Do people think your goal weight is too skinny?

Yani51

The problem with the people who told me my target weight was too skinny is that they just don't know what I should weigh nor how to work out a desireable weight range.
These days I simply tell them "I want to get to a BMI of just under 24 which is at the top of the range for my height". This response sounds acceptable to them. Previously when I told them I was aiming for 154lb and "where I was as a young adult", the response was usually 'don't be stupid! You can't expect to be that light again. That's way too skinny for you at your age".
(I'm 5'8" and started at 210 lb with only 18 lb left to lose.)

scottbrown78

Guys thanks for the words of encouragement and the stories. It is inspiring to see so many people having success with this. And here is another point, if I lose to much weight and I don't look good, putting the weight back on is easier than taking it off.

scottbrown78

What is the most accurate way to find out just how much fat a person is carrying?

scottbrown78

Ditto the "ill know it when I get there". I started with goal weights but learned its about body composition... started at 190 (I am 5'8.5") hit 140lbs-- looked skinny but still some fat (lack of muscle)-- bf% was much lower but not where I wanted it-- gained weight to 150 lifting a lot, gained a little fat there, but some muscle too-- now i am really cycling, adding weight for a 3 months or so, cutting fat for 3 months or so, trying to add lean muscle mass, when I get enough muscle to look how I like (not muscular, just solid)-- I will really target whatever fat is left- whatever weight I am at when I get there-- that will be my weight-- voilla. pics start at 160 not 190 because I wouldn't take my shirt off at 190.



2 lbs difference in the below..




work in progress below

IMO the last pic is what I want....NO what I WILL get to!!!!

kingofcrunk

I agree that people are so used to seeing larger people now that they say someone at their ideal weight is too skinny sometimes. Just do what you want to do and don't worry about other peoples comments!

redhousecat

yeah, as a chick, I would never tell anyone my goal weight or even my current weight. I am only 5'7, but if I weighed any less than 150, I start looking like a crack *kitten*. BUT if I tell people I weigh 150 or more, the first thing they think is "fat". Never mind that I am near perfect weight in my eyes. Never mind that my bmi, body fat, etc, are average.

people's negative opinion's and stereotypes suck.

So, I personally think you need to do what is right for you, not your buddy.

katiejarr

Im 5'1 and a half and I started out at 170, Im now as of today 128.8 and for me I want to weigh 110-115, most of my friends and my hubby tell me that this is great and they encourage me...I think it depends on you and your body type, I used to think that 130 was fine for me, but now that im basically at 130 ish...I still feel that this is too "fat" for me and I want to be thinner...event tho medically my BMI is in the healthy range at 24.

But there are the negative people that say I will be to thin at that weight and I just ignore them, Im dong this for ME and no one else :bigsmile:

mfpcopine

I would leave weight out of it! Besides, weight doesn't tell you much, specifically of you are weight training!

I would say....I'm done when I can fit into a size 8....or whatever that may be.

Except that sizes are so inconsistent that saying one can fit into a size __ is not very meaningful. I would look at weight, body fat percentage, and measurements.

BSummers321

My goal weight is 119. I don't know, that's the lowest I've prepared to go though. I'd love to hit that, I'll maintain for a while. Maybe I'll gain a pound of two, but as long as I'm healthy and not overweight, I'm fine with it.

xnikkixsikkix

I rarely discuss my goal weight with anyone. I'm going by what is healthy for my height, but I guess since I was skinny for most of my life nobody would ever question my goal weight as being too skinny.

sleepytexan

People in the US are so used to being fat and seeing fat, they don't know what is healthy.

toriaenator

i think you should pay more attention to body fat rather than weight because a very fit person often weighs more than someone who has more fat but less muscle (muscle weighing more than fat)

but that is annoying.

YF92

180 lbs is fine. You won't look skinny but you won't looked too buffed either. Just make sure its 180 lbs with as much muscle/as little bodyfat as you can if you want to look good.

Oh and a word of advice: Don't listen to people who have no idea about weight loss. My dad used to tell me I'm being too hard on myself and that I should loosen up. Usually when he gives advice it's a pretty damn good advice but I know for a fact he has no clue about this subject so I just tell him no.

Trust me when I say that when it comes to weight loss, a ton of people will all give you their idea of what you should be doing (eating, exercising etc). Don't listen to their advice unless they actually lost weight, have good knowledge about the subject, or till you can verify it yourself from trust worthy sources. God knows how much I messed up because of blindly following people's advice.

elfpearl

Because I am very petite (4 ft. 11.5 inches tall) people often think my goal weight (100 lbs) is too low...I just try to explain that at my height, 100 lbs. isn't actually that thin, and I could be as low as 90 and still have a healthy BMI...that said, I'm 105 right now and feeling pretty good about it...fitting into a size 0-2, which I haven't done in years, and when I was 100 lbs. before I wasn't exercising so it could be that 105 and fit is realistically healthier than I was then. We shall see!! I agree that everyone is different and even if you are the same height as someone else, a weight that is healthy on one person may be too thin/heavy for another person just because we are unique humans.

