How to lose 10 pounds in (about) a month—safely and sustainably

• It’s possible to lose 10 pounds in a month, but it’s not recommended. Five weeks is more realistic at a safe rate of losing 1–2 pounds per week.
• Tracking your food intake, overcoming emotional eating, and choosing more low-caloric density foods can help you reach your goal weight.
• Instead of crash dieting for a month, lose weight for the long term by making small, sustainable lifestyle changes.

Say your favorite jeans have gotten a little snug—or maybe you’re planning a beach vacation—and you want to lose 10 pounds. How long will it take?

Can you lose 10 pounds in a month? Is it realistic?

While it is possible, it typically isn’t advisable. 

Most experts recommend taking at least 5 weeks instead, as that’s a healthier rate.

Let’s talk about how to lose 10 pounds in (about) a month in a safe and sustainable way.

Note: Consult with your medical provider before making dietary changes.

But first—how much weight can I lose in a month?

While it’s theoretically possible to lose ten pounds in a month, losing 1 to 2 pounds per week is a safer rate. So 5 to 10 weeks is a more reasonable and healthier estimate.

“For most people trying to lose weight in a sustainable, safe way, 10 pounds in one month is unlikely and not recommended,” said former Noom Coach Lexie Abplanalp, a certified health and wellness coach.

“Typically, when we see someone drop a significant amount of weight in a short amount of time, we find the results are not sustainable.”

And keep in mind that age, sex, and starting weight are all factors in how quickly you can shed pounds. So, what does a sustainable rate of weight loss look like?

“Noomers can expect anywhere between 0.5 and 2 pounds of weight loss per week on average,” said Abplanalp.

How to lose 10 pounds in a month with Noom

To lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks, you need to create a calorie deficit that results in losing 2 pounds per week. This typically requires consuming 1,000 fewer calories per day than your body needs to maintain its current weight.

To achieve that deficit, it can be tempting to try the latest fad diet that restricts certain foods to help you lose weight fast.

But here’s the problem with those diets: They’re not sustainable.

Restrictive diets can lead to overeating—or even giving up on your weight loss goals completely. And when you “fall off the wagon,” you may gain back every pound that you lost.

With Noom, you’ll learn how to maintain a calorie deficit to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way—without feeling hungry or deprived.

Aiming to lose about a pound per week can be more sustainable for many people. To achieve this, you’ll need to reduce your daily calorie intake by 500 calories. By staying consistent, you can lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. Here are some Noom-approved strategies to help you reach this goal:

1. Eat more low caloric density foods

At Noom, we believe that no foods are inherently “good” or “bad.” Some are just more calorie-dense than others (meaning, some have more calories relative to their volume).

For example, an apple and a scoop of ice cream are roughly the same size, but while the ice cream has around 200 calories, an apple has half as many.

Low caloric density foods (like apples) are typically full of fiber, water and nutrients, so they’re satisfying. When you fill up on low-caloric density foods, you can indulge in an occasional treat while still maintaining a calorie deficit.

We also believe here at Noom that you should indulge occasionally, whether your favorite treat is ice cream, potato chips, or sugary cereal with a cartoon character on the box (we’re not here to judge).

Why? 

“When we call a food ‘bad’ in our heads,” said Abplanalp, “think about the impact that will have on how we feel emotionally after eating it.”

Noom makes it easier to develop healthy eating habits with our three-color system.

• Green foods (like fruits, veggies, and whole grains) have a low calorie density.
• Yellow foods (like lean meats, rice and pasta, and healthy fats) have a medium calorie density.
• Orange foods (like ice cream) have a high calorie density.

With Noom, you’ll enjoy foods from all three categories (no food is off limits!), but this system makes it easy to choose more green and yellow foods, which create a feeling of fullness while helping you maintain a calorie deficit.

2. Address the emotional aspect of eating

At Noom, we understand that losing weight is more complicated than just choosing low caloric density foods.

It’s also about addressing the emotional side of eating so you can understand why you make the choices you do and develop healthy, sustainable habits.

For example, do you—as many of us do—turn to your favorite foods for comfort after a difficult day? When you recognize that stress is what’s causing you to crave potato chips, you can choose to take a walk or meditate instead.

