Tall Women and Weight

TustyRusty

Hi!

I would like to get some perspective/opinions on tall women and ideal weight. I am 5' 11' and at present weight 197. My GW is 180 because I feel like with my height, or tall women in general you look skinnier than a shorter person and to a certain extent skinniness does not mean healthy. So if I feel good and feel healthy and look the way I want to look should I still aim to be a weight that my BMI will measure as Average? Please feel free to add what you think of this topic. thanks

kristen6022

In October 2010 I was where you are now (I started at about 193ish). I'm also 5'11. I was approaching a size 16 pant, couldn't do 2 flights of steps without getting out of breathe and I was tired of being uncomfortable. I didn't FEEL that big, but I knew that my weight was not healthy for me. So I made a few small changes, stayed off the scale and by May of 2011 I was buying 10's and 12's. I had no clue what my weight was because that wasn't important to me. I'm guessing I was about 170. I just wanted to get healthy, starting eating better and get to a size I was comfortable with.

Now, I'm 155-157, BMI of 22, not too thin in the slightest and a size 6-8. I feel and I look healthier than I ever have. I'm determined to keep in the 150's for as long as I can.

My advise to you is to set your goal at 180 and evaluate from there. I can bet that once you get to 180 you'll want to keep going!

dbm037

I am not as tall as you. I am 5'9 and I agree that the height is a advantage and hides weight well. I am currently 160 but would like to lose 10-15 pounds. I am in a size 10 tall, Feel free any tall girls to add me as a friends for support!

kickboxerdiva

I do agree that height is a factor, you can carry more weight than someone who is 5'1'', but I've also learned that muscle mass has a lot to do with how you'll look at any given weight. I'm 5'10. At my highest I was 265 lbs. I got down to 172, but I had absolutely no muscle - I like to call it my skinny-fat phase. So at that weight I literally looked like a bobble head, not cute at all!

So when I started my weight loss this go around (I was at 210) I thought that 180 would be a good weight so as not to get back to the skinny-fat look. However I've incorporated a lot of lifting this time around and I've had completly different results. I'm currently at 160, 24% ft and a size 6 and I look 10 times better than I ever did at 172 the first time around.

So I would say set the goal of 180, and re-evaluate. But also look into tracking your bf (body fat). I agree with kristen6022, once you get to 180 you probably will set a new goal! Good luck!

Linli_Anne

Frame size can play a lot into this too.

I am 5'11, and currently hovering around the 180 mark (+/- for natural daily fluctuations, glycogen stores, water weight etc.) I started at 208, in a size 14, and I am currently wearing 8s and 10s. I have a larger frame size, and the lowest my weight has ever gone was 165, but it was incredibly hard to maintain. I seemed to even out around the 177 mark, so, for now I'm not worrying about scale weight and focusing on burning fat, gaining lean muscle and hopefully shrinking that way.

TustyRusty

Thanks ladies! thats another thing - muscle mass because i know some people (a little bit of me included) that may have a little more muscle than fat. and then body type- all these factors i guess have a part to play. i will aim for the 180 and from there i will know whats the best fit for my body.
you know the funny thing? where i am from i guess obesity is not so much of a main factor in society, meaning that there are obese people but its like there's hardly much concern and thats just my opinion. and sometimes 'thin' sadly is not that attractive here. lol (slim-thick is what most people aim for) but i feel that as i mentioned before healthy is a broad term and it really depends on how the individual feels.

Keiras_Mom

I'm 5'9" and originally set my goal at 175. I started at nearly 280, so I had a lot to lose. When I got to 175, I decided to shoot for 165. When I hit 165, I decided to try for 155. Do you see the trend? :blushing:

I kept going, trying to get to 145, which is still in the healthy range for my height, but at about 148, I decided my arms and legs looked too thin. I still have a bit of a poochy tummy (after losing over 100 pounds, I suppose that's unavoidable), but decided I'm more comfortable around 150-155, so that's where I'm maintaining. I'm in mostly size 8L pants with a couple of pairs of 6L, and medium tops.

