When can I reach my goal weight? How long weight loss takes

What is meant by target weight?

Your target weight should be seen as a direction for your health journey, rather than an absolute goal. Focusing too much on a specific number can be misleading.

A healthy target weight is the weight where the body functions well, where metabolic values such as blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood sugar are favourable, and where you have the conditions to live the life you desire.

Even a weight loss of about 10–15 percent of body weight is associated with significant health benefits, regardless of whether the final goal has been achieved or not.

To assess health risks linked to overweight and obesity, measures such as body mass index (BMI) and body measurements are also used as a complement to body weight.

How fast can you lose weight? What is a "normal pace"?

The actual weight loss is influenced by several factors, such as starting weight, the size of the energy deficit, adherence to treatment, lifestyle changes, biological conditions, and any comorbidities. Weight loss often occurs faster at the beginning of treatment and then slows down as the body adapts.

Exactly calculating when you will reach your target weight is therefore difficult. The most important thing is not the exact speed, but that the trend is downward over time and that the lifestyle changes are sustainable in the long run to provide better health.

In clinical studies, treatment with modern medications such as semaglutide and tirzepatide has shown a significant average weight loss, often approximately 15–20 percent of body weight in people living with obesity after about 12 months of treatment alongside lifestyle changes. However, it is important to emphasize that individual results may vary.

The goal of the treatment is not solely rapid weight loss, but a sustainable change that leads to improved health over time.

When body weight decreases, energy expenditure also drops, which can contribute to the rate of weight loss levelling off. Physical activity and exercise are therefore important components to increase energy expenditure and preserve muscle mass during weight loss. At the same time, an adapted diet is crucial to create a calorie deficit – that is, that energy expenditure exceeds energy intake.

At the same time, it is important to remember that individual variations are large. Different bodies respond differently to treatment, and losing weight can therefore look very different from person to person. For some, losing weight goes faster, for others slower – and both can be normal for the individual. Comparing yourself to others or trying to achieve a “normal pace” for losing weight is therefore rarely helpful. Focus should instead lie on the changes that work for you and that are sustainable over time.

When will I reach my target weight – why does it vary so much?

If you compare your own weight journey with others, you will quickly notice that the time it takes to reach the target weight varies greatly. This is because obesity is a complex, chronic disease and not solely a matter of will or discipline. Several factors influence the pace of weight loss:

• Hormones and genetics: The body's weight regulation is influenced by both genetic factors and hormonal signals. Individual variations in, for example, appetite-regulating hormones and the body's so-called “set-point” can affect how the body stores and mobilizes energy, which in turn affects the possibility of reducing fat mass.
• Starting weight: A person with a higher starting weight often has a higher energy expenditure and can therefore initially lose more weight at a given energy deficit compared to individuals with a lower starting weight.
• Age: Energy metabolism changes with increasing age, partly as a result of changes in behaviour and body composition. Decreased muscle mass contributes to a lower basal metabolism. In women, hormonal changes also occur in connection with menopause that can affect fat distribution and energy balance. Collectively, these factors can contribute to a successively reduced energy expenditure over time.
• Stress and sleep: Stress and insufficient sleep, both regarding duration and quality, can affect weight regulation through hormonal and behavioural mechanisms. This can include changes in appetite regulation, energy balance, and lifestyle behaviours, which together can make weight loss more difficult.

Reaching target weight is not the same as staying there

For many, the biggest challenge is not losing weight and reaching their target weight, but maintaining it over time. During weight loss, the body's physiological counter-regulation is activated. The body strives to return to a previous weight by increasing hunger signals and decreasing energy expenditure – a phenomenon known as metabolic adaptation.

Stabilizing weight requires time and perseverance. At Yazen, we view this as a new phase of the treatment that begins once the target weight has been reached. Then the treatment transitions into a maintenance phase, where individualized medication dosing in combination with continued lifestyle routines aims to maintain the result long-term.

Continued physical activity and healthy eating habits are central components even after the target weight has been reached, to support weight stability and maintain health.

Common mistakes when setting a target weight

Setting goals is an important part of weight treatment, but unrealistic or overly rigid goals can lead to increased stress and worsened adherence. Below are some common pitfalls:

• Time-bound deadlines: Setting specific time limits, for example reaching a certain weight by a certain date, can create unnecessary pressure and increase the risk of unsustainable or restrictive behaviours.
• Ignoring the body's signals: Continuing to drive weight loss despite symptoms such as pronounced fatigue, feeling cold, or weakness can be a sign that the energy balance is too low or that recovery is insufficient.

Flexible and individualized goals are generally more sustainable than fixed requirements. The objective should be continuously evaluated and adjusted based on the individual's well-being, function, and treatment response.

Focus on process goals

Focusing on process goals means directing attention toward the behaviours that lead to results, rather than toward a specific figure on the scale. Examples of process goals can be following regular meal routines, being physically active a certain number of minutes per week, or prioritizing sleep and recovery.

This type of goal is more influenceable in everyday life and is associated with better treatment adherence as well as more sustainable results over time.

Working with sub-goals and acknowledging progress along the way can also contribute to increased motivation and improved long-term results.

Is Body Mass Index (BMI) a good measure?

BMI is a useful screening tool within health and medical care, but it is a relatively crude measure on an individual level because it does not take body composition into account. Your target weight should therefore be based on your overall health, rather than solely focusing on a specific category on the BMI scale.

Body Mass Index (BMI) is often used as a first step to classify overweight and obesity. It is calculated by dividing body weight in kilograms by the height in meters squared. At a population level, there is a strong correlation between BMI and the risk of, for example, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension. For the individual, however, the measure provides a limited picture of health, as it does not distinguish between fat mass and muscle mass or take into account the distribution of fat in the body.

At Yazen, we therefore focus on more than just your BMI. The goal is to achieve a healthy body composition with preserved muscle mass and improved metabolic parameters, which is central to long-term sustainable weight development and improved health.

When the journey toward target weight stalls

Most people undergoing long-term weight treatment will experience periods when weight stands still. These so-called weight plateaus are normal and expected. It does not mean the treatment has stopped working, but that the body is adapting to its new conditions.

If the weight hasn't changed for several weeks, despite good adherence to the treatment, it can be valuable to seek support from healthcare professionals. At Yazen, we offer medical weight treatment with a multi-professional team and can provide support both during weight loss and in the phase for weight stabilization.

It is also important to direct focus beyond just the figure on the scale. Improved function, increased stamina, and better health are central outcomes of the treatment and often more important than a specific weight.

Sources

European Heart Journal. Obesity and cardiovascular disease: an ESC clinical consensus statement. DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae508

World Health Organization (WHO). Obesity and overweight.
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight

Wilding JPH et al. – New England Journal of Medicine. Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adults with Overweight or Obesity.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183

Jastreboff AM et al. – New England Journal of Medicine. Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity (SURMOUNT-1).
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2206038

Journal of the American Medical Association. Is Weight Loss-Induced Muscle Mass Loss Clinically Relevant? DOI: 10.1001/jama.2024.6586

Obesity Reviews: an official journal of the International Association for the study of Obesity. Predictors of successful weight loss outcomes amongst individuals with obesity undergoing lifestyle interventions: A systematic review. DOI: 10.1111/obr.13148

International Journal of Endocrinology and metabolism. Rapid Weight Loss vs. Slow Weight loss: Which is More Effective on Body Composition and Metabolic Risk Factors? DOI: 10.5812/ijem.13249

New England Journal of Medicine. Long-Term Persistence of Hormonal Adaptations to Weight Loss.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1105816