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Losing 75 pounds is a significant transformation that typically takes 115-119 weeks for women, but should be broken into 2-3 cutting phases with maintenance breaks in between. Attempting this in one continuous phase increases the risk of muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and burnout. A phased approach with diet breaks produces better long-term results.
Last updated: February 8, 2026
Your timeline depends on how aggressive your calorie deficit is. Here are all 6 deficit levels with their timelines:
| Deficit Level | Difficulty | Weeks | Daily Calories | Weekly Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40% Extreme | Extreme | 44 weeks | 1,273 cal | 1.7 lbs/week |
| 35% Intense | Very Hard | 50 weeks | 1,379 cal | 1.49 lbs/week |
| 30% Fast | Hard | 59 weeks | 1,485 cal | 1.27 lbs/week |
| 25% Effective | Moderate | 71 weeks | 1,591 cal | 1.06 lbs/week |
| 20% Moderate | Easy | 88 weeks | 1,698 cal | 0.85 lbs/week |
| 15% Gentle | Easy | 117 weeks | 1,804 cal | 0.64 lbs/week |
Your starting body fat percentage affects your metabolic rate and how fast you lose weight. Here are timelines for different starting points using the recommended deficit:
| Starting Body Fat | Recommended Deficit | Weeks | Daily Calories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22% | 15% Gentle | 106 weeks | 1,997 cal |
| 27% | 15% Gentle | 112 weeks | 1,901 cal |
| 32% | 15% Gentle | 117 weeks | 1,804 cal |
| 37% | 15% Gentle | 125 weeks | 1,708 cal |
Based on a 5'5", 150 lb woman at moderate activity. Your exact timeline depends on your weight, height, and activity level.
Your timeline to lose 75 pounds depends on three factors: (1) Starting body fat percentage. Higher body fat allows for more aggressive deficits without muscle loss. (2) Deficit size. A 30% deficit is twice as fast as a 15% deficit, but harder to sustain and riskier for muscle preservation. (3) Lean mass. More lean mass means a higher metabolic rate and faster fat loss at the same calorie intake.
Deficit Level
15% Gentle
Timeline
117 weeks
Daily Calories
1,804 cal
This is the best balance of speed and sustainability for losing 75 pounds. It preserves muscle well while keeping the deficit manageable.
| Week | Weight | Body Fat % | Fat Mass | Lean Mass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start | 150 lbs | 32% | 48 lbs | 102 lbs |
| Week 2 | 148.7 lbs | 31.5% | 46.9 lbs | 101.8 lbs |
| Week 4 | 147.5 lbs | 31.1% | 45.8 lbs | 101.6 lbs |
| Week 6 | 146.2 lbs | 30.6% | 44.8 lbs | 101.4 lbs |
| Week 8 | 144.9 lbs | 30.1% | 43.7 lbs | 101.2 lbs |
| Week 10 | 143.7 lbs | 29.7% | 42.6 lbs | 101 lbs |
| Week 12 | 142.4 lbs | 29.2% | 41.5 lbs | 100.9 lbs |
| Week 14 | 141.1 lbs | 28.7% | 40.5 lbs | 100.7 lbs |
| Week 16 | 139.9 lbs | 28.2% | 39.4 lbs | 100.5 lbs |
| Week 18 | 138.6 lbs | 27.6% | 38.3 lbs | 100.3 lbs |
| Week 20 | 137.3 lbs | 27.1% | 37.2 lbs | 100.1 lbs |
| Week 22 | 136.1 lbs | 26.6% | 36.2 lbs | 99.9 lbs |
| Week 24 | 134.8 lbs | 26% | 35.1 lbs | 99.7 lbs |
| Week 26 | 133.6 lbs | 25.5% | 34 lbs | 99.5 lbs |
| Week 28 | 132.3 lbs | 24.9% | 33 lbs | 99.4 lbs |
| Week 30 | 131.1 lbs | 24.4% | 31.9 lbs | 99.2 lbs |
| Week 32 | 129.8 lbs | 23.8% | 30.9 lbs | 99 lbs |
| Week 34 | 128.6 lbs | 23.2% | 29.8 lbs | 98.8 lbs |
| Week 36 | 127.3 lbs | 22.6% | 28.7 lbs | 98.6 lbs |
| Week 38 | 126.1 lbs | 22% | 27.7 lbs | 98.4 lbs |
| Week 40 | 124.9 lbs | 21.3% | 26.6 lbs | 98.2 lbs |
| Week 42 | 123.6 lbs | 20.7% | 25.6 lbs | 98 lbs |
| Week 44 | 122.4 lbs | 20% | 24.5 lbs | 97.9 lbs |
| Week 46 | 121.2 lbs | 19.4% | 23.5 lbs | 97.7 lbs |
| Week 48 | 119.9 lbs | 18.7% | 22.4 lbs | 97.5 lbs |
| Week 50 | 118.7 lbs | 18% | 21.4 lbs | 97.3 lbs |
| Week 52 | 117.5 lbs | 17.3% | 20.3 lbs | 97.1 lbs |
| Week 54 | 116.2 lbs | 16.6% | 19.3 lbs | 96.9 lbs |
| Week 56 | 115 lbs | 15.9% | 18.3 lbs | 96.8 lbs |
| Week 58 | 113.8 lbs | 15.1% | 17.2 lbs | 96.6 lbs |
| Week 60 | 112.6 lbs | 14.4% | 16.2 lbs | 96.4 lbs |
| Week 62 | 111.3 lbs | 13.6% | 15.1 lbs | 96.2 lbs |
| Week 64 | 110.1 lbs | 12.8% | 14.1 lbs | 96 lbs |
| Week 66 | 108.9 lbs | 12% | 13.1 lbs | 95.8 lbs |
