How did you figure out your goal weight?

lthames0810

When I first started with MFP, I figured my goal weight should be 130 lbs. No particular reason except that it was what I weighed the last time I felt confident about my appearance...30 years ago!

Since then I've had to reconsider. I remember years ago reading about a study of the health of older people of various BMIs that conculded that thinness in elderly women was associated with poorer health. (The important word to me was "associated" because maybe the reason they were thin had to do with poor health in the first place.) But it made me think.

I'm female, 59 years, 5'6" and currently weight 177 lbs. I've increased my goal weight to 150 lbs but that's arbitrary, too.

How did you guys figure it out? Is there a way to estimate based on age?

FJDodd

I used this calculator. It uses weight, height, age to determine. gives you a lot of different ranges based on different theories. I used to determine my goal by averaging all the "estimates" together.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

MapleFlavouredMaiden

I used this calculator https://www.myrebody.com/weightlosscalculator

It's the Ideal Weight one in the middle. You have to know your body fat percentage though and what your goal body fat is.

popshoveit

I just base it off the lowest range of what is healthy for my body's shape, size, height and age.

CountryJoy45

I am 47 years old, 5'4" and my goal weight is 150 lbs. A few years ago I did a quick weight loss diet and lost down to 147 and looked too skinny. I fell back on old habits and gained the weight back. Anyway, this time I am losing it in a much more healthy and slower way but remembering looking too skinny, wrinkly face, baggy arms etc so I am afraid to set my goal any lower than 150. If I get to 150 and feel like I can lose a few more pounds and still feel healthy I will reassess my goal at that time.

The short version of that is that my advice to you would be to keep your goal at 150 for now and then when you get to that weight if you feel like you could lose more and still feel and be healthy then you can always change your goal. Honestly your goal will be finally determined when you get to where you feel good, not based on what someone else tells you it should be. :-)

MapleFlavouredMaiden

I used this calculator. It uses weight, height, age to determine. gives you a lot of different ranges based on different theories. I used to determine my goal by averaging all the "estimates" together.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

This is a crap calculator as it doesn't take into account body frame or muscle mass. I don't recommend it.

MapleFlavouredMaiden

BMI calculators are incredibly bad. For example, it tells me I am just inside the overweight category. I am not overweight. I am just very muscular. Body builders are "obese" according to BMI calculators.

CountryJoy45

BMI calculators are incredibly bad. For example, it tells me I am just inside the overweight category. I am not overweight. I am just very muscular. Body builders are "obese" according to BMI calculators.

I wish that MFP had a "like" button

FJDodd

I used this calculator. It uses weight, height, age to determine. gives you a lot of different ranges based on different theories. I used to determine my goal by averaging all the "estimates" together.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

This is a crap calculator as it doesn't take into account body frame or muscle mass. I don't recommend it.

LOL - you obviously didnt use it. There are several different formulas it allows you. One of them includes body frame.

MapleFlavouredMaiden

I used this calculator. It uses weight, height, age to determine. gives you a lot of different ranges based on different theories. I used to determine my goal by averaging all the "estimates" together.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

This is a crap calculator as it doesn't take into account body frame or muscle mass. I don't recommend it.

LOL - you obviously didnt use it. There are several different formulas it allows you. One of them includes body frame.

Yeah, I did use it. Still crap. It doesn't take into account muscle mass. You can't just guess your frame size. A lot of overweight people think they are "big boned". Besides, still need to know your body fat percentage to know how much FAT to lose without losing any muscle.

Nessiechickie

Took my last weight that I was happy with and added about 10lbs +
since that was like 4 years ago.
Weight 113lbs (unhealthy) in University.
I would like to be 125-130lbs GW

deksgrl

Initially I set it to what me low of recent years was, about 7 years ago. 142. But I was not really happy at that weight then and wanted to lose more. I learned here about body re-composition and the difference between losing weight versus losing fat, and the importance of preserving lean body mass to help prevent osteoporosis in later years. My goal weight is now 150. At 142, I still had a rather high percentage of body fat, which is why I was unhappy with how I looked. I am happier with my look now after a year of strength training, at 158 than I was at 142.

Editing to add: I'm 5'6".

FJDodd

I am so SORRY. Did I miss the MD, or PHD, next to your name? What qualifies you to say something is crap and not to use it?

DemoraFairy

BMI calculators are incredibly bad. For example, it tells me I am just inside the overweight category. I am not overweight. I am just very muscular. Body builders are "obese" according to BMI calculators.

