Ideal weight for me when I'm 5'4

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  • 143tobe
    143tobe Posts: 620 Member
    edited June 2016
    OP, I'm 5'4", started at 218, and am currently 162. At this point of your journey, I would just disregard your bodyfat % and go according to your BMI. It's just an easier to track your progress than trying to evaluate your bodyfat %. My max weight according to BMI should be 145. My personal goal I set at the beginning of my weight loss journey was 143 because I knew it was healthy and reachable. When I meet that goal I will set my next goal. I know from personal experience that I would look much better, and feel more fit if I lost a bit more than that. The lowest I have ever been in my life was 137 in my early 20's. I was really athletic at the time and although I wasn't a body builder, I almost looked like one (an off-season one). I would love to get back there, muscles and all. I know it isn't necessary in order to lose poundage, but if you find a sport you love, and really train for it, it will push you to make yourself stronger. When you get stronger, you get leaner and your bodyfat % will have no choice but to come down. Good luck!! :smiley:
  • Monsterdog1114
    Monsterdog1114 Posts: 32 Member
    OP, what is your frame size? Small, medium or large? Are you muscular? These are all factors that might help you 'take a guess'. No matter where you guess, you can always change it later once you get there.

    For example, I am large framed (even X-large), and muscular and (very top heavy)... My goal is 145-150 at 5'3". I have been as low as 140 and I was skin and bones and didn't look healthy.

    I barely fit the top range of my height (according to charts), but my Dr agrees, it is not always the best factor...



  • biggsterjackster
    biggsterjackster Posts: 419 Member
    edited June 2016
    I am 5'4" and started my weight loss journey at 153 lbs and 33 % BF (via fitbit scale). Now I weigh 136 lbs. Looks like I have no visible fat anymore and my scale says 29.5 %. But Fat scales are supposedly not reliable, so it might not even be correct.
  • kooshky
    kooshky Posts: 77 Member
    If you get down to 150, or whatever weight, are able to do everything you enjoy, and like the way you look, that's what matters. There are SO many other factors to your health than these numbers.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Healthy weight range for those of us who are 5'4" is 108- 145 lbs. You may feel and look your best at the top of that range or at the lower end depending on how you are built. I feel I am better at the middle to top of the range. I would not think 150 would be your ideal weight or have you at an ideal body fat percentage unless you are very muscular. Evaluate as you go.
    How much body fat percentage you have at a weight is going to differ from person to person. Two people can weigh the same but have different body fat percentage. How much you find ideal for you depends on your goals. 21%-31% is probably acceptable body fat percentage to most women.
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/your-body-fat-percentage-how-its-measured-and-why-its-useful.html
    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
  • peleroja
    peleroja Posts: 3,979 Member
    Don't worry about the BF% thing at this point - even if it WAS accurately measured (DEXA scan or similar), you will lose some lean mass as you lose weight no matter how careful you are. And if it was measured any other way, it's unlikely to be accurate anyway.

    Unless you are a bodybuilder, you're probably not going to be at an ideal bodyfat above the top of your healthy BMI range. Women are very unlikely (unless they are trying - busting their butts in the gym, training for competition, etc) to have a BMI above 25 and low body fat. Example:

    2k2pt5lwidsd.jpeg

    That said, people are built differently and that is why there is an ideal range, to account for frame size and musculature etc. I'm 5'4" but have narrow shoulders/ribcage/etc. and don't do a great deal of strength training (I run) so I stay on the low end of the range, around 118lb with a bodyfat of 20%ish. At 140 I look visibly overweight still and I know I'm overfat at that point. Women with larger frames and larger muscles look more slender than me at 130 or even 140 though if they're very fit.

    Finally, you don't have to decide now what you want. When you hit 150, look at yourself and decide if you're happy. If you are, fine. If not, lose more and see what you think at 140, etc. It's often really difficult for people to imagine or predict how they're going to look at a certain weight before they get there.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I am 5'8" and according to the charts I would still be very overweight at 150 and that's with a good 4 inches on you.

