"Stay at your curent weight!"

skinny_baby

I was 174 then lost 46 pounds. My family especially my husband said I should gain more. Increased my calorie intake to 2000. So now I was 140 and everyone said "stay where you are." I kept eating and the vacations came. I gained more and now am sitting at 148 pounds on this new year's eve. I know I have to lose the pounds.

But I am confused about what to target. At height 5'3," I had come down to 128 pounds and was wanting to lose 4 more. Had not reached my goal. Everyone started saying I look weak. Maybe because I was eating just 1200 calories and burning about 600 daily. So I am needing to lose appropriately this time.

Please tell me how many calories I should be eating if burning 200 daily M-F. I am going to start slow because of the time I will have in January. Getting ready for a state exam. Also what is the normal weight range for me?

Please have a fabulous new year!!

MaryTee804

Congrats on losing the weight you did. You can do it again. You should eat 1500 calories to maintain your weight. And hitting 128 pounds again should be your target. Happy New year to you too!

Sarauk2sf

This may help:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

skinny_baby

Thanks for the link! Happy New Year to you.

skinny_baby

Thanks to you too MaryTee! Happy New Year!!

michelle4458

I also lost a lot of weight. I'm 5'4 and dropped 90 lbs to reach 137, size 6. I know this is right in the healthy weight range, but knowing what I looked like out of clothes I felt the ultimate goal would be a size 4 and around 127 lbs. Like you, I have had a lot of people comment that I'm too skinny now and definitely don't need to lose anymore. But 127 for a 5'4 person is still in the healthy range and a size 4 is certainly not overly skinny. My thought is that people are comparing me to what I used to look like and by comparison I look skinny. But i have friends and co-workers who are smaller than I am and no one says they look too thin. So, as long as you stay in the healthy range for your height, you know where you feel most comfortable. It is you that needs to feel happy about how you look!

billsica

I think you should listen to what your husband says.

christinezimmermanaguirre

I say go with what makes you comfortable and not weak. I do not understand why people have to be so cruel by telling you that you are too thin. Do what works for you!

KL145

Do what makes you happy and stop listening to people.When I was at my heaviest and very uncomfortable with my weight and image everyone told me I look great (yeah,right hypocrites). My husband told me I should lose weight and we went on the journey together by working out 5 dys a wk and changing our eating habit and we both reached our gold within 9 months. It is now our lifestyle. Go with what you feel is best. Good luck!

lisalsd1

So I'm more interested in the "you look weak" comment. Are you just dieting?

I'm 5'3 and 128 right now. I definitely don't think I look weak.

You can use the calcs to determine BMR, which (my understanding) is the basic amount of cals you need to live. Then TDEE is how many cals you expend during the day based on size, weight, activity level, etc. That would give you a better idea of how many cals you should be eating. I know my BMR is 1350ish...and TDEE is 1850 (the extra 500 cals is from daily activity and exercise).

The weight range is more personal it seems like. I really think it depends on your frame. I have a medium sized frame, and I can't imagine that I should weigh less than 127 lbs.

Saramelie

I see a big need of approbation in your message....
First by your family, and then by the MFP community (basically wanting US to tell you what you should weight)....
The question is : what do YOU want?? Where do YOU see yourself being the most comfortable? Focus on this, then focus on what you need to do to get there (diet, exercice). YOU are in charge of your body, you are the one living in it!

Guinivere

I think you should listen to what your husband says.

I'm intrigued.... Why?
Would he be an expert in her health and mental well being or does he just want some sexy curves?

wilsoje74

5'3" 128lb is not too skinny. People just say that either out of jealousy or because it's a change they aren't used to. I'm 5'5" and my goal is 120.

fittocycle

I'm 5'3" and bounce around between 126-128. When I was at 126 this summer, I did hear from some that I looked too thin. However, some of those people were a little overweight and I think their perception of "thin" was different from mine. Honestly, it seems that being a little overweight or fluffy is the new normal! Go with where you feel most comfortable and happy. As long as you're not below the low end of your weight range, you should be fine!:flowerforyou:

choaks

We are new friends so I may not know exactly how you want to look but if YOU feel you need to drop weight. Then drop the weight. If YOU feel you are at your goal weight then maintain. Are you willing to strength train and tone up with some muscles and definition? Hardly would think anyone would consider you "weak" then. I find people look weak if they feel and portray weakness. Be confident in your accomplishments. Be strong for the new you. There should be none of that word "weak" in your vocabulary.

Zelinna

I don't think your goal is unrealistic but I think that there is a way to do it without looking or feeling week.

Set your goal to a pound loss a week and eat back your exercise calories. It may take you longer to get to goal but you will feel much better in the long run and be able to keep it off.

wild_autumn_wind

People might just have been saying that because they hadn't been used to you being so much smaller. It's not an unrealistic goal, but if you had been eating 1200 and burning 600, I'd suggest you eat back your exercise calories to get your net up. Maybe that's why you had been looking "weak" because you hadn't been eating adequately enough for your workouts.
Cheers!

Howdoyoufeeltoday

I'm 5'4'' and 124...err 125 probably after the holiday meals and such but my goal is 120-118. I have a rather small frame and I carry most of my weight in my stomach and muffin top. So get to the weight you want and tell everyone else that they're awesome for caring but focus on themselves and not you. Cheers to the New Year :drinker:

ShorelyReady

In my opinion, and I am not a professional, but you can not compare yourself to what others may weigh or what people think you should weigh. Simply put, we are all made differently. People come in different shapes and sizes. A certain weight on one person, may not look at all good (or even be that healthy) on someone else. You have to take this into consideration. For your height, being between 115-145 is considered healthy. But where you actually should aim for should be based on a) Your body type/bone structure and b) Where you feel your healthiest and most comfortable. If you have serious concerns about what weight you should be, it would be best to ask a doctor. Listen to your body.

SLLRunner

Congrats on losing the weight you did. You can do it again. You should eat 1500 calories to maintain your weight. And hitting 128 pounds again should be your target. Happy New year to you too!

Just curious-where did you come up with 1,500 for maintenance? Based on the OP's stats, I'm pretty sure that's not correct.

SLLRunner

Skinny baby, I plugged in your current age, weight, height, into http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and came up with these numbers, assuming moderating exercise 3 to 5 times a week:

Basic Metabolic Rate (BMR) if you are truly sedentary and don't move at all: 1457
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) to maintain weight: 2259
Calories to eat to lose .5 pounds a week: 2146
Calorie to eat to lose 1 pound a week: 2033

As to how much you should weight, that's really your decision. You know you body, what you look like, etc. and none of us can tell you the weight that is right for you.