Question about Body Fat/Goal Weight

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Right now I have my goal weight set at 145...which is the high side in the normal BMI range for me. I know the BMI chart isn't always realistic, but regardless, that's my goal. However, I know once I start focusing more on body fat, I may gain some muscle weight. Which is fine, but I still want to be at or under 145. I have 8 more pounds to go.
I have spoke to a nutritionist about my goal weight, and she agrees that 145 is a good goal, but I haven't spoken to her since about my body fat goal. I would like to have between a 21% to 24% body fat percentage. Right now, I am 32.7% which is in the obese stage...I have a bit to go! I am thinking about changing my goal weight to 135lbs to give me some room to gain muscle. Does this make sense?
I know, I know, we should go by how we feel right? But it doesn't hurt to have goals and I just want to make sure mine are realistic.
I do weights now twice a week to tone up as I lose weight, but my focus has been more on running and some other cardio. I plan on switching my main focus to weights once I get to my goal weight. Any input is appreciated!!
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Replies

  • FullOfWin
    FullOfWin Posts: 1,414 Member
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    Just forget about a goal weight as an absolute and use the bf% as your true goal with body weight as an estimate.
  • BrittKnee_Rae
    BrittKnee_Rae Posts: 111 Member
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    Right now I have my goal weight set at 145...which is the high side in the normal BMI range for me. I know the BMI chart isn't always realistic, but regardless, that's my goal. However, I know once I start focusing more on body fat, I may gain some muscle weight. Which is fine, but I still want to be at or under 145. I have 8 more pounds to go.
    I have spoke to a nutritionist about my goal weight, and she agrees that 145 is a good goal, but I haven't spoken to her since about my body fat goal. I would like to have between a 21% to 24% body fat percentage. Right now, I am 32.7% which is in the obese stage...I have a bit to go! I am thinking about changing my goal weight to 135lbs to give me some room to gain muscle. Does this make sense?
    I know, I know, we should go by how we feel right? But it doesn't hurt to have goals and I just want to make sure mine are realistic.
    I do weights now twice a week to tone up as I lose weight, but my focus has been more on running and some other cardio. I plan on switching my main focus to weights once I get to my goal weight. Any input is appreciated!!

    How tall are you? I'm 5'5 at 170 lbs, my goal weight is 150.. I recently tested my body fat so I now have a new goal!! I already do some strength training.. but now my plan is to get to my goal weight, then start heavy lifting and not focus on the scale as much!! my BF is 32.9% and I want to be 25%.. my muscle mass is 31.1% and I would rather be around 36%.. I don't want to be a skinny swig, but reaching my goal weight is important!! So I understand where you are coming from, but your body fat % and muscle mass % is more important the the scale! but that's just my opinion..
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
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    How tall are you? I'm 5'5 at 170 lbs, my goal weight is 150.. I recently tested my body fat so I now have a new goal!! I already do some strength training.. but now my plan is to get to my goal weight, then start heavy lifting and not focus on the scale as much!! my BF is 32.9% and I want to be 25%.. my muscle mass is 31.1% and I would rather be around 36%.. I don't want to be a skinny swig, but reaching my goal weight is important!! So I understand where you are coming from, but your body fat % and muscle mass % is more important the the scale! but that's just my opinion..

    I'm 5'4. If I knew how much I should weigh at the body fat percentage I want to be at, then I would know where to set my weight goal. I used a calculator I found, and even though it's just an estimate (can't really trust these things) it said I should be around 135 if I want a body fat percentage of 24%. I agree with everything you said. Thanks for your response! :smile:
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    BMI and weight goals can be frustrating. I would focus on %BF. Who cares if you weigh 147 but look great and feel great? Make sure that you balance cardio with weight training. As a woman, you won't 'bulk up'. The muscle that you do develop will help burn fat and increase your basel metabolic rate, which is what you want.

    The mirror and your favorite jeans are the best indicator of progress!

    since you are talking to a nutrionist and on MFP, I assume that you are getting a good balance of fuel for your body.

    Keep it up. You are on a good path.
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
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    BMI and weight goals can be frustrating. I would focus on %BF. Who cares if you weigh 147 but look great and feel great? Make sure that you balance cardio with weight training. As a woman, you won't 'bulk up'. The muscle that you do develop will help burn fat and increase your basel metabolic rate, which is what you want.

    The mirror and your favorite jeans are the best indicator of progress!

    since you are talking to a nutrionist and on MFP, I assume that you are getting a good balance of fuel for your body.

    Keep it up. You are on a good path.
    Thank you! You are right! I do two days of weight training (one day, top, second day, bottom) but eventually want to do more of that and less cardio. Thank you for your response!
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
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    Anyone else have some insight/opinion ?
  • blueboxblues
    blueboxblues Posts: 73 Member
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    Maybe once you get to your goal weight, focus on inches instead of pounds. If you're putting on muscle and losing fat your weight won't change a whole lot but you'll drop inches.
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
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    Honestly, focusing on strength training and healthy eating is going to help you get to your goal weight. I would increase strength training to 3-4 days a week and do cardio 2 days.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    IME, it's almost impossible to know how you will look at a given weight. Set your goal, work towards it, then when you get there (or close to it), re-evaluate. I've been at this get/be healthy thing for about 4 years now, and my goal weight changes every 6 months or so.
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Why on earth do so many people wait to start real strength training until they reach their goal weight?