    According to the official BMI chart, at 5'8" and 150 pounds you are in Healthy Weight:

    bmi-weight.gif
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    synacious wrote: »
    Where did you get your body fat measured? If you got that number from a scale I wouldn't trust it, as they are very unreliable and easily change BF% readouts based on a number of factors including hydration levels. 150 pounds at 5'4" is still in the overweight range by a few pounds. Everyone is different, but there is absolutely no reason you cannot go below 150 pounds. Instead of thinking about the long term, try reassessing your goals every 10 pounds. When you are happy with your weight loss, you stop.

    Well said.

  • Mouse_Potato
    Mouse_Potato Posts: 1,510 Member
    peleroja wrote: »

    That said, people are built differently and that is why there is an ideal range, to account for frame size and musculature etc. I'm 5'4" but have narrow shoulders/ribcage/etc. and don't do a great deal of strength training (I run) so I stay on the low end of the range, around 118lb with a bodyfat of 20%ish. At 140 I look visibly overweight still and I know I'm overfat at that point. Women with larger frames and larger muscles look more slender than me at 130 or even 140 though if they're very fit.

    Finally, you don't have to decide now what you want. When you hit 150, look at yourself and decide if you're happy. If you are, fine. If not, lose more and see what you think at 140, etc. It's often really difficult for people to imagine or predict how they're going to look at a certain weight before they get there.

    Agreed. I'm just under 5'4" and 122 pounds. I lift, so I have a good bit of muscle, but I have a very small frame with narrow hips and ribcage so I am visibly overweight if I get over about 130. I suspect my ideal weight will be around 115. I was at 118 last summer and still had a bit of spare tire.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I am 5'8" and according to the charts I would still be very overweight at 150 and that's with a good 4 inches on you.

    According to the official BMI chart, at 5'8" and 150 pounds you are in Healthy Weight:

    bmi-weight.gif

    That is an odd looking chart at the tall end. It's OK to be 120lb if you are 6' but too skinny if you are 5'10"?

    OP I do think that it is correct for 5'4" though. 110lb to 140lb.
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    edited June 2016
    ...
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    I revoke my snarky comment.... misread.

    If your stats are correct, you have 123 lbs of lean body mass. If you lose weight, you will lost LBM. So it's not like when you get to 150 you'll be 19% body fat with 123 lbs of LBM (unless you know some trick I don't). You'll probably have a lower LBM and so to hit 19% bf, you will have to be lower than 150.
  • AnthonyX150X
    AnthonyX150X Posts: 293 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I am 5'8" and according to the charts I would still be very overweight at 150 and that's with a good 4 inches on you.

    According to the official BMI chart, at 5'8" and 150 pounds you are in Healthy Weight:

    bmi-weight.gif

    Are you sure this is an official chart? 120 lbs is considered healthy for someone who is 6'0" and 6'1" despite having a BMI of 16?

  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
    edited June 2016
    So, I am unsure if this was written or not -- but OP, as you lose weight, you will lose both fat and lean body mass. You can go under 150, it's definitely physically possible. Whether or not you should, you just have to wait and see.

    A lot of people, myself included, take the approach of trying to minimize LMB loss while losing weight by eating adequate protein (.5-1g of protein per pound of LMB) and doing strength and resistance training. It doesn't prevent loss, though.

    My suggestion is to set a couple goals for yourself. First weight loss goals in increments of 20 pounds until you get to 150 pounds, celebrate those achievements as they come - then set an initial BF% target to be at when you reach 150 -- let's say 30-32%. Measure yourself throughout this process and take lots of pictures.

    Once you get to 150, reevaluate your goals.
  • lyssalady05
    lyssalady05 Posts: 2 Member
    Personal trainer did a scan and then did a caliper and my scale at home....all three are within 1% of each other so I think it's accurate enough. I also don't look like I need to lose more than about 40 lbs. my frame is medium I'd say but I am very top heavy. My chest is very large. I think I'll listen to what everyone is saying though and start with the goal of 150 and go from there

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