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What does 220 pounds look like on a woman?

At 5′5″, a typical height for women, 220 lb is a BMI of 36.6, which counts as very obese. On a body like the one below that usually means a large round belly, a very thick waist and heavy arms, thighs and face. The top of the healthy range at this height is about 150 lb, 70 lb lighter.

Front view of a 5′5″ woman at 220 pounds — 220 lb at 5′5″

At 220 lb a 5′5″ woman has a large, round belly, a thick waist, heavy arms and thighs and a fuller face and neck. BMI puts this in the very obese range, and day to day it often shows up as stiffness, getting out of breath on stairs and clothes that fit tightly through the middle.

Try it with your own height and goal

What losing weight from 220 lb looks like

The same 5′5″ woman at 220 lb and after losing 10, 20 and 40 pounds. The models change in steps of about 10 lb, so the first step can look small; the difference adds up quickly after that.

A 5′5″ woman at 220 pounds — Now: 220 lb
BMI 36.6

A 5′5″ woman at 210 pounds — −10 lb: 210 lb
BMI 34.9

A 5′5″ woman at 200 pounds — −20 lb: 200 lb
BMI 33.3

A 5′5″ woman at 180 pounds — −40 lb: 180 lb
BMI 30.0

220 pounds at other heights

The same weight reads very differently depending on height. Here is 220 lb on women from 4′11″ to 5′11″.

Height	BMI	Category	Healthy range
4′11″	44.4	severely obese	92–123 lb
5′1″	41.6	severely obese	98–132 lb
5′3″	39.0	very obese	104–141 lb
5′5″	36.6	very obese	111–150 lb
5′7″	34.5	obese	118–159 lb
5′9″	32.5	obese	125–169 lb
5′11″	30.7	obese	133–179 lb

Start with movement you can repeat

At this weight, walking is usually the safest place to start because it is easy on the joints and easy to build on: ten minutes after meals is a good beginning. Most of the loss will come from eating, so pairing a daily walk with a modest calorie cut works better than intense exercise that is hard to keep up.

Before and after from 220 lb

Losing 40 pounds: 220 to 180 lb · Losing 20 pounds: 220 to 200 lb

Similar

All weights for a woman

Where to start

Healthy weight loss tips that work without crash diets
A simple calorie counting guide
A 30-day walking routine to start moving
Meal prep ideas for eating well all week

About these pictures

The first picture is the original 3D body model at this weight. The second is a front view generated by AI from that model's matching step, so the body size follows the original, using this description:

Body size: a woman about 5′5″ tall weighing about 220 lb (BMI about 37), very obese: a large round belly, very thick waist, heavy arms, thighs and face. Apple (round) body shape: extra weight sits mostly on the belly and waist.

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 picture of you, and BMI is only a rough screening number: it does not measure body fat, muscle or health. For advice about your own weight, talk to your doctor.