-P is only approved for short-term weight loss, while Contrave and Qsymia can be used for long-term weight management. 

The study published on Endotext found that over 28 weeks, people lost 4.8% of their body weight on Contrave, and 8.6% on Qsymia. People taking brand-name phentermine lost over 4.4% of their body weight. 

While weight loss pills are safe when used as directed, both Qsymia and Adipex-P contain phentermine, which is a controlled substance and can increase your risk of abuse or dependence.

Diabetes medications

Some diabetes medications can lead to weight loss too. Healthcare providers may prescribe them off-label for this reason. For example, Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) are injectable medications that contain the same active ingredients as Wegovy (semaglutide) and Zepbound (tirzepatide). 

How much weight can you lose on Ozempic or Mounjaro in 3 months? People lost 13 to 15 pounds after 10 months of taking Ozempic. People taking Mounjaro lost up to 15.7% of their body weight in 72 weeks (a little over a year and a half). 

Metformin is an oral medication for type 2 diabetes that can lead to modest weight loss. Weight loss on metformin averages about 8 pounds after 29 weeks (a little over 7 months).

Prescription medications can accelerate your weight loss efforts and are prescribed in combination with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise. They also come with side effects — some serious. It’s important to work with a healthcare provider to determine if they’re the right option for you and that you understand potential side effects.

Things to consider when losing weight

While weight loss can improve your health and confidence, it doesn’t work the same for everyone. Some people lose weight faster than others, and different approaches work for different people. 

For example, men and women often lose weight at different rates due to differences in muscle mass and metabolism. Men typically have larger bodies and more muscle, which leads to higher calorie burn, so they might lose weight faster than women — even when following the same diet or exercise plan.

Health conditions and medications can also impact weight loss. Some conditions, such as hypothyroidism or chronic stress, can slow down weight loss efforts. Some medications, including diabetes and blood pressure medications, can promote weight gain. This is why a medically supervised weight loss program is recommended for individuals with complex health needs.

As we age, it becomes more challenging to lose weight too. Research published in Science magazine showed that once we’re 60, our total energy expenditure declines by almost 1% each year, making weight loss more difficult. Maintaining an active lifestyle and engaging in strength training can counteract these effects.

It’s essential to maintain a balanced approach to weight loss, prioritizing long-term health over short-term results. A healthcare provider or nutritionist who specializes in weight loss can help you create a plan that’s safe, effective, and sustainable. (You can find a caring, supportive provider on Klarity Health today.) 

Losing weight too quickly can have adverse effects, such as nutrient deficiencies, muscle loss, cognitive impairment, and metabolic slowdowns. It’s also important to avoid diets that are overly restrictive, as they can lead to nutritional imbalances and increased cravings.

Key takeaways

• A safe and sustainable pace for weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds a week, or 12 to 24 pounds in 3 months.
• Combining a nutritious, reduced-calorie diet with a mix of aerobic and resistance exercise is the best way to lose weight.
• OTC and prescription medications can also support weight loss, but they may cause side effects and should still be used with diet and exercise. 
• Men may lose weight faster than women due to differences in muscle mass and metabolism. Other health conditions, medications, and age can also affect how quickly you lose weight.

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A weight loss plan tailored to you and possibly weight loss medication can help you lose weight safely and effectively. Connect with a healthcare provider on Klarity Health today to talk about your weight loss goals and get started with treatment.