TeamNoExcuses

My goal weight was too skinny before. I am 5"2" and 120 now but I wanted to be 105. I recently found a picture from 3 years ago that was me at 110 and I was borderline anorexic. That made me realize that I don't really need to lose weight. I just need to tone up.

People are different. I'm 5'2", my highest weight, caused by a medication, was 112, and 105 is still a fairly high weight for me. I consider it a gateway to becoming overweight. I'm 101.5 today and I don't look anorexic. In my 20s and 30s I weighed in the low- to mid-90s. I'm not trying to get back down that low, but I was not made to be 120 pounds.

As I'm the only member of my family who is normal weight I know whereof I speak.

I agree that everyone is different. Even people of the same gender and height can look different at the same weight. I have a 5"3" friend who is 112 and she looks the same size as me. So I am very aware that everyone is different. I am a small-medium frame and she is a small frame so she looks bigger at 112 then I would.

But people also have a different view on what they want to look like. I may not have looked anorexic to some people but looking back I wouldn't want to be that small again. I had probably 12-15% body fat and my doctor asked me to eat more. I was not underweight but I was getting there. But that's my frame and my body that may not be the case for everyone. I was not attempting to be the spokesperson for 5"2" females. I speak for myself.

RitaSantoss

I'm 1.61 m of height and I'm now in the 67-69 kg range and people that see me and know prior that I've been dieting, they already think I'm okay the way I look. But they don't seem to get that my current weight is still considered as 'excessive weight' for my height and body built. And what's important is how I want to look. My opinion is the one that truly matters.

Marigenous

All the time! I'm 5'4" and my start weight was 170lb just under a year and a half ago. I looked really bad at that weight and was having a lot of issues with my asthma, blood sugar, and depression. Now that I'm at around 150lb, my friends and family freak out when I tell them that my goal weight is closer to 110-120lb (accounting for increased muscle mass).
When I try to explain to them that I still have at least another 10lb to go before I'm in a "healthy" BMI range and that I think I'm actually fairly small boned so I'm aiming for the lower end of the "acceptable" spectrum, people start trying to tell me I'm wrong. I hear a lot of "Oh, but your breasts will shrink! So much of your weight is in your boobs" and "but you're pretty!". I think they mean well and they think that they're boosting my self-esteem but they don't get that I want to /feel healthy/. I don't care if I'm not a 34H anymore if it's between that and my health!
I've mentioned how I'm eating better, exercising, and losing weight to my doctors. So far, they've all been encouraging and glad that I'm logging what I eat so that I can make sure I'm getting enough nutrients.

norcal_yogi

I'm 5'7" & here are my stats

SW- 171 lbs
CW- 145 lbs
GW- 130 lbs
UGW- 125 lbs

At my height I don't want to be toned, or flabby at all... I want to be thin structure as model has (without being overly thin).

word.^

KrazyAsianNic

personally i have a goal weight to reach, but if I just get down way healthier than I am now and I feel good where I'm at, I won't stress the "goal' that much. It's more about me than the number.

annabellj

Are we as a society become so accustomed to people being fat that we think that being a "fit" weight is too skinny?
yes

kaylabrianna

I'm 5'9 and 123lbs! god I must look awful, lol.

Do what makes you happy! negative people > negative you

Mistila

I along with some fit friends think those ppl are just jel...:)

kirstenthibeault

I started at 260 and tell people my goal is to lose 100 lbs. Everyone is like "100 lbs is too much to lose-you don't need to lose that much." Well, on the doctors height/weight chart I am still considered to be obese at 160. Currently I have lost 71 pounds and dropped from a size 22 pants to size 14 pants and everybody says I look good, but I am still plus size and even at -100lbs I will still probably be a plus size. Weight looks different on everybody--so none of them (whether they know your starting point or not or your end goal or not) know what is best for you.
Long story short-ignore people who say "That's too skinny." or "You don't need to lose that much." Work towards your goals and work with your doctor be the healthiest you that you can be.

small_ninja

My goal is 115lb (52kg). I'm 5'0", so this is a very acceptable weight for me (on the higher-mid range of a healthy BMI). But a few people have commented that it's too low because they can't visualise it on a short person, and it does sound like a lot less than what "normal-sized" people weigh.

Aurorakitty

my goal is 95lb and i'm 5'0 120lb was what I started at and yes its within BMI recommendations but I looked so fat at that weight and people commented that I needed to lose some. Now I"m afraid 95lb is to far down the BMI chart its like 18.8 I think. No one's commented yet beyond 106 (which was mixed) so I"m not sure if its to skinny. I'm always around people who are a few inches taller but the same weight as me so to me this is acceptable but maybe my perception is messed up?

onyxgirl17

Maybe? I don't know. I don't tell people I'm even trying to lose weight in general.