The ideal weight for YOUR body?

slimpicknjan

I've come to realise... I may never figure out what my ideal weight should be/is.
I've lost over 50 lbs and I'd planned to lose another 10 - 15 but I'm not sure dropping these last few lbs is right for my body.
I'm stuck between... should I lose more or stay where I'm at and work more on body composition.
How do you know when you've reached the right weight for YOUR body?

MikePTY

"Ideal" weight is a subjective definition. Only you can make that decision for yourself.

I'm generally a believer that if you are not sure about losing more weight, it is better to stop and work on a recomp. Remember that losing fat doesn't have to stop just because weight loss stops.

NovusDies

Without a doubt you should absolutely work on body composition now and then decide later if you need to tweak your weight some more.

Keep in mind though self image is tough for some people to manage.

VioletRojo

slimpicknjan wrote: »

I've come to realise... I may never figure out what my ideal weight should be/is.
I've lost over 50 lbs and I'd planned to lose another 10 - 15 but I'm not sure dropping these last few lbs is right for my body.
I'm stuck between... should I lose more or stay where I'm at and work more on body composition.
How do you know when you've reached the right weight for YOUR body?

It's purely subjective and only you can decide what is right for you. The healthy range for my height is 110 lbs to 145. That's a huge range! I know that 110 would require too much effort to maintain, but anything over 130 makes me look chunky, so I settled on a range between 118 and 123. I look good at this weight and it's easy to maintain.

porterl_22

Hi, I’m just starting my journey to lose some weight. I want to lose about 12 lbs. the ideal weight for me is a “a weight that will allow me to move effortlessly - such as being able to put on my sock while standing or tie my shoes without sitting.” LoL! Also, I want a flat stomach. When I reach those objectives, then I will know I’m at least on the right path to my ideal body. Hope that by sharing my plan, it will help you reach your goal.

cwolfman13

slimpicknjan wrote: »

I've come to realise... I may never figure out what my ideal weight should be/is.
I've lost over 50 lbs and I'd planned to lose another 10 - 15 but I'm not sure dropping these last few lbs is right for my body.
I'm stuck between... should I lose more or stay where I'm at and work more on body composition.
How do you know when you've reached the right weight for YOUR body?

There is no such thing as a universal ideal weight...that is why BMI is a range...it accounts for a variety of body types, muscle mass, frame size, etc.

Weight is just a number...personally I never cared about any particular number. I just wanted to not have a gut and no love handles. Lean enough to be healthy and look reasonably good hanging out around the pool...don't care about six packs and being super lean, etc.

kirstenvalentine

I'm not sure about my ideal weight either. I keep kissing but not crossing my next milestone, at which point I think it makes sense to get my bodyfat tested. I figure that looking at bodyfat percentage and total lbs of bodyfat, and lean body mass might give me numeric insight into how close or how far I am from standards of healthy, rather than my own harsh and twisted view of what I see in the mirror versus pasted across the internet and magazines as standards of what women should look like. If that test (and discussion with my healthcare provider) tells me that I actually AM healthy already and just THINK that I'm still carrying too much bodyfat, then it's my body image, not body, that needs further work. If that's the case, my plan is pivot from body composition-focused training/dieting to fitness-focused training and nutrition-focused eating, and start addressing my body image through one of two ways: (1) talk to a counselor, and/or (2) do a boudoir photoshoot with a professional photographer. I know it sounds like a crazy thing to do for a person who doesn't like how their body looks, but maybe I can see my body in a better light through someone else's lens.

endermako

i'm happy mentally with myself right now. but I want to see what toned at 125 looks like instead of skinny fat when i was in high school. So i'm going down a bit more

psychod787

slimpicknjan wrote: »

I've come to realise... I may never figure out what my ideal weight should be/is.
I've lost over 50 lbs and I'd planned to lose another 10 - 15 but I'm not sure dropping these last few lbs is right for my body.
I'm stuck between... should I lose more or stay where I'm at and work more on body composition.
How do you know when you've reached the right weight for YOUR body?

I agree. After speaking with a few professionals I in the business, I undershot my weight. I am bulking now to gain some back. Not sure how much yet.

AnnPT77

I agree that it's individual.

What I didn't see in the thread so far is anyone saying that a goal weight decision isn't irrevocable.

If you think you'd like to lose another 10-15 pounds, but you're not sure, you can chip away at it (should be going slowly with that little left for best health anyway), and if you reach a calorie level where you're not losing (but you wouldn't be happy with less, and don't want to increase movement), then stop. Or, if you reach a point where you're feeling listless or not liking your look before the 10-15 pounds is gone, you can stop. Or, if you lose the whole 15, aren't happy, and you and your doctor think it's OK for you to lose a little more, do that.

Or, if you like, take a maintenance break where you are now for two weeks, two months, or two years, and revisit the question if and when you feel like it.

Or, take that "try recomposition" advice, and see how that works for a goodly number of months to a couple of years, then re-evaluate.

You can even lose more, or maintain for a while, and decide you'd feel better a bit heavier, so regain a bit.

There need be no "final answer".

quiksylver296

My ideal weight is the one I can maintain without suffering. Yeah, I probably could get down to 150 lbs (5'9) but I'd never get to have treats and I'd be miserable. Not worth it to me.

sardelsa

My goal weight changes depending on my body composition and my goals. I do have a comfortable range I like to stay around.

It can take some experimenting with your own body to figure out if you want to lose more or recomp or gain etc. See how you feel then re-evaluate.

vanityy99

I thought I wanted my goal weight to be 112lbs- 115lbs (I’m short) until I reached 123lbs- looks fire. I thought 123lbs would look to big still but it’s all in the right places.