cover The Female Stages of Weight Loss
Barbara Kovalenko - Nutritional Consultant and William Read - Nutrition Consultant
Barbara Kovalenko - Nutritional Consultant and William Read - Nutrition Consultant
12.09.2023

The Female Stages of Weight Loss: What to Expect and How to Deal

Female health
Table Of Contents

Body Stages of Weight Loss: What Happens to Your Body at Each Stage?

If you’re like the majority of people, you probably want to know when you can start seeing results from your weight reduction quest. You might also be curious about whether the weight you’re losing is coming from fat as opposed to muscle or water at the same time.

The process of losing weight often involves two stages: an initial, quick phase, followed by a later, slower phase.

As we strive to reach our ideal health and fitness goals, it is crucial to understand the different stages of body weight loss so we can approach them effectively. As you progress through each stage, your body composition gradually changes as fat and muscle mass alter. 

At the beginning of a weight loss journey, you are likely to experience increased energy due to a surge in metabolism as glycogen stores in your muscles are used up. During this time, the balance of macros – carbohydrates, protein, and fats – must be carefully managed to get maximum benefit while avoiding unwanted side effects. I

In later stages, significant fat loss occurs, accompanied by continuing changes to body shape and dimensions. Your goal should always be to maintain healthy muscle mass while losing excess fat – a balanced mix of diet, lifestyle, and exercise are essential for this process.

Female Stages of Noticing Weight Loss and How Much Weight Can You Lose

Stage 1-2 Weeks in – “The Honeymoon Phase”: Why You Might Feel Great

The “honeymoon phase” of a new relationship is when you and your partner both feel the very best. It’s likely that you find yourself feeling happy, lighthearted, and excited about the future. 

For many people in these early stages, the enthusiasm is so great that it can be hard to keep up with day-to-day life in addition to the new bond’s positive emotions. Some signs that the honeymoon phase may be happening are extra energy, feelings of security, and general talkativeness. 

This feeling of euphoria can be an extraordinary time between two people who have just begun a relationship. Enjoy this unique stage while it lasts!

Stage 3-4 Weeks in “The Wall”: Why You Might Feel Terrible

During these stages of losing weight, typically between Stage 3 and 4 weeks, the woman will experience an energy crash as fatigue sets in. This can occur due to a number of different bodily processes, such as glycogen depletion as well as metabolic changes from increased training stress. 

While it is natural for athletes to feel terrible during this period, it acts as a necessary adaptation to increasing workloads and will help build strength down the line. However, it is important to remain conscious of your body’s needs and not push through this wall for the sake of ‘toughing it out’ – rest and recovery are often the best solutions.

Stage 5-6 Weeks in “The Plateau”: Why You Might Feel OK Again

Many people hit a wall of sorts about 5-6 weeks into their wellness journey. Why? You’ve likely made decent progress, and you feel like this is a common point to experience a level of complacency or even an energy crash due to building habits, making choices, and cultivating new routines. 

Plateauing in your wellness journey can be ordinary and even necessary for future wellness development and shouldn’t cause any alarm as it is part of the process. 

During this stage, taking time to evaluate your progress and appreciate the small victories and recent accomplishments can help keep your momentum forward.

Also, read – Psychology of Weight Loss

Female Stages of Noticing Weight Loss and How Much Weight Can You Lose

Women go through different female weight loss stages as they progress with their health and fitness journey. Therefore, weight loss is not linear. However, each female body type will react differently to the process. 

For many women, the first female weight loss stage is understanding how fat distribution works in their body type – this can help them to target their fitness programs better and identify problem areas they may want to pay particular attention to. Additionally, understanding female weight loss stages can also help women determine how much weight they can realistically lose. 

It depends on genes, diet, and lifestyle factors, but a good rule of thumb is approximately 1-2 pounds a week for sustainable female weight loss success.

In light of this, let’s examine what it takes to really lose body mass. There are four stages to fat loss or body mass loss in general:

Phase 1 

Your body has stored sugar (known as glycogen when in a reserved state) that is ready to power whatever activity your body engages in, such as thinking, maintaining body heat, moving, etc. In the liver and muscles, respectively, the average-sized individual may store up to 300–400 calories in glycogen. 

The liver can be filled and drained but has a set size, like a cup. The muscles’ cells behave like balloons; they expand and contract noticeably. The more you exercise, the more weight your muscles can support.

Dehydration-related weight loss shouldn’t be confused with glycogen depletion-related weight loss.

