Weight loss Weight-loss basics

Weight loss ranged from 9.5% at 1mg to 16.4% at the 9mg dose. With fervent consumer demand for weight loss medications, combined with rising obesity rates, more medications are bound for the market in the coming years. The pharmaceutical platform Ozmosi predicts one to two GLP-1 launches annually starting in 2026. In May 2025, they reported 39 new GLP-1 RA related medications in development. In the past, research found about 3,500 calories of energy equaled about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram) of fat. So researchers thought burning or cutting 500 calories a day led to losing 1 pound a week.

In any rapid weight loss program, what really burns fat is not a pill or type of food. It’s the substantial reduction of calories, combined with exercise. One proven method of rapid weight loss is the medically supervised very low-calorie diet (VLCD).

What are the differences between OTC and prescription weight loss medications?

There seems to be no end to the questionable ideas promoted in the name of rapid weight loss. Some creams promise to aid in weight loss when used on specific body parts. Be cautious if an advertiser claims that you can “lose weight with this patch or cream,” as the Federal Trade Commission has made it clear that such claims are false. In this stage of weight loss, you lose weight at a much slower rate, however, but the weight you lose is the actual fat. It generally starts after 6 weeks (about 1 and a half months) and beyond. But whether you choose low-carb, low-fat, vegan, intermittent fasting, Paleo or Mediterranean, whichever diet allows you to eat fewer calories over the long-term will help you lose weight.

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A rapid weight loss program is a diet where you lose more than 2 pounds a week for several weeks. As such, many advocate for a slow, gradual rate of weight loss due to the expectation that it’s more sustainable and may prevent weight regain. However, limited information is available (18, 19, 20). Replacing refined carbs with their whole-grain counterparts and eliminating candy and desserts is only part of the solution, though.

What Should Your Calorie Deficit Be?

In fact, most people will regain about 30—35 percent of the weight they’ve lost after one year. Bupropion (Wellbutrin), an aminoketone, is considered weight-negative and is prescribed both to assist in weight loss and to treat depression. A study from FAIR Health published in May 2025 reports that more than 2% of U.S. adults took a GLP-1 for weight loss in 2024. (Many more take them for other indications.) According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, public awareness has ramped up, with 32% of adults now saying they have heard “a lot” about these drugs. Depending on how much weight you aim to lose, the duration of your fat loss journey can vary significantly.

• It is thus imperative that periodic and intermittent fasting may trigger factors that help enhance the general health of the individuals.
• With more obesity medication options available along with indications for treatment of obesity-related diseases, doctors will be increasingly able to personalize treatments.
• Eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestion a long break may aid weight loss.
• Because obesity is a chronic disease, obesity medications should be used long term in combination with a healthy diet and exercise.
• The body uses energy to carry out the usual basic processes at rest—again, your baseline metabolism—and for the physical activity you do on top of that, which is considered your active metabolism.
• In this article, we’ll walk you through the different stages of your weight loss journey, so you’ll know what to expect and how to stay motivated even when the scale isn’t moving.

Rapid Weight Loss FAQs

The Hadza people of Tanzania studied by Pontzer offer a glimpse into how ancient humans may have eaten. They hunt for meat, and forage for tubers, berries and honey, which turns out to be a high-carb/low-fat diet. They get 65% of more of their calories from carbs while fat makes up less than 20%. A registered dietitian can help you figure out healthy ways to manage your portions and lower your daily calories. These types of foods help you resellerratings feel full longer, so you may be less likely to snack between meals.

Calorie Deficit FAQs

Along with those side effects, an oversized calorie deficit will be harder for your body to adjust to and harder for you to maintain. You’ll likely be more successful over the long haul with a significant but sustainable calorie deficit. You’ve probably heard that eating five small meals a day is the secret. A registered dietitian clears up the confusion about how many meals you should eat. Many antidepressants are weight-positive (cause weight gain), some are weight-neutral, and at least one is weight-negative (causes weight loss).

Physical Activity for a Calorie Deficit

When temptation strikes, focus on the benefits you’ll reap from being healthier. Try using chopsticks rather than a fork, or use your utensils with your non-dominant hand. This therapist directory is offered in partnership with BetterHelp. If you sign up for therapy after clicking through from this site, HelpGuide will earn a commission. This helps us continue our nonprofit mission and continue to be there as a free mental health resource for everyone.

Healthy body weight is calculated by the measurement of body mass index (BMI). It assesses the body weight of an individual relative to their height and hence provides a more distinctive account of body fat content than just the weight. Though BMI does not directly measure body fat, it is a useful and inexpensive screening method for clinical and research purposes. For adults, BMI is categorized into four ranges and indicates varying levels of health risks.

Understanding these stages can help you set realistic goals, stay committed, and celebrate non-scale victories along the way. Thirst can often be confused with hunger, so by drinking water you can avoid extra calories. Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then fast until breakfast the next morning. Eating only when you’re most active and giving your digestion a long resellerratings.com/store/AmoApps_Limited break may aid weight loss.

More in Getting Real About Weight Management

Rapid weight loss may be the right choice if obesity is affecting your health. Work closely with your doctor and dietitian for a weight loss plan that may include drugs, healthy foods, and exercise. Some other factors affect weight loss, such as gender, age, the extent of your calorie deficit, and sleep quality. Thus, it’s advisable to consult your healthcare provider before starting a fat loss regimen (22, 23, 24).

Bodyweight, as estimated by BMI and body fat distribution and composition when assuming a condition of overweight or obesity, impacts metabolic health unfavorably. Notably, some individuals can be metabolically healthy despite being overweight and are categorized as metabolically healthy obese (MHO). Hence, it requires practitioners to carefully assess overall metabolic health and BMI to suggest a weight maintenance regimen to the patients. Replacing high-calorie foods with lower calorie choices and cutting your portion sizes can help you cut calories and improve weight control. For a successful — and lasting — weight management plan, you also need to increase your physical activity. Combining regular activity and healthy eating will best help you get to and maintain a healthy weight.

Other Ways to Reach a Calorie Deficit

Instead of having a second slice of pizza, reach for some fresh fruit. Eat more fruits and vegetables, which have many nutrients and are high in fiber. Your body has a constant demand for energy and uses the calories from food to keep working. Energy from calories fuels your every action, from fidgeting to marathon running.

Surgery or Medication? Explore Your Weight Loss Options for Long-Term Success

Exercise amplifies this process by increasing blood flow to muscles and fat cells, releasing fats to be used for energy in muscle cells at a more rapid rate and increasing energy expenditure (4). A sufficient calorie deficit causes fats to be released from fat cells and used as energy. To promote weight loss, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. A few years ago, I embarked on a personal weight loss journey.

This medication should not be prescribed to a patient who has a seizure disorder or who takes opioids for chronic pain. Topiramate, long used for seizure disorders and chronic migraine headache, was approved for obesity treatment in an extended-release combination with phentermine in 2012. Combining the two drugs provides a synergistic improvement in efficacy. In the U.S., phentermine extended release is available as a 15 mg or 30 mg capsule, or a 37.5 mg scored tablet. A short-acting form of phentermine is available as an 8mg scored tablet used up to three times a day and sold under the brand name Lomaira. Side effects include headache, overstimulation, high blood pressure, insomnia, rapid or irregular heart rate, and tremor.