According to the CDC, a healthy weight loss is 4 to 8 pounds in a month [
1].
Weight loss relies on energy input/output, meaning the number of calories consumed should be less than the calories burned. On average, it takes 3,500 calories to burn one pound, which means that diet, exercise, and lifestyle factors (like
sleep and
stress) play important roles in weight loss. Other factors, such as what you eat, meal timing, age, and genetics are also considered.
If you want to exercise to lose weight, research suggests that 150-250 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week will provide modest weight loss, while greater amounts (>250 minutes/week) have been associated with clinically significant weight loss [
2].