Phase 2

You might notice that you’re losing weight more gradually during this period of slower weight reduction, and you might reach a weight loss plateau. In this situation, you are not losing weight despite following a low-calorie diet.

Although this is typical, it can be very annoying. Without a doubt, this kind of stage of losing weight of your weight reduction journey can be intellectually and emotionally draining. Aside from the fact that you’re losing motivation, everything seems challenging.

Phase 3

After months of calorie restriction, you enter the third stage of weight loss. You must have already experienced a lot of emotional ups and downs. Finding balance throughout this stage of your weight loss journey is key to avoiding discouragement.

You might notice that you’re more consistent with your exercise and eating choices. You always follow your meal plan and regulate your portion sizes. As a result, you have established a solid base of beneficial routines. Additionally, you’ve realized that the weight loss process will require much time and effort.

Phase 4

Throughout this weight loss phase, you’ll understand that your habits are so established that you no longer give them any thought. 

You constantly look forward to your meal planning sessions, you have desires for meals that are high in vegetables and low in protein, and your friends no longer question your order when you eat out.

Phase 5

Most diets encourage you to starve yourself to lose weight quickly. However, the primary problem with these diets is that you are more likely to put the weight back on once you lose it.

Maintaining weight loss should be just as crucial as losing weight. Not only should you eat differently to maintain weight loss, but you should also alter your routines.

stages of weight loss

Stages of Fat Loss and How to Track Your Progress

Simply eating less has developed into a complex industry worth billions of dollars, complete with divisive diets and supplements. However, both strategies are equally effective, so let’s examine the foundations of fat loss and see how we may maximize it.

Fat loss has three stages: fat release, fat transit, and fat utilization. At each stage, specific adjustments can be made to improve the process, including when and what you eat, how you exercise, and even what supplements you take. 

So let’s look closely and see how we may make the most of our efforts:

1. Fat Release

Fat is first released into the bloodstream to start the process. Then, certain hormones connect to fat cells and start the process of lipolysis when muscles and other tissues require energy (the breakdown of fats and other lipids by hydrolysis to release fatty acids).

The naturally occurring caffeine and EGCG found in matcha and coffee are excellent supplements that efficiently release fat acids from their storage locations.

Several hormones, including glucagon, epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone, and cortisol, cause lipolysis. Stress and hunger trigger the release of the majority of these hormones. Calories can be reduced to shallow levels to start the release.

2. Fat Transportation

Once released, albumin-like proteins move the fatty acids through the bloodstream. Then, these fatty acids are joined to carnitine before being transferred to the mitochondria, the cell’s power plant. 

Supplementing with carnitine and any other technique or substance that promotes circulation can optimize this process.

3. Fat Utilization

Everyone is concentrating on this one process. In essence, this is where the “burning” of fat loss progresses. The body breaks down fatty acids and uses them as fuel. 

Fatty acids may now originate from different parts of the body and be utilized, rather than always originating from the tissues closest to where the calories are being consumed.

Burning more calories while moving about will result in more significant energy expenditure. However, the body also expends calories to maintain the proper body temperature. Due to their increased demand for calories, people tend to eat more in colder climates.

Foods like chili or supplements that raise the body’s temperature will promote fat metabolism. This is because the body can only absorb water at body temperature. Thus even drinking cold water has been demonstrated to speed up metabolism.

Also, read – How to Lose Weight Fast Without Exercise

What are the Stages of Getting Abs?

Developing great abs is an important milestone for female individuals looking to get a fit physique. Though it may seem like a simple goal, great abs require hard work and dedication. 

Generally speaking, there are four main stages in the process of getting solid abdominal muscles: preparation, dieting, exercising, and recovery. 

Preparation 

When it comes to female empowerment, the first thing to consider is preparation. Women need to carefully determine their goals and assess any lifestyle changes that may be necessary in order to make them attainable. 

This includes commitments such as setting out a schedule of when to complete specific tasks and nurturing a support network of people who will push them towards succeeding with their goals. 

Much like strategic business planning, preparation is critical for female success; those who take the time upfront will be better equipped for longer-term success down the line.

Dieting

Second, is the element of dieting. A successful diet requires more than simply cutting back on calories. It’s essential to focus on getting the suitable types of nutrients tailored to your specific body type, to achieve optimal health and wellness. 

Discipline is also essential – being mindful of what you eat and when will go a long way toward achieving your goals. With a good plan and personal dedication, it’s possible to make lifestyle changes that can lead to physical transformation.

Exercising

The third is exercising, which includes more specific ab-targeting workouts that female individuals can use to sculpt their core muscle strength. 

