What Have You Lost?
May 18, 2016On the message boards and in social media, WLS'ers sometimes get frustrated that they have "only lost (some number) of pounds." From years of yo-yo dieting, sometimes the numbers of pounds we've dropped have lost their meaning. That is until this list from ObesityHelp member Bette B puts the number of pounds lost into perspective. Bette's list takes the pounds out of weight lost and made them into items that are equivalent to those numbers of pounds gone from your body.
What Have You Lost?
If you've lost 50 pounds, you are no longer carrying the equivalent of a small bale of hay around with you 24/7. Or, you've lost 75 pounds? Congratulations - you've lost an Irish Setter dog and a Chihuahua from your body.
| NUMBER OF POUNDS LOST | WEIGHT EQUIVALENT |
|---|---|
| 1 pound | a Guinea Pig |
| 1.5 pounds | a dozen Krispy Kreme glazed donuts |
| 2 pounds | a rack of baby back ribs |
| 3 pounds | an average human brain |
| 4 pounds | an ostrich egg |
| 5 pounds | a Chihuahua |
| 6 pounds | a human’s skin |
| 7.5 pounds | an average newborn |
| 8 pounds | a human head |
| 10 pounds | amount of chemical additives an American consumes each year |
| 11 pounds | an average housecat |
| 12 pounds | a Bald Eagle |
| 15 pounds | 10 dozen large eggs |
| 16 pounds | a sperm whale’s brain |
| 20 pounds | an automobile tire |
| 23 pounds | amount of pizza an average American eats in a year |
| 24 pounds | a 3-gallon tub of super premium ice cream |
| 25 pounds | an average 2 year old |
| 30 pounds | amount of cheese an average American eats in a year |
| 33 pounds | a cinder block |
| 36 pounds | a mid-size microwave |
| 40 pounds | a 5-gallon bottle of water or an average human leg |
| 44 pounds | an elephant’s heart |
| 50 pounds | a small bale of hay |
| 55 pounds | a 5000 BTU air conditioner |
| 60 pounds | an elephant’s penis (yep, weights more than his heart!) |
| 66 pounds | amount of fats and oils an average American eats in a year |
| 70 pounds | an Irish Setter |
| 77 pounds | a gold brick |
| 80 pounds | the World’s Largest Ball of Tape |
| 90 pounds | a newborn calf |
| 100 pounds | a 2 month old horse |
| 111 pounds | amount of red meat an average American eats in a year |
| 117 pounds | an average fashion model |
| 118 pounds | the complete set of Encyclopedia Britannica |
| 120 pounds | amount of trash you throw away in a month |
| 130 pounds | a newborn giraffe |
| 138 pounds | amount of potatoes an average American eats in a year |
| 140 pounds | amount of refined sugar an average American eats in a year |
| 144 pounds | an average adult woman (and she’s 5’4”) |
| 150 pounds | the complete Oxford English Dictionary |
| 187 pounds | an average adult man |
| 200 pounds | 2 Bloodhounds |
| 235 pounds | Arnold Schwarzenegger |
| 300 pounds | an average football lineman |
| 400 pounds | a Welsh pony |
The next time you tell someone how much weight you've lost, let them know the pounds equivalent. Rather than say you've lost (for example), 90 pounds, you can say that you've lost a newborn calf! If you get frustrated with a slow weight loss or plateau, remember what you used to carry around on your body that you no longer do!
Copyright 2005, Bette B. May not be reproduced with permission from the author. Please do not repost without proper acknowledgment.
