How to lose 30 pounds in 3 months safely: 8 steps

Many people want quick weight loss results, whether it’s to feel more confident for an upcoming event or improve their health. These inquiring minds likely want to know: Can you lose 30 pounds in 3 months? And if so, how? 

On paper, 30 pounds in 90 days may sound doable. It breaks down to about 2.5 pounds per week. But here’s the catch: Most experts recommend a safer, steadier pace of 1–2 pounds per week (at most, that’s about 26 pounds in three months). Lose weight faster and you could raise your risk of muscle loss, rebound weight gain, and even depression.

So, losing 30 pounds in 3 months may not be realistic, let alone safe, for most people. But losing 26 pounds in three months is nothing to sniff at. And even if you don’t hit that goal, building healthy, sustainable habits over this time period can set you up for long-term weight loss success. 

So, what does it really take to lose 30 pounds in 90 days? Below, we’ll walk through eight key steps for weight loss, from setting your goals and calorie deficit to balancing your diet, exercise, stress, and sleep. 

The first step in any weight loss plan is goal setting. If you want to lose 30 pounds in 3 months, you’ve definitely got a clear goal. But it may not be achievable, given that it’s safer to lose 1–2 pounds per week. 

Regardless, whether you’re dead-set on 30 pounds in 3 months or okay with pushing it out to say, four months, it’s important to be specific with your weight loss goals. That goes beyond the number on the scale to include how you’ll achieve that goal. 

How will you change your eating habits? What will your exercise routine look like? 

Getting granular with your answers will help you create a plan — and stick to it. For example, “I will exercise four days per week and cook dinner at home five nights per week to lose 30 pounds in 3 months.”

Keep in mind that setting smaller goals, such as losing 5 pounds, can help you build momentum, says Claudia Hleap-Knight, RD, CDCES. 

“The bigger your goal, the more overwhelming it can become, and easier to discount the small changes on the scale,” she says. 

Instead, she recommends setting small goals, achieving them, and then creating new goals to work toward.

Before committing, ask yourself: Am I ready for the changes this goal requires? This weight loss readiness check-in helps you prepare mentally and practically for the journey ahead.

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At its core, weight loss comes down to a fairly basic formula: burn more calories than you consume. You can get a rough idea of how many calories you’re eating daily by looking up the nutrition information on food packaging, restaurant menus, and more. 

From there, you want to create a calorie deficit, which is achieved by eating fewer calories than you’re currently burning. An online calorie calculator (such as the one below) can help you calculate your calorie deficit. 

These calculators estimate how many calories you burn daily (your total daily energy expenditure, or TDEE) based on your height, weight, and activity level. Then, they tell you the number of calories you should aim to eat per day to achieve your goal weight.

The difference between your previous calorie intake and the suggested one is your calorie deficit. Some people may need to eat 500–1,000 fewer calories per day to reach their weight loss goals, says Paul Jaeckel, RD, CDN.

But, according to Jaeckle, there’s nuance because you don’t want to push your intake below the minimum safe levels of 1,200 calories per day for women and 1,500 for men. 

Remember, too, that those minimums are general guidelines. Your optimal calorie level depends on individual factors, such as your:

• Age

• Activity level

• Body size

• Body composition

For some people, even a lower deficit of 200 calories daily can be a good number to start with, Hleap-Knight says.

If you’d like help calculating a safe calorie deficit, consult a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian.

Next, it’s time to focus on how to get the most nutritional bang for your buck while meeting your calorie deficit. 

Both Jaeckel and Hleap-Knight agree that your meal plan should include three key ingredients:

• Lean proteins, such as lentils, legumes, beans, chicken, turkey, and fish

• Carbohydrates, such as fiber-rich fruits, veggies, and whole grains

• Healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados

“Prioritizing protein, fiber, and diversity in your diet helps you stay full and satisfied while meeting your calorie needs,” Hleap-Knight says. 

Studies show that simply making your meals more colorful can lead to incorporating more fruits and vegetables — and finding them tastier as well. 

Beyond going for the rainbow, here are a few more tips for helping you adjust to your new diet and lose (close to) 30 pounds in 3 months:

• Remember portion control. You can use visual cues like your hand to avoid overeating. Think: proteins should fit the size of your palm, carbs should fit your fist, and fats should fit your thumb.

• Eat regular meals vs. skipping breakfast. More than one study has linked skipping breakfast to poorer diet quality, increased sugar intake, and obesity. Additionally, many weight loss studies are conducted after a standardized breakfast, further emphasizing the importance of a healthy meal to start the day.

• Practice mindful eating. Mindful eating encourages eating without distractions and paying attention to how the food tastes, looks, and feels. It can help you better tune in to your hunger cues and slow down while eating, which can significantly reduce how much food you eat.

A note about sweet treats: Processed foods, refined carbohydrates, and sugary sodas are all linked to obesity. In an ideal world, you’d cut these out completely. 

In the real world, however, limitation is a better goal than outright restriction, Jaeckel says. “When you reject and avoid a lot of foods, it can lead to binge eating.”

Staying hydrated is important to overall health, but it plays an effective role in weight loss, too. Studies show that drinking water or replacing diet beverages with water can lead to significant weight loss, sometimes as much as 19 pounds in six months or as much as 4 pounds in three months! 