| Week 68 | 107.7 lbs | 11.2% | 12 lbs | 95.7 lbs |
| Week 70 | 106.5 lbs | 10.3% | 11 lbs | 95.5 lbs |
| Week 72 | 105.2 lbs | 9.5% | 10 lbs | 95.3 lbs |
| Week 74 | 104 lbs | 8.6% | 8.9 lbs | 95.1 lbs |
| Week 76 | 102.8 lbs | 7.7% | 7.9 lbs | 94.9 lbs |
| Week 78 | 101.6 lbs | 6.8% | 6.9 lbs | 94.7 lbs |
| Week 80 | 100.4 lbs | 5.8% | 5.8 lbs | 94.6 lbs |
| Week 82 | 99.2 lbs | 4.9% | 4.8 lbs | 94.4 lbs |
| Week 84 | 98 lbs | 3.9% | 3.8 lbs | 94.2 lbs |
| Week 86 | 96.8 lbs | 2.9% | 2.8 lbs | 94 lbs |
| Week 88 | 95.6 lbs | 1.8% | 1.8 lbs | 93.8 lbs |
| Week 90 | 94.4 lbs | 0.8% | 0.7 lbs | 93.7 lbs |
| Week 92 | 93.5 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 93.5 lbs |
| Week 94 | 93.3 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 93.3 lbs |
| Week 96 | 93.1 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 93.1 lbs |
| Week 98 | 92.9 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.9 lbs |
| Week 100 | 92.8 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.8 lbs |
| Week 102 | 92.6 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.6 lbs |
| Week 104 | 92.4 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.4 lbs |
| Week 106 | 92.2 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.2 lbs |
| Week 108 | 92.1 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 92.1 lbs |
| Week 110 | 91.9 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 91.9 lbs |
| Week 112 | 91.7 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 91.7 lbs |
| Week 114 | 91.5 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 91.5 lbs |
| Week 116 | 91.3 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 91.3 lbs |
| Week 117 | 91.3 lbs | 0% | 0 lbs | 91.3 lbs |
Based on a 5'5", 150 lb woman at moderate activity (2,122 cal TDEE) using a 15% deficit:
1,804
Daily Calories
102g
Protein
237g
Carbs
50g
Fat
Men typically lose 75 pounds 15-20% faster than women due to higher lean mass and metabolic rate. A 180 lb man at 25% body fat has a TDEE around 2,700 calories. A 150 lb woman at 32% body fat has a TDEE around 2,050 calories. The same deficit percentage results in different absolute calorie targets and weekly loss rates. Men also retain muscle better during a deficit due to higher testosterone levels.
Long weight loss phases have multiple plateaus. The first typically hits around weeks 6-8, the second around weeks 14-18. Each plateau lasts 1-3 weeks. Use diet breaks (1-2 weeks at maintenance) to break through plateaus instead of cutting calories further. Your TDEE drops as you lose weight, so recalculate your calorie target every 4-6 weeks.
After a transformation of this size, spend 3-6 months at maintenance calories before starting any new phase. Your metabolism has adapted significantly and needs recovery. Consider a lean bulk after maintenance to recover any lost muscle, then assess whether further cutting is needed. Rapid cycling between cuts without adequate recovery leads to worse body composition over time.
Be careful with cardio during a longer cut. Your total energy output is already high from the calorie restriction. Adding aggressive cardio increases recovery demands and can accelerate muscle loss. Stick to 2-3 low-intensity walks per week (20-30 minutes).
After a transformation of this size, spend 3-6 months at maintenance calories before starting any new phase. Your metabolism has adapted significantly and needs recovery. Consider a lean bulk after maintenance to recover any lost muscle, then assess whether further cutting is needed. Rapid cycling between cuts without adequate recovery leads to worse body composition over time.
Using a 15% Gentle deficit, it takes approximately 117 weeks for a 5'5", 150 lb woman. Your actual timeline depends on starting body fat percentage, current weight, and adherence to your calorie target. See the timeline comparison table above for all deficit levels.
No. Safe fat loss is 1-2 lbs per week for most people. Losing 75 pounds in 59 weeks requires an extreme deficit that results in significant muscle loss, metabolic adaptation, and high risk of regaining the weight. The recommended timeline is 117 weeks.
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