Whether your ultimate goal is to improve your health or tone your muscles, losing weight is a journey that takes time and effort. And doing so in a healthy, sustainable way is crucial to long-lasting results. If you've set your sights on a specific number like 20 pounds, how long to lose 20 pounds is likely a question you have. It's totally understandable since it helps to know what to expect.
Many healthy weight-loss guidelines say you should aim to lose one or two pounds per week (whether you have five or 50 pounds to lose), that means it could take anywhere from 10 to 20 weeks to lose 20 pounds. That may seem like a while, but it's better to go slow. "Anyone who is not in the obese category trying to lose more than one to two pounds per week is risking their health, especially if resorting to extremes with high caloric deficit or extreme training, or both," says Susane Pata, NASM-CPT, a certified personal trainer.
That said, there could be weeks, or even months, when the scale doesn’t budge, says Tori Holthaus, RDN, the founder of YES! Nutrition, LLC. "How long it takes to lose a given amount of weight depends on so many factors, like whether you've lost weight before, health conditions, how much weight you actually need to lose, and your sleep and stress levels," she explains.
Remember: The longer it takes to come off, the more likely it will stay off, says Lisa Moskovitz, RD, the CEO of NY Nutrition Group and author of The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan. "Intentional, rapid body fat loss usually implies that you're eating way too restrictively or exercising way too intensely, both of which are not only hard to keep up but can be quite health hazardous,” she adds.
Start with a goal of losing five percent of your current body weight and see how you respond to that, Moskovitz recommends. From there, you can figure out whether you can reduce by another five percent. “It might seem like 20 pounds is the magic number, but aiming too high could hold you back from making any progress at all.”
And about those progress pics? Try not to compare your progress to someone else’s. “Everyone loses weight differently," says Moskovitz. “Some may notice their clothes fit better, their stomach looks flatter, or their face narrows out instantly after seeing the scale go down. Others may have to be patient and feel the results before they can see them.” Note that you also can’t choose where and how your body sheds fat cells, she adds.
Meet the experts: Tori Holthaus, RDN, is the founder of YES! Nutrition, LLC. Roxana Ehsani, RD, is a nutritionist and national media spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Susane Pata, NASM-CPT, is a certified personal trainer.
So, can you lose 20 pounds fast?
While there’s no magic trick to help you drop 20 pounds instantly, Moskovitz has a few pointers she believes can help anyone regardless of their weight-loss plan. “First, keep a journal and include not just what you're eating, but how much, why you're eating it, and rate your hunger and stress level. This can help pinpoint areas that you need to work on and if there is any emotional or stress eating that needs to be addressed,” she says.
Moskovitz also advises that while water won't suppress your appetite, upping your water intake can prevent hunger confusion, which is when you eat because you think you're hungry but what you're feeling is actually just thirst. Plus, it will keep you hydrated, energized, and even alleviate bloating.
She suggests taking a look at your current diet and assessing how it can be improved. “This simple mindset shift can make creating a calorie deficit much healthier and less stressful. Add in fiber-rich carbohydrates, lean proteins, and anti-inflammatory fats. Bulk up the rest of your meals with plenty of non-starchy veggies and fresh fruit,” she says.
Her final tip? Pay attention to habits and behaviors over numbers and charts. “If you're feeling discouraged by the scale, pack it up and put it away. Even if the goal is to see a drop in total pounds, a watched pot never boils," says Moskovitz.
The Best Ways to Lose 20 Pounds as Fast as Possible
To help you kickstart your weight loss, we asked registered dietitian Roxana Ehsani, RD, CSSD, LDN, and NASM-CPT, and certified group fitness instructor Susane Pata, for their nutrition and fitness tips.
1. Make veggies your main course.
Veggies are the lowest calorie food out there, and one of our most nutrient dense foods, meaning they're loaded with good-for-you nutrients like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and dietary fiber. "The more we center our meals around veggies, the more likely we will eat less calories overall, thus leading to weight loss," says Ehsani. "We won’t feel deprived when we fill up on veggies, as they are loaded with fiber, which takes longer to digest in the gut."
Instead of thinking of pasta or potato or steak as your main course, get in the habit of thinking of veggies as the main course. "This doesn’t mean you have to eat a sad salad at every meal—just think of ways you can add more veggies into your meals you already enjoy eating.," she says.