Effective hydration tactics include:

• Carrying a reusable water bottle with you

• Setting reminders on your phone to drink water throughout the day (say, a small amount every hour)

• Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning

So, how much water should you drink to lose weight? At least 8 cups daily is a good place to start. But research shows that for some people, drinking an additional 6 cups daily — ideally, 2 cups before each meal — could modestly enhance weight loss by promoting fullness and decreasing calorie intake. 

To lose weight in three months:

• Swap out soda and other sweetened beverages for water, sparkling water, or unsweetened tea

• Liven up a glass of regular H20 with a slice of lime or your favorite fruit

Any exercise is good exercise when it comes to weight loss, Hleap-Knight says. “[But] strength training is more effective at building muscle, which is important for increasing metabolism.”

The key is creating (and following!) an exercise routine that combines cardio and strength training exercises. 

Cardio (aka aerobic) exercise burns calories and improves heart health. 

• Aim for at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week. 

• This can be done daily (20–40 minutes per day) or through longer workouts on fewer days. 

• Try brisk walking, jogging, biking, swimming, or dance classes. 

Strength training builds and preserves muscle, which helps your metabolism burn calories even faster. 

• Aim for three sessions per week and target all major muscle groups. 

• Try full-body workouts like yoga or pilates as well as specific bodyweight exercises like squats, push-ups, and planks.

Did we mention that exercise can also have a mild appetite-suppressing effect? That’s one more way it can help you approach losing 30 pounds in 3 months (or four…or five…).

Remember that TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) we mentioned earlier? It includes all the calorie-burning activities you do throughout the day, from walking around your house to going to the gym. 

To uplevel your weight loss results in three months, find new ways to be active beyond your workouts. For example, you can:

• Choose the stairs over the escalator

• Walk 10,000 steps per day

• Stretch while watching TV

• Play music and dance while cleaning your house

• Take up a hobby that incorporates movement

While diet arguably plays the largest role in weight loss, sleep and stress are also important. 

“If you’re not sleeping, you won’t have energy to work out,” Jaeckel says. “If you’re stressed, your hormones are out of whack and you can’t comfortably follow your diet.” 

Let’s take a look at the research:

• Chronic stress can increase cortisol. This, in turn, can lead your body to hold onto fat, crave higher-calorie foods, and engage in emotional eating. 

• Chronic lack of sleep can mess with your appetite hormone levels. This can make you hungrier, less satisfied, and too tired to work out. As a result, people who don’t sleep well tend to be more likely to gain weight. 

There’s good news, though. Studies show that getting a good handle on your sleep and stress levels can support weight loss. Stress management techniques in children and adolescents showed positive effects even in periods shorter than three months! 

The general recommendation is to aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night.

These techniques for improving sleep and stress can help:

• Deep breathing exercises

• Guided visualization or meditation

• Following a consistent, calming bedtime routine (sans electronics)

• Gentle yoga, stretching, or tai chi

Tracking your goals can keep you accountable and motivated. 

Studies show that when people more consistently track their weight loss or calorie intake, they tend to lose more weight. 

Some ways you can track your weight loss progress include:

• Weighing yourself 

• Taking body measurements 

• Snapping a mirror selfie 

• Using apps or journals to log your meals or workouts

How often you track your progress (daily, weekly, monthly) is up to you. The important part is to be consistent. 

Also, don’t forget to celebrate your wins. Hleap-Knight encourages noting non-scale victories, such as exciting changes to how you feel, your energy levels, exercise endurance, strength, and sleep quality. 

Noticing these positive changes can help you maintain motivation when the going gets tough (hey, it happens), so you can get closer to your goal weight.

The steps we’ve outlined above are research-backed to help you lose weight fast while staying healthy. Having said that, sometimes people need additional support. 

So, how do you know if you’re one of those people? See if any of the following sound familiar:

• You’re not losing weight even with diet and exercise changes

• You have a chronic health condition like diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

• You feel stressed, depressed, or anxious

• You feel fatigued or sluggish

• You’re having trouble sleeping

If any of the above resonated with you, reach out to a healthcare provider. They can help you treat a possibly undiagnosed condition, recommend weight loss medication in some cases, or refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist.

Get started

Trying to lose 30 pounds in 3 months is ambitious, to say the least. For most people, it can require a serious calorie deficit, which  may not be safe or sustainable long-term. Still, by focusing on healthy habits, you can make meaningful progress toward your goals, whether you lose 10, 20, or even 30 pounds in 90 days.

Here’s what to remember: 

• Set realistic goals. Aim for 1–2 pounds per week, but know that progress varies from person to person.

• Create a safe calorie deficit. Work with your healthcare provider, a dietician, or use your TDEE to guide your new daily caloric intake, but avoid going below 1,200–1,500 calories per day. 

• Eat nutrient-dense meals. Prioritize protein, fiber, and healthy fats that boost fullness while limiting the processed foods that leave you wanting more.

• Stay active with cardio and strength training. This combo has been shown to burn calories while preserving muscle mass and optimizing your metabolism.

• Prioritize taking care of yourself. Managing your stress, getting a good night’s sleep, and celebrating your wins along the way can make it easier to stick to your new habits.