Is My Goal Weight Too Low?

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  • laele75
    laele75 Posts: 283 Member
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    Never, EVER hesitate to question your doctor if something doesn't sound right. It is their job to explain things to YOUR satisfaction. If something sounds hinky, ask. Your doctor probably has a good reason, or alternately, they don't.

    Regardless, blind faith in ANY medical professional is a bad idea. There are good, bad and mediocre doctors out there, just like every other profession. Always do your research and if what you find doesn't match up with what your doctor is saying, ask.

    If you don't like the answer, it might be time for a new doctor.

    /former NICU mom rant

    PS This is the best advice I was ever given by veteran NICU nurses.
  • MysticRealm
    MysticRealm Posts: 1,264 Member
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    I am a fairly muscular female and I am 5'4 and currently weigh 139 and I have at LEAST 10 pounds of fat on me. Going for 128 but may need to lose more when I get there.
  • supergirl6
    supergirl6 Posts: 224 Member
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    Everyone's bodies are different and those charts and calculators don't take any of that into consideration. Those charts are very average. My doctor warned me to be careful that when I get closer to my goal weight I may not actually match up with them and my goal weight should be determined by how I feel when I get in the ballpark area.

    If you are worried you can always seek a second opinion or just ask your doctor why she/he picked a different goal for you then what you thought. It is ok to question them. I work in a hospital and it is strongly encouraged for patients to question their doctors if they honestly don't agree or understand. They'll either give you a good explanation or they won't and you can decide what to do from there.
  • christied829
    christied829 Posts: 42
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    I'm the same height as you and my goal is also 135. I definitely know its not too low for me. 135 is a comfortable, healthy weight for my body.
  • Viva81Diva
    Viva81Diva Posts: 148
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    Healthy weight is based on your body size, structure and how you respond internally. Doctors can argue about which weight is healthier, but it should be more focused on the individual rather than generalized, which is what most charts intend. Many people want to be at a specific weight, but is it right for you? Instead of focusing on weight, it is best to focus on toning and conditioning your body and then see how you feel. You may be a smaller size than you think at a higher weight. Weight training can help slim down the female body, but not necessarily make you lose weight. Of course some weight may come off because fat is decreasing, but when you work out for a period of time, muscle builds and can add weight to your body all the while toning. That's why some people shrink but don't lose on the scale.
  • christianteach
    christianteach Posts: 593 Member
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    Not at all. I'm about 5'9"-5'10". I was happiest at 145. That was a long time ago and I would be happy with 160 now, but that doesn't sound too small for your height.
  • sarahz1442
    sarahz1442 Posts: 136 Member
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    Your doctor sounds dumb to me. Find a new doctor. 135 wouldn't be too thin at 5'4.5" for the majority of women.
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,721 Member
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    I'm an inch taller than you... and 140 pounds. But I have a small bone structure so there is still plenty of excess fat on me... I think I'm gonna settle around 130 and tone from there.
  • beaudrydasha
    beaudrydasha Posts: 17 Member
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    Of course there's always a healthy range. I am 5'5" (and probably another 1/2) and am at 125. That's a good weight for me, I feel great, it isn't that hard to maintain. I could tone down to 120. My regular doctor is my oncologist. He has been tracking my weight loss closely and says that I am fine, losing a few more pounds also would be fine.
  • sarahz1442
    sarahz1442 Posts: 136 Member
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    Unless you are a bodybuilder, there seems to be no way to me that 160 pounds and 5'4.5" would not be overweight. I'm half an inch shorter than you and was overweight at 140. I wasn't really comfortable with my weight until I was under 120 and stopped losing weight at 110. I think that 110 is good for me.
  • ukkiosan
    ukkiosan Posts: 62 Member
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    Huh. I'm 5'4.5'' as well, and my goal weight is also 135 (started at 167). During college, I sat at around 135 and thought that was where I looked my best, but then med school clinicals happened and I ate way too many pints of ice cream. Since I have a history of disordered eating where I got down to 110, I know that I start looking "too thin" at around 125 and that anywhere in the 130s is my "happy" zone. Overall, I think you have the right idea - work to a point where you feel comfortable and healthy and see what kind of improvements/recomposition you want to do from there.
  • trannguyen2711
    trannguyen2711 Posts: 22
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    I'm also 5'4" and I have a goal weight of 135lbs. I personally don't think it is too low. I've been that weight before and loved the way I looked (have a picture on my profile from then). I'm not sure why your doctor would tell you that is too thin.
    I'm 5'4 too, but My goal weight is 110lbs.^^
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    I'm 5'4 and 118 right now, getting down to 108-112. I don't look "too thin" at all
  • summery79
    summery79 Posts: 116 Member
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    Your dr might be worried that if you aim too low, you will not be able to maintain. I had a dr who told me to try to get to/maintain at 160, after I dropped from 180 to 170. (I am 5'7.) I told her I wanted to get lower, and she said a 20 lb loss is really great, and I might have a hard time maintaining lower than that.