HermioneDanger118

I'm 5'10 and started at 230. Now I'm 226.5 - not a huge difference, but I just recommitted and the important thing is that the scale is going down, right? When I graduated high school in 2002, I was 150 and a size 10. I think I was a 14 at 208; now I'm a 16. I feel like it takes a LOT of weight loss for us to change sizes.

FawnHacker

I am so confused with the weight and height issue. I definitely agree that us "tall" girls are most times a lot heavier than people guess because we wear it differently and have more places to distribute. I have always been very self-conscious with being tall until recently. With that said, I have a small frame and am a little over 5'10''. I have struggled(in statement only, because I do NOT exercise ) to get to 135, which is my goal weight. I have mostly hovered the 145 mark since 13 years old(13! years ago). While people tell me I am very thin I still feel like I store all my fat in upper thighs and midsection which have only gotten worse since having a baby. My highest weight 170 was awful on me and my weight quickly balanced back out after breastfeeding, eating less, and being more active. I just want to feel strong and toned, not this skinny fatness...any ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!!??

erinyoung9415

I'm 5'9, almost 5'10 and when I started I was at 285. My lowest was 180 and I liked the way I looked but I wasn't as good as I could be. Now I'm back up to 193(ish) and I'd love to be down to at least 170, but with more definition. It says I'm supposed to be at 145 for my height, but with my body frame, I just don't see that happening. But we shall see.

glreim21

I am 5"11 and have set my goal weight as 185....yes that is still above my BMI but I am more concerned with body fat percentage, I have to drop 7% more body fat then I am at my goal....should put me at around 180-185ish.

beastmodekittyx

I'm 5ft8 and I think I'm 175 lbs. I have a small frame but muscular legs and boobs and booty too so it has on effect on the scale..

Sarahndipity30

I am 6'1" and my goal weight is somwhere between 145-175. I've been told numerous times a healthy weight for someone like me is 160-180. but I have seen people my size be as small as 145. Once im closer to those weights I'll decide what I am comfortable with. i do not care to get sickly thin, and i want to maintain a healthier fit, figure.

ksavy

I am 6'0" and started at 193, so close to what you are trying for. I originally thought that getting down to 170 would be great for me, but then realized I am sadly lacking in the muscle department. I am down to 159/160 now and am at 27% body fat. I am still trying to slowly lose weight and I think somewhere between 150/155 would be the best area for me, but who knows... I may have to try to get even lower than that. But on the other side, I know those few lbs will not make a huge difference in how I look so I plan on doing it very slowly.

_Emma_Problema_

I'd suggest looking into the "tall girls" groups and figuring out your goal weight from there.

Also, give this a look http://www.mybodygallery.com/.

It really depends on your shape as well as your height. And your muscle to fat proportion.

I'm about 6 ft 1/2 in, and I'm right now in between a 10 and a 12 at 185. I personally see myself as maybe getting down to 175 and being a comfortable 10. Part of me wants to go for 160 and a size 8, but I like how my body is looking now.

But I'm a classic hourglass shape and lost a lot of my weight while lifting, so I like to think that a lot of it was fat and not muscle.

I would suggest picking a goal that's on the higher side of what you see your range as and then picking 10 - 15 lb lower goals and seeing where you think you look and feel good!

Good luck!

missmegan831

I am 6 ft and my starting weight was 247 (holy smokes!) currently I am 182.2 and have a goal weight of 165-170. I have a medium frame but carry all excess weight in my bottom half . I started in a tight 18/20 (US) and currently wearing a 14 still even after losing 65 pounds! I think it all depends on where you carry your weight or how much muscle you have. Best wishes on your journey.

Anyone can feel free to add me tall ladies need support too :drinker: :drinker:

UsedToBeHusky

I am just under 6' tall. I started out at 300+ lbs. Even then, no one believed me when I told them how much I weighed. My goal has been to get within the range of a normal BMI. I decided that if I got there and thought I was too thin, I could always gain a little back, perhaps as muscle.

Of course, this was 2 1/2 years ago that I made this decision. I've been dancing around 220 lbs all year long. I just want desperately to get in the range of an overweight BMI. But people still don't believe me when I say I have more to lose. I look good in my clothes, but still have some trouble areas. At this point, if I can just have smaller arms and a flatter stomach, I think I could be happy, regardless of where my weight falls on the BMI scale.

