How to determine the ideal GOAL weight

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RichardWhitman
RichardWhitman Posts: 105 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Changed my goal weight. I started MFP almost 2 months ago at 217# with a goal weight of 185#. I have now lost 20 pounds and I am confident I can get myself down even more. So I set my new goal at 175#, the top end of Healthy for my BMI.

But my question is, what should be the ideal goal weight? BMI seems so flimsy as a measurement relative to body type. I don't have access to a body fat % calculation (that I know of).

How did you set your goal weight?
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Replies

  • spngebobmyhero
    spngebobmyhero Posts: 823 Member
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    I'm curious too. I just picked a weight that seemed reasonable, but not unrealistic. I wonder if there is some kind of science behind ideal goal weight
  • Hype
    Hype Posts: 349
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    BUMP
  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
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    BMI is not very accurate for those who are very muscular. But for most people, you're probably OK aiming for the healthy range. It's not an exact science trying to determing the best goal weight for your individual body. I'm sure your doctor can help. For me, I picked a number at the higher end of the healthy range. I've been close to this weight before and really liked how I looked and felt and more importantly, didn't feel like I would have to kill myself to maintain it. So that's how I decided.

    Ironically, I've looked up what a healthy weight is for my husband, and I'm not so sure I want him that thin. So who knows...
  • Riebop
    Riebop Posts: 275
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    I'm curious too. I just picked a weight that seemed reasonable, but not unrealistic.

    ^That... I've been a range of different weights. There were my serious dancing days when I was trim and fit. I wasn't one of those uber skinny dancers. Then, there was the weight that I was after I lost the weight that I gained after I quit dancing. My goal is somewhere between those two numbers. Just find a weight that you feel confident at. Body composition is a big factor when determining what weight is a good weight for you.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    IDK how to determine goal weight. When I look at charts there is such a huge range! I just picked a number at random that sounded good at the time. I honestly don't even remember what it was. My real goal was a pants size and a healthy checkup at the doctor. According to my BMI I need to lose 1.4 more pounds to not be overweight. But according to a healthy weight calculator on webmd.com I am at a healthy weight using a combination of BMI and waist to height ratio (I carry weight in my bum and upper thighs). I'm still losing slowly but until then, I'm going with the webmd calculator
  • armaretta
    armaretta Posts: 851 Member
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    Without going too deeply into the methods, I would gauge your goals by body fat % rather than just weight. Go to your doctor or an experienced personal trainer, and have your body fat % measured. Many would agree that it is a much better indicator of overall health. BMI works for an average person, but other factors play too much into how much weight you carry. Water retention, hormonal problems, and muscle mass cause things to vary too much. BMI gives a good ballpark to shoot for, but those wanting to really fine tune their bodies usually use more than just BMI to determine their health.

    You can find various formulas using tape measures as well, but I'd still strongly recommend consulting with your doctor and talking about your goals and methods. They will have a sound knowledge about what would be best for your overall health.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    Ideal weight isnt an exact science. I have a tiny little frame so you'd think that the lower end of normal BMI would be ideal for me, but since i have MASSIVE calves and quads from years of lower body exercise and weight training the extra muscle adds pounds. I look creepy/sick skinny at the lower end of normal BMI, so I chose somewhere in the middle.
  • melamine1
    melamine1 Posts: 1
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    Check out this website for setting a realistic goal weight: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm
  • Wuggums
    Wuggums Posts: 339 Member
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    When I first started out, I set my goal weight by the weight I was when I graduated high school. Then, as I progressed, I modified my goal weight and set it based on BMI (one of my first long-range goals was to get out of the "obese" category). Recently, I've set my "final" goal weight and I based it on body fat percentage. I calculated my current lean body mass based on my current weight and body fat percentage and added on a healthy 20-25% to get to my "final" goal weight.
  • DJH510
    DJH510 Posts: 114 Member
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    Just keep losing until you're satisfied with how you look. Surely it's as simple as that!
  • Goal_Seeker_1988
    Goal_Seeker_1988 Posts: 1,619 Member
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    bump
  • emmaNEEDSskinny
    emmaNEEDSskinny Posts: 317
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    i chose a rounded off number like 100lbs and 7stone
  • ChasesMumma927
    ChasesMumma927 Posts: 130 Member
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    try this just to see your body fat % idk how accurate it is but it might help you out http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/body-fat-percentage.php

    My Dr. told me how much she would like to see me at.. thats how my first goal was set. But then I too wanted to lose more.. I took the weight range they said would be good for my height and that was 107-145 I know that seems like a huge span to me too.. But anyways I told myself i wanted to be about in the middle of that.. I figured then if I gained during holidays I wouldn't be going over weight and I also would have extra meat on me if I got sick or something.. So I made a new goal of around 126 Dr told me to be about 130 :-) I hope that helps maybe its dumb but its what I did

    Good luck to you!! keep up the GREAT work doing awesome
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/304029-a-quick-way-to-figure-out-your-ideal-weight

    Also here's a pretty accurate link to try to determine your Body fat%. Take this percentage and multiply it times your weight to get your current fat pounds. Then subtract the fat pounds from your current body weight to determine LEAN BODY MASS.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
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    Check out this website for setting a realistic goal weight: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

    I just used this and its lower than what I have my goal set at. BOO. LOL!
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
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    I would imagine the most accurate way to determine your ideal body weight is by percentage of body fat.

    A doctor should have the tools to determine this for you.

    I don't know how accurate it is, but my bathroom scale calculates percentage of body fat through electrical resistance through your feet.

    It can also be calculated using calipers to measure skin folds.

    It can also be calculated by dunking in a known volume of water.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    try this just to see your body fat % idk how accurate it is but it might help you out http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/body-fat-percentage.php

    Yes! this uses the same BMI plus waist to height ratio that webmd uses. It puts me at a healthy weight and body fat percentage. I posted a suggestion to this site that they add waist to height ratio but I don't know if they ever really read those things.
  • Sariebon
    Sariebon Posts: 52 Member
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    I also chose the middle, I based my goal weight off a weight I was happy with when I dieted previously. Technically, my healthy weight range is 130 - 159, but I'm aiming for around 143 :)
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
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    This is the best one I can find that is realistic for anyone with a broad frame:

    http://www.myfooddiary.com/Resources/ideal_weight_calc.asp
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    Changed my goal weight. I started MFP almost 2 months ago at 217# with a goal weight of 185#. I have now lost 20 pounds and I am confident I can get myself down even more. So I set my new goal at 175#, the top end of Healthy for my BMI.

    But my question is, what should be the ideal goal weight? BMI seems so flimsy as a measurement relative to body type. I don't have access to a body fat % calculation (that I know of).

    How did you set your goal weight?


    Personally, I would focus on a goal body fat percentage rather than a goal weight, since weight is influenced by a lot of factors. To get an idea of what weight you should be at your goal BF%, try the following.

    Lean Body Mass /(1- Goal BF%[in decimal form]) = Ideal Weight

    So for me, I have 165lbs of LBM and my goal is 12% body fat.

    165/(1-0.12) = 187.5lbs

    This method assumes that you will not lose any LBM over the course of your weight loss. If you lose LBM you will need to get to a lower weight t to reach the same body fat percentage. This is typically more accurate than using BMI as a guide.

    I have found the US Navy formula to be the most accurate for estimating body fat percentage.

    A calculator can be found here:
    http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy

    To get your LBM, do the following

    Current Body Weight x (1- Current BF%) = LBM

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