Realistic to Set Goal Weight Lower Than Teen Weight?

lacandona

SW: 222#
CW: 182#
5'5" tall and mid-30s

I started with a goal weight of 175# since I spent my 20s at that weight and had a great time, biking, running, playing capoeira and feeling good. Now I'm rethinking, since this 40# I've lost has made me realize I was uncomfortable (even in the 220# range I was biking and hiking frequently, so I didn't particularly feel like it was impeding in my life, until it was gone and I felt how much easier it was to hike and bike without it).

The caveat is that I gained a lot of weight by the time I was 15. I got up to 210#, decided to lose, and eventually my lowest weight was 155# when I was 16. I stayed there for a very short time and then maintained at 165# through high school.

I am not interested in going to extreme measures to fit into a platonic ideal. I'm concerned that it's not realistic for me to try to get to the "normal BMI" of 150 if I couldn't maintain 155 in high school, even with weightlifting and being careful about food. That was 20 years ago.

I was diagnosed with a metabolic issue a few years ago and learned that I have a hard time absorbing certain vitamins, and I'm taking proper supplements for my condition now and generally feeling less hungry so maybe that would help?

I'm really interested in hearing from people who were able to go below their high school weight and maintain. Is this even possible?

psuLemon

lacandona wrote: »

SW: 222#
CW: 182#
5'5" tall and mid-30s

I started with a goal weight of 175# since I spent my 20s at that weight and had a great time, biking, running, playing capoeira and feeling good. Now I'm rethinking, since this 40# I've lost has made me realize I was uncomfortable (even in the 220# range I was biking and hiking frequently, so I didn't particularly feel like it was impeding in my life, until it was gone and I felt how much easier it was to hike and bike without it).

The caveat is that I gained a lot of weight by the time I was 15. I got up to 210#, decided to lose, and eventually my lowest weight was 155# when I was 16. I stayed there for a very short time and then maintained at 165# through high school.

I am not interested in going to extreme measures to fit into a platonic ideal. I'm concerned that it's not realistic for me to try to get to the "normal BMI" of 150 if I couldn't maintain 155 in high school, even with weightlifting and being careful about food. That was 20 years ago.

I was diagnosed with a metabolic issue a few years ago and learned that I have a hard time absorbing certain vitamins, and I'm taking proper supplements for my condition now and generally feeling less hungry so maybe that would help?

I'm really interested in hearing from people who were able to go below their high school weight and maintain. Is this even possible?

I am at my lowest high school weight (started at 220 and now 175) and been there for a few years. I am also more defined than I was in high school due to improve body composition.


I would never give myself an excuse to why i can't achieve something. My current goal is a six pack. If you want to be lean and fit, you can get there.. just takes a lot of dedication.

Spook_Skywalker

I wrestled in high school between the weight of 189 & 215 pounds. I felt great and didn't feel "overweight" like the BMI stated. Long story short - I ballooned up to 330+ pounds after HS and now I've got down to 180 pounds. I've been maintaining fine and I'm working on body recomp now. I'm about 13% BF and trying to get to 8-10% before trying to gain again. Ultimately I'd like to be 185 pounds at 10% BF.

I have not been diagnosed with any medical conditions, but I gain weight easily if I stray from a somewhat strict diet. As long as I track my calories and meet my macros I'm fine. At the end of the day, wherever you feel the most comfortable and healthy is what's right for you.

jdhcm2006

I'm just now moving into the maintenance zone, but I weigh about 15-20 pounds less than I did in HS. I'm at the lowest weight I've been at since I was a senior in college. As long as it is a healthy weight, I don't see it as an issue.

cwolfman13

Whether it's possible or not really depends...it would not be possible for me...at my heaviest my senior year I was 140 Lbs and pretty much stick thin...and that was like soaking wet. I went into the military and was put on double rations and put on 10 Lbs in 13 weeks and came out around 150.

I still don't think I could get that low simply because I've put on a lot more muscle mass over the last 25 years...so basically I'd have to torch a lot of muscle to get down there. As it is I'm about 187 and 16ish% BF...I think the lowest I could reasonably get down to in my case would be about 175 and that would have me pretty lean...maybe 170.

Personally, I wouldn't focus so much on some number...but rather focus on a level of leanness that you are comfortable with and a body composition you are comfortable with...if everything coincides then great...but the number is just a number.

