The generally recommended and healthy rate of weight loss is about 1 to 2 pounds per week. This pace is considered sustainable and safe for most people aiming to lose weight over the long term

. To achieve this, you typically need to create a calorie deficit of about 500 to 750 calories per day, meaning you burn more calories than you consume. For example, eating 500 fewer calories daily can lead to losing roughly 1 pound per week

. The total time it takes to lose a certain number of pounds depends on your weight loss goal. For instance, losing 20 pounds could take approximately 10 to 20 weeks at this rate

. Initial weight, age, sex, activity level, and diet quality also influence how quickly you lose weight

. Weight loss often occurs in stages: an initial rapid loss (mostly water weight) followed by slower, steadier fat loss

. Plateaus are common and may require adjustments in diet or exercise to continue progress. In summary:

• Aim to lose 1–2 pounds per week.
• Create a daily calorie deficit of 500–750 calories.
• Losing 20 pounds may take 10–20 weeks.
• Individual factors affect the exact timeline.
• Sustainable weight loss involves both diet and exercise.

This approach promotes healthy, lasting weight loss without extreme or rapid methods that can be unsafe or unsustainable