Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Tyler DiGiovanni, BSBM
FACT CHECKED
Losing weight is a common goal for many people, but it can seem overwhelming for many. This is especially true when trying to lose a substantial amount of weight such as 40 pounds.
40 pounds is a substantial amount to lose leaving many people wondering how long it will take, how to get started, and what the process actually looks like. This article will break down how long it takes to burn 40 pounds as well as the steps you need to take.
Prepare to lose some pounds with our exclusive 12-week fat loss training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and torch that stubborn fat, all while retaining, or even gaining muscle...
How Long Does It Take to Lose 40 Pounds?
Losing 40 pounds is not going to be a fast process. Further, there are several variables that can affect a person's exact time frame. This leaves a pretty large range.
Some of the components that could affect the time it takes you include;
- Your current weight
- General activity level
- Hormone levels
- Exercise
- Diet
- Overall health
More importantly, it depends on if you're consistent with your diet and training, or if you're even doing them!
With that said, if you were going to do it the healthy way, which means slow and consistent, you should aim for 1 to 2 pounds per week, depending on your size.
At this rate, losing 40 pounds could take anywhere from 20 to 40 weeks or about 5 to 10 months.
You could do it faster, but we don't recommend it. At the bottom of the article, we will list some tips and strategies for speeding up the process.
Before we get into that, we'll go over the guidelines and different components of weight loss you need to follow.
How To Lose 40 Pounds: A Step-by-Step Guide
Before you start this journey, you should get your expectations right. Losing 40 pounds is going to take some time, and it won't be a fast process, so just keep that in mind as you move forward.
This is another reason why slow and steady is ultimately the way to go, as it's significantly easier to adhere to. In fact, adherence is the most important part of dieting and losing weight.
No one really likes hearing this, but those that yield this advice eventually see it was the right choice.
1. Create a Calorie Deficit
The foundation of weight loss is creating a calorie deficit, meaning you burn more calories than you consume.
Generally, a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories daily results in a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week. This is because 1lb of fat equals approximately 3,500 calories.
- 500 calories X 7 Days = 3,500 calories = 1 pound
- 1000 calories x 7 Days = 7,000 calories = 2 pounds
You have probably heard a recommendation for a 300-calorie deficit. This would be for smaller individuals or those with a relatively lower body fat percentage. You have 40 pounds to lose, so 500 calories would be a good amount.
Your calorie deficit is a result of your burning more calories than you consume. The amount of calories you consume throughout the day is referred to as the Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This includes calories burned through;
- BMR: Basal metabolic rate; calories burned at rest for basic functions.
- TEF: Thermic effect of food; energy spent digesting food.
- EAT: Exercise activity thermogenesis; calories burned during structured exercise.
- NEAT: Non-exercise activity thermogenesis; calories burned through daily movements.
Once you have your TDEE, you then subtract 500–1,000 calories to give you your caloric goal.
For example, if your TDEE is 2,500 calories, you would aim to eat 1,500 to 2,000 calories daily to create the necessary deficit for weight loss.
2. Concentrate On Whole Foods
Creating a calorie deficit is significantly easier and healthier to do when consuming a whole-food diet. To lose 40 pounds, you'll need to prioritize nutrient-dense foods that provide essential vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients.
In addition, these foods are lower in calories relative to volume; this means you can eat more food that yields fewer calories.
A healthy diet for weight loss would primarily consist of;
- Lean proteins (chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, eggs)
- Fiber-rich vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach)
- Whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, oats, whole wheat)
- Healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds)
In addition to focusing on the quality of your food, it's also important to avoid certain foods. This includes;
- Highly processed foods
- Sugary snacks
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Junk foods
- Fried foods
Eat-High Protein Diet
A high-protein diet is your best friend during a cut or anytime you're dropping fat.¹ High-protein diets are extremely effective during weight loss diets due to numerous mechanisms. This includes;
- High-satiety- Makes you feel full.
- Increases TEF (Thermogenic Effect Of Food)- This increases the amount of calories you burn to digest and process food.
- Mitigates Muscle Loss- Increasing the amount of protein you have in your diet will mitigate any possible muscle loss.