As an aside, I have a very good friend who was basically obsessed about getting to her high school weight. It was rather sad because she was already pretty lean and had been a competitive athlete so she had a fair bit of muscle and just looked great and beach ready and all the things it seems that people would be looking for composition wise. She lost a little weight and looked pretty ok...you could tell she lost some muscle, but she had a fair bit so it was ok...but she just kept going and going and now she just looks like a skinny/gaunt teenager rather than a healthy athletic 37 year old woman...

Just sayin...the number is just a number...

NEOHgirl

I think it would be worth at least trying for a healthy BMI at 150 (I am 5'4.5", currently 175, goal weight of 148 for healthy BMI). You don't know if you don't try. Your body and activity are different now, so you shouldn't expect the same results as back then. That being said, if you get down to say, 160 or 165, feel great, and don't feel like losing more, go ahead & start maintenance.

daniip_la

If your teen weight wasn't unhealthy, I don't see why getting below it would be impossible. My teen weight was around 300lbs, so I'm already below it. Of course, yours wasn't near that so it's a different circumstance, but I think it's possible.

tomteboda

Why not reassess when you hit your goal, and if you think it's reasonable drop it another 5 or 10 .

janejellyroll

I weigh less now than I did in high school -- I am much more active now than I was then.

robininfl

It depends entirely on your history. If you were your adult height and chubby for most of the teen years, or were extremely athletic and heavier and now your lifestyle is lighter but still active, yes of course. Like my one daughter who was a college athlete, she was heavier and very lean, now if she wanted to scale back she could be lean and lighter and still be healthy.

For me, going back to my teenage weight would give me a bmi of 14 or so, so that would be a no.


I don't think you should set it as a *goal*, necessarily. Your bones may be heavier now, your frame may have widened some, maybe you will look and feel great at a weight higher than you expect. But neither do I think you should rule it out or set an arbitrary limit (other than not dropping lower than what's healthy, of course.)

T1DCarnivoreRunner

It all depends. The whole idea of going back to high school weight has never made since for me either. I'm trying to get to a goal weight based on body fat percent. I initially started gaining weight really quickly due to treatment of type 1 diabetes starting at age 9. Prior to that, I was technically considered underweight based on weight and height. Within a year of diagnosis, I had doubled my weight. Within a few years, I tripled my weight and had become so obese that I developed type 2 diabetes (in addition to type 1).

So by the time I reached high school, I was already obese. I've lost now to where I am about the same weight as when I was about 12 years old, though I have more muscle now and less fat. I have some fat to lose yet and some muscle to gain, but am well below my high school weight.

Lounmoun

My high school weight was underweight, wasn't healthy and is not something I want to reach.
I'm 5'4" and looking to reach 125-145 lbs. I was 179 lbs 2 years ago. I am about 8-10 lbs away from the top of my desired weight range and I feel pretty good. I think it is possible for me to reach and maintain somewhere at a healthy weight.

I would aim for 150 lbs and reevaluate as you get closer to that goal. It will take time to lose 30 lbs or so.
What you were able to do or not do 20 years ago is not the same as now. Perhaps at 16 you were losing faster and doing unsustainable things. At 30 maybe it is easier to control and plan your life than it was as a teenager. Don't presume you will fail because it was hard 20 years ago.

lacandona

Thanks... I'm really hoping to do better this time. I do have the diagnosis on my side, plus I do know more and I do my own grocery shopping. I am feeling good at my current weight (my profile picture was in the 190# range and now I have 27% or so body fat). So I'll keep going and see how I feel.

Cat3141

I would worry less about how old you were/are, and more about whether the weight goal is generally reasonable for you. Your goal is in the "healthy" range, so if you are able to meet and maintain it while eating a reasonable/healthy diet then great, if not, well then you know it's not reasonable for you right now.

I was well over 200 pounds in my teen years, I weigh 50+ pounds less now and am able to maintain that weight with reasonable/healthy eating habits.

Need2Exerc1se

lacandona wrote: »

Thanks... I'm really hoping to do better this time. I do have the diagnosis on my side, plus I do know more and I do my own grocery shopping. I am feeling good at my current weight (my profile picture was in the 190# range and now I have 27% or so body fat). So I'll keep going and see how I feel.

5'5" and 190 lbs and 27% BF seems unlikely. How are you measuring BF?

crzycatlady1

I'm 38 years old/female, 5ft, 6in and a mom of 3 kids-my maintenance bmi is between 21-22, which is a bit lower than what I was when I was 18 years old. I've been in maintenance for a few years now.

DebSozo

cwolfman13 wrote: »

...
Personally, I wouldn't focus so much on some number...but rather focus on a level of leanness that you are comfortable with and a body composition you are comfortable with...if everything coincides then great...but the number is just a number.

