Losing weight can be a challenging yet rewarding process. Many people strive to reach a certain weight goal, but knowing when to stop losing weight can be difficult. Reaching your ideal healthy weight requires paying attention to various factors and listening to your body’s signals.
How much weight is safe to lose?
As a general rule, most health experts recommend losing no more than 1-2 pounds per week. Losing weight any faster than that can be dangerous and is not sustainable long-term. A loss of 1-2 pounds per week translates to a calorie deficit of 500-1000 calories per day through diet and exercise.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), safe weight loss comes down to your body mass index (BMI):
- If your BMI is between 25 and 29.9 (overweight), up to 10% of your current body weight is a safe goal for weight loss.
- If your BMI is over 30 (obese), up to 20% of your current body weight is safe to lose.
For example, if you currently weigh 200 pounds with a BMI of 28 (overweight), losing 10% of your body weight would mean losing 20 pounds to reach 180 pounds. Always consult your doctor to determine a weight loss plan that is tailored for your health needs and goals.
Consider your goals
Before embarking on a weight loss plan, it is important to consider your motivations and weight loss goals. Ask yourself:
- Why do I want to lose weight? What are my motivations?
- Is my goal weight realistic for my body type and frame size?
- Is my goal weight in the recommended healthy range for my height?
Having clear, defined weight loss goals will help you know when you’ve succeeded and can start maintaining your weight rather than continuing to lose. Goals also help you track progress and celebrate successes along the way.
Calculate your goal weight range
Targeting a specific goal weight may not allow enough flexibility. After all, body weights naturally fluctuate from day to day. Focusing on a 5-10 pound range for your goal gives you a target to work towards while allowing for normal variations.
To calculate a healthy goal weight range, first determine the midpoint:
- Multiply your height in inches by 0.4 to get your minimum healthy weight.
- Multiply your height in inches by 0.6 to get your maximum healthy weight.
Then add/subtract 2-5 pounds from those numbers to find your goal weight range. For example, if you are 5’5″ (65 inches):
- 65 x 0.4 = 130 pounds (minimum healthy weight)
- 65 x 0.6 = 195 pounds (maximum healthy weight)
So your goal weight range could be 128-133 pounds or 125-130 pounds, depending on your frame size and body type.
Assess your health improvements
An important way to gauge when to stop losing weight is to assess the impact on your health. Start by tracking key health markers before beginning a weight loss program, such as:
- Blood pressure
- Blood sugar
- Cholesterol levels
As you lose weight, have these retested to look for improvements. When your numbers reach healthy levels, it’s a sign you’ve lost enough weight to positively impact your health.
Other benefits like increased energy, better mobility, reduced joint pain, and improved sleep quality are also signs your health is improving with weight loss.
Listen to your body
Your body provides important clues on when weight loss should stop. Here are some signals from your body to look out for:
- Fatigue/weakness – Chronically feeling tired, weak, or dizzy may mean you need to eat more calories.
- Always feeling cold – Difficulty staying warm even in warm environments can be a red flag for metabolic slowdown.
- Hair loss – Losing more than 100 hairs per day signals you may not be getting adequate nutrition.
- Hunger – Constant hunger and an inability to feel satisfied from meals is your body communicating a need for more food.
- Irregular periods – Menstrual cycle disruptions like missed or irregular periods often result from calorie restriction.
Pay attention to these cues from your body and be ready to stop losing weight if they persist. Temporary hunger or fatigue is normal, but ongoing side effects mean you’ve likely taken weight loss too far.
You’ve reached your goal clothes size
An objective way to gauge if you should cease losing weight is tracking how close you are to reaching your goal clothing size. For example, you may have set a goal to slim down from a size 12 dress to a size 8. When your size 8 clothes fit comfortably, you can call that a success!
Keep in mind that clothing sizes vary across brands and styles. Focus on how the clothes fit your body rather than the number on the tag. When your goal jeans or dress feel great on you, it’s a clear indicator to maintain your weight rather than continuing to lose.
Your weight has plateaued
Hitting a weight loss plateau even when sticking consistently to diet and exercise is often a sign it’s time to stop losing. A plateau that lasts 1-2 months or more means your metabolism has adjusted to your current weight.
Pushing harder to lose more weight typically backfires. You end up losing muscle mass and feeling increasingly fatigued. Listen to your plateau and work on maintaining your new weight instead.
You’ve lost the amount recommended by your doctor
Doctors can provide personalized advice on how much weight is healthy for you to lose based on factors like your medical history and BMI. If you’ve successfully lost the amount suggested by your physician, you can feel confident you’ve reached a healthy endpoint.
Of course, it’s key that you are following the diet and exercise program laid out by your doctor as well. Reaching the recommended weight loss goal signals their plan has worked for improving your health.
When losing more weight may do more harm than good
In some cases, losing additional weight can actually negatively impact your health instead of improving it. Here are some signs that losing more weight could be harmful:
- Your BMI drops below 18.5 into the underweight category
- You lack energy for daily activities
- Your mood is frequently low and you feel depressed
- You become preoccupied with calories and avoiding food
- You withdraw socially from friends and family
If you experience any combination of these, it may be time to stop focusing on losing and consult your doctor about maintaining a healthy weight.
How to maintain your weight loss
Once you’ve reached your healthy goal weight, the real challenge begins – keeping the weight off. Here are some tips to maintain your results:
- Weigh yourself weekly – Continue weighing yourself regularly so you can catch any fluctuations early.
- Eat mindfully – Pay attention to portion sizes and make healthy choices 80% of the time.
- Keep exercising – Maintain your fitness routine to burn calories and build muscle.
- Limit alcohol – Moderate your drinking as alcohol contains empty calories.
- Get enough sleep – Aim for 7-8 hours per night for metabolic regulation.
- Manage stress – Find healthy stress relievers like yoga, meditation, or massage.
With commitment to these lifestyle habits, your hard-earned weight loss results can become a long-term reality. Stay focused on health rather than hitting specific weight goals.
Conclusion
Losing weight healthfully requires paying close attention to your body, health markers, and well-being. Try to avoid fixating on a single goal weight. Instead, look at weight loss holistically, knowing when to stop comes down to a combination of reaching your healthy goal range, seeing improvements in health, and listening to what your body needs.
Work with your doctor to define weight loss targets that are specific to your health needs. Remaining flexible, tuning into your body’s signals, and focusing on overall wellness will help you successfully transition from weight loss to lifelong maintenance.