Several ab-targeting workouts focus on strengthening core muscles and creating definition in the abs to supplement a sound fitness routine. However, getting a solid core requires effort and consistency; it’s important to note that merely completing ab-targeting exercises will take time to produce results. 

Dedication to workout regimens and proactive nutrition habits will be necessary for getting the desired abs.

Recovery

After reaching the desired results, the final stage of a fitness regimen is recovering properly. Again, taking time to rest and getting adequate sleep is essential to offer your body time to heal and recuperate from all the hard work put into getting those results. 

Healthy habits such as stretching, a balanced diet, hydration, and incorporating recovery days throughout your routine will be beneficial for preventing any long-term injuries or fatigue. 

Making sure you prioritize recovery as part of your fitness journey will give better results and ensure that you are getting the most out of all your sweat sessions.

When Do You Start Seeing Weight Loss Results?

Weight loss results vary from individual to individual. However, most experts agree that you should start seeing some results within the first stage of weight loss. 

Generally speaking, this stage takes place in the initial weeks of a new program and the amount of time spent in this stage depends on your goals and methodology. While regular exercise and portion control are essential factors, having a balanced and nutritious diet is vital for attaining lasting results. 

When first starting out, consider working with a qualified professional who has expertise in diet and nutrition for the best results.

  • 1-3 Weeks:

You can anticipate experiencing a little more energy and less bloating throughout the first several weeks. After that, depending on your caloric deficit, you should expect a shift in scale and possible loosening of your apparel.

But it’s crucial to keep in mind that every person is unique. So if your friend claims that they felt like their clothes were going to come off after losing 5 pounds, you can experience entirely opposite feelings following the same weight loss.

  • 4+ Weeks:

Again, there is no hard and fast rule, but after four weeks of weight loss, most women start to observe more obvious physical changes. 

In general, women can anticipate going down a size in apparel after losing around 10 pounds. But because sizes differ between clothing types and brands, this isn’t a science. 

However, you can use this to broadly predict when the majority of the physical changes will start to happen in your body, depending on your individual calorie deficit and weight-loss rate.

How Long to See Weight Loss Results?

Weight loss results can come as quickly as several days or weeks after starting a weight loss plan, and it can extend to months or years, depending on the stage of weight loss you’re aiming for. 

As you can see, the circumstances and lengths of each person’s weight loss can be very different. However, most people who begin dieting by limiting their daily caloric intake will start to show benefits within one to two weeks, even if only one pound is lost.

Your weight reduction outcomes will become apparent faster and more dramatically as you make more substantial changes to your food and way of life.

Also, read – The Most Inspiring Fasting Weight Loss Success Stories

For example, if you’re looking to shift a few pounds quickly, then rapid changes in diet and exercise routine may show weight loss within just a week. However, if you want to be sustained, steady long-term weight loss, it may take several months or up to a year before seeing significant results. 

For instance, if someone is already a little overweight and reduces only 100 calories from their daily diet, they may lose about a pound in two to three weeks. 

A person could experience weight loss of one to two pounds each week during the first four to eight weeks of their weight loss journey if they remove 500 calories from their daily diet and engage in 45 minutes of aerobic exercise daily.

Ultimately, the timeframe will depend on individual goals and current starting point but with dedication and effort, most people can begin to make real progress within a few weeks or so.

Conclusion 

Your health and well-being are greatly enhanced by maintaining healthy body weight. There is more to evaluate than the weight on the scale if you’ve altered your eating and exercise routines to lose weight.

The way your clothes fit and the shape of your new muscles are two examples of external signs. Other internal metrics include reduced pain, decreased blood pressure, improved sleep, and a greater sense of well-being.

Continue if you’re observing these beneficial changes. It might be time to reconsider your strategies if you experience unfavorable side effects like exhaustion or hair loss. 

To ensure you advance safely, you should work with a dietitian or a doctor.

Barbara Kovalenko
Barbara Kovalenko - Nutritional Consultant

My name is Barbara Kovalenko. I hold a Bachelor's degree in Human Nutrition from Bogomolets National Medical University in Ukraine and a Master's degree from Boston University in the United States. Over the past few years, I have gained valuable experience as a nutritionist and have since decided to share my knowledge and expertise with a wider audience. Currently, I am working as a nutritional consultant with the Lasta app.

William Read - Nutrition Consultant

William is from Canada, he is passionate nutrition & wellness writer. William understands that the topic of wellness is still not well understood, so his goal is to enlighten and teach people how to live healthier and happier in their bodies.

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