How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month?
How much weight you can lose in a month depends mostly on how much you have to lose and how big your calorie cut is. People with more to lose, or who cut harder, lose more, and the first month often shows the most because some of it is water. A steady pace most people can keep up is what the NHS suggests: 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lb) a week, or about 2 to 4 kg (5 to 9 lb) a month. Later months are usually slower.
In brief
- A steady pace of 0.5 to 1 kg a week adds up to about a third to two thirds of a stone a month.
- Month two is often smaller than month one.
- Later months are usually smaller again, and that's normal.
- Track a weekly average and compare it month to month.
How much weight can you safely lose in a month?
NHS guidance on losing weight suggests aiming for 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lb) a week. Here’s how weekly paces add up, using about 4.3 weeks in a month.
| Weekly pace | Roughly per month |
|---|---|
| 0.25 kg (½ lb) | 1 kg (2 lb) |
| 0.5 kg (1 lb) | 2 kg (5 lb, about ⅓ stone) |
| 0.75 kg (1½ lb) | 3 kg (7 lb, ½ stone) |
| 1 kg (2 lb) | 4 kg (9 lb, about ⅔ stone) |
If you have a lot to lose, you’ll often be nearer the faster end. Closer to your goal, expect the slower end. Our calorie deficit calculator keeps to 0.5 kg a week or less, so about 2 kg a month at most.
Can you lose a stone (or 10 kg) in a month?
Some people do lose that much on the scale in their first month, especially with a lot of weight to lose, but much of a very fast early drop is water. At a steady pace it takes longer. At the NHS pace of 0.5 to 1 kg a week, a stone (6.35 kg) takes about 6 to 13 weeks. Losing 10 kg in a month would mean more than 2 kg a week, over twice the top of the NHS range.
If you’re losing weight much faster than this without trying, see your GP.
Why does the first month often look bigger?
The first month of a diet often shows the biggest drop because some of the early loss is water and stored carbs, and less of it is fat. A 2014 paper by Thomas and colleagues describes a fast early phase of weight loss, followed by a slower one that can last much longer.
We explain the early drop in more detail in when will a calorie deficit show on the scale.
Why does weight loss slow down each month?
A lighter body needs less food, and moving it around takes a little less energy. So as you lose weight, eating the same amount leaves a smaller gap, and each month’s loss is usually a little smaller.
The 2014 paper also reports figures from a 6-month diet study. Each pound lost over the first 4 weeks took about 2,200 calories. Averaged over the whole 6 months, it was nearer 3,000. Fewer calories per pound early on means a bigger number on the scale at the start.
That’s also why the old rule that 3,500 calories equals a pound promises more loss than you’ll see over time. We go through it in how many calories are in a pound of fat.
How should you track your progress each month?
Track averages rather than single weigh-ins.
- Weigh at the same time of day, a few times a week.
- Work out a weekly average, then compare one month’s averages with the last.
- If you have periods, compare the same point in each cycle. We explain why in why do I gain weight before my period.
- If your monthly loss has shrunk, put your current weight into the calculator for an updated target.
- If your loss has dropped to almost nothing for several weeks, our post on weight loss plateaus covers what to check.
If weighing starts to feel stressful, it’s fine to take a break, or talk to your GP.
Where Ori fits
Ori shows your weight as a trend, so one heavy week doesn’t hide a good month. With Premium, Ori checks your trend each week and adjusts your target if your weight isn’t moving as expected. Our free Stealth Health mode hides the numbers and tells you how you’re doing in plain words. You can try Ori here.
Related reading
- Water weight vs fat: how to tell the difference
- How many calories should a woman eat a day?
- Weight gain calorie calculator
Sources
- NHS. Obesity: treatment. Page last reviewed 29 April 2026, checked 29 October 2026.
- Thomas DM, Gonzalez MC, Pereira AZ, Redman LM, Heymsfield SB. Time to correctly predict the amount of weight loss with dieting. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 2014. Reports the CALERIE I diet study figures.
A gentle safety note
Ori supports general wellness. It is not medical care. If you have a history of disordered eating, are pregnant or breastfeeding, take medicines that affect weight or appetite, or have a clinical nutrition need, speak with a qualified healthcare professional before changing your intake or weight goal.
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