Realistic Weight Loss: What to Actually Expect

When it comes to weight loss, managing expectations is one of the most important—yet often overlooked—parts of the journey. In our latest episode of the Atlanta Wellness Clinic podcast, I shared how setting realistic goals can make all the difference between long-term success and giving up too soon. As a licensed nutritionist, I see it all the time: unrealistic expectations lead to disappointment, which then leads to quitting. I always remind my clients that weight gain didn’t happen overnight, and weight loss won’t either. 

For most people pursuing medical weight loss, a healthy and realistic expectation is losing about one to one and a half pounds per week. That adds up to roughly 5-10% of your starting weight over a three-to-six-month period. I know it can feel slow at first, especially when you're hoping for dramatic results. But speaking from personal experience, those small, steady losses really do add up. Losing one pound per week eventually helped me shed 25 pounds—and along with it came better health, more energy, and a real sense of accomplishment. 

One of the biggest differences between medical weight loss and fad diets is sustainability. Fad diets might help you drop weight quickly, but it’s usually just water weight—and it almost always comes back. Extreme calorie restrictions can slow your metabolism and push your body into survival mode, making it even harder to lose weight in the future. In contrast, medical weight loss works with your body, not against it. Through a combination of medications, nutrition coaching, exercise support, and behavior modification, we help patients build sustainable habits that last long after the program ends. 

Another thing I love to focus on is celebrating "non-scale victories." Sometimes the number on the scale doesn’t move much, but other changes are happening—better sleep, improved digestion, lower blood pressure, less dependence on medications, or simply feeling more energetic. Just recently, we had a client who didn’t lose many pounds but lost several inches around her waist. Those are the victories that keep you going when weight loss plateaus. 

Nutrition is the cornerstone of everything we do. I always emphasize the 80-20 rule: weight management is 80% nutrition and 20% exercise. No matter how hard you work out, you can't out-exercise a poor diet. That’s why nutrition counseling is a key part of our approach. It’s incredible to see how, with the help of medication, many patients naturally start craving healthier foods. Some even say vegetables taste better and sweets lose their appeal.

That’s real transformation. 

Medical weight loss treatments aren’t magic solutions. They’re tools—important tools—but real, lasting success comes from lifestyle changes. Our goal at the Atlanta Wellness Clinic is to make sure that when patients finish their medication programs, they’re equipped with the habits and knowledge to maintain their results on their own. 

Celebrate All Victories!

If you’re ready to explore a truly sustainable path to better health, we offer free consultations to create a plan that’s customized to your body, your goals, and your life. 

If you want to listen to our podcast, you can find us here on Spotify or any of your favorite streaming platforms.