How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Week or a Month? Realistic Rates
A gradual weight loss of around 1 to 4 kg a month to begin with is what Australian health guidance describes as realistic. That works out at about 0.2 to 0.9 kg a week. Your own rate may sit above or below that range, because outcomes vary between individuals.
This is general information, not medical advice, and it does not predict what any one person will lose.
On this page
- The Short Answer: What Australian Guidance Says
- How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Week?
- How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month?
- What 5, 10 and 15 Per Cent Look Like
- Why Rates Differ From Person to Person
- Is Losing Weight Faster Than This a Problem?
- Progress Is More Than the Number on the Scale
- Plateaus and Regain Are Part of the Picture
- Setting a Realistic Rate for Yourself
- Where Medical Weight Loss Treatment Fits
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Short Answer: What Australian Guidance Says
No single number applies to everyone. These are the reference points Australian health bodies use:
| Question | Guidance | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Gradual monthly rate to begin with | Around 1 to 4 kg a month | Better Health Channel |
| Weekly rate called reasonable | About ½ to 1 kg a week | Better Health Channel |
| Daily energy gap clinicians design for | About 2,000 to 4,000 kJ (480 to 960 cal) a day | Australian Obesity Management Algorithm (2024) |
| Lowest daily intake a good service advises | Not below 5,000 kJ (1,200 cal) | Better Health Channel |
| Loss that already brings health benefits | 5 to 10% of body weight | healthdirect |
| Longer-term aim, if required | 10 to 20% of body weight | Better Health Channel |
| Clinical target, BMI 30 to 40 | 10 to 15% | Obesity Management Algorithm |
| Clinical target, BMI over 40, no complications | 10 to 15% | Obesity Management Algorithm |
| Clinical target, BMI over 40 with complications | More than 15% | Obesity Management Algorithm |
The Better Health Channel is the Victorian Government's health site. The Australian Obesity Management Algorithm (2024) is a primary care guide whose targets are indicative only, with personal targets set between the clinician and the patient. "Complications" means weight-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes. The two Better Health figures come from two different pages, which is why the weekly and monthly ranges do not line up exactly.
The three longer-term figures apply to different people: 5 to 10% is the loss healthdirect says can already bring significant health benefits, 10 to 20% is what a good weight management service may aim for in the longer term if required, and the algorithm's targets are for people living with obesity, graded by BMI and complications.
How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Week?
Most weekly figures are the monthly range divided down. The 1 to 4 kg a month, spread over the average 4.3 weeks in a month, is about 0.2 to 0.9 kg a week. Separate Victorian guidance calls about ½ to 1 kg a week reasonable.
A single week is the least reliable way to judge progress. One week can show more, less, or nothing at all. The trend across several weeks tells you more than any one reading.
The table spreads the 1 to 4 kg a month range over common timeframes. It is arithmetic only, not a prediction, and outcomes vary between individuals.
| Timeframe | Arithmetic from 1 to 4 kg a month |
|---|---|
| 1 week | About 0.2 to 0.9 kg |
| 2 weeks | About 0.5 to 1.9 kg |
| 4 weeks | About 0.9 to 3.7 kg |
| 6 weeks | About 1.4 to 5.6 kg |
The calculation assumes 4.3 weeks in a month. The range describes a gradual start ("to begin with"), and it is not a rate to carry forward month after month: after the first stages, the pace of weight loss can be expected to slow down or level off as the body adapts.
How Much Weight Can You Lose in a Month?
Around 1 to 4 kg a month is the gradual rate the Better Health Channel says a good weight management service will recommend to begin with. Where you land in that range, or outside it, depends on your starting point, your energy gap, your activity and your health.
Losing as little as 5 kg can make people living with overweight or obesity feel better and reduce their risk of health problems (healthdirect). That is a helpful way to frame the first few months: steady progress towards a health goal, not the biggest possible number. The energy gap behind these rates is set in kilojoules.
What 5, 10 and 15 Per Cent Look Like
Longer-term goals are set as a percentage of starting weight, so the same goal means a different number of kilograms for different people. The table shows the arithmetic.
| Starting weight | 5% / 10% / 15% of it |
|---|---|
| 80 kg | 4 kg / 8 kg / 12 kg |
| 100 kg | 5 kg / 10 kg / 15 kg |
| 120 kg | 6 kg / 12 kg / 18 kg |
These are illustrations of the percentages, not expected results. Smaller amounts of weight loss can still have medical benefits. To see your own progress as a percentage, use our guide on how to calculate your weight loss percentage. If you are working towards a larger loss over time, see our guide to looking after your skin during larger weight loss.
Why Rates Differ From Person to Person
Two people following similar plans can lose weight at different rates. Common reasons include:
energy needs, which depend on how active you are, how much muscle you have, your stage of life, and your age, sex, height and weight
the size of the energy gap between energy used and energy taken in
starting weight: a percentage goal is more kilograms for a heavier starting weight
physical activity: more movement uses more energy
sleep, which helps control appetite and weight
health conditions and other medicines, some of which affect weight
the body's response: in one Australian study, appetite hormones and hunger were still changed a year after an initial weight loss (Sumithran et al., 2011)
This is why a practitioner will not promise a number at the start.
