How much should I weigh

Nicole_BGA

I am almost 38, I am active in as much as I work full time and have a 3 year old who I run after all the time but I’m not an exerciser and I’m not really aiming to be.

I do need to lose weight, I am keen to do that as healthily as possible, I have a daughter watching me!

I have never been slim, I have always been overweight from teen years but since having my daughter and being diagnosed with a disability it’s gone beyond what is acceptable.

I’m finding it difficult to look at what is actually a healthy weight for my height (5ft 4 or 163cm).
I understand from reading that BMI isn’t a great indicator of health (is that even right?)

Can anyone help? I’m a bit at a loss.

Thanks

tinkerbellang83

The BMI range is a perfectly good start point for the majority of the population of Western countries. It doesn't apply well to everyone, but those people know who they are (people who intentionally have more muscle i.e. athletes and people who have been specifically strength training usually would be above the top end and there are outliers who may not fit the general statistics), however, it doesn't sound like you tick the outlier or bodybuilder boxes.

Perhaps just aim at the top end of the BMI range (which for your height is 140lbs) and see how you feel along the way, there's nothing to stop you changing it lower or higher later.

I initially set mine for the top end of the BMI chart but I do have a lot of muscle from strength training, rowing and swimming, so after losing half of the weight I intended to, I since changed it to around 15lbs above the top end of the BMI range for my height, because that's what feels right for me.

Panini911

tinkerbellang83 wrote: »

The BMI range is a perfectly good start point for the majority of the population of Western countries. It doesn't apply well to everyone, but those people know who they are (people who intentionally have more muscle i.e. athletes and people who have been specifically strength training usually would be above the top end and there are outliers who may not fit the general statistics), however, it doesn't sound like you tick the outlier or bodybuilder boxes.

Perhaps just aim at the top end of the BMI range (which for your height is 140lbs) and see how you feel along the way, there's nothing to stop you changing it lower or higher later.

I initially set mine for the top end of the BMI chart but I do have a lot of muscle from strength training, rowing and swimming, so after losing half of the weight I intended to, I since changed it to around 15lbs above the top end of the BMI range for my height, because that's what feels right for me.

agree with this. BMI is a great benchmark to start with (getting into normal). It's where i started then aimed for the middle of normal but will see where i finalize.

also, a chat with your doctor.

Nicole_BGA

I haven’t found my doctor to be particularly helpful to be honest.

brittlb07

I am 5’4’’ and weigh 122.6 right now. My final goal is 115-118 but now that I’m towards the end of my journey, I’m only losing about 1-2 pounds a month. I started at 146 in January. Hope this helps.

NovusDies

What @tinkerbellang83 said is how I am doing it. I really cannot make a final weight decision until I get to around my goal range and see how I am feeling about it.

I try not to think about it too much and just focus on the day in front of me

SeanD2407

My problem with BMI is that it claims a 5"6 male and a '5"6 female should have the same "healthy weight range"

apullum

BMI is fine for the vast majority of people. You may want to ask your doctor whether your disability means that your healthy weight range is different from someone who does not have that disability.

Sabine_Stroehm

It really does depend. When I lost weight I went with the old adage: 5 feet is 100Lbs, and 5Lbs an inch after that. At 5'6", 130 looked great on me. It wouldn't on many who are 5'6". These days I aim for the middle of "normal" BMI. That suits me well.

MikePTY

SeanD2407 wrote: »

My problem with BMI is that it claims a 5"6 male and a '5"6 female should have the same "healthy weight range"

That is why it is a range, and not a definitive number. The healthy weight range for someone who is 5'6" is 40 pounds. That is a lot of flexibility to account for various differences between people at that height, including potential differences due to gender.

I think BMI can seem intimidating to people with a lot to lose. I know it was that way for me. When I first started at 5'11" 235, I was 57 pounds outside of the high end of normal weight for my height. I didn't "feel" 57 pounds overweight, so I thought BMI just "didn't really apply to me" and that if I could ever get to 185 (still 7 pounds overweight), I would be like a twig. So that's what I set me original goal to. Now that I've lost 37 pounds, and I'm only 20 pounds away from normal weight, the BMI range doesn't seem nearly as intimidating, Now I feel like I am 20 pounds overweight, and I feel confident I will be able to get within the normal BMI range. 165-175 seems much more realistic to me.