For example, if you love to eat eggs in the morning, can you add at least two to three different veggies and make yourself a veggie omelet? Or throw in some mushroom slices, tomatoes, and baby spinach. Try veggies in a new way: Have them roasted, grilled, air-fried, stir-fried, add them to soups, stews, rice dishes, dips, smoothies.
2. Cut sugar out from your diet.
"It can be really hard to cut out sugar, as it’s found in many foods, such as cereals, yogurts, some plant-based milks, granola bars, alcoholic mixed drinks, sports drinks, coffee drinks, smoothies," says Ehsani. If you really want to cut out the sugar, don't just eliminate sweets and treats. Look at the other foods you are eating or drinking that may have added sugar too.
If you tend to eat a sweetened oatmeal packet for breakfast along with a sweetened yogurt and a flavored latte in the morning, you might be consuming a lot more sugar than you even realize, which can make it more difficult for you to lose weight. But Ehsani points out you also don’t need to opt for sugar-free everything.
"Instead of buying a flavored yogurt, choose plain and add your own fruit to it to naturally sweeten it up," she says. "If you tend to buy vanilla soy milk, choose plain, unsweetened soy milk next time, or if you tend to buy a flavored oatmeal packet, purchase plain oats and add your own cinnamon and fruit slices on top to add flavor." Simply identifying these foods that you already have in your pantry, fridge, and freezer can be helpful for taking stock of how much added sugar you’re actually consuming.
3. Space out your protein intake.
You may have heard that upping your protein intake can help you lose weight, but overconsuming it won’t necessarily help either. "Our bodies store carbs (known as glycogen) and fat (adipose tissue), but don't actually store any protein for us to use as energy. Therefore, overconsuming at meal times might actually lead us to gain weight rather than lose it," explains Ehsani.
Most people only need about o.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, and if you are active, this number can increase. "Consume high-quality sources at each meal and into snack times, such as eggs, tofu, beans, nuts, seeds, chicken, milk, lentils. You don’t need to consume high-protein cereals or bars. Just focus on whole foods sources of protein to get enough protein," says Ehsani.
It's always best to work with a registered dietitian to figure out exactly how much protein you really need per day if you're struggling to figure out specifics. "Once you know your number, you can spread that intake of protein out evenly throughout the day," says Ehsani.
4. Begin a progressive training program.
"As you begin a workout program that actually stimulates the body’s systems (i.e., a challenge that places demand on the muscles), your body responds to supply energy for those demands—hence an increase in caloric burn and metabolic response, among other things," explains Pata. After a certain amount of time on the same program, your body may have adapted and plateaued, requiring more challenge in order to get to the next level.
This is where a smart exercise program that progresses once the body plateaus can make a difference in continued weight loss, and an increase in lean muscle mass.
5. Ramp up your NEAT.
"You can increase your caloric burn with NEAT, a.k.a. non-exercise activity thermogenesis. It refers to energy expended throughout the day that doesn’t include structured exercise, according to Pata. "If you can do this several times a day (and include a workout in the early part, or later part of your day), you can increase your caloric burn and keep the weight off," she says.
For example, if you sit at a computer for most of the day, set an alarm to get up and get active so you can increase your NEAT. Activities can include raking leaves, sweeping the floor, vacuuming, taking a brisk walk around the block, carry in groceries, etc.
"The idea is to be consistent with these and do a variety of these types of activities several times a day," says Pata.
You can become even more masterful in creating a plan by:
- Creating a list of your general daily activities and seeing where you can add more
- Identifying times when you sit for long periods
- Evaluating your experiences and see where you can do better but still enjoy it—you will be less likely to make it a habit if you don't
- Calculating how it adds up to stay motivated—if you can burn an extra 100-200 calories per day with non-exercise activities, it can help you in your weight loss
6. Monitor whether you are overtraining.
Too much of a good thing can certainly be a bad thing: If you are engaged in a workout program but are going too hard too often, you may be overtraining. One symptom of overtraining is consistently waking up tired after a full night’s sleep., says Pata.
"Overtraining does the opposite of what you want a workout program to do: You can feel depleted throughout the day, your performance can decrease, you may get sick more often, and you may even gain weight," she says. "High and sustained stress from overtraining keeps cortisol high which can cause weight gain."
Cortisol is not necessarily a bad guy, but it is when it is elevated for abnormally long periods of time. To avoid overtraining, Pata suggests you use periodization in your training program. "Periodization, which is like a schedule of workouts that divides training into smaller and progressive stages, allows time for the body to rebuild, and for cortisol levels to return to a normal state," she explains. "If you happen to be training for an event, add several hours of recovery between exercise sessions in order to lower chronically raised cortisol levels on double session training days."
