Deciding your goal weight

welshlassie
welshlassie Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How did you decide what your goal weight should be?

I've lost about 21 lbs so far and I have about 20lb to go to put me just inside a normal BMI. I'm the lightest I've been for about 6 years (pre-children), but I have changed shape significantly since having children and whenever I've spoken to people (family & friends) about how muchy more I want to loose they have said that an additional 20lbs would be too much.

I've always been quite heavy, even in school, although I was very slim to look at - comes from being sporty, netball, athletics and swimming. So I'm not really sure what an ideal weight for me would be as I know BMI can be quite deceptive.

Thoughts people?
Thanks muchly

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,050 Member
    If you can find out what your lean body mass is, then you use this formula to help.

    Say your lean body mass is 100lbs and you want to be 20% body fat.

    Then you use the formula Lean body weight divided by (1 minus desired body fat percentage).

    So: 100 divided by .80 which equals 125.

    At a weight of 125lbs you would have a lean mass of 100 and 20% body fat.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I wasn't sure at first, and made short term goals when I started. First goal was to drop 10lbs, which I did, then another 5, which I did, and then it just became more a fitness goal, using my muscles and eating well, and the fat & weight continued to drop. Eventually I got to a place where the number on the scale didn't really matter - I'm more focused on lowering body fat percentage.

    I had a "goal weight" from the website where I calculated TDEE & BF%, but didn't care whether I hit it or not. Turns out I eventually did, but like I said, I'm more concerned with lowering the fat percentage a bit more, and as long as I'm liking what I see in the mirror, the scale number really doesn't matter. :tongue:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    To choose goal weight you have to take into account a few things...for me BMI is not one of them because you I could be at a good range BMI and still not be what I want.

    For my BMI to be on the high side of healthy I would have to weight 150lbs. On the low side I would have to weight 115. :noway:
    me at 115 Yah right not gonna happen unless I choose to literally starve myself.

    I am 5 ft 7 and large frame and at my smallest in size (not weight) I was a size 6 and guess what I weighed 158lbs. I was in the military then and that put me as over weight....but I was healthy fit and hard as a rock

    Take your height and frame size body fat % and choose by that not BMI
  • NadineSabbagh
    NadineSabbagh Posts: 142 Member
    I've set my current goal weight based on BMI. I'm happy to just reach a healthy weight, even if it's at the top end of the scale! But when I get down to my prospective goal weight, I'll probably re-evaluate things. As my goal is still so far off I'm finding it difficult to determine what a good goal weight for me is! I guess I'll just see how things go :)
  • curly1986
    curly1986 Posts: 98 Member
    I have never been a normal weight, I was an over weight child and went on to become an obese teenager and adult. So I selected a weight that would put me towards the higher end of healthy on the BMI scale. But once I get there I know my goals may change and I might want to lose a bit more, or I'll want to improve my fitness more, or build a bit more muscle etc. So for me its a guide just now. It gives me a goal to work too for now.
  • stefjc
    stefjc Posts: 484 Member
    If the maths defeats - finding out your true lean mass is difficult without some hi tech equipment - the best you can do easily is to use a lean mass calculator and see what they say - Goggle it.

    But they are as inaccurate as BMI, they do not take into account anything other than gender and can come up with scarily low numbers. Don't get too fussed by them....
  • welshlassie
    welshlassie Posts: 12 Member
    Thanks guys I'll look into my lean mass (?) sounds complicated though.

    I'm starting to get complements from my family about looking slim again (like when I was in high school) which is really encouraging, but I really can't imagine me ever getting to a normal BMI (current goal weight would take me to 24.9 BMI) and that's (now) 17lbs away, I think I'd look really ill.

    Will try some calculators out and see what they say.

    Thanks
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I was 77 aged 17 in Japan. I'm shooting for 75. Basically I'll get my teen body back then decide if i'm too thin....

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