Calculating weight loss

cindy4mica · January 2012

I have two "Biggest Loser" competitions going on right now - one at work, and one with my neighborhood friends. Obviously tracking/choosing a winner can't be based on total number of pounds lost. Can anyone tell me the formula the actual "Biggest Loser" show uses to determine who the winner is? I know it's percentage of body weight lost, but how do you get that figure? Thanks!

Jenn1254 · January 2012

Here comes some math that uses those pesky letters but I promise it's an easy equation. Here goes.

Your basic equation is going to be L/B = X/100

L is the pounds you lost, B is your beginning weight, and X is your percentage lost.

Say you start out at 200 pounds and you have lost 25 pounds. Plug everything in and solve for X.

25/200 = X/100
200X = 2500 after cross multiplying
Then divide 2500 by 200 to get the value of X which is 12.5.
Throw a percentage sign on there and you have lost 12.5% of your body weight.

Hope that was easy enough to follow.

cindy4mica · January 2012

HELL no, but I'm sure someone in my group can figure it out. LOL. Thank you:happy:

Jenn1254 · January 2012

Here's an easier way that I didn't think of last night. Divide the amount you lost by your beginning weight then add two decimal places and you have your percentage.

Using the same values as the last example, it would look like this:

25/200=0.125=12.5%

SavCal71 · January 2012

Starting Weight - ending weight = pounds lost
pounds lost / starting weight = percentage of weight lost

cindy4mica · January 2012

GOT IT! Thank you:)

Another question - is this a fair way to "play" the game? I mean, does everyone have the same advantage no matter what his/her starting weight is and how much they lose?

2Bgoddess · January 2012

It's as fair as it can get, i think that a very heavy person may have a slight advantage over someone very close to their goal weight.

cindy4mica · January 2012

Thanks!

Calculating weight loss

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