Goal weight? Starting to doubt

Firstly, don't get too discouraged because your weight doesn't hold up to the BMI standard. The BMI charts are based ONLY on height, age, and weight. It does not take into account body type, body fat percentage and/or muscle mass, and bone density. The BMI chart says I should weigh 135 just to be in the healthy range. However, I know from past experience (before I became obese) that I can wear a size 7/8 at 145-150 pounds. 7/8 is NOT an unhealthy size. If I tried to get under 135, I'd start to look like skin and bones. A 60lb weight loss is phenominal, and think how much better you feel now. People who tell you things like, "You're starting to get too skinny," or, "Don't lose too much weight," are only saying that because you are starting to look so different than you did before. Trust me, family members started saying the same thing to me and my mom when we lost 30-40lbs each while I was in high school. We did NOT look too skinny, we just didn't look the way people had always seen us before. They weren't used to it and it freaked them out. Don't take those comments too seriously. You know where you need to be to look and feel your best.

Concurring with those who have said not to get too hung up on what the BMI scale says you 'should' be. It's an imperfect system, designed for poulations rather than individuals. At the end of the day, you have to take any of these 'ideals' with a pinch of salt - they simply cannot account for the marvellous diversity within the human race. You mentioned that you have an athletic build - I think you used the word 'stocky'... chances are, a healthy weight for you may be a bit higher than BMI would suggest, particularly if you have a well-developed musculature.

I do empathise with the 'don't take it too far remarks', though. My face has slimmed down more than any other part of me, and while I still want to lose another 1.5-2 stone, those numbers sound huge to anyone who has never had more than 10-15lbs to lose themselves. I say that's my goal, and they envisage someone pretty gaunt, whereas I know that the next 21-28lbs should come off the bits I'm still concerned about, and keep fairly well-hidden, lower-abdomen, upper thighs and arms, hopefully leaving me toned, and attractively slender (for my frame), whilst still maintaining my feminine curvaceousness. When I'm happy with how those areas look, which I envisage I will be at that stage, that's my gauge of what a healthy weight for me is, which, by the way, the BMI charts place mid-overweight for my height. If I aimed for 'healthy' on that scale, I'd be setting myself up for trouble.

Hi there - I started my weight loss journey at 255 lbs. I am currently 241 pounds and 5'7. So BMI says I should be 159 lbs at most. I know my body MUCH better than a crude assessment tool, so I set my goal weight at 185 lbs. To a lot of people that will seem incredibly high, but I know I will look and feel my best at that weight, and it is a reasonable, realistic goal. I've been over 200 lbs since I graduated high school, and I remember what 200 lbs looked like - I was not fat. I think when making goals, you have to take so much more into consideration than BMI, or any other single factor for that matter. I know it sounds cliche but when you feel it, you will know it's the right weight.

On another note, congratulations on your weight loss to date - and do whatever makes you feel the healthiest - don't worry about what other people say (or what BMI says).

This is so true. The BMI charts are a great starting point but variables need to be factored in, muscle mass, health. My current goal will leave me in the overweight category. But at 5'6, and 49 I have not been under 200 pounds since I was 15 years old. So I based my goal on what I and my doctor feel are suitable for me. As I get closer to my goal I will re-evaluate.
Best wishes on your success so far!

If someone asks my goal weight and I do tell them, they are saying I shouldn't go that low because I am going to be too skinny. I know this is not true. But I am definitely getting a lot of comments.

My advice is not to worry about other people making these comments. Your goal weight is a healthy one.

Once you approach your goal however, perhaps body fat % would be a better metric to track than BMI. Doing more strength exercise will help protect more of your muscle mass as you are losing weight.

Congratulations on your great progress so far!

I think your goal weight should be based on muscle tone and body frame. I am 5'3" and the dr.'s say my goal weight should be 118 - 122 on the high side. I weighed 118 entering 10th grade, and every rib showed. I have a large bone frame, so they obviously missed that one, and 4 lbs more did not cover that. Personally, I think your goal weight should be what you are comfortable with. I know that I will never be smaller than a size 16 b/c of my bone size, and I don't want to look anorexic just to please others.

Just remember you are doing this for you! Dont worry about what every one else says. Im currently about 163, im 5'5 and my ultimate goal is about 145. People tell me all the time i dont need to lose weight but they never see me naked! yuck! lol ..... Just do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. Others might be just jealous of your success also. Keep up the good progress! you look great!

An observation:

Most women set goal weights based on what others think, a weight they once were, a BMI chart, or how much they heard someone weighed that they want to tbe same size as.

Men go though a progression of "some number way far away" to calculating at which point they should have a 6 pack and using that.

