How to Decide On Lowest Maintainable Weight?

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  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited December 2019
    epangili wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    epangili wrote: »
    Thank you for your encouragement and I like to think that about myself as well. I tend to store my excess weight in my abs and doctor says if you sit down and have folds over, then you have some pounds to lose.... My doctor is basing it on the Asian American bmi chart which is slightly different from American bmi chart.

    https://aadi.joslin.org/en/am-i-at-risk/asian-bmi-calculator

    There has been much debate for Asian countries to define normal BMI as 18.5 to 23 instead of 25 based on their population's health results and, in fact, you will find that, for example, Hong Kong and Singapore define their overweight cut-offs at a BMI of 23: https://www.chp.gov.hk/en/statistics/data/10/280/427.html
    https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/410/Healthy Weight

    So in that respect there is nothing unexpected about your doctor's advice if, in fact, you ARE of Asian decent.

    However, when it comes to having some folds when sitting down you may want to have a look at the https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10689837/does-this-uterus-make-my-stomach-look-fat/p1 thread because on this point, I think--and assuming she is not taking into account something specific about your situation--the expectations of your doctor may be a tad un-realistic.

    Unfortunately I am of Asian descent and yes, I research it because I was incredulous and fact checked validity.
    I agree with your comment on my doctor as it was either oversimplified or unrealistic expectation if not taken in context of Asian American bmi chart and research of my descent.

    FWIW, the "Smart BMI Calculator" makes an adjustment for Asian descent if you check the box for it b4 running the calculation.

    See: https://www.smartbmicalculator.com/
  • ThinnerLiz
    ThinnerLiz Posts: 55 Member
    I had to let go of my initial "goal weight" because I was starting to look a bit haggard and I decided that I wanted to focus on flexibility, stamina, and adding more muscle mass, as an almost-60-year old woman.
    I never hit my goal, and stopped a few pounds short of that because an honest look in the mirror told me I was getting scrawny in some areas, and saggy in others!

    At my age (20, in my head), I need to be most conscious of staying limber and strong so I can avoid injury as I age. I am watching my mom become bedridden with osteoporosis and I want to avoid that if I can!
    So I'm cool with weighing more and being more fit. As long as my clothes fit well and I feel great, that's the ticket.
    I continue to weigh myself daily to monitor the trends, and make sure I'm on track.

    Now my goal weight is.... whatever it ends up being as my body composition improves.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    walktalkdog wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    robingmurphy wrote: »
    cupcakesandproteinshakes wrote: »
    In terms of lifting and recomp in my experience it’s a very slow process so think in terms of a couple of years of consistent resistance training to see decent results. Many people seem to expect results in 90 days or whatever. For most of us in real life it’s a lot slower.

    Im 5ft 8.5 and recomped for 2 and a half years at 140 pounds. It’s only now I feel like I look remotely like I lift. I’m nit saying that to put you off, just do you don’t get frustrated after your 6 months is up and then stop.

    Thanks - that helps. I do feel like I see people on here that seem to lift weights for 3 months and suddenly they look totally different, and that might have given me an unrealistic idea. However, I think I'm in it for the long haul either way. Yes I want to look better and all that, but my biggest goal is to be a strong middle aged and eventually old woman. I don't want to be like my mom who couldn't lift her own groceries or walk to the end of the block by the time she was in her mid-sixties.

    In most cases, that is a matter of someone already having decent muscle mass and then losing weight. By losing the fat over the muscle, more definition is revealed...some people mistake this for muscle growth when in reality it's just revealing more of what's there. An actual re-comp where someone stays more or less the same weight but leans out is indeed a very slow process.

    Just as an example for myself...right now I'm sitting around 190 and in the neighborhood of 18%-20% BF. I typically maintain around 180 Lbs and somewhere in the neighborhood of 12%-15% BF...I indeed look quite different with a difference of 10 Lbs. At 190 I'm "fluffy" and look a little soft...at 180 I look much more solid and fit and have more definition which makes me look more muscular even though I'm not. It's just lean enough to have a "fitness" look, but not shredded and no 6 pack or anything like that.

    I don't go by body weight as a goal or where my maintenance is best. I go by BF%. That 12-15% range is my sweet spot where I can pretty easily maintain with regular exercise and eating well much of the time, but still indulging and not being super militant about not missing workouts, etc. Below that range requires a lot more discipline on my part and it's not particularly worth it to me to be leaner.

    Where and how do you get your body fat tested?

    My trainer does a 9 point caliper method using the Parillo equation.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,205 Member
    I get it. I tend to hover at 138-139 but I feel most confident at 131-132. But I've been lifting heavy weights a few times a week and I don't want to eat too little, so I haven't been trying to actively stay in a deficit the last six months. With swimsuit season around the corner, I've thought about trying to shave a little back off.

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