How Much Weight Loss Should You Lose? How to Calculate

Knowledge Is Power
When I first started my sleeve journey which was on Feb 21st 2017, I would compare my weight loss with how others were doing. This is a big no no! It will leave you discouraged and stressed which will only hinder your progress. Have you ever wondered why on the show "The Biggest Loser" someone small who only lost a little weight would win over someone who seemed to lose more? It is called Percentage of Weight Loss. The scale will only give you the baseline numbers to include in a calculation that will give you a guide to how you are doing.

Per my doctors office they are looking for us to be close to the 60% loss of excess body weight at 6 mths out.

How do you calculate your percentage?

You take your current weight - subtract your ideal healthy weight according to the BMI chart - which equal the pounds you need to lose

Then take the current pounds loss and divide it by the pounds you need to lose to get the percentage of weight loss

In other Words:

Current weight - Ideal Weight = Amt Of Pounds to lose

Pounds loss / (divided by) Excess Pound/amt lbs to lose = % of weight loss

Mine (starting weight day of surgery) (not your beginning weight when you started your journey only the weight on surgery day) I am 5'5

These calculations below of mine is what the doctor calculated me at

273 - 162 (ideal BMI weight) = 111 pounds to lose

273- 243 (current weight) = 30 total pounds loss so far

30 / 111 = 0.27 = 27% weight loss (which means I am almost half of the 6 mth goal of 60%)

Now lets say someone who is 5'5 weighs 400lbs and lost 60 pounds in 2 mths the same time it took me to lose 30lbs - Their ideal BMI weight is 174 (like mine)

BMI Goal 29

400 (weight day of surgery) -174 (Ideal Weight) = 226 pounds to lose

400 - 340 (current weight) = 60 lb weight lose

60 / 226 = 0.27% weight loss

Take Me again now with BMI Goal of 29 like the person above

273 - 174 = 99 pounds to lose

273- 243 (current weight) = 30 total pounds loss so far

30 / 99 = 33% weight loss

So you see we both are 5'5, same age, with the same BMI for our height of 29. I lost more percentage wise although person #1 loss 30lbs more than me in the first 2 mths.

This is why it is important not to get hung up on how much more a person has in weight loss than you. There is a calculation factoring in age, height, weight day of surgery, and current weight to get the percentage. No one is identical and our bodies respond differently. Keep your charts of protein & cal intake and chart your own percentage loss and things you can now do that you weren't able to do before.

Much Love & Blessings

PS. Calculate by what your doctor says is a healthy BMI for you

Helpful Links:

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/in-depth/bmi-calculator/itt-20084938

http://www.obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeves-how-much-weight-will-i-lose