Ideal weight? crazy standards

btmadison

Great thoughts everyone! Good to hear from some with experience also close to my height - so based on all this I guess I will set up and shoot for a goal of about 190 for now so maybe psychologically achieving something will be good - and then at that point set a new goal to get into a real idea zone.

meggers123

I really don't think you can go by that number (160) without taking body type into account. The bf is 6'2 and now 180, after his doctor told him he *needed* to gain (he was about 160). He's still trying to gain about 10.

But really? 160 for a guy over 6 foot? No way. I think 180+ with a normal/healthy build. Go by how healthy you feel.

runner328

I would disagree with that, for women at least. I am 5'5" and the healthy weight range for me is 117-155. I spent a lot of my life at the 115-122 range, even with a muscular build, and now that I'm at 130 I think I look very chubby. I've always thought that doctors tend to give women a fairly heavy weight range. This may be different for men though.

I am 5"6 & 130 & I feel chubby also. I went to the doctor''s today & she told me not to lose any more weight. I want to be @ 125lbs

hbrittingham

I would disagree with that, for women at least. I am 5'5" and the healthy weight range for me is 117-155. I spent a lot of my life at the 115-122 range, even with a muscular build, and now that I'm at 130 I think I look very chubby. I've always thought that doctors tend to give women a fairly heavy weight range. This may be different for men though.

It really, really depends on your bone and muscle structure. I'm 5'5 and at my lowest (118), I looked absolutely skeletal. At a muscular 135, I was a size 4.

That is so true for me, too. When I went through a divorce when I was 23, I just lost my appetite and dropped back down to my high school weight of around 120. I am 5' 5" (for some reason I thought I was 5'6", wishful thinking I guess) and I looked very unhealthy at that weight.

I originally set my goal for 155 and then found out that would still keep me in the overweight category, so I set it for 150. Now that I am getting closer to my original goal, I think I am going to shoot for 145. I don't need to be any thinner than that and I will be in the healthy weight category. I have never worn less than a size 10, even at my skinniest. I'm just not built to wear anything smaller.

PalmettoparkGuy

I think it depends on what you want. When I started this my goal was 185. When I got there I felt I could do more and I changed my goal weight to 170. If you're looking for a lean build it's going to be less, more for muscles. Our bodies change as we age (I'm almost 40, male). My physique/weight in my 20's is completely different than it is now. It's hard to forcast how you'll feel when you get to that weight. I think there is a lot of validity to the calculators.

hill2302

I'm 6 ft tall and in my late 30's. I'm down to 185 which was like my 3rd goal weight. I kept lowering my goals as I reached them since I wasn't really happy with the amount of fat I saw. I really don't know what weight I will stop trying to lose. I'm more concerned with getting an acceptable amount of fat off my body and them building up more muscle mass. I think that may eventually see me high than I am now, but I'll be fine with that if I'm happy with the way my body feels and looks. I agree that the arificial guidelines are just that, guidelines. Tailor your goals to meet your body.

Sublog

I'm 6 ft tall and in my late 30's. I'm down to 185 which was like my 3rd goal weight. I kept lowering my goals as I reached them since I wasn't really happy with the amount of fat I saw. I really don't know what weight I will stop trying to lose. I'm more concerned with getting an acceptable amount of fat off my body and them building up more muscle mass. I think that may eventually see me high than I am now, but I'll be fine with that if I'm happy with the way my body feels and looks. I agree that the arificial guidelines are just that, guidelines. Tailor your goals to meet your body.

This is my exact point.

Disregard scale weight. Keep cutting down body fat until you see what you like in the mirror, you're very likely to be 10-20% off on estimates of what you think your ideal weight is.

Lift heavy
Eat protein
reduce calories to lose body fat
Keep going until you see the level of leanness you desire.

psuLemon

Then honestly, you aren't 12%... lol (no disrespect meant)

Body fat measurements are notoriously easy to get wrong. I know it sucks. I am in the same boat. Overall body fat % is dictated by overall body fat measured across the body. If you have a gut, you aren't 12%, despite what your extremities look like.

Your body sounds a lot like mine. I genetically store most of weight in my waist.

Are you happy with your body right now? If you are not, you'll need to keep dropping fat, and then you can get a more accurate measurement of body fat when you get really lean. As you lean out, you will drop more fat free mass in the tune of about 20-40% per lb of weight loss. This is not necessarily muscle loss, this is supporting tissue for the excess fat.

Everyone has less muscle than they think they do and has more fat than they think they do. It's completely normal when you thin out.