    It is one of the most effective things you can do to get there, and you'll significantly reduce the rate of muscle loss along the way.
  • Riemersma4
    Riemersma4 Posts: 400 Member
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    Honsetly, I would recommend that you do 2 days upper and 2 days lower for 4 days per week of weight training.

    When you do cardio, HIIT (high intensity interval training) all the way. Please don't just jog on the treadmill at a 'reasonable' pace for 30 minutes like everyone else whose physique never changes.... Get the most out of it.

    Again, it is about getting your basal metabolic rate higher for long term fat burning. Muscle training and HIIT will help that.

    Less can sometimes be more.
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
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    Why on earth do so many people wait to start real strength training until they reach their goal weight?

    It is one of the most effective things you can do to get there, and you'll significantly reduce the rate of muscle loss along the way.
    I do weight training now, but only 2 days of it. I've been doing it the whole time and I think I look pretty toned, considering I still have some pounds to lose. So it's possible to still lose pounds while increasing my focus on strength training at the same time? I've heard a lot of people say you gain pounds.
  • legnarevocrednu
    legnarevocrednu Posts: 467 Member
    Options
    Honsetly, I would recommend that you do 2 days upper and 2 days lower for 4 days per week of weight training.

    When you do cardio, HIIT (high intensity interval training) all the way. Please don't just jog on the treadmill at a 'reasonable' pace for 30 minutes like everyone else whose physique never changes.... Get the most out of it.

    Again, it is about getting your basal metabolic rate higher for long term fat burning. Muscle training and HIIT will help that.

    Less can sometimes be more.
    I was planning on switching to a schedule like that once I reached my goal weight (which I still haven't figured out what that should be). Right now, I'm doing the c25k for the second time and I want to eventually run a 10k. Running has helped me a lot with toning and fitness, so I want to keep doing that for now.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Why on earth do so many people wait to start real strength training until they reach their goal weight?

    It is one of the most effective things you can do to get there, and you'll significantly reduce the rate of muscle loss along the way.
    I do weight training now, but only 2 days of it. I've been doing it the whole time and I think I look pretty toned, considering I still have some pounds to lose. So it's possible to still lose pounds while increasing my focus on strength training at the same time? I've heard a lot of people say you gain pounds.

    Gaining is solely about diet. If you are maintaining a calorie deficit, you won't build muscle tissue. You can't bulid tissue when a deficit in building material (calories).
  • ipw133
    ipw133 Posts: 13 Member
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    BF is more important. If you exercise, you build up muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you exercise - logically - you weight goes up, and your BF drops. Sounds like a good outcome to me.
  • rkr22401
    rkr22401 Posts: 216 Member
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    Right now I have my goal weight set at 145...which is the high side in the normal BMI range for me. I know the BMI chart isn't always realistic, but regardless, that's my goal. However, I know once I start focusing more on body fat, I may gain some muscle weight. Which is fine, but I still want to be at or under 145. I have 8 more pounds to go.
    I have spoke to a nutritionist about my goal weight, and she agrees that 145 is a good goal, but I haven't spoken to her since about my body fat goal. I would like to have between a 21% to 24% body fat percentage. Right now, I am 32.7% which is in the obese stage...I have a bit to go! I am thinking about changing my goal weight to 135lbs to give me some room to gain muscle. Does this make sense?
    I know, I know, we should go by how we feel right? But it doesn't hurt to have goals and I just want to make sure mine are realistic.
    I do weights now twice a week to tone up as I lose weight, but my focus has been more on running and some other cardio. I plan on switching my main focus to weights once I get to my goal weight. Any input is appreciated!!

    If your current weight is 150 lbs, at 32.7%BF, your current lean mass is 101 lbs. Assuming you'd like to retain your current lean mass, your goal weight at 21%BF would be 101 / 0.79 = 128 lbs. At 24% it would be 133 lbs.
  • tschaff04
    tschaff04 Posts: 296 Member
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    BF is more important. If you exercise, you build up muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you exercise - logically - you weight goes up, and your BF drops. Sounds like a good outcome to me.


    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. That is a myth and not possible. Muscle is denser so it takes less of it to reach a certain weight. For example five pounds of fat is much larger than five pounds of muscle because of their density. But they both weigh the same amount.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Options
    BF is more important. If you exercise, you build up muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you exercise - logically - you weight goes up, and your BF drops. Sounds like a good outcome to me.


    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. That is a myth and not possible. Muscle is denser so it takes less of it to reach a certain weight. For example five pounds of fat is much larger than five pounds of muscle because of their density. But they both weigh the same amount.

    Do people actually think that one weighs more than the other? Isn't volume implied when people say that?
  • tschaff04
    tschaff04 Posts: 296 Member
    Options
    BF is more important. If you exercise, you build up muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so when you exercise - logically - you weight goes up, and your BF drops. Sounds like a good outcome to me.


    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. That is a myth and not possible. Muscle is denser so it takes less of it to reach a certain weight. For example five pounds of fat is much larger than five pounds of muscle because of their density. But they both weigh the same amount.

    Do people actually think that one weighs more than the other? Isn't volume implied when people say that?

    Nope, people really believe it(not saying the above poster does, but I thought I would point it out just in case). But if you do a MFP search or a google search you will see people actually asking if it's true. I don't know why, but people believe it.
  • tressatnt
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    I'm confused that 32% bf is obese?? I'm currently 31% and I am definitely NOT obese...! Does bf go by height as well? I'm 5'2"