Don't know what my goal weight should be.... Help!!

jess_erin
jess_erin Posts: 69 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I think I have confused myself. Haha. I am 5'3.5, I started at 185 and am now 176.2. I currently have a goal of 135. According to the BMI calculator I am 30.7 which is in obese class 1. I decided to plug in my measurement to figure out my body fat percentage and now I'm confused. According to the BFP I have 27.71% body fat. To calculate that I used my starting wieght of 185 because that's the weight I was when I took my measurements. So with that calculation I have 51lbs of body fat. If I were to lose my original goal of 50lbs, that would be very unhealthy according to the body fat calculator. However, according to the BMI chart that would be a healthy number for me. So what is more important and realistic? What should my actual goal be?

I know that plugging in the numbers online isn't the most acvurate and I have a physical in November so I will discuss it with my Dr then. I'm just curious and wondering if anyone has any insight. Thanks!

Replies

  • brraanndi
    brraanndi Posts: 325 Member
    You're overthinking it.

    If you absolutely need a goal weight you can always defer to the BMI chart which says for 5'4" that the goal would be 108 - 132 lbs.

    However I've met 5'4" girls who are in the 150 range and they look totally fine as well. Maybe you should set your small goals first and worry about end goal after you see doc.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    All the weight you lose will not be fat. Some of it will be lean body mass. So that calculation is a lot more drastic than your actual results will be.

    Your goal should depend on you and what you are looking for. Most people start out with a goal weight in mind and then change to a goal body fat %. I, personally, feel that body fat is more important because it focuses less on scale weight, which can be very misleading, and more on being fit and healthy.

    Even if you keep your goal weight at 135lbs for now... you can always reevaluate as you get closer to it.
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    I agree with brraanndi, If you must pick a number, start with the highest of the healthiest weight according to your BMI. In this case, 132. Once you reach that, reassess and tweak your goal.

    Be wary of any advice from a GP, they only get about 7hrs of dietary and nutrition training in their entire schooling, I'd ask for a referral to a dietitian. Doctors will sometimes give very very bad advice about diet and weight loss and can even harm or hinder someone's goal and health.
  • jess_erin
    jess_erin Posts: 69 Member
    Yeah, I figured those number weren't too important and I plan on gaging it as I go. But I do like having a goal and I just want to make sure that it is reasonable and healthy. Thanks for your comments.:flowerforyou:

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