it possible to lose a pound per day?

Losing weight requires you to consume fewer calories than you use throughout the day.

This can involve reducing your food intake or adding more exercise to your routine via activities like running, walking, or biking (1Trusted Source). To lose 1 pound (0.5 kg) of body fat, you’ll need to create a calorie deficit (2Trusted Source, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted SourceTrusted Source).

Most men and women generally require 2,000–2,500 calories per day to maintain their weight. Your daily calorie needs depend on factors like your age, size, and activity level (1Trusted Source).

Meanwhile, scientists estimate that a 160-pound (72.5-kg) person burns an average of 15.1 calories per minute running, or approximately 906 calories per hour (5).

Using these figures, a 160-pound (72.5-kg) woman consuming 1,500 calories per day would likely have to run for over 3 hours to burn enough calories to lose a pound (0.5 kg) in 1 day.

Keep in mind that rapid weight loss may be more attainable for people with a very high body weight because a higher body weight can increase the number of calories your body burns throughout the day (1Trusted Source).

Still, while it may be possible to lose a pound (0.5 kg) of body fat per day, it would require you to drastically limit your food intake and increase your physical activity.

Extreme calorie restriction and overexercising are not safe or recommended by health professionals. Although these methods may result in quick, short-term weight loss, they’re not sustainable and may harm your health