7. Stay in a calorie deficit.
Consuming fewer calories than needed to maintain bodyweight can lead to weight loss. "Safe caloric intake deficit is effective for weight loss, but it might zap your energy if it's too extreme," says Pata. "It can also affect your performance during a workout if it's too low, so be careful not to let one negatively affect the other. Otherwise, reaching a weight-loss goal will be that much harder in the long run."
To figure out what a healthy calorie deficit looks like for you, Pata suggests checking with the NASM Calorie Calculator, which will give you a safe amount of calories to target based on your age, weight, height, and sex.
8. Start mixing up weights in your workouts.
Progressive strength training means that you should try not to keep picking up the same weight for each body part month after month—making the goal to lift heavier and heavier to help increase lean muscle mass.
"Progressive strength training increases lean muscle mass," says Pata. "Every pound of muscle burns approximately six calories per day, which is three times more than every pound of fat on the body. The more lean body mass you have the greater your basal metabolic rate will be. So you burn more at rest with more lean muscle mass."
There are various ways to go about it. "Make sure the resistance level is challenging to the point that by the end of the set you experience fatigue or failure," says Pata. "These workouts should be total body workouts and can involve bodyweight, dumbbells, or even TRX."
Another pro tip: Aim to work the lower body with squat and lunge variation and target your core with planks, plank variations, and rotational exercises. You should definitely target the upper body with chest, back, and arm exercises, says Pata, and aim for moderate intensity and tempo and complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps to start.
9. Increase your protein intake.
Eating more protein is a must because protein helps build and preserve lean muscle mass. "High-protein diets help reduce your appetite, as it affects weight-regulating hormones, such as ghrelin (which reduces hunger), so you ultimately end up eating fewer calories," says Pata.
Protein also helps boost metabolism, and it's much harder to store as body fat than carbs and fat, notes Pata.
Nutritional guidelines suggest a daily intake of 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to lose weight. "Heavy exercisers should consume 2.2 to 3.4 grams of protein per kg of weight for weight loss. Keeping track is key," says Pata.
Here, women who lost 20 pounds or more share how long it actually took them to shed the pounds—and what helped them finally reach their goal weights.
"I lost the first 20 pounds in about seven to eight months. In total, I've lost about 40 pounds."
"I struggled with my weight for many years (since my teens). I've done many diets over the years and would always end up gaining back any weight I lost. Five and a half years ago, I joined an accountability group with some other ladies like me who were working toward similar goals, worked out at home for around 30 minutes a day, five to six days a week, and followed a simple lifestyle nutrition plan. The biggest thing for me was the mindset shift. When I finally ditched the diet mentality and learned how to make this a lifestyle, everything changed. I stayed consistent and the weight stayed off for good this time." —Susan Azzara, 44, 40 pounds lost
"It took me two months to lose 20 pounds. In total, I have lost 71 pounds."
"In January 2021, I started intermittent fasting. My eating window was 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. I’ve never enjoyed breakfast, so it just felt like a normal day. This, plus running and walking, helped me lose my first 30 pounds and motivated me to complete my first half-marathon. Strength training is really what helped with my weight loss. I started strength training in April 2021, my life has never been the same. It’s my favorite form of exercise because you don’t have to endlessly jump around to have a great workout. At my heaviest, I was 208 pounds. Within seven months, the weight had vanished. It happened very quickly but not intentionally. I fell in love with eating the right foods and stayed active every day. It’s been an unbelievable journey. After two kids, I’d lost all hope that I could have my dream body. Nevertheless, I’m so proud of the fact that I still possess the discipline to stay consistent without restrictions." —Erebi Bowring, 26, 71 pounds lost
"I lost 20 pounds in about four months. I’ve lost about 35 to 40 pound to date."
"I was scrolling through IG one day, and my friend posted progress photos of herself after completing workout challenges. I’d done a previous program with her before, but this was new. I’m a sucker for challenges. Not for a quick fix but because it’s fun to be a part of a community of support where everyone has a common goal to get healthier. I did this challenge six consecutive times, and I began at around 185 to 189 pounds in August 2020. By December 2020, I was down in the 160s, and by January 2021, the 150s! The workouts were intense but fun! I could finally move with joy, but also help my body shed the weight! Finding a workout you love is honestly key to consistency. Looking at movement as a gift and blessing rather than something you have to do will help shift that mindset." —Danielle Hearn, 36, 35 to 40 pounds lost
"Over the course of two and a half years, I lost more than 140 pounds."