You can also stock your kitchen with low-caloric density foods, like fruits and veggies, instead of potato chips and other orange foods. That way, when you come home from a stressful day (or if you just need a snack), you have healthy options at your fingertips.

But some days, you’ll give in to your cravings—and that’s okay.

Part of reframing your mindset around food is giving yourself permission to treat yourself now and then without feeling like you’ve “cheated” and ruined everything you’ve worked for. (We call this “all-or-nothing” thinking.)

“The biggest obstacle I see is people making a decision they view as a mistake or bad and ‘starting over’ the next day or next week,” said Abplanalp.

With Noom, you’ll receive short, digestible daily lessons based on psychology to help you overcome this all-or-nothing thinking and other thought distortions that prevent you from reaching your weight loss goals.

“One decision doesn’t have to define how the rest of our day or week goes,” said Abplanalp. “This isn’t a test, so you can’t cheat—and there is no wagon to fall off either!”

3. Track your food intake

Research shows a strong positive relationship between diet monitoring and weight loss. Food tracking can help you stay in a calorie deficit and enables you to:

• See how many calories you actually consume
• Learn which foods you can fill up on for the fewest calories and which ones to enjoy in moderation
• Recognize what a proper portion size looks like

With Noom’s food tracker, you provide your age, sex, and weight loss goal, and it calculates your daily calorie budget. As you log your meals, it determines your calorie intake. When you enter an item into the Noom food tracker, it shows you whether it’s a green, yellow, or orange food to help you maintain a good balance of all three. The tracker also has a searchable database of delicious and healthy recipes to try and even shows you how they fit into your calorie budget.

If you’re short on time, you can snap a picture of your food, and the app will automatically figure out what is in your meal. You can adjust the amounts as you see fit. You can also use the label scanner to quickly see the color and nutritional content of an item in the grocery store.

What else can help me achieve maximum weight loss in a month?

While maintaining a calorie deficit is the key to losing weight, other factors can help you stay on track to reach your goal weight.

Community support

Losing weight is never easy, but it can be especially challenging when you go it alone. With Noom, you’ll have a whole community of Noomers who can help you stay motivated and accountable.

They’ll support you by:

• Suggesting healthy food swaps, recipes, and activity ideas
• Helping you meal plan and prepare for challenging situations
• Talking you through a frustrating plateau
• Celebrating your success and cheering you on when things get tough

They can also help you build a healthy mindset around losing weight in a short time frame. Losing 10 pounds in a month is challenging and potentially unhealthy.

Is your true goal simply to see 10 pounds gone? Or is it to feel good when you get dressed for a date night with your partner, have more confidence in photos, or have the energy to play with your kids?

“When we shift the goal from a specific number to a specific why, we create space for gradual, meaningful change,” said Abplanalp. “This is where the work really begins!”

Exercise

Exercise is not a requirement for weight loss, but it’s a positive habit that comes with many health benefits.

Physical activity can improve:

• Cardiovascular health
• Muscle mass
• Bone strength
• Mental health

If you’re not currently active, that’s okay! Find an activity that you enjoy and build it into your routine at a pace that works for you, whether it’s dancing, yoga, or biking.

If doing hours of cardio or weight lifting at a crowded gym feels like punishment, don’t! That will only make you less likely to keep doing it.

And start slow. If you’re not active currently, start by walking 2-3 times a week. Don’t aim to walk 10,000 steps tomorrow—shoot for 2,000 instead. The next day, shoot for 3,000, and so on.

Many Noomers who thought they would never be physically active started exercising this way—gradually—and now walk 2-3 miles per day, six days a week.

Sustainable weight loss takes time

Remember that weight loss is not a race. You’re more likely to feel deprived and defeated when you try to rush it at a rate that isn’t sustainable by cutting out carbs or sweets (or any food group).

“Slow down, focus on one thing at a time, and give yourself grace,” said Abplanalp.

“Losing weight is a process. There will be ups and downs (both literally and figuratively!). Trusting the process and granting yourself permission to move at your own pace will serve you well in the long run.”

Ready to make lasting change? Start your Noom trial here.