I say, do what works for you. Even if you are just a few points into the overweight BMI range, that does not mean that you are unhealthy or look fat for that matter.

cjh022

I am 5'10" and happiest around 145-150 which puts me in a size 6+/-. Check out mybodygallery.com, you can search by height, weight, size, body shape and can help you decide what might look best for you. Good luck

KimJohnsonsmile

Well, hello my Amazon friends! I'm 5'11" and have a normal frame. My heaviest ever was 187 (ridiculous) and my lowest since on MFP was 161. Right now I'm 163 and very comfortable with how I look. I'm concentrating on lifting right now (am doing Body Revolution) and am just working on toning things up. I carry my extra weight in my butt and thighs, so that's a work in progress. My goal has never ever been to be skinny. I want to be strong and just plain healthy.

mango924

This is a great topic and something I've wondered about too as I'm 5'8 1/2". While I think BMI is a good indicator of if you may need to lose some or not, I think it has its flaws as well. For example, it doesn't take into account differences between men and women. My dad who is 6'0" and 195 is considered overweight - but he lifts three times a week, is built sturdy/average, and runs and walks all the time. He's in great shape. I truly dont think he needs to lose. Could he benefit from a tiny weight loss? maybe. But, I just think it's crazy that men and women have the same BMI scale when there are biological differences in men and women. Not to mention among us women differences in our own frames and structures (and the same with men).

When I ran Cross Country in college, I weighed 132ish and I was the biggest on my team by far weight wise. At 5'8 1/2" I feel 132 is a decent weight if not thin but compared to the other girls I was quite large. I had two teammates who were the exact same height as myself and one was 120 and the other 122. But I felt that I wasn't carrying a lot of excess weight, I felt as if our bone structure was different. Even when I have been 120 pounds, I still have wide hips. They are bony then, but wide. People have different frames and structures.

I do think the BMI gives us a good reference point. Right now, I am 173, which is the heaviest I have ever been. My pants don't fit. I have somethign like love handles and my stomach is bigger than normal. I feel sluggish. I could tell I was getting heavier, and when I saw 173 I thought, 'I'd be interested what the BMI chart says about this.' Sure enough, I am considered overweight. My BMI is 25.7 so just slightly overweight, but boy can I tell in my everyday life. It's an effort to do things that once weren't an effort.

With this being said, with my weight fluctuations through the years (as an adult the least I have weighed is 120 in 2009 and 173 now...but usually I am 135-140). When I was 120, my family and friends would talk to me asking if I was having an ED. I was eating 1200 or more calories a day (more or less) and running and very active, healthy and happy. I was, however, anemic, and found out during the San Diego marathon (made it to mile 19). So, I feel that my best weight is right around 130 to where i feel alive, healthy, happy, able to run and do all the things I want to do. That is just me personally, with everyone's frame and structure being different you may be my same height and have a different 'best' weight. But hopefully this helps someone looking for a reference point. Best wishes to you all

deidresilva

I'm 5'7, 155... Goal weight 135-140.. (man and I thought I was tall! you ladies are tall!! ROFL!!) And my little two cents on this topic- obvi height and weight are direct corralations, and just like most women, at any weight, there is a struggle to hit that 'ideal' weight at whatever point it is on the scale..

But on an totally somewhat unrelated note- do you notice that when your tall(er) and working on weight loss- generally the comment you hear when you talk about your weight goals is... 'well your tall! so you don't have as much weight to lose!' or 'your tall! if you lose that much weight your gonna look too skinny'... (this can totally just be me.. #akward!) =x but its like- hellooo that doesnt mean we don't have our own struggles! HAHA!

oohthatbecky

One of the positives about being tall (6'0"), is that I "hide" my weight very well. At 240 lbs, (YIKES!) most people wouldn't ever guess that much. However, I also have a very large frame, so if I lose 30 pounds no one notices either. And dropping 30 pounds means that I only go down 1 pant size. So being tall definitely has it's benefits and frustrations. Anyway, my goal weight for my height and frame is 175 lbs. Some women this height are okay in the 140's, but I know I would look like a skeleton.

