Healthy weight when weight training?

PhoenixBlaise
PhoenixBlaise Posts: 63 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm weight training to lose weight and I know that most body builders have BMI's in the 25-30 range. My trainer told me my goal weight is unrealistic if I'm to be body building. What do you think a healthy weight would be for me? I'm 5'4" and my previous goal weight was between 135 and 145. Would I look skinny with a weight around 150-160? What do you think?

Replies

  • PhoenixBlaise
    PhoenixBlaise Posts: 63 Member
    Anyone know anything about it?
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Ignore the scale. Track your body fat. If you're planning on bodybuilding, body fat is much more important than weight. Since you want to retain as much lean mass as possible, you will most likely lose fat, but a lot less actual weight than you think.
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    The nice thing is that you don't have to know for certain one way or another. Setup minigoals for yourself along the way. If you want to get to 135, you can have checkpoints at 150, 165, 180, etc. When you reach those goals, reassess where you're at and go from there. As long as you're getting results, continue doing what you're doing and don't worry so much about hitting a specific number.

    My $0.02
  • nutandbutter
    nutandbutter Posts: 447
    I don't know the BMI's of bodybuilders. I concentrate more on body fat, pretty sure they do too. I'm 5'4" and 135. I honestly don't care if I don't lose any more weight. I'm trying to lose some body fat so I can bulk come fall. I don't know if that helps you or not.
  • currlygirrl
    currlygirrl Posts: 82 Member
    I don't know any specifics. But I will tell you that with weight training I weigh about 10 lbs more than I did 6 months ago but I am roughly the same size. I'm working on getting smaller and lighter but I know that my previous goal of 130 is unrealistic if I want more muscle.
    BTY: I am 5'1" and weigh between 150-155 at the moment. My BF is around 30% and I'm trying to get that to 23-26% no matter what I weigh. When I was 145 I was only slightly smaller (like 1/4 - 1/2 in in places, some none at all) than I am right now.
    Hope that helps!!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I am not a body builder but I do heavy strenght training and I really trust my body fat %. The scale does not mean anything to me.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Are you weight training to lose weight or are you trying to be a bodybuilder? I'm confused.

    I am 5'4, weight 112 pounds and have 19% body fat. Do you have a large frame?

    I am in a surplus to gain about 5 pounds of muscle over the next 3-4 months. But hey, I'm by NO means trying to be a body builder or heavy weight lifter!
  • gp79
    gp79 Posts: 1,799 Member
    - Eat in a calorie deficit and get your food from a wide variety of sources
    - Workout with weights 3x per week
    - 1g protein per lb of lean body mass
    - .35 - .45g fat per lb of body weight

    The rate of loss depends on how much you have to lose. The more you have to lose, the faster you are able to lose it. You might be thinking that 3x per week is not that much to be lifting weights, but remember that when you are eating in a calorie deficit, you also have a slower rate of recovery. Some light cardio isn't going to kill you if that's something you want to do on the days you're not lifting.

    How often you eat, what you eat, and the times you eat aren't going to matter a whole lot.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    No, you wouldn't look skinny at 150-160 lbs. Your goal weight of 135 is fine. I'm 5'6, currently weigh 135 lbs. with low body fat%. I don't look skinny by any stretch of the imagination. I look lean and strong. I've been lifting heavy weights 3x per week for 6 months.
  • PhoenixBlaise
    PhoenixBlaise Posts: 63 Member
    Thanks everyone. I'm trying to lose body fat right now, but bodybuilding interests me and if I get down to where I want to be I might go down that road once I meet it.

    Everything is so geared to goal weights and such, it's hard to get my mind off of that! I do know how I want to look, so I guess I'll make that my goal. I've never been where I want as an adult so I have no idea what dress size or waist measurement I want to be...
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Do you have an estimate of your current body fat percentage? If you do you can figure out a goal weight based on a goal body fat percentage.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Rae6503/view/calculate-your-goal-weight-based-on-goal-body-fat-percentage-170958
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    If it's easier for you to have a goal weight (it is for me too) go with that. I think what's important though is that you remember that that's not the ONLY thing, and you certainly shouldn't sacrifice in other areas just to get to a specific number.

    I respect folks who have bf%'s as a target because I think it's a much better indicator, but using weight is a lot easier to do day-to-day.

    I have a weight in mind that I want to get under. At 25lb increments leading to that goal I'll reassess where I'm at and consider altering my target. Once I reach my goal I'll start to look more exclusively at bf%, regardless of if that means my weight going up or down.

    I feel that's a practical solution for me, maybe it will help you. Good luck!

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