Tall Women: How did you choose your maintenance weight.

IsabeausRose

I'm 5'11 and I've been losing weight since last February. My doctor wants me no lower than 160 pounds which is 14 pounds less than what I am right now. I've never been happy at that weight. I feel the best at 150. For you tall women like me, how did you decide on what weight to maintain? Did you go by your doctor's advice or what felt the best? I'm just wondering if I set an unrealistic goal for myself in the beginning. I'm also in my 40s so I don't know if that means I should weigh more than when I was in my 20s and the doctor is factoring that in as part of it. I'm just looking for people who are at a healthy weight like I will be.

elizabethhilbert

I'm 5'8". I chose 138-140 as I feel good here and don't feel it's too low to reasonably maintain.

KetoZombies

I am 5'11 and I plan to maintain right around 155

birgitkwood

I'm 6ft with a heavy bone structure. Also, I'm 62. Initially my goal was 195 cuz I'd been that weight before and felt good there. Reached goal, then unintentionally blew right past it. I've now been maintaining fairly easily for the past 3 mos at 182-187. I like where I'm at, feel great, look good, and don't have to kill myself to stay there. Also, my doctor declared that I'm "perfect."

rainbow198

I'm 5'11 with a medium frame and I chose to focus on my body composition (reaching a measurement range and a goal dress size).

I was chubby/heavy most of my life so I had no idea what I would have weighted at a particular weight.

Once I got to a point where I was happy with my body I switched to maintenance. Not focusing on the scale really worked well for me.

glassofroses

I'm 5'11.5 with a small frame and I weigh 140lbs on a good day. I was happy at 145 but I had an emergency appendectomy at the end of June and I'm still trying to gain back those 5lbs. You'll know what's right for you because I look in the mirror and I can see my ribs if I breathe too deeply so I know I want to weigh more. Also, no doctor has expressed concern about my weight loss (I've been to three) post surgery, so this is all my personal preference.

Legs_McGee23

I'm 5'10 1/2. My goal weight is 136 because that's where I was 4 years ago and I like how I looked.

cmriverside

Unless your doctor has some reason for saying 160, I wouldn't listen. Like, do you have some underlying medical issues? If you have some illness that could flare up, it's good to have a little buffer of fat in case of an acute period of medical issues. Do you have a history of eating disorders? Are you trying to get pregnant? Probably none of my business...

Other than that, 150 is a good weight. Dunno why the doc thinks otherwise. There is some literature about a little extra fat being good for hormones during menopause..but I don't know anything more than that...

150 = 20.9 BMI
160 = 22.3

MossiO

I'm 5'8" and shooting for 170 to start, because I'm a size 12 at that weight and feel fairly good. I may try to go a little lower afterwards, as that's still just outside normal BMI. But I'm also 47 and want to make sure I get a handle on maintaining at 170 for a bit before I go lower.

Hamsibian

I am 5'11", and I have been all over the place with weight due to health issues. I know that I look my best at about ~140ish pounds, so that's what I am shooting for.

__TMac__

I'm 5'10" and started at 248. I have three goals. I want to get to whichever weight attained all three.

* Reach an "acceptable" body fat percentage: <30. Got there at 185.

* Reach a healthy waist/height ratio (1/2): 35". Got there at 183.

* Reach the top of the healthy BMI range: 24.9. Still have 11 lbs to go.

Then I added a buffer to make up my maintenance range, so my final goal is 165-170.

kristen8000

I'm 5'11 and feel best between 148 & 152. I'm 38 years old. So, not too much younger than you OP.

I'm not sure why your doctor is so insistant that you don't get below 160 (At 160 I feel "fluffy"). 150 is a very healthy, reasonable weight for someone our height.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

Get down to 160 and see how you feel. You might like it. There's no reason to second guess at this point.

_piaffe

5'11 and maintaining 155 after recomp. I fit into clothes that had fit me at my GW of 145, but am much stronger and happier with my results.

Psychologically, however... a part of me still wants to be 145.

The scale number I'm at (155) doesn't really reflect what's going on. I eat a ton, I'm super fit. Yet... not 145.

I guess the point is, choosing your number depends on goals. I have big fitness and some physique goals driving me. I've had to relax on the scale #.

macchiatto

I guess I'm on the short end of tall. (I often feel tall since my husband is only 2cm taller than me and most of my friends are petite!) I'm 171cm and I'm happiest with a BMI in the 20-21 range. It looks like 150 would put your BMI at 20.9 so I don't see anything wrong with that unless your dr has a specific reason. (Granted, I have a smallish bone structure and not a lot of muscle; I know there are people my height who are leaner than me at higher weights!)

IsabeausRose

Well I went to another doctor and she thought there was something wrong with my original doctor's opinion. She said my goal weight was just as healthy as his and it's about not looking to thin, bony, and sickly. She said I should be able to see my hip bones but not extremely sticking out. She said his opinion would have been valid if I had had a history of an eating disorder but I don't.

_BlahBlah_BlackSheep_

I'm 5' 9.5" with a borderline large frame. I typically feel and look my best around 130 (I'm 44, if that matters).

nxd10

I'm 5'10", curvy, and 58. I weighed 150-155 when I graduated from college and went down to that after both my children were born. I look very good at that goal weight and I used to get grumpy when I was thinner than that, so that's what I chose. It's easy for me to maintain there - my body seems to like it.

I actually went down lower than that (142) the first year of maintenance but am back in the 150-155 range again 5 years out. I feel fine here but would be happy to be a bit thinner. That would take seriously more exercise - just eating is not going to do it for me.

Orphia

_piaffe wrote: »

5'11 and maintaining 155 after recomp. I fit into clothes that had fit me at my GW of 145, but am much stronger and happier with my results.

Psychologically, however... a part of me still wants to be 145.

The scale number I'm at (155) doesn't really reflect what's going on. I eat a ton, I'm super fit. Yet... not 145.

I guess the point is, choosing your number depends on goals. I have big fitness and some physique goals driving me. I've had to relax on the scale #.

I needed to hear that!

I'm 176 cm (5 ft 9 and a half). I've gained about 1 kg since January and am now 64 kg, 141 lbs.

I've just run my first marathon (42.2 km / 26.2 miles) without stopping at the age of 50. I run several times a week, do an average of 18,000 steps a day, and swim and do Body Balance most weeks. Feeling awesome, but the scale number that's crept up 1 kg since January has been doing my head in! Stupid brain needs to shape up!!

tomteboda

IsabeausRose wrote: »

Well I went to another doctor and she thought there was something wrong with my original doctor's opinion. She said my goal weight was just as healthy as his and it's about not looking to thin, bony, and sickly. She said I should be able to see my hip bones but not extremely sticking out. She said his opinion would have been valid if I had had a history of an eating disorder but I don't.

In your doctor's defense, the bmi he recommended is considered optimal for women over 40 because the relationship of bmi with morbidity and mortality is a J-shaped curve that goes up dramatically at low weights and high weights. Statistics show that your best shot at longevity is about 22-23 BMI. So the doctor was probably considering that. You also haven't mentioned your frame size.