This is one place where women could learn a lot from men. I think Yoovie was the only female to mention an interest in body fat and composition moreso than simply a scale number. The object of losing weight for most people is to lose fat and look better, not simply to make the number on the scale go down; these are NOT the same thing. At first they are mostly the same, but as you get leaner these items begin to strongly diverge to the point where weight has very little relationship to body composition.

An observation:

Most women set goal weights based on what others think, a weight they once were, a BMI chart, or how much they heard someone weighed that they want to tbe same size as.

Men go though a progression of "some number way far away" to calculating at which point they should have a 6 pack and using that.

This is one place where women could learn a lot from men. I think Yoovie was the only female to mention an interest in body fat and composition moreso than simply a scale number. The object of losing weight for most people is to lose fat and look better, not simply to make the number on the scale go down; these are NOT the same thing. At first they are mostly the same, but as you get leaner these items begin to strongly diverge to the point where weight has very little relationship to body composition.

Good observation. Weight is only one facet of health. Take into account neck size, waist size, body fat composition, and also how you feel overall. Is your blood work normal? Is your HDL/LDL level a good ratio? Do you have a healthy blood pressure? Are your triglycerides normal?

I am 5'4, UGW for me is 125. I really don't think you will look "too skinny" just make sure to keep up strength training

I am 5'8" tall and weigh around 161. In high school I weight 125 and was around 14% body fat. My "goal weight" is 143 ALTHOUGH the number on the scale isn't what my final goal is. My final goal is to be between 20-22% body fat. I am currently at 30.8%. I say this because I can drop down to 143 but I could also be what is deemed as "skinny fat" where I just have too much body fat. I would recommend lifting so that you burn fat and build muscle. Keep in mind that muscle is leaner than fat. So the scale may not say what you want it to say BUT you are more toned and your clothes fit better and you will look better naked. I was told when I went in to see my trainer that based upon weight alone, the goal weight was 146 but if I build muscle then it may be more but the BF% will be down.

What I'm getting at is "haters are gonna hate" so don't pay them no mind. It's your body and you know what feels comfortable to YOU. Probably focus more on the body fat % opposed to the number on the scale. I think there is the tape test, the caliper test and I was told of a DEXA scan that is the most accurate. Either way, GOOD LUCK on your journey!!

I picked mine (157) because it's an even 200 pounds lost, and I like round numbers.

I weighed 165 in high school and had decent muscle definition. I was a little pudgy in the belly, hips, and thighs, though (pear shape), so I could have lost another eight pounds pretty easily without being underweight. So, again, 157 seems good.

For my frame, the top of the BMI scale is 154. My doctor recommended 150, based on my measurements and frame. Considering I want some muscle definition and a healthy body fat percentage, 150 seems about right.

Basically, once I get to 157, I'll reassess. I'd rather have a healthy body fat percentage than wear a certain size or weigh a certain amount. If I get to 150 and fit those guidelines, great. If I can do it at 145, great. If I'm there at 160, that's fine too.

As for the "too skinny" comments, I see my friend going through that right now. To be honest, I was pretty surprised when I saw her after she'd lost weight. I thought she looked too thin, but then I realized 1) I'd never seen her that thin, so of course it was shocking and 2) most people are so used to people being a little bit overweight that a healthy weight does look pretty thin in comparison to all the other people on the street.

Once I looked at her objectively, I saw she was healthy, just much, much smaller than I was used to. I wasn't used to seeing her collarbones, so she looked "bony" to me, even though they weren't protruding that much. I just wasn't used to seeing them. She's actually quite far from "too thin". She's been doing Insanity and P90X, so even though she's lost another few pounds since then and now wears a size 2 (which I never thought possible with a pear shape), she has great definition and looks really healthy. She looks awesome. She definitely inspires me since we have the same body type and love/crave all the same foods. I'm proud of her. I felt bad for thinking she was too thin initially, but she understood that I was just surprised. Now that she's been that weight for several months, I barely even notice. I'm used to her being that size, and it looks "normal".

I certainly don't see your goal weight as being too low. My goal weight is roughly the same as yours, and I'm five inches taller than you. I have a small frame, arthritic knees, and my weight-loss is guided by my physician.

Will some of the people I know start screaming that I'm too thin? Absolutely. Will they question what I'm eating? Yes. Will they tell me I don't need to worry? You bet. Will they tell me I looked better 10 pounds heavier? Yup.

My physician will pat me on the head, tell me I've done well, and hopefully tell me that I don't need to go on meds or get fluid injections into my knees.

I'm more concerned about what my physician and I think, versus the ladies I know who complain about their fat, and their aches and pains, but won't do anything about it.

I will not try to explain to the Harpies that I feel good at a lower weight or any other benefits of my weightloss, that only sets me up to be nagged. * Stay true to yourself.

Love it.