Rethinking my weight goal? 5'6" female help please :)

13

Replies

  • soontobesam
    soontobesam Posts: 714 Member
    Someone provided these on my page today. They both came back with an ideal weight of 123 but I am shooting for 128 (after I hit my first goal weight of 150) and then I'll see how I feel .

    http://www.medindia.net/patients/calculators/framesize1.asp Use the frame size calculator (you will need to measure your wrist) and then once you have determined you frame size, scroll down just a bit and you will see "click here and calculate your ideal weight for your body frame' and then run that calculator.

    Essentially the same deal but laid out slightly different (and you need to know your frame size) is this one http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/happyweight

    I got these from Athena and just noticed she already posted. oops :)
  • louiloui123
    louiloui123 Posts: 22 Member
    im 5'5 started 179 and aiming for 140 but 125 is the BMI target weight for my height
  • adry20
    adry20 Posts: 82 Member
    I think it also depends on your body frame.
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    I am 5'6" and I am currently 183-185lbs (depending on if it's my scale or the dr's scale). My "goal" is to get to 160lbs and go from there. I personally think I look fine the way I am right now and my body fat percentage is in the healthy range (I just had it checked today and i was pretty excited to hear that LOL). The "top" of our "healthy weight" chart is 155 I think. I don't aim to be less than 160lbs, but I've told myself that I would see how I feel when I get there (and see how my husband feels... he married me almost 100lbs ago). I'm already in a size 10/12 when I'm in the 180s.

    BTW OP you are beautiful... and take it as a huge compliment coming from me. i don't like blondes... bahaha I kid. LOL You really are gorgeous and you look great!
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    I would look at getting your body fat % in to order instead of weight too much. I'm the same height and my target is 140 or 20% body fat. BMI wise the magic number is 22 apparently which is around 140 I think for 5'6
  • b_fit4life
    b_fit4life Posts: 105 Member
    I am 5'4" and felt my best in ..... wait for it.... high school. What? I was super active then! Anyway, I was 5'4" then too and weighed about 135-140pounds. My current goal is to get back to that weight, however, I am also trying to build more muscle than I think I had then so I may be 140-145 instead. Looking at my frame and bone structure...I'll never be a size 2 and I'm OK with that. But I would like to be as healthy as I can and still enjoy life!
    It sounds like you're pretty reasonable....you'll do just fine!
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
    Doesn't matter what "average" is. What matters is what YOU are happy with. at 5'6" and 150, you are not overweight so you don't really need to be looking at weight (the force of gravity on your mass) as the defining measurement for your fitness goals.

    You might instead want to look at body fat percentage or measurements (which you have been). At this point, if you put on muscle and lost fat, your weight isn't going to decrease steadily like it did when you had a significant amount of weight to lose.

    I'm a little over 5'6", 136, my measurements are 33/27/38, 19% body fat. I'm at a place where I'm happy with how I look and feel, the numbers mean absolutely nothing. What I'm looking at now, personally, is my actual, real-live performance in terms of athletic ability (training for races, etc)
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    Why worry about setting your goal lower now? Keep this goal and once you reach it, you can look in the mirror and determine if you like what you see or if you still want to make changes.

    This. I agonized over what my goal weight should be. Then I realized, I have over 100 lbs to lose (at the time), why quibble over 10-20 lbs? I'm 5'6" too, so I set my goal at 154. That just barely puts me at a healthy BMI (although I don't believe BMI is the be all, end all) and that's the lowest I've been as an adult. Once I get there, I'll decide how far to keep going.

    Take if a few pounds at a time and see how you feel.
  • kamcbr2
    kamcbr2 Posts: 1
    I own a Curves and I have seen every body type you can think of. I am 27 and 5'6". Healthy for ME is about 145. But with your measurements it sounds like 150 is an excellent goal. My best friend is the same age/height, and healthy for HER is 135. Others I have seen for our height might be as high as 160. Being fit isn't about a number on a scale. Try to focus more on how you feel. Thinner isn't always better! I was 130 in college and I was very unhealthy. If you must focus on numbers, check your body fat % (not BMI). My guess is that you're already at a good number though. Good luck!
  • DaltonsMom910
    DaltonsMom910 Posts: 45
    Hello! I am 5'6" My goal is to be 150lbs, and currently I am 164lbs. My measurements are 38-28.5-39. But lately I'm thinking that maybe my goal is too high (weight wise) and I could possibly be looking to weigh lower than that? I know that muscle weighs more than fat does, and that will play a part into it, and also how comfortable I feel at 150 (once I finally get there! :) ) but I'm wondering maybe what the average weight for 5'6" is? Or maybe what goals some people at my height have reached? If it helps, the look I want is leaner, but definitely muscular.

    I know that I should probably just wait it out until I actually am 150, but I just wanted to see is my goal reasonable?

