How to Lose 1 Pound a Week: A Sustainable Guide to Lose Weight and Keep It Off
If you've been a victim of weight-loss gimmicks, you know no amount of fad diets and trendy workouts will help you lose weight and keep it off. The endless cycle of losing and re-gaining only stops when you give up the crash diets and trade them in for consistency. Consistent weight training, cardio workouts, and a sustainable weight-loss meal plan that puts you in a calorie deficit while still including high-protein meals will help you lose body fat. If you want to learn how to lose 1 pound per week, heed this advice.
As a certified nutrition coach and clinical weight loss practitioner, I’ve helped hundreds of clients achieve their weight loss goals without resorting to outrageous and often dangerous diets. In this guide, I’ll share my straightforward, step-by-step approach to losing one pound a week—no fad diets necessary.
Want the latest whiskey news, deals, and reviews? Sign up for the Whiskey Wednesday newsletter.
How Many Calories Do You Need to Burn to Lose 1 Pound?
One of the most commonly cited principles in weight loss is the “3,500 calorie rule,” which suggests that burning 3,500 calories will result in the loss of one pound of body fat. This is why many weight-loss plans recommend creating a daily caloric deficit of 500 calories—either by eating less, moving more, or a combination of both. In theory, maintaining this 500 calories per day deficit for a week adds up to a total reduction of 3,500 calories, leading to one pound of weight loss.
While this approach provides a simple framework, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. In the real world, individual weight loss outcomes vary significantly based on factors like age, gender, body composition, basal metabolic rate (BMR), and activity level.
Ultimately, the 3,500 calorie rule is useful as a rough estimate, but oversimplifies the complexity of weight loss. In addition, many people aren’t even aware of their current caloric intake, and without this knowledge, creating an accurate 500-calorie deficit is a challenge.
Getty Images/whitebalance.oatt
Related: Yes, You Can Find Healthy Breakfast Fast Food. We Asked a Nutrition Coach to Rank the Best
How to Lose 1 Pound a Week: 3 Expert Tips
Before you rush to download a calorie tracker like MyFitnessPal or determine your BMR with an online calculator, let’s take a step back.
Weight loss isn’t about relying on fancy apps, complicated formulas, or drastic changes. Instead, focus on small, sustainable lifestyle adjustments like these three tips to set yourself up for lasting success.
Tip 1: Find Your High-Impact Change
I’d highly encourage you to start your weight-loss journey by performing a food log, tracking everything you eat for just three days. At first, this may seem like a simple and unnecessary exercise, but it’s a powerful tool for identifying what I call a “high-impact change.” Essentially, you’re looking for the low-hanging fruit—what’s the smallest adjustment you can make to cut out excess calories from your diet?
For example, if you’re starting each day with a latte from your local coffee shop, consider switching to a black coffee with skim or almond milk instead. This simple swap could easily cut 400 to 500 calories per day. While this is a small change, over time, those calories add up and will lead to significant weight loss without feeling deprived.
Other easy areas to target include reducing the amount of oil you use for cooking, being mindful of calorie-dense foods (like avoiding those large scoops of peanut butter), or swapping creamy salad dressings for light vinaigrettes.
By focusing on these manageable changes, you’ll start seeing results without overcomplicating the weight loss process.
Tip 2: Track Your Protein
Claire Benoist
Let’s begin with an important distinction: when we talk about weight loss, we really mean fat loss. Shedding pounds isn't the end goal if those pounds are coming from lean muscle mass instead of fat.
Sustainable weight loss is about losing excess body fat while preserving the muscle tissue that supports healthy metabolic function.
Protein not only plays a key role in preserving lean muscle mass, but it also helps you feel fuller for longer, which reduces cravings and curbs hunger signals. While tracking calories is a proven method for weight loss, it can be time-consuming and inaccurate. It’s easy to forget to account for things like the cream in your coffee, olive oil you cook with, or dressing on your salad.
That’s why I recommend focusing on tracking your protein intake instead. By ensuring you're getting enough protein each day, you’re not only supporting muscle retention but also helping control hunger without the hassle of tracking every single calorie. It’s a simple and sustainable way to stay on track with your fat loss goals.
A great place to start is to aim for one gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight. For instance, if you currently weigh 180 pounds and your target weight is 160 pounds, aim to consume 160 grams of protein each day.
Tip 3: Go for a Walk After One Meal
Alexander Spatari/Getty Images
Another simple and effective way to support your weight loss goal is by going for a short walk after at least one meal per day. A brisk 10 to 15 minute walk will get your muscles working, boost your metabolism, and aid digestion. It’s a low-impact, easy habit that can make a significant difference over time, especially when combined with a well-balanced diet.
If you already incorporate walks into your daily routine, take it up a notch by adding resistance training a few times per week. Resistance training—such as bodyweight exercises, weightlifting, or resistance bands—helps preserve lean muscle mass while you’re in a calorie deficit. Maintaining muscle is key to keeping your metabolism active and ensuring that the weight you lose comes from fat, not muscle.
Related: The Perfect 30-Minute Workout to Get You Pumped in No Time
Maintaining Your Weight-Loss Progress
By following the tips outlined above, you’ll be well on your way to building healthy habits and reaching your weight loss goals. I recommend implementing these simple strategies for a full month, which gives you time to see real progress while establishing a solid foundation to build upon as you work towards your target weight.
Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can enhance your progress by adding more advanced weight loss strategies. An online BMR calculator is great tool to adjust your caloric intake as your body changes, which will help you fine-tune your approach and ensure continued success.