Also, yesterday was my first day on MFP, and I could REALLY use some support. I've NEVER learned healthy eating habits, and I have no idea what I'm doing at a gym. Where do I start? I'm tired of feeling fat. Any advice is welcome!!

poohpoohpeapod

I am 5'9 180 and still have alot of fat. I need :noway: to weigh about 140 I thnk.

jayjay12345654321

I'm 5'7, 155... Goal weight 135-140.. (man and I thought I was tall! you ladies are tall!! ROFL!!)

LOL! Exactly! I clicked in thinking, "I'm 5'8", this post must be for me." WRONG! We're the shorties in this discussion. Carry on, ladies. We "vertically challenged" will just sit back and wish 185 was a nice slim size 8 for us. Oh, the things I would eat ...

amberbabb26

I'm 6/1. I starte out at 227 I'm now 180 I was size 17 and now in 10. I got to this weight saying I would reevaluate. I can tell where I'm at I can be 10 pounds smaller and have a few in to loose. You will know when you are there. Also look at body fat now at a 19% everyone's body is diff. I'd look more at in and how you feel then the pounds.

perfect_storm

I am 5"11 a size 4 and 140 lbs and before you all say that is too thin I have a VERY tiny frame and my doctor is happy with my weight so so am I.

dawn_h_d

I am 5'9". I started at 285 and am down to 265. I don't remember the last time I was even near 225, so I started my goal at 200, just to see from there. I do have a large frame and Popeye calves - huge, and all muscle. I have a couple other "trouble" spots, but have quite a bit of muscle under the flab. I am concerned about as I lose to not bulk up more, but not to lose too much muscle. I just take it one week at a time and see what happens.

As for carrying weight different - my sister does give me a hard time that I weigh more than her. Then we go clothes shopping. We wear the same size, but she is only 5'2", so she does get jealous that things do look better on me than her, and yes, I do get some satisfaction out of that because she was always the fashionista. LOL

Jdiaz72

I am 5'10 and about 165. Med. boned and aiming to lose between 10 - 15 lbs to reach my goal and the weight I feel most comfortable at.

In my younger years/ pre-pregnancies I was 145 lbs which felt great but 150/155 is more realistic now that I am 40 ish and must have some treats and wine every now and then.

I think every body is different though. I struggle with muscle tone so being lighter and working out/ running helps me look and feel my best.

lallaloolly

basic rule of thumb that i was always told by my doctor is that for every inch you are over 5 feet, you add five pounds to 100 to get to the target "fit" weight for your height, with about 5 pounds of leeway on either side for individual build/muscle mass

so, if you go according to this, at 5'11", 155 pounds would be the target "fit" weight.
i am between 5'7" and 5' 8", so my general target is 135-140.

kristelgroot

Nice to see some fellow tall women here, I am 180 cm (5'11) and 72kg (159lbs). I hope to get to a 70kg, maybe not much but I really had to make a change as I was going up on the scale and I need to find a way to stabilize again.

I have quite a big frame and I have come to peace with myself that I can loose all the weight but I will maintain a hips, broad shoulders and boobs. Even with the best will in the world I will not be able to wear certain clothes that looks nice on petite women and also when I put something on that does not have a V neck & tailored I will look like a big Michelin tube man.

Anybody else finding it sometimes difficult when you are taller to find good clothes that not only fit you but also look nice without being to bulky?

perfect_storm

Nice to see some fellow tall women here, I am 180 cm (5'11) and 72kg (159lbs). I hope to get to a 70kg, maybe not much but I really had to make a change as I was going up on the scale and I need to find a way to stabilize again.

I have quite a big frame and I have come to peace with myself that I can loose all the weight but I will maintain a hips, broad shoulders and boobs. Even with the best will in the world I will not be able to wear certain clothes that looks nice on petite women and also when I put something on that does not have a V neck & tailored I will look like a big Michelin tube man.

Anybody else finding it sometimes difficult when you are taller to find good clothes that not only fit you but also look nice without being to bulky?

I do not have the bulky problem but finding pants is a nightmare I need a 36" inseam