Standing on weighing scales can feel like the ultimate moment of truth. You’ve been doing all the right things and expect those efforts to show up on the scale, only to end up staring at the number in disbelief. Seriously?! How can that happen? Sometimes the number still isn’t budging even when your body is changing. That’s where a weight loss percentage to determine your progress is a much better idea.
Measuring your body, particularly your waist and hip can summarise your excellent progress (After all, hips don’t lie!). These data points accurately reflect your weight loss, establish whether your dietary modification techniques are effective, and assess whether your physical efforts are on track. Additionally, it can push you to put in more effort or inspire you to keep working toward your goals.
You can monitor weight loss using several methods. These include weight, waist or other body part measurements, Body Mass Index (BMI), and body fat percentage. However, look more closely at that final measurement, as this article is all about ways to calculate your weight loss as a percentage.
Methods for Calculating Weight Reduction as a Percentage
Rather than counting calories or kilos, you might find it healthier and more manageable to calculate your weight loss as a percentage. It is so that you can see how much weight you’ve shed from your starting weight. Even more interesting is that this approach will not freak you out like the almighty scale. So yes, it’s time to break up with the scale.
You can calculate your weight changes as a percentage using the following ways.
Utilise the Individualised Weight Loss Percentage Formula
If you compare yourself to others, losing weight will be more challenging because it is highly customised. Comparing oneself to others is rarely motivating but can be discouraging because people lose weight at various speeds and varying amounts. Calculating percentage loss has the advantage of allowing you to compare yourself just to yourself.
Divide the amount of weight loss (in pounds or kilograms) by your beginning weight into the same units. Then multiply the result by 100 if you’d instead figure out your weight loss percentage on your own or want to know how to do it. (pounds lost/starting weight) x 100.
Here’s an example: 10 pounds / 180 pounds x 100 = 5.5% of starting body weight lost. A person who was 180 pounds when they first started has now shed 10 pounds. According to this figure, they shed 5.5% of their body weight. See, better than reading 170 pounds on the scale, right?
Use a Spreadsheet to Determine Weight Loss as a Percentage
You can monitor your progress by weekly tracking your percentage of weight loss in spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. In addition, working with a healthcare expert is recommended since they can advise on weight loss objectives to obtain a moderate weight and track progress.
You might experience brief ups and downs while trying to lose weight. But you can understand how your weight loss is progressing by keeping track of your weight loss % in a spreadsheet.
You don’t have to figure out your weight loss percentage every day. Instead, it’s a reminder to compare yourself to who you were at the beginning of this journey. Are you better than you were when you started? If yes, you’re winning the game.
Use an Online Calculator for Body Weight Percentage
The simplest and most straightforward approach to determine how your body weight percentage has changed is to use one of the many online body weight calculators.
To show the change in your body weight as a percentage, input your initial and current weight, select pounds or kilogrammes, and then click the “Calculate” button. It is beneficial for keeping accurate records and quickly checking your weight reduction percentage.
If you want to look fit and feel fit, the body fat percentage (BFP) is also a good indicator for you to try. After all, estimating how much body fat you need to lose is the first step in any successful weight loss journey. No matter what your weight-loss percentage is, the higher rate of body fat you have, the more likely you are less fit.
The HealthifyMe Note
Weight loss percentage shows how much you’ve dropped from your starting weight. Calculating your weight loss as a percentage rather than looking at pounds or kilogrammes is an empowering way to track your progress. Write down each percentage and reassess once a week or once a month. However, remember that a certain number has nothing to do with your appearance.
What Percent of Weight Loss is Considered Healthy?
Your health can benefit from even a slight weight loss of 5–10% of your total body weight, which can result in improvements, including lowered blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Aiming to drop 1-2 pounds every week is advised. This strategy is more likely to be successful than seeking to reduce weight quickly. Depending on your current weight, this equates to a different percentage of your body weight.
Multiple studies show that gradual weight loss is more sustainable and healthier than “crash” dieting. It is so because rapid weight loss decreases your metabolism more than steady weight loss. Your body adapts to burning fewer calories as a result. Unfortunately, this decrease in metabolic rate might last for years and cause you to gain weight again, often more weight than you had lost.
The HealthifyMe Note
It is challenging to stay committed to inflexible rules and guidelines, making you abandon the regimen altogether. We often forget that weight loss is as simple as eating right, regularly, and moderately. And sometimes, the occasional curve ball to your weight loss progress can encourage you to improve those numbers.
Other Effective Techniques to Monitor Weight Loss
As the famous saying goes, lose pounds without losing your mind. Social media pages have brought you many weight loss tips and tricks for the past few years. However, everyone’s body is different. You’ve heard it before, but it’s worth repeating. If the newest fast track to weight loss works for your friend, it doesn’t imply the same for you. You can follow some empowering ways to track your weight loss progress, which doesn’t bum you out.
Throw away the scale because it’s not the most accurate way to see how much weight you’ve lost. When initially trying to drop pounds, the measuring tape is a better option for you. So whip out that tape and measure your hips, thighs, waist, and biceps. If your jeans become loose and you need a belt to keep them together, you are on the right track.
Fun fact: Fitting your old clothes can tell if you went a size down or not!!
Conclusion
There is no “one size fits all” strategy for weight loss. Even more disheartening is when the scale fails to acknowledge your pounds-dropping efforts. The thing is, sometimes, you need to welcome the concept of percentages. The feedback from reassessing weight loss percentage once a week or once a month helps indicate your progress. Love it or hate it, a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sleeping better are way more important than any number.
