Scheme

Weight loss can be measured and tracked in different ways. For example, you could see the number of pounds or inches you lost, the percentage lost, your body composition, and several others. Weight loss calculators can offer a useful way to monitor your progress against your goals in a very simple way.

TV

Popular television shows like “The Biggest Loser” have popularized competitive group weight strategies. Winners and losers are often determined by the percentage of weight loss versus the number of pounds. Why do you ask? Mainly because, in general, the heavier you are, the more calories you are likely to burn while exercising. Therefore, the more weight, the easier it is to lose weight quickly compared to slimmer people. Using a percentage calculator as opposed to other techniques creates a fair playing field for measuring everyone’s profit or loss, regardless of weight.

How to calculate the percentage of weight loss

Calculating your percentage is pretty straightforward. The first step is to divide the number of pounds you lost up to this point by the weight you started your plan with. The next step requires you to multiply the answer from the first step by 100. For example, if you lost 20 pounds and your starting weight is 250 pounds, your percentage loss calculation would look like this (20/250 x 100 = 8% of the weight lost).

Additional tools

Because obesity and being overweight are such big topics and there is so much interest in so many people, you can enjoy the benefit of having options. Although I highly recommend that you invest in calculating your own weight loss percentage, there are several other systems that are available that you can try.

The Body Mass Index or (BMI) calculates your score based on your height and weight and compares it to a standard or average figure. Body fat analyzers do exactly what the title suggests: analyze body fat. Although they can produce valuable information, these tools can sometimes be inaccurate and quite expensive. The tape test was developed by the US Army and is a much more accurate and inexpensive system compared to body fat analyzers. With a non-elastic band, you measure around your waist, writing, hips, and forearms and enter your data into a computer-generated calculator that calculates your average.

Dieting and exercising

Regardless of your goals, it can and should be done in a healthy way. With the common goal of most to lose as much weight as quickly as possible, the prospect of quick-fix plans is quite intriguing. However, these methods are only short-term solutions, and in many ways, they are unhealthy. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), one pound per week should be the maximum amount of weight you lose. Anything more than that puts you at risk of creating a harmful imbalance in your metabolism and will leave you feeling an uneven amount of fatigue due to a lack of calories from eating.

Suggestions

One of the most overlooked, yet important things to consider when losing weight is your focus and thought process. Focusing your efforts on creating and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is much more important than focusing on losing weight. A solid exercise plan and a healthy diet that is tailored to your specific needs is the answer. Apart from those two aspects, it will be useful to keep a record of your workouts and loss percentages in a journal notebook. Documentation will ensure personal responsibility and help motivate you to achieve your goals.