How Do I Find Out How Much Weight I Need To Lose?

Health information can be overwhelming, leaving you without direction on how to improve your wellness. This is especially true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps you need to lose weight but have no idea how to determine a healthy weight for your body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Body Mass Index (BMI) is calculated using your height and weight, and is an indicator of body fatness. By determining your current BMI and learning which weight corresponds with a healthy BMI, you can find out how much weight you need to lose.

Step 1

Enter your height in feet and inches and your weight in pounds into an online body mass index calculator, such as the one offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the National Institutes of Health.

Step 2

Click on the "calculate" button to determine your BMI. The results will also categorize you into a specific weight category. A BMI of under 18.5 is underweight, 18.5 to 24.9 is normal weight, 25 to 29.9 is overweight, and 30 or higher is obese. If you fall into the overweight or obese range you can now determine how much weight you need to lose.

Step 3

Review the body mass index from the National Institutes of Health. Find your height in the left-hand column and visually follow the line to the healthy weight range. Use the bottom axis to determine the weights for that range. For example, a person who is 5 feet 5 inches tall should weigh 112 to 149 lbs. to have a BMI in the normal range.

Step 4

Use your current weight to determine how much you need to lose to fall within a normal BMI range. For example, if you are 5 feet 5 inches tall and currently weigh 165 lbs., subtract 112 from this number to get the largest amount you should lose, or 53 lbs. Subtract 149 from 165 to get the minimum amount you should lose, or 16 lbs. You will need to lose 16 to 53 lbs. to have a normal BMI.

Tips and Warnings

Combine calorie reduction, nutritious eating and regular physical activity for successful weight loss and long-term weight-loss maintenance.
The BMI is only one weight indicator. People who have a large muscle mass, such as body builders, or a low muscle mass, such as elderly individuals, the BMI may not give an accurate estimate of body fatness.