Remember, weight loss is a dynamic process. As you lose weight, your body needs fewer calories to maintain your progress. Continual adjustments are key to achieving long-term results.
How to Use a BMR Calculator to Lose Weight
Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) represents the number of calories your body needs to perform essential functions such as breathing, circulating blood, and regulating body temperature. t’s the energy your body requires to survive at rest. Knowing your BMR helps you estimate the number of calories your body burns in a day, providing a foundation for effective weight management.
To calculate your BMR, you can use one of the many online calculators, which require you to input details like your gender, age, height, and weight. Once you have your BMR, the next step is to account for your daily physical activity level (PAL), which helps estimate your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE). Your TDEE reflects the total number of calories you burn throughout the day, including your physical activity.
If your goal is to lose one pound per week, it’s typically advised to create a calorie deficit by reducing your daily intake by 300 to 500 calories. Keep in mind that these numbers are estimates, and tracking your progress on the scale will provide the most accurate measure of your weight loss progress over time.
A Common Weight Loss Pitfall to Avoid
A common mistake many people make when attempting to lose weight is diving headfirst into an extreme calorie deficit. While this may result in some initial weight loss, much of it will be water weight, and it’s often accompanied by low energy, hunger, and even muscle loss.
Additionally, weight loss is a dynamic process: as you shed pounds, your body burns fewer calories, and further calorie cuts become harder to make. If you start with a drastic deficit, there may not be enough calories to reduce later on, which will effectively stall your progress.
Find a balance. Aim for a moderate calorie deficit that allows for sustainable weight loss over time. Losing fat while preserving muscle requires patience, and the goal is to optimize fat loss while maintaining as many calories as possible to support overall health and energy levels.
Related: These 10 Compound Exercises Save Time in the Gym Without Sacrificing Gains
Types of Food to Eat for Weight Loss
Travis Rathbone
When you’re working towards your weight loss goals, every calorie counts. Prioritize nutrient-dense foods. Lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, fish, and plant-based options like tofu and legumes are essential for preserving lean muscle mass while helping to keep you feeling full.
Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables are another cornerstone of a successful weight loss strategy. Green veggies like spinach, broccoli, and asparagus are low in calories but packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which aid in digestion and promote satiety. Fruits like berries, apples, pineapple, and mango provide natural sweetness while offering essential nutrients and antioxidants, helping to curb cravings without the added sugars often found in processed snacks.
Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and oats, along with starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and butternut squash, are examples of complex carbohydrates. Unlike refined carbs, your body digests these foods slowly, which stabilizes blood sugar levels and prevents energy crashes between meals.
Healthy fats from sources like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil can also help with weight loss by promoting fullness and improving the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. While fats are calorie-dense, choosing whole, minimally processed options in moderation will support healthy hormone balance and fat loss, without derailing your progress.
If you’re aiming to create a calorie deficit, reducing carbohydrate intake is an effective place to start. Carbs often make up a significant portion of daily calories. By cutting back on carbs, you lower your overall intake while still prioritizing proteins and healthy fats that support muscle preservation, healthy hormone balance, and satiety.
Example Day of Eating Option 1
Breakfast: Greek yogurt bowl with mixed berries, walnuts, and honey
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, carrots, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar
Snack: Protein smoothie with one scoop of protein powder, peanut butter, chia seeds, and almond milk
Dinner: Grilled salmon with roasted broccoli and a sweet potato
Dessert: Dark chocolate with a few slices of fresh pineapple
Example Day of Eating Option 2
Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with avocado on a piece of whole-grain toast
Lunch: Grilled turkey sandwich with cucumber, lettuce, tomato and a side of
Snack: Baby carrots and pretzel chips with hummus
Dinner: Grilled barbeque chicken with a sweet potato and asparagus
Dessert: Protein smoothie with one scoop of protein powder, peanut butter, scoop of cocoa powder, and almond milk
Related: Considering the 75 Hard Challenge? Read This First
Types of Food to Avoid for Weight Loss
Andrew Hetherington/Getty Images
When weight loss is your goal, cutting back on foods packed with added sugars—think sodas, candy, and pre-packaged snacks—can make a big difference. These sugary items are calorie-dense and often provide a quick spike of energy, only to leave you low in energy and craving more soon after. Swapping in whole, minimally processed foods can help keep you satisfied for longer, minimizing those extra calories that add up fast.
Fried foods, like French fries, fried chicken, and pastries such as donuts, are another food group to approach with caution. Not only do they soak up oils during cooking, making them high in calories, but these oils are often unhealthy trans fats that can lead to inflammation and make weight loss harder. Instead, use cooking styles like grilling, baking, or steaming, as these methods are flavorful but low in calorie count.
Alcohol also deserves a mention. It’s sneaky, with hidden, empty calories that add up without offering any real nutrition. It also lowers your inhibitions, making it easier to reach for unhealthy food choices. To stay on track, limit alcohol or choose lighter, low-calorie beverages like sparkling water with a twist of lime.
Takeaway
For lasting, sustainable weight loss, patience and consistency are key. While crash diets may offer quick results, they often come at a cost—sacrificing muscle and jeopardizing your long-term health.
Focus on gradual calorie reduction, prioritize nutrient-dense foods, and commit to regular exercise. Think of your journey as a marathon, not a sprint. Losing just one pound a week may seem slow, but it's a reliable way to ensure lasting success and a healthier you.
Solve the daily Crossword
