What % loss do you consider substantial?

Cbaka27

I am on day 71 of MFP and have lost 26lbs. That's just over 10% of my total body weight. Mentally I feel like I need to lose 40 lbs or 16% of my body weight to be substantial. Do you track % lost or just lbs. What is a substantial weight loss for you?

cameronheel

I think if you have lost 26lbs that is definitely significant and you should give yourself credit. By losing this amount you have proven you have the discipline to succeed in your weight loss journey and losing more and attaining your goals is just a matter of time. Keep at it and be proud of yourself.

Need2Exerc1se

How funny. When I read the thread title I calculated what % I lost and it was 16% (obviously I did not track % when losing). It seemed pretty substantial to me because it was more than 3 times what I'd ever lost before. But I think substantial could be pretty subjective. and personal.

26 lbs is awesome.

debisjazz

26 lbs is amazing!!
10% of your body weight is amazing!
Whatever you use as a guide, I think you are doing great!!!!

cwolfman13

IDK...I lost 40 Lbs and 18% of my body weight. For me it was substantial...relative to someone losing hundreds of pounds, not so much. I think it's all relative.

Pandapotato

Since 10% is what many diet programs say is enough to see actual health benefits, I've always seen that as "substantial"-- it makes an impact! good for you!

eblyth00

I'm finally feeling like I am seeing and feeling a real difference and I just calculated and it was also 16%. But I have a significant amount more to lose. 45% total

SafioraLinnea

I have lost 24.5% and it feels like a solid amount, but I will probably need to do that much again before I contemplate maintenance.


I think how much you have to lose is a huge factor.

Chadxx

Never really thought about it but since you brought it up, I had to do the math. I am now at 45% lost and I would say that is substantial. I guess the first time I personally felt like I had accomplished something significant was dropping below 250 and being closer to 200 than to 300.

shandy82165

It's funny, i just did the calculation myself and i'm at 17% with a 40 pound loss, and I consider that substantial and have really started to see and feel the results.

hzl22

I think just turning around and heading in the right direction is substantial

amtyrell

Well 10% is linked with better heath outcomes.

Lucy1752

32% loss so far with 35% as the goal. The last pounds are hanging on for dear life, but I'm happy with things so far. This is month 17 of logging.

beerfoamy

Interesting view - I worked it out and am at 12% with a current goal of wanting to be 26% less than what I started at.
I like thinking that I have over 10% of starting weight and seeing that I want to be a quarter down is cool.

OY74NmFGBL

I've lost 73.5 lbs which is ab 34.5% body loss. 12 months of losing tomorrow

dale050467

55% was substantial for me.

SiegfriedXXL

24.3% lost but I have to lose around 56% so while there are changes, they aren't drastic. I'm hoping the momentum will pick up past 30%.

JeromeBarry1

The insurance industry uses a weight change of 10% in the preceding 12 months as a suspicious circumstance. That is, they'll sell insurance, but it will cost more. I'm getting up in years and I want to buy some new life insurance. It will cost more if I wait, but less if I wait to have one year of maintenance within a 10 lb range.

DamieBird

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

The insurance industry uses a weight change of 10% in the preceding 12 months as a suspicious circumstance. That is, they'll sell insurance, but it will cost more. I'm getting up in years and I want to buy some new life insurance. It will cost more if I wait, but less if I wait to have one year of maintenance within a 10 lb range.

Even if you went down, thereby making it less likely for one to need the insurance?

FattieBabs

10% weight loss for me over a 5 month period - hoping to do the same over the next 6 months...

girlgroves

I lost 56lbs - almost 30% of my total body weight. Whilst I didn't track it at the time I was losing, I did calculate it at certain points and when I reached my goal weight. And yes - it felt substantial! But it's all relative - losing just 3% more of my bodyweight now (3-4lbs) would feel equally substantial, but wouldn't bring as many hugely significant health related benefits as the first 10% did - which, funnily enough, did not at the time feel that substantial. Don't worry about whether your weight loss is substantial or not - concentrate instead on the fact that you're losing weight and improving your health and life expectancy - that's substantial!

pacingoamy

When people press about my loss, I prefer to tell them in percentages. The actual amount is a bit embarrassing and I feel they get a little more 'judgy' about it. But, when I tell them that I have lost 'about 15% of my body', they put it in context to where they are and it's a higher level of comfort for me.