If you have a lot to lose, it's okay to set goals along the way that don't have to be normal BMI yet. Once you go along your journey, you will almost certainly reevaluate.

tinkerbellang83

SeanD2407 wrote: »

My problem with BMI is that it claims a 5"6 male and a '5"6 female should have the same "healthy weight range"

It's a pretty big range though, 120lbs - 150lbs and as has been mentioned several times, it's a starting point based on statistics, not the be all and end all of what is healthy for each individual, there are other things to consider such as body composition, hip-to-waist ratio, etc.

But for someone who isn't sure what to aim for, it's a good starting point.

grimendale

Nicole_BGA wrote: »

I haven’t found my doctor to be particularly helpful to be honest.

That's not uncommon, to be honest. Consider talking with a different doctor for this issue who might be more helpful. I'd recommend a registered dietitian as your best starting point.

Momjogger

This is a good question. My daughter is barely 5 1 and she weighs between 120 and 125. She looks great and wears size zero to four, depending on the fit. I am 5 3 and would LOVE to weigh 160. I’ve gotten down to 163 before and felt great. That was about a size 12 for me. Im at 197 right now and want to get to 180. That’s my first goal. Then I’ll reassess and go from there.
My son is 5 7 and weighs 195 pounds. He is in the army and is at his peak performance on all fitness tests. He’s all muscle. Always has been. My kids are healthy and fit, but their BMI doesn’t conform to standard. Research the “science” behind BMI and you won’t be so impressed. My doctor told us our son’s BMI was too high when he was younger. I asked him - how do you propose I get him to lose all that muscle? Have you tried to pinch his skin? Used a caliper? There’s no fat to lose. His nutrition was always great - lots of lean protein, fruit , veggies, and whole grains. He always ate my healthy food and I had to buy doubles so I didn’t run out. He had to get down to 140 for one wrestling season and he was miserable all year because the only weight he could lose - aside from water, was muscle. Yet his BMI was “normal.”
If I went lower than 160, the loose skin would start to be a problem and my self esteem would suffer. It’s better to take your start weight, your goals, and your health into account. Maybe set a first mini goal, reach that, then reassess.

Cahgetsfit

I agree that for the majority of the gen pop clientele BMI is an OK measure.

Out of curiosity I went and plugged my numbers in. I came in as normal at 23. However, I found that the range they gave me for my "normal" kilos is 52.2Kg - 70.3kgs.

I can guarantee that at 52.2kg I would be skin and bones and skeletal. And at 70.3kg I would be fat. Like overweight fat. I was in the early 70s during pregnancy.

Last time I was 52kg I was a teenager. Not sure if even had gotten to my final height either (168cm). I recall that at 55kg my hip bones stuck out.

Just seems like a bit of a too-large range. 20 kilos is a lot.

Danp

SeanD2407 wrote: »

My problem with BMI is that it claims a 5"6 male and a '5"6 female should have the same "healthy weight range"

The range thing aside there's also the factor of healthy BF% differences and musculature between males and females.

Women have a slightly higher healthy body fat percentage than men which means that all things being equal the healthy female will weigh slightly more. BUT men generally have slightly more muscle mass so again all things being equal the healthy male will weigh more.

When both are taken into account one factor somewhat offsets the other to varying degrees.

wmweeza

I'm aiming for 135-140, and I'll reevaluate when I hit that goal. BMI for 5'4 has a wide range and I have no idea how I'll feel or look

TallGent66

There are other weight formulas, one example is one from the Navy. A few account for different body types.

The US CDC BMI calculator said I should weigh between 160 and 215 pounds! I am 6'6" and graduated from high school at maybe 175 pounds, and I ocassionally got hurtful comments on how I should gain weight. As a mature adult playing ball and lifting, I couldn't get below 230 pounds.

The Hamwi formula / University of Washington accounts for body type - slim, average, big boned. (Big boned for men is a wrist 7.5" circumfrence or larger.) They give me a range up to 235 pounds - a roughly 10% increase. Here is one link to this formula.

http://www.nafwa.org/hamwi.php

Best wishes. You have additional challenges, but I saw a thread here with Before and After pictures, and one man in a whelchair had lost substantial weight. Very inspiring!

mjwarbeck

Not a fan of BMI. Take a look at my photo. That is a 28...and apparently overweight and approaching obese.

Dealing with muscle is one major acknowledged flaw in the tool. Yes, I guess it is better than nothing. I just dont use it.