Starting to question my goals

MaiLinna
MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm starting to think that 130 lbs. might be a little low for me. I don't want to be too skinny and frail.

What is the ideal weight for a 5'6" woman?

Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    Numbers are just that, numbers.

    Don't look at the scale and stop once you are satisfied with the way you look. The number that will appear on the scale will be irrelevent then.


    I'm 5'2 and once wanted to weight 110 - 115lbs
    Turns out I'm 130ish and love the way I look. I cannot picture myself at 110 anymore
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    *If you go by the BMI charts, 115-150 lbs is considered healthy for 5'6. However, I agree with Classic and think you should stop when you feel satisfied with the way you look.
  • MaiLinna
    MaiLinna Posts: 580 Member
    Should I just stop eating my deficit once I stop looking pregnant?
  • dietstokes
    dietstokes Posts: 216 Member
    I went to the land of google and asked. I found a range between 120 (small framed) to 159 (large framed). I also had 130 given as an ideal with +/- 10 %. Make your first goal getting down to what is considered a healthy weight. After that, go by how you look and feel.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Should I just stop eating my deficit once I stop looking pregnant?

    If your goal is to stop looking pregnant, and you're satisfied with that, then yeah.
  • iechick
    iechick Posts: 352 Member
    I'm starting to think that 130 lbs. might be a little low for me. I don't want to be too skinny and frail.

    What is the ideal weight for a 5'6" woman?

    I'm 5ft 6 inches and my maintenance weight has settled in the 120-123lb range. While I'm happy with how my lower half looks now, My upper half (especially face), is too thin for my liking. I'm now looking into starting some strength training and see if that helps even things out a bit :)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I'm also 5'6" and 130 is my "preferred weight". But a lot depends on your build.
    I have a fairly small frame so 130 on me looks pretty good, and still have some meat on me.
    I lift weights, so I have some muscle too.

    Others may say they look too skinny at 130. A friend on here said someone thought she was sick. It really depends.

    Work on losing, and on becoming leaner. You'll know when it feels right to stop, hopefully.
    I wouldn't go much lower than 130.

    That said, if you go a bit below what's right for you, you'll know that too. It will be harder to maintain.
  • cdjs77
    cdjs77 Posts: 176 Member
    I don't think you will look to skinny or sickly at that weight, but it really depends on your body composition. You will look slimmer if you have a low body fat percentage and higher lean body mass. When I was about 130 lbs (I am 5'9") most people said I looked healthy, and I thought I looked fine myself (although I could have used some muscle).

    If you really want to get an idea of what someone your size and goal weight will look like you should check out www.mybodygallery.com. It can help give you a better idea of what different weights look like with your body shape and height.
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
    I am 5'5 1/2 inches tall - also 56 years old. I made it as low as 132.6 to give me a cushion for 135. I think 130 is okay. I was happy with how I looked. That was about 20 pounds below my "normal" previous adult weight. Never that low since 7th or 8th grade. My sister and nieces said I looked great, My husband asked me how think I planned on getting. He isn't a fan of thin (skinny or boney) women. I am more bottom heavy and had not been working out lately due to time constraints. I was a happy size 4. Some things fit great, some too big and some a little more snug. I've had some issues with emotional eating & weight gain this past year but felt perfectly fine at that weight and happy with my food. I felt it was very maintainable for me. I want to go back there again! I believe the rule is if you can pinch an inch at your waist, you need to lose the belly fat and go lower. Just a thought and my experience.
  • BITEME_GRRR
    BITEME_GRRR Posts: 150 Member
    do not worry about the scale. it is how you look.

    i am 5'3" size 00 and guess what i weigh almost 130!!!!

    DO NOT worry about numbers. I would look anorexic if i killed myself getting to 120 or so
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    It depends on your build, and your age, and your body composition/body fat %. I'm 5'6 and my goal is 150. When I came here my goal was going to be 142 but I put on some muscle since then, so now my goal weight is higher.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
    As others have said, everyone is different and it will depend a lot on your normal build as well as your goals. I was at @130 about 10 years ago. I am very large in the bust and always have been/will be. Because of where I carry my weight (bust) at 130 I look almost anorexic, my face gets incredibly skeletal looking (It scares me).

    I have much more muscle now after years of doing physical labor than I did the last time I was at that weight so even though I list my goal as 130 I will very likely settle higher depending on how the fat comes off this time. I definitely do not enjoy the "Skeletor" look :P

    I'd say go until you're happy. At some point you will look in the mirror (assuming you have no underlying ED) and say "yeah, that's good"
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    Go by how you look, the scale is just a number.

    130 is perfectly healthy for 5'6, however, different bodies look different at many weights. It depends on your bones, amount of muscle, fat %, where you carry weight etc etc

    If you get to 140 and you're happy there, then stop. If you're happier at a heavier weight even, then stop. If you're unhappy and find that getting closer to 130 will look better, keep going.
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
    I'm 5'6" and at 130 lbs. I looked terrific. Even at 135 I looked great. My body fat% was in the "athletic" range so I had good muscle definition and I felt super strong. Forget the weight number and concentrate on your body composition (body fat%). This requires weight training, not cardio.

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