No disrespect taken. Using the link below, I have inputed my measurements in several of the equations. You are right, I am not 12% fat, I am 11.75%, lol. And to answer your question, I am happy but not content. My 90 day goal is 9% body fat. Long term is 6-8%. Hoping by the end of the year to reach that. Now I am working on further improving my diet but we will see how things go. I workout 6 days a week and on the 7th I play golf usually. I eat 2800-3000 calories and I am feeling stronger almost every day.


here are measurements if you would like to take a gander

Chest: 10%
Upper Arm (left) - 12%
Upper Arm (right) - 12%
waist - 18%
hips - 10%
abductor - 10%
Thigh Right - 11%
Thigh left - 11%
superalliac - 10%
Midaxillary- 10%


http://www.linear-software.com/online.html

voluptas63

My weight "should be" between 135-150. I just want to be at 160. I look really good at 160. I'm made to be bigger and thicker with curves. I don't look healthy below that.

songbyrdsweet

I am 5'0 and 28.7% BF at 137lbs (1 lb ago lol). I need to reach 126 lbs to reach my goal of 20% body fat. If I were to reach my recommended ~100 lbs, I'd have to do something crazy, like die and begin decomposing. :laugh:

imprimez

Most of our views on what an ideal weight is are heavily influenced by what we're exposed to in our culture and these views do not always conform to what is considered ideal from a medical perspective. In general, women tend to to underestimate what their ideal weight should be while men tend to overestimate. American culture in general seems to prefer skinny women and 'bulky' guys, though I've seen women already at a healthy weight still wanting to gain more.

BMI is a good for reference but should not be taken as gospel. It should be a great guideline for most people as it was designed with the 'average' body type in mind, but it is not particularly well-suited to serious athletes or body builders.

psuLemon

BMI is a good for reference but should not be taken as gospel. It should be a great guideline for most people as it was designed with the 'average' body type in mind, but it is not particularly well-suited to serious athletes or body builders.

I completely again, especially considering athletic people tend to have a high BMI. This is also why I suggest looking at body fat as this is a more accurate measure of health.

cheri0627

Female, 5'2" - my dietitian thinks I should end up about 150, based on my body type and the fact that I'm doing a lot of strength type training (boot camp, CrossFit, Olympic lifting) and building a lot of muscle. She said when I get there, we'll see where I'm at and maybe go lower, but she thinks 150 is realistic.

pickenslmc

I find other people's goal weights very interesting. I have mine set at the higher end of a normal BMI. I may adjust my goal once I reach it depending on how I feel. I think it is also important to consider how much work you want to put into maintaining a lower weight/body fat %. I would like to be able to maintain my weight by staying active in my everyday life not hours of structured exercise. For some it is easy to maintain a low number and/or they truly enjoy exercise. It is also true that each person carries weight differently, and I'm sure you can find a weight that suits you well.

btmadison

I find other people's goal weights very interesting. I have mine set at the higher end of a normal BMI. I may adjust my goal once I reach it depending on how I feel. I think it is also important to consider how much work you want to put into maintaining a lower weight/body fat %. I would like to be able to maintain my weight by staying active in my everyday life not hours of structured exercise. For some it is easy to maintain a low number and/or they truly enjoy exercise. It is also true that each person carries weight differently, and I'm sure you can find a weight that suits you well.

Great point - picking a goal that is easy to maintain within the lifestyle I want to perpetuate would be a good indicator of where to set the final goal when nearing the end of the weight loss phase - thanks!

JaydeSkye

My husband is 6'3" and he weighs 190lbs - it's not unrealistic.. this is what it looks like:

eviltwinkie

I agree that it depends on the frame. The guidelines are a good 'goal', but we really need to be in tune (and honest) with ourselves about what feels right and what we're capable of.

My current goal is set high for my height - 150 lbs at 5'6". But the last time I weighed that, I felt and looked good, so that's what I'm heading for. I'll revisit it when I get there. I don't lift weights now like I did then, so I suspect my final target is going to be lower... we shall see.

rosendo192000

I know this is an old thread , but ima glad I found it . I'm been worrying about my weight since I started my weight lost journey . I came from a whopping 405 lbs at 5'10 " , 19 months later Im currently 187lbs . The weight chart indicates I'm suppose to be at 163 .. I guess I'll look more and base my self on my BF% instead keeping in mind that I might have 5-10 lbs of skin

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youtubeworkouter

These charts do not take into account muscle weighs more, so what you are getting is the weight of a skinny thin boned person on those charts. My husband complains of the same thing. He has not been below 190. My charts say as a woman 5'7 I should be between 118 and 159, that is a huge weight range. I am 156 now, I know I am now healthy, but not fit looking. I don't like the charts

Skarlet13

I know this is an old thread , but ima glad I found it . I'm been worrying about my weight since I started my weight lost journey . I came from a whopping 405 lbs at 5'10 " , 19 months later Im currently 187lbs . The weight chart indicates I'm suppose to be at 163 .. I guess I'll look more and base my self on my BF% instead keeping in mind that I might have 5-10 lbs of skin

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Holy smokes....you've lost a lot of weight. Congrats.