Body Visualizer › Before and after
Losing 40 pounds: what 200 to 160 lb looks like on a woman
A 5′5″ woman at 200 lb and at 160 lb, side by side. That is 20.0% of body weight, and it takes BMI from 33.3 (obese) to 26.6 (overweight). Change the height, body type or model below to see the same change on someone more like you.
Each body turns once. Tap a body to pause it, tap again to resume, and tap when it stops to see all angles again.
What changes between 200 and 160 pounds
From 200 to 160 lb a 5′5″ woman goes from obese to just overweight. The round middle shrinks to a soft belly, the arms and thighs lose their heaviness, and the face and neck change most noticeably of all.
At 200 lb a 5′5″ woman usually has a noticeably round belly that sits over the waistband, a thick waist and heavy arms and thighs. At 160 lb that becomes slightly heavier: a soft belly and softer arms. 160 lb is still above the healthy range for this height, which tops out at about 150 lb, so for many people this is a first milestone rather than the finish line.
Here is the same change in 10 lb steps. The models move in steps of about 10 lb, so one step can look small; it is the run of them that adds up.
How long losing 40 pounds takes
A common rule of thumb is that eating about 500 calories a day less than you burn loses roughly a pound a week, and a pace of 1 to 2 pounds a week is what most guidance treats as sustainable. At that pace 40 lb takes about 20 to 40 weeks, roughly 5 to 10 months. Real progress is rarely a straight line: the first weeks often move faster (partly water), and plateaus are normal.
200 to 160 lb at other heights
The same 40 pounds means something different on a shorter or taller woman.
| Height | Before | After | Healthy range |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4′11″ | BMI 40.4, severely obese | BMI 32.3, obese | 92–123 lb |
| 5′1″ | BMI 37.8, very obese | BMI 30.2, obese | 98–132 lb |
| 5′3″ | BMI 35.4, very obese | BMI 28.3, overweight | 104–141 lb |
| 5′5″ | BMI 33.3, obese | BMI 26.6, overweight | 111–150 lb |
| 5′7″ | BMI 31.3, obese | BMI 25.1, overweight | 118–159 lb |
| 5′9″ | BMI 29.5, overweight | BMI 23.6, a healthy weight | 125–169 lb |
| 5′11″ | BMI 27.9, overweight | BMI 22.3, a healthy weight | 133–179 lb |
See what 200 pounds looks like on a woman and what 160 pounds looks like.
Halfway to the healthy range
160 lb is still about 10 lb above the healthy range at this height, but most of the health benefit of this change has already happened by then: blood pressure, blood sugar and joint pain usually improve well before the healthy range is reached. Treat 160 as a real finish line if you are happy there.
Similar before and afters
Where to start
- Healthy weight loss tipsWhat actually works, without crash diets.
- A calorie counting guideFind your number and track it simply.
- A 30-day walking routineThe easiest habit to begin today.
- Meal prep ideasCook once, eat well all week.
About these pictures
The before and after bodies are the original pre-rendered 3D models, which turn once so you can see every angle. The same steps are also shown as AI-generated front views of a second woman and of a man; pick them under Model above.
Sources: BMI categories from the CDC; waist guidance from the NIH (NHLBI); pace of loss from the CDC. How these pages are made.
These pictures are a visualization from a small set of pre-made body models, not a prediction for you, and BMI is only a rough screening number. Before starting a weight loss plan, especially a large one, talk to your doctor.