    Thanks everyone :)

    I am about 5'7"-5'8", & currently weigh 172. I was about 145-150 lbs back in 2007.. and I felt good, but everyone told me I looked anorexic since I was tall. I was active in softball & marching band but didn't really have alot of muscle. I was approx. a size 7/8-9/10 b/c I still had my big butt & wide hips. I would suggest just keeping your goal at 150 & then just work on toning/strength training. You'll lose inches but gain muscle & you should be satisfied. I'm getting near my original goal, which is 165 lbs. but the closer I get, I think I'm going to try to go to atleast 160, maybe even 155. I want to be healthy mainly, but I want to look thinner but keep my curves, b/c my hubby does not want me to lose my butt or thick thighs. Looking back at my pictures from 5 years ago, I don't think I would want to be anywhere near 145 again.. I looked tall & 'skroney'. I prefer to have curves myself, & I'm sure every man would prefer curves over a stick-person. People annoy me so badly when they're like 115-120 lbs & they already look sick, & they're like "oh I need to get down to atleast 105-108, I feel fat." I'm like seriously?? Go eat a cheeseburger. lol
  • perfect10isha
    perfect10isha Posts: 200 Member
    I think you should just work toward 150 and allow yourself the flexibility to change your goals as your body changes. I'm also 5'6" and my measurements are 34-28-39 and I currently weigh around 138-140 (fluctuates). My original goal weight was 135-140 and now that I'm here I realize that its more about how toned/muscular I am versus the scale. I was more muscular (pre-pregnancy) at 150 and was quite happy there. After I gave birth I started losing weight and in that process lost muscle mass as well. So now I'm more concerned with getting the definition I want than the scale. Set a goal, work towards it, and change if necessary when you get there (or close to it). Since our measurements are almost identical but our weight is off by about 30 pounds I would say that you probably have a fair amount of muscle mass to begin with so definately work on maintaining the lean muscle mass you have.
  • kristi5224
    kristi5224 Posts: 98 Member
    I am 5 7 and change but I have a very "lanky" build, long arms and long legs I weight 130 today (yay) I have a friend that is 5'4" that has a more muscular build and she looks fabulous and petite at 135. every body is different. When we start comparing ourselves to others is can get ugly. A size 6 is not very big and your measurement sound close to perfect. You havgotten some good advice here.
  • vcreinert
    vcreinert Posts: 83
    Everyone's goal is reasonable. Do what feels good for you. Don't worry about what others think. If you are really concerned, consult your doctor.
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
    I'm really close to 5'6. Im 155 now, and want to go back down to 135. I was happy, fit and healthy then. Now I feel very chubby...hate this feeling. Depending on your frame (small, med, big) you can be anywhere from 120-150 and still be in a healthy zone. I believe if I can fit into a size 4 and be this weight.. I'll take it.
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    It really does depend on your body composition and personal preference, but I am 5'6" and 154lbs. currently and I still have a lot that I'd like to lose. I am much more comfortable than I was at 185, that's for sure, but I'm aiming for 120 personally because I have a smaller/less muscular frame. 150 can look good at this height though, it really does depend on how you're built. I see 135 as a really common goal weight for this height too. My advice would be to get to 150 and see how you feel. If you're happy, maintain and if not just take it from there!
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    Hello! I am 5'6" My goal is to be 150lbs, and currently I am 164lbs. My measurements are 38-28.5-39. But lately I'm thinking that maybe my goal is too high (weight wise) and I could possibly be looking to weigh lower than that? I know that muscle weighs more than fat does, and that will play a part into it, and also how comfortable I feel at 150 (once I finally get there! :) ) but I'm wondering maybe what the average weight for 5'6" is? Or maybe what goals some people at my height have reached? If it helps, the look I want is leaner, but definitely muscular.

    I know that I should probably just wait it out until I actually am 150, but I just wanted to see is my goal reasonable?

    Thanks everyone :)
    Hello,
    I am 5'7", and am currently 163lbs. My goal weight, however, is 140 (give/take 2lbs). I am of medium build. I have already been this weight as a very fit person, so I know it's right for me. Idon't mind weighing more or even less, if I am muscular and energetic. Certainly there is nothing wrong with 150lbs, but it sounds a shade heavy unless your bodyfat at that weight is within range of healthy.

    My suggestion is to get your bodyfat measured and track your progress that way, too. Sounds like you have nice goals:)
  • kuger4119
    kuger4119 Posts: 213 Member
    Hello! I am 5'6" My goal is to be 150lbs, and currently I am 164lbs. My measurements are 38-28.5-39. But lately I'm thinking that maybe my goal is too high (weight wise) and I could possibly be looking to weigh lower than that? I know that muscle weighs more than fat does, and that will play a part into it, and also how comfortable I feel at 150 (once I finally get there! :) ) but I'm wondering maybe what the average weight for 5'6" is? Or maybe what goals some people at my height have reached? If it helps, the look I want is leaner, but definitely muscular.

    I know that I should probably just wait it out until I actually am 150, but I just wanted to see is my goal reasonable?

    Thanks everyone :)

    When I started on MFP, I weighed 177 lbs and thought that I wanted to be 160 lbs. I figured that anything less than that and I would be too skinny. I got down to 160 lbs and realized that I was still heavier than I wanted to be so I have revised my goal to 150 lbs. I've been working on my protein intake to try to build muscle so I have the right body composition when I reach 150 lbs.

