I'll never be my ideal weight.....?

GemmaM_x

I've just weighed myself at the gym and it also gives a body fat % reading.

The print out has the following on it:

WEIGHT: 15st 2lb (96.5kg)
HEIGHT: 5' 1'' (1.55m)
(Ideal weight is 6st 13lb (44.4kg) to 9st 6lb (60.0kg)

B.M.I: 40.2

BODY FAT %: 36.5%

BODY FAT MASS: 35.2kg

So, based on this, I could lose all the fat on my body (35.2 kg) and would weigh 61.3kg, which is above my higher weight range?

Am i interpreting this correctly or missing something blatantly obvious?!



Just as a side note, it's not disheartened me in anyway. Still committed, will still be at the gym tomorrow and loving it!

danifo0811

You lose fat and muscle as you lose weight.

rheelizabeth

I wouldn't listen all that much to BMI, being less than 5 foot tall, my ideal BMI is pretty damn low. A level I have never been even at my thinnest (and fitting into UK size 8 clothing) since my adult life.

I think when somebody is very overweight, it is often very normal in the weight loss process to lose muscle mass aswell as fat... I think it's almost impossible to lose just fat without losing a little muscle aswell.

But as I am sure you're aware, body builders and very fit people are often way out of their ideal BMI.


P.S. Can I add you? We have similar goals and are similar heights!

zenchild

How could a scale know what your body fat percentage is? Measuring that usually involves a tape measure to get a rough estimate and a tank of water to get an accurate measurement.

ETA: I'm also 5'1" and currently weight 54 kg and want to get to 50-52 kg. I started at 63kg.

JesterMFP

Firstly, I would take what a scale tells you about body fat percentage with a pinch of salt. Those things are not very accurate.

Secondly, BMI is a blunt tool designed for measuring populations, not individuals. Doctors use it because it's quick and easy, but if you have above average lean mass, then it's not really applicable. Body fat percentage is more relevant for how healthy you are.

maureen879

i have a large bone frame and alot of muscle mass from running alot a year ago thats why i really don't look 147 and i'm 5'2
people say i look 130 my measurements are 34-29-39

GemmaM_x

I'm broad built with a massive shoulder span considering my height and know I'll never be VERY slim. I know the body fat thing on the electronic scales are pretty rubbish, I was curious more than anything :-)

Didn't realise I'd lose fat and muscle; thought I'd lose fat and gain muscle if I'm weight training alongside the cardio.

Thanks for the input!

rosichick

Im kind of in your situation, i weigh 176 with a BMI of 40 I think, and it breaks my heart!!

maureen879

i have huge hips of 39 or 40 but my bust is very small of 33 or 34

amann1976

BMI is a bunch of crap please stop following it...

GemmaM_x

BMI is a bunch of crap please stop following it...

Fully aware that the BMI calculator is a generic tool that doesn't relate to all. My query wasn't about that...

Vailara

I've wondered about this too, but I think the idea is that you will lose some lean mass along with the fat. You don't really know what your lean body mass is going to be at goal. Lean body mass includes anything that isn't fat, so not just muscle. I would think that it's likely to get a little smaller as you get smaller, even if you preserve muscle. For instance you might not be carrying as much water, blood, etc. (I don't know if that's true, but it's what seems to make sense to me!).

However, going by my body fat scale measurements, I haven't lost any lean body mass yet. Maybe the scales aren't accurate enough, or maybe you don't lose until later on. I have been doing strength training of some sort all the way through my weight loss. I'm a long way of goal, so I don't know how much LBM I'll be left with. I'm prepared to settle for a weight higher than goal, though.

Oh, and another thing! It's never mentioned in this context, but presumably you gain some LBM on the way up in weight! If you've been eating a surplus, then maybe some of the extra weight is going to be muscle rather than fat.

ETA: Your body fat % sounds great! When I was around your size mine was 57%! :laugh:

JessicaN1979

Talk to you doctor about what an ideal weight for you is. I think at my height I am supposed to weigh like 129 to 151 or something like that; however, even my doctor said that is unrealistic for me as I have pretty good muscle mass. He said shoot for 175 to 185 which is why my ultimate goal is 175, no need to depress myself and set a goal of 150 and have to lose muscle to get there

3dogsrunning

You lose fat and muscle as you lose weight.

This is the biggest factor. Inevitably you will lose muscle mass along with fat. How much depends on a number of factors including your own genetics, what types of exercise you do, how big of a calorie deficit you have and how your macros are.

Also, as others have mentioned the scale is not reliable.

Azdak

There is something goofy about the numbers you are reporting. By those numbers, you would have a FFM of 134 lbs at 5'1" tall.

I just measured a 5'11" woman (and not a sylph either) last week and came up with a FFM of 123, which is probably about average for that height.

CoderGal

There is something goofy about the numbers you are reporting. By those numbers, you would have a FFM of 134 lbs at 5'1" tall.

I just measured a 5'11" woman (and not a sylph either) last week and came up with a FFM of 123, which is probably about average for that height.

What's a FFM? Google suggests 2Females, 1M lol....I want a MFM lol.

coreyiscrazyful

The scale can read your body fat because it sends a shock through out your body (you don't feel it) and can tell your body composition.

just_Jennie1

The scale can read your body fat because it sends a shock through out your body (you don't feel it) and can tell your body composition.

Yes but it is highly inaccurate because it factors in your hydration level and a few other things. Also it depends on how you're standing on the scale. I had a scale that did BF%, weight, hydration etc. and depending on how I stood on it all the calculations were off by a LOT.

With regards to the OP: you might not reach what is your "ideal" weight if you're lifting and putting on muscle. I have my "ideal" weight in my head which I know that as long as I continue to lift I will never reach. The only way (for me) to reach it is to completely stop lifting (not going to happen) and just do cardio which would of course lean me WAY out but I'd lose the majority of my muscle mass that I currently have thus bringing me down to my "ideal" weight.

Just keep doing what you're doing, forget the scale and go by how your clothing fits and your measurements.

just_Jennie1

I'm broad built with a massive shoulder span considering my height

Doesn't that suck? I'm fairly broad shouldered and I have a very muscular and broad back. I've come to the conclusion that the only way I will have properly fitting button down shirts and suit jackets is to have them hand tailored.

Mr_Knight

So, based on this, I could lose all the fat on my body (35.2 kg) and would weigh 61.3kg, which is above my higher weight range?

Hey, I just went through this myself last night. My LBM works out to 175 lbs. So at 15% BF, I'm looking at 205 lbs. I am 6'1", which puts my BMI at 27, which is firmly in the overweight classification.

Think of it this way - BMI calculators were simply not made for those of us with demi-god-like genetics.

Imabemee

worry less about what the scale says and more about how your clothes fit and what the mirror shows.

jwdieter

I've wondered about this too, but I think the idea is that you will lose some lean mass along with the fat. You don't really know what your lean body mass is going to be at goal. Lean body mass includes anything that isn't fat, so not just muscle. I would think that it's likely to get a little smaller as you get smaller, even if you preserve muscle. For instance you might not be carrying as much water, blood, etc. (I don't know if that's true, but it's what seems to make sense to me!).

That's accurate. LBM will decrease with her weight loss. If she drops a few stone and gets a reliable bf measurement, she'll be able to re-assess with more certainty.