Being overweight is tied to a wide range of health issues that could be easily prevented by simply maintaining a healthy weight. Individuals looking to improve their health can begin to decrease their risk by aiming for small weight loss percentage reductions each week. "Health improvements in chronic disease risk factors can be realized with as little as a 2 to 3 percent reduction in excess body weight," according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Measuring the amount of weight loss percentage gives exercisers a way to measure progress and serves as positive reinforcement to continue working towards fitness goals.
Step 1
Obtain a baseline measurement by weighing yourself on a scale. A simple bathroom scale is sufficient. Make sure the scale is adjusted to read 0 before stepping onto it.
Step 2
Weigh yourself again at a later date to obtain a second measurement. For a 200-pound person, for example, a realistic reduction in weight one week later may be 188 pounds.
Step 3
Subtract the weight of the second weigh-in from the weight of the first weigh-in. For example, 200 - 188 = 2 pounds lost.
Step 4
Divide the amount of weight lost by the original starting weight obtained in Step 1. For example, 2/200 = 0.01.
Step 5
Multiply the value from Step 4 by 100. For example, 0.01 x 100= 1 percent. In the example, the person has lost 1 percent of his body weight.
Tips and Warnings
- Use the same scale every time you weigh yourself to measure progress accurately. Weight can fluctuate on a daily basis according to the types of foods ingested as well as time of day. Weigh yourself every one to two weeks on the same day of the week, preferably in the morning upon waking. Set reasonable weight loss goals. "Losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, toward an initial goal of 10 percent of your weight, is usually reasonable," according to the Mayo Clinic. While reducing overall weight is important for overweight individuals, it's helpful to know whether you are solely losing fat or if any lean mass is being lost. Consider having your body composition (measure of body fat in relation to overall weight) calculated by a fitness professional. Monitoring your body fat percentage gives a specific measure of the percentage of fat loss in addition to your overall weight loss.
Things You'll Need
- Scale
- Calculator
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