    Odds are that at 5'6", you should probably be closer to 148 lbs if you want to look like the poster above who is 5'7" and 153 lbs (just running some math). Most women that are 5'6" look best around 125-135 lbs but most women aren't particularly fit. To me, the sexiest women are the ones that have a little bit of muscle and are fit and not necessarily tiny. I'd say that on average, most of the fit women in your height range are closer to 140 lbs. As others have said, everyone carries their weight differently and a 10 lb difference between two people of similar size is not unusual. What is most important is to find a weight that you feel comfortable at for you.

    I've found that even though I've shed a lot of fat off my gut, my self-image is actually worse now than it was. I now understand how people can suffer from anorexia and other eating disorders that are destructive. Make sure that you don't look in the mirror to judge yourself. Take pictures, step away for a day or two, and then judge. At the end of the day, it isn't about the scale, it's about how you feel.
  • elexichoccyeater
    elexichoccyeater Posts: 310 Member
    Hi I am 5ft7 and want to be 154 I am currently 158 so not far off... I am a UK size 12 which is good for me.... I am comfortable that size... However I am 47 and if I lose a load more I am frightened I will be come wrinkly xxxx hope that helps x
  • RedHeadDevotchka
    RedHeadDevotchka Posts: 1,394 Member
    I think 150 is a good goal, especially if you have a larger amount of muscle.
  • muroo
    muroo Posts: 68
    Everyone's said what I would add...it's about how you feel and there's no need to set a single goal. It'll change...plus exercising feels good and it's not like you'll just stop once you get there!

    I'd also like to reiterate what WeightWars said...I remember I used to have a goal weight that turned out to be impossible. Not impossible, but based on my body fat measurements, I'd have to lose a lot of muscle to get there...I changed my expectations accordingly and I'm happier now. :-)
  • honeysprinkles
    honeysprinkles Posts: 1,757 Member
    ok. So I am ALMOST 5'7" and have a lot of muscle mass.... I am 23% body fat

    I currently weigh 153, and I don't think I'll be seeing anything less the 145 if I keep eating/training at the level I do. (I shouldn't eat less, and I shouldn't train more.)

    096.jpg

    This was at a recent race, so you can see what I look like at 153(ish)
    That's a good example of what I meant when I said people who look good (or great) at that height and weight! I weigh a pound more than you but I don't look like that at all! My body fat % is probably much higher!
  • mommamisty823
    mommamisty823 Posts: 99
    I'm your height, and have been at your weight before. I've been down to 135 and felt my most comfortable there. I think a lot of it depends on your build though.
  • igora_soma
    igora_soma Posts: 486
    I'm 5'6" and 177 atm but my goal is 145-147 which my doctor supported. I also have a rather large frame :/ I think you should see how you feel at 150. For our height the range is 116-154 which is crazy big!! I think 140-145 is reasonable depending on your frame :)
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    I would love my waist to be that small at 164! Mine is that size now and I'm 142 at 5'8, with muscle (most of my weights in my middle!)

    What I would do in your sitation though is wait until you are actually 150 and then reevaluate. Everyone looks different, even at the same weights so you may find you're happy at that weight, or you may want to push for more. :smile:
  • shani251
    shani251 Posts: 145 Member
    hi! so i'm 5'6" and currently weigh around 136-138, depending on the day. my measurements are 34 - 27- 38 (i carry my weight low) and wear a size 8. i'm aiming for 125, but have really been struggling because i'm a cyclist and train constantly so have a lot of muscle mass. still pretty soft in places too, so i'm aiming for lower, but i might just end up losing a few more pounds and working on toning - still haven't decided. I hope this helps!
  • mamato2babes
    mamato2babes Posts: 90
    Hi there! I'm 5'6" and right now I'm about 138-140. My original goal was to get down to 130-135, but I've stalled at this weight for quite some time. I can tell that I have gained muscle though despite the scale staying the same.
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
    bump
  • LizJ08
    LizJ08 Posts: 127
    I'm also 5'6" and weigh 134. My waist is 26 in and hips are 36.5. I've personally decided not to lose anymore bc I don't want to lose anymore of my womanly curves, lol. I'm focused now on gaining muscle definition and maintaining current weight. You can look at my profile to see my pics but everyone's bodies are all so different that what works for me might not work for you.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    I'm 5'6 and leaving high school i was 140 or so and that was the best my body has ever looked. 150 for my height/body type was on the beginning of being overweight.
  • maddiey
    maddiey Posts: 231 Member
    Hmm I didn't think I would end up with this many replies!
    Well I'm going to take what you guys have said and think about it. I would really like to lose a couple inches around my waist and thighs, but I think I will just wait until I actually am 150 to evaluate myself again. I think I'm just becoming a little obsessed with it!

    I wish I could take into consideration my body fat % but I don't have a way of measuring. My scale at home says I have 35% body fat but that can't be right, considering everyone other type of reader has read much less than that (like 25%, or 27%) for my body fat % and also, it's said that for months now lol. I think it's broken. I've lost like 10 pounds since I bought it and it hasn't changed.

    Anyone know a good way to measure body fat % besides going to the doctor?

Categories