Aim to eat at least 2.0g of protein per kilogram of body weight, but you may see better results if you eat more.
3. Exercise Regularly: Lift Weights & Cardio
Physical activity is a critical part of the weight loss equation. In fact, long-term studies (2+ years) show that diets with exercise weight loss plans do significantly better than diet-only plans.² This also includes maintaining weight loss after the intervention.
Now, your exercise plan will ideally consist of two parts;
- Lifting weights
- Cardio
Many people overlook strength training during a weight loss journey, thinking of cardio instead. We'll get to cardio below, but skipping the gym is in error.
Lifting weights brings unique benefits that you can not get from cardio. This includes;
- Lifting weights promotes muscle mass retention
- You can possibly gain mass
- Improves anaerobic fitness
- Improving hormone balance
At the same time, lifting weights still burns calories!
In addition, you should include cardio sessions in your weekly program. This can include both steady-state and HIIT. When you're trying to lose 40 pounds, both steady-state and HIIT play a role.
You may sometimes hear that steady-state will put you at risk of losing muscle mass. This has a lot of nuance, but as you're losing 40 pounds, this risk is much lower. However, keep your sessions to 60 minutes or less.
You can also incorporate HIIT. HIIT involves alternating between short bursts of intense activity and periods of rest, and it has been shown to be effective in burning fat and improving cardiovascular health.
Keep in mind that HIIT can be very intense and demanding on your body. Being 40lbs or more overweight will exacerbate this, so be smart. If you choose to use HIIT, stick to two sessions a week and use a low–impact exercise—cycling is a great option.
With that said, your weekly training program should contain;
- At least two strength sessions; ideally 3-5
- At least one session of steady-state 30+ minutes; ideally two to three of 45 minutes
- If you're physically able, do at least one session of HIIT; ideally, two to four, depending on your fitness level and mode. For example, you can easily do one to two rounds of Tabata cycling at the end of strength sessions.
4. Increase Steps
Increasing your daily steps can be a powerful strategy for losing 40 pounds.³
Walking is a low-impact and sustainable method of activity that you can do every day. By gradually increasing your step count each day, you create a consistent calorie deficit, which is key to weight loss.
In fact, if you were to walk 10,000 steps daily, you would burn 350-600 calories daily!
Walking also provides other benefits, such as mood enhancement and increased energy levels.
These can help you stay motivated and active throughout the day, but the calorie burn is what really makes walking so effective.
Combining increased steps with a balanced diet can greatly accelerate fat loss and improve your overall body composition. It's sustainable and fairly easy to adhere to, which is perfect as losing 40 pounds takes time.
More importantly, making 10,000 steps a part of your routine will also be a very effective tool in keeping the weight off after you lose it!
5. Stay Hydrated and Get Enough Sleep
Water is essential for overall health and can support weight loss by keeping you full and hydrated.⁴
Drinking water before meals can help reduce appetite and prevent overeating. Aim for at least 8 cups (64 ounces) of water per day, though this amount can vary based on individual needs.
Sleep is another vital component of the weight loss journey. Lack of sleep can lead to hormonal imbalances that increase hunger and cravings, making it more difficult to lose weight. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep each night to help your body recover and regulate hunger hormones.
6. Track Your Progress
Tracking your food intake, exercise, and weight loss progress can help you stay accountable and make necessary adjustments along the way.
Many apps and tools are available to help you track your calories, workouts, and daily habits.
Also, remember that weight fluctuates, so don't get discouraged if you see some days with minimal progress. You should focus on long-term trend rather than daily fluctuations – it's similar to how you might look at long-term investments grow over time.
Factors That Can Affect Weight Loss
While we gave some basic numbers, it's important to remember that everyone is different.
Several factors can affect the overall time it takes to lose 40 pounds.
- Metabolism: Your metabolism greatly affects how quickly you lose weight. Those with a faster metabolism may lose weight more quickly than those with a slower metabolism. However, age, gender, and genetics can influence metabolic rate.
