How to Decide On Lowest Maintainable Weight?
Replies
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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.
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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.6 -
walktalkdog wrote: »I totally understand your challenge robingmurphy. I'm in the same boat in similar decision. I'm 44 and 4'11". Doctor says I should be 100 lbs but I have not been that weight since junior high 7th grade so can't imagine ever getting there. I maintained my high school weight of 109 till age 34 being active but eating whatever I wanted. But after that age I packed on weight being less active and more stress in life so more emotional overeating. My syblings health scares of almost losing eyesight to diabetes and fatty liver disease jolted me on my weight loss journey. I lost 29lbs since the wake up call so now I hover between 114 to 109 and struggle to see anything closer to the doctor's goal for me. I think as long as I'm in the normal bmi on the Asian American chart then I'm fine with it which starts at 113lbs. However, I am curious to see what I would look like at 100lbs that the doctor says I should be but honestly, I LOVE food too much for socializing, enjoyment, celebrating, comfort, art, etc. My conclusion is bmi/ body composition is more important than actual weight and I want to live it up a little enjoying food in moderation rather than live in restriction. I will revisit and adjust my goal if there's a health issue otherwise I'm content at my hovering range. I love eating so I'm focusing on building some muscle just so I can eat more since muscle burns more calories.
It sounds to me like you have a healthy attitude and are at a good weight for your height and lifestyle. I'm a little perturbed that you doctor is telling you what you "should" weigh (based on what?), rather than supporting your healthy lifestyle and attitude now and maintaining an appropriate weight.
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
I'm not Asian but I calculated my BMI and according to the Asian/American chart I fall into the "above healthy weight", and on the NIH one "within healthy range", but barely, since my BMI was calculated at 24.4. I definitely have folds on my abs when I sit down! But I don't think that's an accurate indicator since there are probably some really skinny people with flabby abs.-1 -
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?0 -
walktalkdog wrote: »walktalkdog wrote: »I totally understand your challenge robingmurphy. I'm in the same boat in similar decision. I'm 44 and 4'11". Doctor says I should be 100 lbs but I have not been that weight since junior high 7th grade so can't imagine ever getting there. I maintained my high school weight of 109 till age 34 being active but eating whatever I wanted. But after that age I packed on weight being less active and more stress in life so more emotional overeating. My syblings health scares of almost losing eyesight to diabetes and fatty liver disease jolted me on my weight loss journey. I lost 29lbs since the wake up call so now I hover between 114 to 109 and struggle to see anything closer to the doctor's goal for me. I think as long as I'm in the normal bmi on the Asian American chart then I'm fine with it which starts at 113lbs. However, I am curious to see what I would look like at 100lbs that the doctor says I should be but honestly, I LOVE food too much for socializing, enjoyment, celebrating, comfort, art, etc. My conclusion is bmi/ body composition is more important than actual weight and I want to live it up a little enjoying food in moderation rather than live in restriction. I will revisit and adjust my goal if there's a health issue otherwise I'm content at my hovering range. I love eating so I'm focusing on building some muscle just so I can eat more since muscle burns more calories.
It sounds to me like you have a healthy attitude and are at a good weight for your height and lifestyle. I'm a little perturbed that you doctor is telling you what you "should" weigh (based on what?), rather than supporting your healthy lifestyle and attitude now and maintaining an appropriate weight.
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
I'm not Asian but I calculated my BMI and according to the Asian/American chart I fall into the "above healthy weight", and on the NIH one "within healthy range", but barely, since my BMI was calculated at 24.4. I definitely have folds on my abs when I sit down! But I don't think that's an accurate indicator since there are probably some really skinny people with flabby abs.
I agree with you. It feels daunting and improbable that the doctor recommends Asian American bmi chart for me because of my ethnicity but it is based on data from this specific population. I think it's not only my ethnicity but also because I have a petite skeletal frame and 4'11". I know that if I visited my island of origin I am the "fat" one (even though I have a fair amount muscle) among my relatives because it is a third world country.1 -
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 3 months of following a structured strength training program, a newbie should notice improvement, but what you're describing sounds like more than that. If someone's lifting weights for 3 months and then they look dramatically different, I'm willing to bet that there's some other change going on besides just lifting weights
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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.
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Have you tried finding activities you can and want to do in the winter? Skiing, snowshoeing, dance class, zumba, etc.? I understand not enjoying the TM but there are a lot of other things you can do to stay active and burn calories. Does your town have an indoor track? Swimming pool? I'm 5'6" and maintain at 120-125 lbs. If I wasn't as active as I am, I'd be maintaining at 135-140 lbs. I know myself and how I like to eat. Fortunately, where I live I can walk outside year around and I run on the TM when the snow/ice are too bad. I've gotten used to it though I'd rather be outside.1
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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.0 -
Hmm 🤔 just to be more clear:
A BMI suggestion of <23 seems to be in line with general norms for Asian ethnicity.
If of Asian descent and not significantly taller and / or more muscular than expected, somewhere between 18.5 to 23 is where your health risks will probably be minimized.
So this passes a general fact check.
No belly folds is a different issue and, in part, would depend on how a fold is defined.
This potentially fails my own quick fact check, thus striving for it would require life threatening reasons beyond being Asian
The thread I referenced has many pictures of very healthy, in many cases less then BMI 23, ladies who show what some could interpret as a fold when the sit.
Hence the fact check ding on this part of the advice unless there are issues beyond ethnicity in play.3 -
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/0 -
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.4 -
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.1 -
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.3
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What about a GW of 135lbs+ some fitness goals?
Or try this- line down the middle of a piece of paper, 2 lists. Why you want a GW of 130 on one side, why you don’t on the other. Spend some time to think about it. Sleep on it maybe. Make good honest lists. Even stuff that seems trivial or silly. Put everything down.
What does it reveal? Are there any compromises or deals you can make with yourself so that each side can get some of what it wants. Avoid the temptation to dismiss the “ Don’t want it” side or the desire to just run it into the ditch. You have legitimate reasons for not wanting the lower weight or you would be there. Your resistance is a part of you. You can’t just disown it. Can you find some sort of compromise or middle ground?6
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