As an aside, I have a very good friend who was basically obsessed about getting to her high school weight. It was rather sad because she was already pretty lean and had been a competitive athlete so she had a fair bit of muscle and just looked great and beach ready and all the things it seems that people would be looking for composition wise. She lost a little weight and looked pretty ok...you could tell she lost some muscle, but she had a fair bit so it was ok...but she just kept going and going and now she just looks like a skinny/gaunt teenager rather than a healthy athletic 37 year old woman...

Just sayin...the number is just a number...

Thank you! Why anyone would like to look like a "skinny teenager" (male or female) escapes me. At some point we grow up to be men and women. --might as well embrace it. I was in a fitting room listening to a couple of teenagers complain. One of them was bemoaning that she was no longer a size 0 and was now size 2.

lacandona

MeganMoroz89 wrote: »

When I was in high school I weighed about 135 and for the past few years I've been about ten pounds lower than that. About 125 lbs works for me (I'm 5'3''). I don't think there's anything wrong with maintaining below what you weighed in high school so long as when you were in high school you weren't underweight.

crzycatlady1 wrote: »

I'm 38 years old/female, 5ft, 6in and a mom of 3 kids-my maintenance bmi is between 21-22, which is a bit lower than what I was when I was 18 years old. I've been in maintenance for a few years now.

Thanks, these are the stories I was hoping to hear!

lacandona

The point about the high school weight was that I was unable to maintain a BMI within the "healthy" range, even with a lot of intention and care, when I was 16. I question my ability to do it 20 years later.

DebSozo wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

...
Personally, I wouldn't focus so much on some number...but rather focus on a level of leanness that you are comfortable with and a body composition you are comfortable with...if everything coincides then great...but the number is just a number.

As an aside, I have a very good friend who was basically obsessed about getting to her high school weight. It was rather sad because she was already pretty lean and had been a competitive athlete so she had a fair bit of muscle and just looked great and beach ready and all the things it seems that people would be looking for composition wise. She lost a little weight and looked pretty ok...you could tell she lost some muscle, but she had a fair bit so it was ok...but she just kept going and going and now she just looks like a skinny/gaunt teenager rather than a healthy athletic 37 year old woman...

Just sayin...the number is just a number...

Thank you! Why anyone would like to look like a "skinny teenager" (male or female) escapes me. At some point we grow up to be men and women. --might as well embrace it. I was in a fitting room listening to a couple of teenagers complain. One of them was bemoaning that she was no longer a size 0 and was now size 2.

DebSozo

lacandona wrote: »

The point about the high school weight was that I was unable to maintain a BMI within the "healthy" range, even with a lot of intention and care, when I was 16. I question my ability to do it 20 years later.

DebSozo wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

...
Personally, I wouldn't focus so much on some number...but rather focus on a level of leanness that you are comfortable with and a body composition you are comfortable with...if everything coincides then great...but the number is just a number.

As an aside, I have a very good friend who was basically obsessed about getting to her high school weight. It was rather sad because she was already pretty lean and had been a competitive athlete so she had a fair bit of muscle and just looked great and beach ready and all the things it seems that people would be looking for composition wise. She lost a little weight and looked pretty ok...you could tell she lost some muscle, but she had a fair bit so it was ok...but she just kept going and going and now she just looks like a skinny/gaunt teenager rather than a healthy athletic 37 year old woman...

Just sayin...the number is just a number...

Thank you! Why anyone would like to look like a "skinny teenager" (male or female) escapes me. At some point we grow up to be men and women. --might as well embrace it. I was in a fitting room listening to a couple of teenagers complain. One of them was bemoaning that she was no longer a size 0 and was now size 2.

Right. Sorry I was responding to another poster not yours. You were not an underweight teenager.

psuLemon

lacandona wrote: »

The point about the high school weight was that I was unable to maintain a BMI within the "healthy" range, even with a lot of intention and care, when I was 16. I question my ability to do it 20 years later.

DebSozo wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

...
Personally, I wouldn't focus so much on some number...but rather focus on a level of leanness that you are comfortable with and a body composition you are comfortable with...if everything coincides then great...but the number is just a number.

As an aside, I have a very good friend who was basically obsessed about getting to her high school weight. It was rather sad because she was already pretty lean and had been a competitive athlete so she had a fair bit of muscle and just looked great and beach ready and all the things it seems that people would be looking for composition wise. She lost a little weight and looked pretty ok...you could tell she lost some muscle, but she had a fair bit so it was ok...but she just kept going and going and now she just looks like a skinny/gaunt teenager rather than a healthy athletic 37 year old woman...