Yes, BMI isn't great for body builders. But most people aren't body builders, so it's fine for most people.

To answer the OP's question, I looked on http://www.mybodygallery.com/ at different weights for my height and chose the weight I thought most people looked best at. I then got there and still wasn't happy so am about 6lbs under that now, just going until I'm happy (or the lowest I can go while being healthy).

lthames0810

Ok...sorry, I didn't mean to start an argument...

I had my body fat estimated at 39% when I started out at 195 lbs. I used Mapleflavour's calculator and selected a target BF% on the high end of the fitness range.

It gave me 157 lbs!!! Based on that I have only 20 pounds to go!

Thanks to all for the advice. Also, I like the wait and see idea. If I still look pudge at 157, I'll either go lower or get in the weight room (ugh.)

cpcoursec

Add me to the group that thinks BMI is a joke. According to BMI I should weigh 180. At my most fit in my life I was 205 and looked like I was dying of AIDS. I feel and look best at 220, which according to a chart says I am 40lbs to heavy.

ETA: The "crap" calculator says that I should be 226. Sounds like it works to me.

seltzermint555

I started MFP last March at 262 lb and I had been that weight or higher for the better part of the last 20 years. So my starting goal was 220 lb in order to beat my former "adult low weight" of 227 lb.

Once I got close to 220, I decided to change my goal weight to 180 lb and I chose that number because it's the last number I can EVER recall seeing on the scale (at age 14 or 15) and not feeling ashamed or horrified by it. I like the way I looked when I was in 8th grade so my 8th grade weight is my goal weight...even though I'm 37.

I fully intend to go lower. But I WILL make it to 180 this year :-)

ETA: I think the "healthy weight range" for a woman of my age and height 5'8" is like 130-165? I am not sure. I can't imagine being below 150 ever, personally, but who knows.

deksgrl

BMI is a 200 year old formula developed by a mathematician for statistics purpose, not individual health purposes. It does not measure the relative proportions of bone, muscle and fat in the body. But bone is denser than muscle and twice as dense as fat, so a person with strong bones, good muscle tone and low fat will have a high BMI. Fit and healthy people who work out tend to find themselves classified as overweight or even obese. It also doesn't take into consideration waist versus height ratio which is a better indication of obesity.

My BMI is 25.5 which means I'm in the "overweight" category which begins at 25. My body fat percent is 28% which for my age puts me right on the edge between "ideal" and "average". Average goes up to 35% body fat for my age group. I'm working to bring it down to the lower end of the ideal range.

So, BMI = overweight but BF% = almost ideal

sad_kitty

I picked my goal weight as the weight I was when I last felt confident and healthy in my body in my late 20's. Which is about 137-145 pounds. I'm 160 now, so I hope to reach this goal by early summer and learn to maintain it. When I was younger, I found that dropping below 130 left me feeling unwell, even when I was somewhat more athletic, so I think 140 is a good target weight for my 5'7'' frame. Once I hit my goal I plan to focus on maintaining and improving my fitness rather than shedding more weight. If I hit 130, awesome. If not, I'm ok with that as long as I can learn to maintain my weight.

auddii

I started MFP last March at 262 lb and I had been that weight or higher for the better part of the last 20 years. So my starting goal was 220 lb in order to beat my former "adult low weight" of 227 lb.

Once I got close to 220, I decided to change my goal weight to 180 lb and I chose that number because it's the last number I can EVER recall seeing on the scale (at age 14 or 15) and not feeling ashamed or horrified by it. I like the way I looked when I was in 8th grade so my 8th grade weight is my goal weight...even though I'm 37.

I fully intend to go lower. But I WILL make it to 180 this year :-)

ETA: I think the "healthy weight range" for a woman of my age and height 5'8" is like 130-165? I am not sure. I can't imagine being below 150 ever, personally, but who knows.

I'm very similar to you. I did have an adult low of 200, but I haven't gotten under it yet. My first goal is 180, and then hopefully 160. But, after 180, I think I'm going to stop setting hard weight goals and go more by bf% and how I look. Plus, I lift heavy, so I'm thinking a lot of my goals will actually be strength based.

Llamapants86

I picked the middle of the weight range for BMI, I can evaluate how I look/feel/perform once I get there.

Lives2Travel

I picked the middle of the range for women 5'8' which is 145. I weighed about 130 in HS so adding 15 lbs. for age (55) seems pretty reasonable.