How much of a difference does 5lbs make?

amandaj827

I'm currently trying to decide on my ultimate goal weight, I am 5'0" and deciding between 108-113, so I'm wondering how much of a difference would the 5lbs make?

VintageFeline

On someone so petite, probably quite a lot. You could set 113 as your first goal and see how it looks when you get there.

macgurlnet

It also depends on how much muscle you have. I'm the same height as you, currently 117 lbs and look pretty soft, other than my calves where you can see plenty of muscle definition. Last summer, I was sitting at 113 and could just begin to see the outline of my obliques.

Whether it makes a big difference or not will also depend on where the fat comes off.

~Lyssa

sardelsa

I would say aim for the first goal and see how you feel from there. For me, 5 lbs makes a huge difference (despite me not being very short) because when I lose I aim to lose primarily fat vs muscle (with weight training) so depending on your current composition and how much fat vs muscle comes off, you may look very different.

AllyS7

I'm 5'1" and set my first goal at 130lbs. Then I moved down to 125lbs. I'll just keep moving down in 5lbs increments until my body feels right. I'm thinking for me it's around 120lbs.

youdoyou2016

Different in what way, do you mean?

(Appearance? Health? Performance in some sport? As a maintenance range, I think you mean?)

I'm a little over 5' as well, and I think 5 lbs (of fat) makes a huge difference appearance-wise for little peeps like us.

I think the range you're thinking of is about right. Based on how it's going for me, I think that's where I'll end up (108ish or even a little lower).

If you're just starting out, my guess is that you'll know when you get there. I appreciate that may not sound all that helpful, but here's my experience, for what it's worth: my goal weight was 125 at first (starting in the 230s). I could barely wrap my head around that number. But when I got there, I realized I could lose some more, so now I'm thinking in 5 lbs losses. Currently 120 and working towards 115. I look at photos of people my height, and I'm always surprised at weight and appearance. I'm pretty ... ummmmm ... squishy at 120 with a little belly, but some women are pretty trim and fit-looking at the same weight or even higher. So, I think you're range is right, but as you get closer to those numbers I think the answer is "it depends." You'll know when you get there.

TimothyFish

While riding a bicycle one mile up a 6% grade, five pounds make a 14 second difference.

Theo166

If you are at the start of your journey, don't overthink it.

Wait till you are in the ballpark and know if you are adding muscle, and know how you look in the mirror.

SCoil123

It really depends on the person. For me my goal is a 5-10lb range I want to stay within. A range is more realistic for me due to fluctuations with water and such.

victoria_1024

Most people have a 5 lb range once they reach maintenance since weight fluctuates. You could get down to 108 and then let 113 be your high point. I'm 5'2.5" and my maintenance range was 122-127. I stuck with that for almost a year and now I'm losing a bit. I'd like my range to hover more around 120. 5 lbs can make a big difference on a short person but recomp (staying the same weight but building muscle) can make an even bigger difference.

TavistockToad

I'm 5ft5 and 5lbs makes a pretty big change as I only have a couple of vanity pounds to lose. 5lbs above where I am and my clothes are tight and I feel quishy and fat!

mengqiz86

I'm 5'6" and recently lost ~1 inch around my waist, hip, thighs and calves. I don't weigh myself often but when I did - I was surprised to discover that all those amounted to all but 3lb of weight loss. So if you are a small frame and within normal weight range to start with, I imagine 5lb can lead to quite a significant change in appearance.

AnnPT77

Five pounds of muscle or five pounds of fat? (Heh.)

I'm in the "don't overthink, see how things look when you get there" camp.

Any given goal weight will look very different on different bodies, and that's seriously true of 5 pounds even for someone of as petite stature as you are. Skeletal frame makes a bit of difference (that won't change); body fat percent makes a difference (your distribution of fat vs. muscle - both how much and where it is), and that will change; in women, breast size makes a material difference, and for many that changes, too.

Use 113 for now. Heck, if you're substantially overweight now (tens of pounds), use 120. (Psychologically, it can be easier for many of us women to decide, when we're close, that we want to be lighter, vs. deciding we want to be heavier ).

Re-evaluate as you get lighter and see how you feel (most important) and look. Whether you can maintain at the maintenance calories happily is another factor, for some.

newheavensearth

5 lbs on me is the difference between seeing my obliques and the top 2 ab muscles and "Hey, why do you look pregnant". Seriously happened today.

How it looks depends on height, weight distribution, and body fat levels. Reevaluate your goals and readjust as needed.