Just sayin...the number is just a number...

Thank you! Why anyone would like to look like a "skinny teenager" (male or female) escapes me. At some point we grow up to be men and women. --might as well embrace it. I was in a fitting room listening to a couple of teenagers complain. One of them was bemoaning that she was no longer a size 0 and was now size 2.

I would surmise that you are significantly more intelligent at this point in your life, which will give you the opportunity to make better decisions.

DebSozo

I was in normal BMI and thought that I was "fat" when I was in high school. Then I got thin in my 20s.

kshama2001

I don't even know my high school weight, lol. I do know my lowest weight when I was in the military, but I was in my late teens and am almost 50 now and not shooting for that. I'm shooting for the weight I was 12 years ago when I was a full time yoga teacher.

JessicaMcB

I echo the above that this is multi-factoral and deeply personal. I'm 5'9" and in high school I hated anything even vaguely athletic and was 140-145lbs. Now many years later I have three children under four that are crazy and I run so I'm 123. For someone who had the same stats but was athletic in school it would likely be different imo

Lounmoun

lacandona wrote: »

Thanks... I'm really hoping to do better this time. I do have the diagnosis on my side, plus I do know more and I do my own grocery shopping. I am feeling good at my current weight (my profile picture was in the 190# range and now I have 27% or so body fat). So I'll keep going and see how I feel.

Be positive! Everything you do is an improvement and you have come a long way already.
I had a hard time losing weight when I was younger and it has been much easier for me to handle at 40+ years I think. I'm better at a lot of things now that were really hard before.

acheben

I don't know what I weighed in high school, but I am smaller now than I ever was back then. There's nothing wrong with reassessing your goal weight as you lose weight. You might decide that you're perfectly happy with your weight before you reach your goal weight, or you might decide that you'd like to lose a little more after you reach it.

Sued0nim

lacandona wrote: »

SW: 222#
CW: 182#
5'5" tall and mid-30s

I started with a goal weight of 175# since I spent my 20s at that weight and had a great time, biking, running, playing capoeira and feeling good. Now I'm rethinking, since this 40# I've lost has made me realize I was uncomfortable (even in the 220# range I was biking and hiking frequently, so I didn't particularly feel like it was impeding in my life, until it was gone and I felt how much easier it was to hike and bike without it).

The caveat is that I gained a lot of weight by the time I was 15. I got up to 210#, decided to lose, and eventually my lowest weight was 155# when I was 16. I stayed there for a very short time and then maintained at 165# through high school.

I am not interested in going to extreme measures to fit into a platonic ideal. I'm concerned that it's not realistic for me to try to get to the "normal BMI" of 150 if I couldn't maintain 155 in high school, even with weightlifting and being careful about food. That was 20 years ago.

I was diagnosed with a metabolic issue a few years ago and learned that I have a hard time absorbing certain vitamins, and I'm taking proper supplements for my condition now and generally feeling less hungry so maybe that would help?

I'm really interested in hearing from people who were able to go below their high school weight and maintain. Is this even possible?

At 5'5 it is a more than reasonable initial target

Aaron_K123

Well I cannot comment towards metabolic issues but aiming to be below 175 pounds at 5'5'' is totally reasonable and there is nothing inheriently special about the weight that you were as a teen.

girl_inflames

I think it's completely reasonable to have a weight goal lower than when you were a teen. when I was a teenager (middle school AND highschool) I was in the 160s-170s and in a size 11/13. When I got to my mid twenties I ballooned to 180s-190s. however, I lost about 60 pounds this year and I'm down to around 140. I'm thinner than I have ever been but I'm still within a healthy range.

Edit: I'm currently trying to maintain at the 140-145 range but I keep losing weight. So I believe it's definitely possible to get under your highschool weight and maintain. I thought for sure myself that I wouldn't be able to get below 160...and then I did lol. I'm 25 if that means anything.

capaul42

Also 5'5" though I'm 41. My goal weight was 135lb which is about what I weighed in high school during my senior year (i was always a little chubby).

Having reached my goal last month (currently recomping) I see that I could easily go down another 10lbs. I'd rather go the slow route with recomp though as I enjoy eating at maintenance lol

Aaron_K123

Different people have different frame sizes and different lean masses which can affect what weight they are "lean" at even if they are the same height. That said just to give an example I am currently 167 pounds and I am looking to get to about 150 pounds as a 6' tall man. So I do imagine even if you are very large framed and very high lean mass that you could still easily drop below 175 as a 5'5'' woman safely.