Is Losing Weight Faster Than This a Problem?
Very restrictive fad diets carry risks, including losing weight in a short time and then regaining it soon after, feeling hungry all the time, tiredness, headaches, and running short of vitamins and minerals. When weight comes off over a short time, the body can lose muscle as well as fat, which lowers the energy it uses.
A good weight management service advises against going below 5,000 kJ (about 1,200 calories) a day, recommends a gradual rate, and focuses on body fat, for example waist measurement, not just total body weight. Some medically supervised programs use lower intakes under close clinical care. Those decisions belong with a doctor or nurse practitioner, not a diet plan found online.
Progress Is More Than the Number on the Scale
Weight is one measure. Treatment goals should also include health improvements: a loss of as little as 5% can bring health benefits such as a lower risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes (healthdirect). Useful measures include:
weight, read as a trend over weeks rather than a single value
waist circumference: a waist of 94 cm or more for males, or 80 cm or more for females who are not pregnant, carries a higher risk of weight-related health problems
body mass index, which is less accurate for some groups, including people over 65, elite athletes, and people of Asian or Polynesian background
blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol, which a GP can check
how you feel day to day, including sleep, energy and how easily you move
Plateaus and Regain Are Part of the Picture
Weight loss rarely continues at the same rate for long. An Australian study of 50 adults found that appetite hormones and hunger were still different from their starting levels one year after an initial weight loss (Sumithran et al., 2011). That helps explain why regain is common. Obesity management therefore needs a long-term approach, with more intensive treatment if needed (Australian Obesity Management Algorithm, 2024).
A plateau is a reason to review the plan with a health professional, not a sign of failure.
Setting a Realistic Rate for Yourself
A realistic plan usually combines three things:
a healthy diet built on the five food groups in the Australian Dietary Guidelines, with a moderate energy gap (about 2,000 to 4,000 kJ a day in the Australian Obesity Management Algorithm, 2024)
physical activity: 30 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity on most days, plus muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week (Australia's physical activity guidelines)
support: a GP, accredited practising dietitian, exercise physiologist or psychologist can help tailor the plan and the habits behind it
Where Medical Weight Loss Treatment Fits
For some adults living with obesity, diet and physical activity changes may not bring enough weight loss for their health goals. The options a doctor or nurse practitioner may consider include weight loss medication and bariatric surgery. Weight loss medication is used together with reduced kilojoule intake and increased physical activity, has side effects, and is not suitable for everyone.
Outcomes vary between individuals, and whether treatment is appropriate is a decision for a registered healthcare practitioner after an individual assessment. For more, see who may be suitable for weight loss treatment, what happens at a weight loss consultation, and how long weight loss treatment takes to work.
Burst Health provides medical weight loss plans online, and an Australian-registered doctor or nurse practitioner reviews your health and history before agreeing a pace with you, so check whether you are eligible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much weight can you lose in a month?
Around 1 to 4 kg a month to begin with is the gradual rate a good weight management service will recommend, according to Victorian Government guidance. Your own rate may be higher or lower, because outcomes vary between individuals. Judge progress over several weeks, and look at your waist measurement as well as the scale.
Is 4 or 5 kg in a month realistic?
4 kg in a month is at the top of the 1 to 4 kg range Australian guidance describes for a gradual start, so it can be for some people. 5 kg is above that range. Rates vary between individuals, so a higher figure is not a target to aim for. A GP or dietitian can help set a realistic goal for you.
Is 7 kg in a month realistic?
Not as a gradual rate for most people. 7 kg is well above the 1 to 4 kg a month described in Australian guidance for a gradual start. Plans that promise large losses in a short time carry risks, including losing muscle as well as fat and regaining weight soon after. Talk to a GP before trying one.
Is 2 kg a week realistic?
Not as a steady rate for most people. 2 kg a week is about 8.6 kg a month, more than double the top of the 1 to 4 kg monthly range, and double the upper end of the ½ to 1 kg a week that Australian guidance calls reasonable. Rates vary between individuals, so talk to a GP about what suits you.
Is 5 kg in a week realistic?
No, not through gradual change. 5 kg in a week is several times the ½ to 1 kg a week that Australian guidance calls reasonable. Very restrictive fad diets can lead to losing weight in a short time and then regaining it soon after, along with hunger, tiredness and low vitamins. Talk to a GP before trying a plan that promises this.
Why have I stopped losing weight?
Plateaus are common. As the body adapts, the pace of loss tends to slow or stop after the early stages, even while you are still eating less and exercising regularly. Rates vary widely between individuals. A GP or dietitian can review your eating, activity and health with you and adjust the plan.
Medical weight loss plans, online
In three steps.
- 1Answer a quick questionnaireOnline, no appointment, no in-person visit.
- 2A practitioner reviews itAn Australian-registered doctor or nurse practitioner decides whether treatment is suitable for you.
- 3Start your planIf treatment is suitable, you start your plan with the practitioner supporting you throughout.
References
Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Weight management services.
Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Weight loss: a healthy approach.
healthdirect. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.
Eat for Health (NHMRC). Australian dietary guidelines 1 - 5.
This article is general information only and does not replace individual medical advice. Please speak with a registered Australian healthcare practitioner about your own circumstances.