How do I know what my ideal weight should be?

Myweightlossdiary

Hi everyone,

I've often wondered how to find out what your ideal weight should be. So many people discredit using the BMI as a strict guide and I've been told that bone structure can also attribute to different ideal weights. I used to be around 130 lbs for close to 15 years until my brother passed and I was put on many anti-depressants. This, coupled with eating habits (I used to eat "comfort" foods a lot) contributed to my weight gain of about 80 lbs. Hypothyroidism runs in the family too and my mom is on supplements to help her. She has always been around 120 or so but now she's closer to 160 lbs. I've been tested for hypothyroidism and nothing appears abnormal at all. However, I've been exercising like crazy and just can't seem to lose the weight. I've consulted diet programs, made life-style changes, and really try hard to pay attention to what I eat (like limiting carbs, for example). I used to log in every day and log my food and exercise, but since I haven't had that much weight loss that I feel I should have by now, I've been discouraged. I'm a 33 year old female and weigh 212 lbs. Is it unrealistic for me to get back to 130 lbs? I don't know what my ideal weight should be. I need realistic obtainable goals and I would like like some advice to see if my goal of 130 lbs is too far fetched. I was briefly 199 lbs before Christmas but gained back 13 lbs.

I appreciate anyone's expertise, advice, or general comments. I'm sure we all struggle in one way or another and am curious how you all determine your ideal weight and what you do to keep motivating yourself even when it seems like you aren't progressing.

Thanks again,

Mrs. Discouraged

stfuriada

Personally, I go by body fat %.

Weight fluctuates too much and is a VERY unreliable gauge of fitness. Drink too much? Your weight goes up. Constipated? Your weight goes up. ToM? Weight goes up.

http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/

melaniecheeks

I would set yourself an achievable short term goal first, say 175 or 150 pounds, re-assess when you get there.

Megamus55

your ideal weight is the one which you feel your best, it is impossible to look at someone and say they they should be 150lbs and another person should be 120lbs and so on. Weight doesn't say much about your health and it says nothing about how good you feel. if you are living a healthy lifestyle, your ideal weight, doesnt really matter, but is the weight that you feel your healthiest, are your happiest and can do all the thing you would like to do!

Scarlett_S

You really won't know until you get there. What caused your 13 lb weight gain? Holidays?

I thought I'd be thrilled to be under 200 lbs, then I thought 185 was awesome, then I thought 170.....but I was absolutely ecstatic to get down to 156 at my lowest and my goal is now set for 150. My body felt good at 156, it seemed like exercising was easier, and I loved the way my clothes fit. I gained a few pounds back during the summer when I went from 6x a week workouts to 4x a week, but working on that now.

I'd set small goals - say - get back under 200 lbs first, then go from there.

cwolfman13

It really depends...BMI can work just fine if you're not lifting and building muscle. I would say that for most people who are just doing cardio and eating to a caloric deficit, BMI is fine...it's when you start putting on muscle pounds that BMI really becomes a worthless tool and you really have to look at BF%. In my prime of fitness I was about 180Lbs of lean muscle and around 15% BF or thereabouts. On the BMI scale I was overweight for my height, but at a very healthy BF%. I'm currently @ 190 and fat...BF% at 25.3% which is considered borderline obese for my height and age and being male whether I'm looking at BMI or BF%.