- Diet: Reducing calorie intake and choosing nutrient-dense foods like vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains will help you lose weight without feeling deprived. However, excessive snacking and drinking sodas will increase your caloric intake, making it take longer to burn.
- Exercise: As we mentioned, strength training and cardio play a big role in accelerating weight loss. However, you must be consistent and keep your intensity up while you train.
- Lifestyle: Factors like sleep, stress levels, and hydration can impact weight loss. Chronic stress and poor sleep can hinder your efforts, but getting enough sleep and managing stress effectively will support your weight loss goals.
- Consistency: Consistency is perhaps the most important factor in achieving any weight loss goal. Making small, sustainable changes over time is far more effective than drastic or temporary measures.
What's The Fastest You Can Lose 40 Pounds?
So, we've already answered how long it will take to lose 40 pounds correctly. However, many are probably wondering if they can do it faster.
There are methods you can use to try and lose weight faster; just know that they can increase the chance of muscle loss. Now, we're only going to give you some tips to mitigate the chances of muscle breakdown or any possible negative health effects.
Start Big
One way to slightly hurry the process is to start big, which means losing a lot of weight at the start.
For example, you could aim to lose 3-5 pounds weekly for the first few weeks. There is reason to believe that this can help jump-start a weight loss plan. Just keep in mind you can't do this for long durations.
Protein-Fasts
We don't like the idea of water fasts. However, you could try a protein fast.
A protein fast is when you consume only protein or mostly protein during a 24-hour period. This will significantly reduce your calories and provide your body with amino acids to mitigate muscle loss.
Alternate Days Of Big Deficits
While consistently using big deficits over the long term can have negative effects, using them sparingly in short-term bursts could be a feasible method.
There are multiple ways to do this, but the idea is to drop your calories very low sporadically. This can also include the protein fast.
For example, perhaps you only eat your serving of protein one or two days a week, or maybe you eat only 500 calories from the program.
You get the idea. The idea is to drop your calories sporadically and for a short duration.
Final Thoughts: How Can I Lose 40 Pounds?
So, how long does it take to lose 40 pounds? Well, it takes some time. Whenever we talk about weight loss plans and "how long" it takes, we always want to refocus the mindset. 40 pounds is considerable weight to lose, and looking at it with the view "It will take 6 months" can be daunting.
Therefore, change your mindset and acknowledge you need to make lifelong lifestyle changes. This includes cleaning up your diet, following a training program, and improving sleep and stress. What we're trying to say is that it's never going to stop!
A healthy lifestyle is forever! With that said….it will take you 20-40 weeks to lose 40 pounds.
Key Takeaways
- A safe and sustainable weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds per week.
- It will take between 5 to 10 months to lose 40 pounds.
- Consistency in your program will play a key factor
- Focus on whole foods
- Get into a 500-1000 calorie deficit depending on your factors
- Weight train at least 2x a week
- Use steady-state and HIIT as cardio sessions throughout the week
- Increase daily steps to 10,000+
Prepare to lose some pounds with our exclusive 12-week fat loss training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and torch that stubborn fat, all while retaining, or even gaining muscle...
References
- Pesta, Dominik H, and Varman T Samuel. “A High-Protein Diet for Reducing Body Fat: Mechanisms and Possible Caveats.” Nutrition & Metabolism, vol. 11, no. 1, 19 Nov. 2014, p. 53, https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-11-53.
- Wu, T., et al. “Long-Term Effectiveness of Diet-Plus-Exercise Interventions vs. Diet-Only Interventions for Weight Loss: A Meta-Analysis.” Obesity Reviews, vol. 10, no. 3, May 2009, pp. 313–323, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789x.2008.00547.x.
- Creasy, Seth A., et al. “Pattern of Daily Steps Is Associated with Weight Loss: Secondary Analysis from the Step-up Randomized Trial.” Obesity, vol. 26, no. 6, 6 Apr. 2018, pp. 977–984, https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22171.
- Thornton, Simon N. “Increased Hydration Can Be Associated with Weight Loss.” Frontiers in Nutrition, vol. 3, no. 18, 10 June 2016, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4901052/, https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2016.00018.
Garett Reid
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