Am I already at my ideal weight for my body?

ljmiller11

Hi All!

One of MFP friends asked me this and it has got me thinking so I wondered whether anyone else has an opinion on this.

I have been on MFP since Christmas and have managed to lose almost 20lbs through diet and exercise. It's not been easy, I've worked my *kitten* of (literally) and only had a handful of 'cheat' moments.

I am 5' 5'', 25 years old and 135lbs. I have been this weight for about a month now and don't seem to be losing inches either. I not only watch my calories (between 1,500 and 1,650 daily) but also my Macros (40% carb, 30% protein, 30% fat) and workout 6 days a week (Gym, Jillian Michaels and now Insanity!).

I am happy with how I look now but am still striving to get down to 126lbs and more importantly, tone up! However, my MFPal asked whether I thought we all had a weight at which our bodies were happy and that getting past that might be near on impossible unless you can be 100% dedictaed, 100% of the time. I am wondering if this is probably right and I am not supposed to weigh any less than I do now. Or is this the devil on my shoulder trying to make me quit and eat cake??

Has anyone else found themselves at a point at which they are comfortable and unsure whether or not to keep pushing and striving for perfection that doesn't really exist?

Any opinions or personal experiences would be appreciated.

Thanks!

squatsandlipgloss

First of all: congratulations on your weight loss, you've done great!!!

I am not sure whether you are happy with how you look or if you want to get down to 126 lbs... I think most importantly you should figure out what it is that you want. I believe that it is very unhealthy to stick to a certain goal weight just because you set it as your goal. I think it is great that you already feeling great at the weight you are at and personally believe you should stick with that. Maybe tone up a bit, if that is what you want as well.

For me, personally, I also get stuck to where I feel happy with my body but I know that I am still at a very unhealthy weight. I carry too much fat, so I know I am going to need to continue.

ljmiller11

Sorry, that did sound confusing!

I am happy to a point, I look better in my clothes and feel fitter but I am not 100% happy as I feel I could do with losing a few more pounds and toning up my love handles and squishy tummy area!

I just think it is really hard to stay motivated to get rid of those last few 'vanity' pounds and am wondering if I will be realistically able to maintain when I get there or if I should just be happy with what I've achieved now and accept I'm not meant to be super slim :noway:

lesspaul

Your ideal weight should be the weight that is both healthy (normal percent bodyfat) and makes you happy. As simple as that.

But I do understand your concerns. If I could wake up looking like a swimmer/dancer/MMA fighter tomorrow, I would be happy, but truth be told, I'm not willing to put forth the effort required to maintain that body.

My goal is to be healthy and be able to participate in my life and its rewards as fully as possible. Goals like fitting size X, doing Y number of exercise Z, and so on are motivations, but they are only steps to the goal. And for me the goal is not to lose weight or build muscle or to look better in a bathing suit. For me it is to enjoy life as much, and for as long, as possible.

So when trying to determine your ideal weight, ask yourself: What is my ideal life?

squatsandlipgloss

I don't believe anyone can be 100% happy with what they look like... What I mean is, we all look at people and want to have THAT body, but truth is, we only have our own bodies to work with. There's always going to be something you would want to change.

I think it is great that you're already at that point where you are healthy AND happy and if you feel like losing those vanity pounds won't necessarily make you happy, don't aim for it. Keep working out and eating healthy the way that you want to. If you lose those pounds, great, if you don't, great!!

edessad

Hi Ya,

As you know, I dropped over 90 pounds (6.5 stone) since 1 November on about 2100 cal per day (did a week at 1700 but stalled. Upped it to 2100 and started losing again. My goal is 15 1/2 stone-ish (215 pounds). I am currently at 17stone (238 pounds) and am happy with how I look. I have lost very little weight in the last three weeks, I think about 3 pounds but have lost almost 1 3/4 inches across my belly button, so things are still happening. Yes, I think I could tone a bit more but if I lost no more weight I would be happy at this weight as for my body type I look much less than 17 stone. I too have wondered if my body is telling me something. I feel better than I ever have...even better than I felt when I was 25 years younger. I won't stop exercising and watching my calories but I am not going to be overly concerned if the weight doesn't come off like it did...my goal now is not letting it come back and if I make it to 100 pounds then bonus!

binglebandit

Now that I'm in a "healthy" BMI and I want to re-evaluate my goal, I find myself confused a bit as well. I can't tell if I'm happy with myself now because I look better than ever, or if that's how I want to look forever. As for me I'm sticking to my original goal, middle of healthy bmi, that way I have wiggle room. I don't wanna be on the lower end because I know my frame is medium large, so I'm hoping to lean on the higher end. Once I get there I'll decide and tone up. If I tone up and gain weight that's fine too. If you're having a hard time wrapping your head around how you look, aim for a new goal. There are some studies that say within a certain bmi you'll live longest, it's like 20-22 or something, I'm not positive, so don't quote me. I'd suggest moving away from bmi though, maybe to clothes size, or a running or lifting goal. Something that helps you transition to the lifestyle. It sounds like you're already doing all of that though and just need reassurance. I looked up your bmi, and without knowing your bf%, I'd say it seems to me that you're at a very good weight to be already. If you're having a hard time losing lbs or inches, then focus on something else. If you're still unsure, you could meet with a doctor, or fitness professional, and maybe they could help you assess what's possible or not possible to obtain.

ljmiller11

Thanks all. I think you're right, I just need reassurance that I'm doing all this for a reason and not just banging my head against a wall! I'm hoping my new fitness challenge - 'Insanity' will be the push I need to shift a couple more pounds and tighten up a little more. Then the hard work starts when it comes to maintenance. Some day's it's hard to accept that there will always be a fat person inside me desperate to get out!!

:flowerforyou:

holothuroidea

I think we all get to a point when the weight on the scale isn't an accurate measurement of our satisfaction anymore.

If you're unhappy with, you know, little bulges here and there, then certainly keep going and work on your body fat percentage. More importantly, though, it sounds like you have some fitness goals. There's no reason to stop now, you can get there!

myofibril

I think you are talking about the "set point" theory - a point where your body will do as much as possible to keep you at a certain weight range.

I think there is a certain amount of validity to it and it is possible to lower it but yes, it does require high levels of dedication and novel approaches.

Having said that there is nothing to stop you trying a recomp where your weight stays roughly the same but you replace fat with more LBM.

lilblondie1

You sound similar to me. I am 5ft4, 9.13 stone and 26% body fat. You sound like your in great shape!