    I am currently at 125 (I think my BMI is around 20), and I fully plan on proving her wrong :) 160 really did not look great on my small frame, so I'm glad I kept going. Good luck!

    Wow! You have done a great job.

    Thanks! I get to see this dr next month, who last saw me at 170. I'm looking forward to it!
  • spectralmoon
    spectralmoon Posts: 1,230 Member
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    As it's been said in other ways, it depends on how you are built (small vs. large frame, muscle, bone mass, etc.). 135 for 5'4" does raise an eyebrow at being "too thin" but I wonder more about why said doctor thought as much. I'd go for a second opinion, but I would question the first a little more before ditching them.

    Personally, I'm 5'5" and aiming at 125. I am small-medium framed. My 5'5" double at work is medium-framed (i.e. wider set in shoulders and stance) than I am, and she's going for 140. (Just examples for what I mean.)
  • ShandaLeaS
    ShandaLeaS Posts: 136 Member
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    OMG your Dr would probably send me to a clinic for eating disorders or something along the lines then! I am short (5'2-5'3ish on a good day) and very small framed. I was at 127, currently at 117 and I would like to drop another 10 pounds. I literally have been mistaken for an elementary kid when going to my daughter's school but I have flabby thighs and a poochy belly from having kids so I know I need to lose a bit more. If I tone up and weigh 120, so be it as long as I feel, look and am healthy. I say keep doing what you're doing and go from there because its not all about the numbers on the scale!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    I'm 5'7" and 130 pounds with a BMI of 20 and my doctor thinks I'm awesome. You're shorter than me and have a goal weight that is higher than mine. My doctor would think that was awesome, too. A BMI of 22 is about perfect as far as BMI is concerned, and it's certainly nowhere near underweight. I'd rather go by lean mass and body fat % than BMI though. :drinker:
  • froeschli
    froeschli Posts: 1,292 Member
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    Your dr might be worried that if you aim too low, you will not be able to maintain. I had a dr who told me to try to get to/maintain at 160, after I dropped from 180 to 170. (I am 5'7.) I told her I wanted to get lower, and she said a 20 lb loss is really great, and I might have a hard time maintaining lower than that.

    I am currently at 125 (I think my BMI is around 20), and I fully plan on proving her wrong :) 160 really did not look great on my small frame, so I'm glad I kept going. Good luck!
    I'm 5'7" and aiming for 135-145, because I remember how great I felt and looked at 135. (Still had a bit of a tummy though grrrr)
    My husband is 5'7" too, but built so much wider/more muscular than me, when he hits 180 he's in great shape...
    My 'too low' cut-off is 130. But that's a personal decision, from way back when I was losing weight unintentionally for a while and had to decide at which point I was going to see a doc. Never got that far though.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
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    I am 5'4.5" and started at 170. I am now at 160. I saw my doctor today who is helping me along this journey and is pleased with the progress I have made. However, when she asked me what my goal was and I replied with 135, she immediately told me that was too thin. REALLY? My current BMI is a 27. She said that is healthy, however, from what I have read, that is still considered overweight. A goal of 135 would make my BMI about 22.5. Wouldn't that be HEALTHIER? I tried to argue, because I know what I have read on many different BMI charts, but how do you argue with a doctor? According to the BMI calculator I used, a healthy weight for me is between 110 - 148. 135 is right in the middle. I am confused. Any suggestions? Along with trying to lose weight, I am exercising and trying to tone and tighten everything, so maybe if I continue with that, my weight may be higher...just not sure. I guess maybe I need to wait and see how I feel at 145. If I am happy with how I look and feel, I guess I will stop.

    I am the same height as you and only 3 pounds heavier than your goal weight. I have 22% body fat, though, and I am on my way to 16% body fat. I am certain that I will weigh less than your goal weight when I get there.

    I would make a body fat goal and strive for that. Ignore the scale. It's not really the best indicator, anyway. When I was finally at a "healthy" BMI, I still had 26% body fat and looked totally mushy. BMI is a huge range (about 110-145 for our height), and that high end does not look good on me, lol.

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