For healthy weight loss, you should strive for about a one to two pound loss per week. This is considered realistic and healthy, and will get you on your way to achieving the healthy weight that's best for you. In terms of body weight, I believe a thin body is not necessarily best for everyone. The focus should be on good overall heath, not a number on the scale. One size does not fit all.
Healthy bodies can come in many shapes and sizes.
That leads right into our next question. I'm self-conscious about my gut. No matter what I do I can't get rid of it. The rest of my body is fine. You can look for some guidelines such as body mass index, body weight, healthy blood profiles for fat and cholesterol.