FitDiaryWeight loss percentage calculator
Enter your starting and current weight to see what percentage of your body weight you’ve lost, and how close you are to your goal.
Your weights
Add it to see how far along you are.
Your result
Enter your starting and current weight to see your weight loss percentage.
How to work out your weight loss percentage
Subtract your current weight from your starting weight, divide by your starting weight and multiply by 100. Going from 80 kg to 76 kg is 4 ÷ 80 × 100 = 5%. It works the same in pounds: 200 lb down to 190 lb is also 5%, because the units cancel out.
A percentage makes progress easy to compare. Losing 5 kg is a bigger share of your body weight at 70 kg than at 120 kg, and the percentage shows that in a way the raw number doesn’t.
The weight loss percentage formula
Weight loss % = (starting weight − current weight) ÷ starting weight × 100Progress to goal % = (starting weight − current weight) ÷ (starting weight − goal weight) × 100
- The calculator shows the percentage to one decimal place.
- If your current weight is above your starting weight, the same formula gives a negative number, so it shows the percentage you’ve gained instead.
- The 5% and 10% marks are your starting weight × 0.95 and × 0.90.
The percentage tells you where you are. To work out how much to eat from here, use the TDEE calculator with your current weight.
Why 5% and 10% matter
You don’t need to reach a “perfect” weight to see a difference. The CDC says even modest weight loss, such as 5% of your body weight, can help improve your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. For someone who weighs 200 lb, 5% is 10 lb.
The US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says losing 5% of your body weight over 6 months may be a good first goal.
In the Look AHEAD study of 5,145 adults with type 2 diabetes, those who lost 5 to under 10% of their weight in a year were more likely to see better blood sugar, blood pressure and blood fats than those whose weight stayed the same. Those who lost 10 to 15% did better still.
Weight loss percentage chart
For common starting weights, this table shows what 5% and 10% of your body weight is and the weight you’d reach.
| Starting weight | 5% lost | 10% lost |
|---|---|---|
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 3 kg, down to 57 kg | 6 kg, down to 54 kg |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 3.5 kg, down to 66.5 kg | 7 kg, down to 63 kg |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 4 kg, down to 76 kg | 8 kg, down to 72 kg |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 4.5 kg, down to 85.5 kg | 9 kg, down to 81 kg |
| 100 kg (220 lb) | 5 kg, down to 95 kg | 10 kg, down to 90 kg |
| 120 kg (265 lb) | 6 kg, down to 114 kg | 12 kg, down to 108 kg |
| 150 lb (68 kg) | 7.5 lb, down to 142.5 lb | 15 lb, down to 135 lb |
| 200 lb (90.7 kg) | 10 lb, down to 190 lb | 20 lb, down to 180 lb |
| 250 lb (113.4 kg) | 12.5 lb, down to 237.5 lb | 25 lb, down to 225 lb |
| 300 lb (136.1 kg) | 15 lb, down to 285 lb | 30 lb, down to 270 lb |
Worked example
Say you started at 90 kg, weigh 84 kg now and your goal is 78 kg:
- Weight lost = 90 − 84 = 6 kg.
- Weight loss percentage = 6 ÷ 90 × 100 = 6.7%.
- You passed the 5% mark at 85.5 kg. The 10% mark is at 81 kg, 3 kg away.
- Progress to goal = 6 ÷ (90 − 78) × 100 = 50%, so you’re halfway there.
In pounds: from 200 lb to 186 lb is 14 ÷ 200 × 100 = 7%. With a goal of 170 lb, that’s 14 ÷ 30 × 100 = 46.7% of the way.
Tracking your progress
Your weight moves up and down from day to day with water and food in your gut. For a fair picture, weigh yourself at the same time of day, for example in the morning before breakfast, and look at the trend over a few weeks.
If your percentage has stalled for a few weeks, your calorie needs may have dropped as your weight went down. Recalculate with the calorie deficit calculator using your current weight.
Losing weight you didn’t mean to lose, especially quickly, is worth checking with a doctor. This calculator is for adults; for children, talk to their doctor.
See your weight trend week by week
Log your weigh-ins in FitDiary and see how your weight changes over time. Type what you ate in a sentence to log it, and your daily calorie target updates as your weight changes.
See how the FitDiary calorie counter works.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate weight loss as a percentage?
Take the weight you’ve lost, divide it by your starting weight and multiply by 100. If you started at 80 kg and weigh 76 kg now, you’ve lost 4 kg, and 4 ÷ 80 × 100 = 5%.
How much is 5% of my body weight?
Multiply your weight by 0.05. At 80 kg that’s 4 kg; at 200 lb it’s 10 lb. The chart above lists 5% and 10% for common starting weights.
What percentage of weight loss is significant?
The CDC and NIDDK both point to 5% as a useful first milestone. The CDC says even modest weight loss, such as 5%, can help improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar, and the NIDDK says 5% over 6 months may be a good first goal.
Why use a percentage instead of kilos or pounds?
A percentage takes your size into account. Losing 5 kg is about 7% of your weight at 70 kg but only about 4% at 120 kg, so the percentage gives a fairer picture of progress.
How do I work out weight gain as a percentage?
Use the same formula the other way round: subtract your starting weight from your current weight, divide by your starting weight and multiply by 100. Going from 60 kg to 63 kg is a 5% gain.
How long does it take to lose 5% of your body weight?
At 0.5 kg (1.1 lb) a week, someone who weighs 80 kg loses 5% (4 kg) in about 8 weeks. The NIDDK says 5% over 6 months may be a good first goal, so a slower pace is fine too.
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