"I had an accountability partner that created an organized plan in an Excel spreadsheet, which we followed every month. In the beginning, seeing the months ahead made me feel like losing the weight was an impossible accomplishment. But after breaking it down month by month, losing five pounds in four weeks was doable. I was able to stay consistent the entire way through. In hindsight, I'm glad I had over two years to create a new mindset and consistent routine. After hitting my goal, I found that challenges still arise, but I always know how to get back on track after laying a solid foundation" —Lindsey M. Adams, 30, 140 pounds lost
"Losing weight took me three months after my first pregnancy, and four months after my second."
"I've always weighed between 120 and 130 pounds, until I had kids. When my son was about 10 months old, I started working out pretty intensely with weight training in the evenings and cardio in the mornings, five or six days a week. I ended up losing 40 pounds in about three months. I went from 163 pounds down to 123 pounds, and was shocked at how quickly my body reacted to the changes I made. But then I hit a plateau, and I got pregnant again!
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After that pregnancy, I weighed 182 pounds. After giving birth, I worked out very hard with a little less cardio and more weight training. While exercising helped me tremendously, I wouldn't have seen results if I kept eating the way I had before. I completely changed my diet by eating lots of lean protein, tons of veggies, small amounts of carbs in the form of oats or grains, eliminating processed sugars, and drinking tons of water. And of course, I have cheat meals. It's all about finding balance that works for my lifestyle. It took me about four months to get to 152 pounds with 17 percent body fat, and I'm pretty happy where I'm at." —Candace Perkins, 30, 30 pounds lost
"I've lost a lot of weight at different rates over the course of five years."
"Like most people who have struggled with weight, I've lost a lot and then gained it back multiple times. Over the past five years, I’ve weighed 200 pounds, 180 pounds, and then 216 pounds. After getting busy with work, a move, and a baby, I saw my weight creep back up. That's how I realized that I had to make healthy changes that I could stick with over the long-term. In the past five months, I’ve lost another 20 pounds to get to my current weight of 173 pounds. I’ve done it slowly, making small, sustainable changes in my eating habits, like replacing fries for a side salad and eating brown rice instead of white. I've also made brisk walking my main form of exercise because I hate running." —Chantelle Rivera, 28, 43 pounds lost
"I've lost 135 pounds in five years total."
"At my heaviest, I weighed 283 pounds. My current weight is 148 pounds. Over the course of three years, I lost more than 50 pounds with some exercise and counting calories. Throughout that period, my weight constantly yo-yo'd. In October 2014, I knew it was time to do something more to stabilize my weight. I started working with a strength, conditioning, and nutrition coach. He taught me how to properly fuel my body, the best way to work out, and held me accountable. In the first few months of working with my coach, I smashed my goals week after week. But eventually the number on the scale wasn't dropping as drastically. It was frustrating, but I learned that stress, not enough sleep, and slipping up on my diet were affecting my progress. After two years of working with him, I lost nearly 80 pounds and 13 percent of my body fat." —Kristyn Dorney, 36, 135 pounds lost
"It took me six years to lose 53 pounds."
"The first 10 were very easy to lose. I just stopped eating cookies, candy, and chips. But continuing to lose weight was more difficult and, at times, I even gained some back. When I have time, I exercise for about two hours, four times per week. About half of my time working out is spent doing cardio. It’s not easy, but when I saw the changes in myself, I felt motivated to keep setting and achieving new goals. I just wish I'd started exercising sooner." —Andy Martinez, 23, 53 pounds lost
"Over the course of the past 10 years, I lost 80 pounds."
"It has been quite a journey. At my heaviest, I was around 250. I worked on my nutrition for a few years and slowly integrated fitness. In the past year, I got really serious about losing weight and began working out daily. Since then, I've lost 30 pounds and currently weigh 170 pounds. Some might say that my weight-loss timeline is really long, but I haven’t put the weight back on, which shows me that these changes will stick. I used to get frustrated when I reached a plateau. I changed up my workouts or re-evaluated what I was eating. But now I look at it as a kind of accomplishment. My body has a new baseline for functioning." —Megan Gilmore, 29, 80 pounds lost
Sabrina is an editorial assistant for Women’s Health. When she’s not writing, you can find her running, training in mixed martial arts, or reading.
Emily Shiffer is a freelance health and wellness writer living in Pennsylvania.
