How much should I weigh?

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2

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  • pbluberry
    pbluberry Posts: 16
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    I am also the same height as you and have a medium body frame too. I can never never weigh 100 lbs or less. I've been down to 126 lbs and I am perfectly happy there. Anything lower than 120 is too skinny for me. I look emaciated when I was 114. Not a good look for me but that is just me. So however it makes you feel is best for you.
  • pbluberry
    pbluberry Posts: 16
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    I agree BMI doesn't always work. For me I am 126 lbs at 5'0 tall and it shows that I am a little over weight using just BMI but they had to take my body fat to be more accurate and therefore I am in good standing. So you can't always use BMI, it's not always accurate.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
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    You've got to learn to do what you like. this is your life, your body. your choice.

    there's no rule. there's no exam at the end of the year. This is the only life you are going to get so you'd better think about who it belongs to, and who owns all the choices and power, and who you answer to about your decisions.

    Own your life. :)
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Theres no right answer, depends how much muscle etc you have. Probably better off aiming for a certain body fat % rather than a certain weight

    This. Look up bodyfat%, and learn a bit about it. It's what you and everyone else is really concerned about when loosing weight.

    Just figure out where you want to be, and loose the fat to get there.

    Body+Fat+Percentage+-+Men+and+Women.PNG

    And make sure you're lifting *heavy* weight. You can go to the Fitness & Exercise section of the forums to learn why. Even women need to build real muscle to look healthy at lower bf%.

    10-percent-body-fat-male-pictures1.jpg
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
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    Don't drive yourself crazy worrying about what other women your height weigh. At our height (I'm 5'0") there is so much variation on what is healthy, depending on body fat percentage. I have weighed under 100 pounds, but was so unhealthy I could barely walk up a flight of stairs. I have felt best at about 130 pounds in the past, but I am carrying so much muscle mass right now that I'm planning on getting Bod Pod testing in another 10 pounds or so to determine my body fat percentage. I'm shooting for 20-21%, the scale is not going to rule me.
  • SparkleShine
    SparkleShine Posts: 2,001 Member
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    I'm a medium frame to large frame and I weigh 135. I can't imagine getting to 125...I'm happy here but everyone is different. I'm focusing on getting stronger!
  • melham
    melham Posts: 233 Member
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    No matter how short you are anything under 100 is a little scary to me, I feel like I'll break you honestly, no offense. Try shooting for in between 110-125 or whatever feels comfortable.
    99 feels comfortable. Boo! Now I'm extra scary!
  • mag131
    mag131 Posts: 542 Member
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    It sounds like you already know the answer. If you feel best at 125, stay at 125. If you feel best at 115, get to 115.

    It's really an individual thing. I have a very small framed friend that's 5'7. We weigh about the same, and even though I'm 5'3 we look equally "thin" because I have a medium frame and carry weight differently.

    Don't base your weight on what others weigh or say you should weigh. Get to the weight that you feel best at, as long as it's not negatively affecting your health.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    It sounds like you already know the answer. If you feel best at 125, stay at 125. If you feel best at 115, get to 115.

    It's really an individual thing. I have a very small framed friend that's 5'7. We weigh about the same, and even though I'm 5'3 we look equally "thin" because I have a medium frame and carry weight differently.

    Don't base your weight on what others weigh or say you should weigh. Get to the weight that you feel best at, as long as it's not negatively affecting your health.

    Yes. This.
  • Tarabobera
    Tarabobera Posts: 11 Member
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    I'm also 5 foot even.. seems things get harder to figure out for short people though? Am new since 9/6 I sorta tossed between sparkpeople and here though for the first week and ended up liking here better, I started at 170 now am 164 (had gained some quit smoking weight too) but if I eat what it says 1200 I don't loose that week, I exersize 6 days a week for a minimum of an hour a day. I set my net cal to 1028 (bmr of 94.7lbs at my height) and loss 2 lbs last week. I set my goal to loose weight at 94 or 95 but that's not really how far I intend to go unless it just feels comfortable to do so. I'm not really sure in high school I was 125. I figured the last 5-10 lbs are always hard so set it lower than what I want. On the BMI chart mine says 94.7 to 128lbs..
    Doing the same thing for my husband set at loosing 2lbs a week only he was more on the cheating side of things he is 6 foot even 247 lbs now he lost 5 lbs in that same week. His is ultra easy set it and go with it, he's fine. Don't think that is possible for me--not fair! =P Different outlook to vertically challenged. Any advise is helpful and appreciated. I'm trying to look up all the short people info I can atm. =)
  • BlissfullyActice
    BlissfullyActice Posts: 59
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    I agree with maybe looking at body fat percentage as a better indicator. Just my own tidbit, I was 115 at one point and I am 5'6. It was not a good experience because even thought I ate healthy (lots of fruits, veggies, no foods with sugar added at all and just water) because I felt weak. I found I was low on several vitamins like B12, Iron etc. You should just see how your body feels and make sure whatever you eat, you are giving your body enough to fuel itself. Sometimes decreasing the calories makes you feel super weak, so in my experience, so you have to look at nutrient rich foods to add.

    -Nav
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Just read my response, thank us later :) Going by total body weight is a common thing to do, but ignorant of what that weight means.

    If you're just hunting around for a target, this approach is a little dubious, but do a search for women your height and weight loss photos. Usually they post the before and after weight.

    Women's body weight is tricky though, because of things like breasts and the huge difference in body fat distribution and body shape.

    Ultimately though, like we're saying, learn about body fat %, determine what yours is right now, then set your goal weight. Once you're there, then you can decide what to do if anything.
  • karl39x
    karl39x Posts: 586 Member
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    No matter how short you are anything under 100 is a little scary to me, I feel like I'll break you honestly, no offense. Try shooting for in between 110-125 or whatever feels comfortable.
    99 feels comfortable. Boo! Now I'm extra scary!

    If you feel comfortable then that's good. I sometimes say or write things without thinking, my bad.
  • BL_Coleman
    BL_Coleman Posts: 324 Member
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    I have actually put a lot of thought into this as well. I am 5ft and 1 and 1/2 inches tall. I have been everything from 106 to 155. To decide what I wanted I looked through old photos and decided that between 120- and 127 is where I want to end up. That will usually have me at a solid size 4 and roughly at about a 36/25/38 - which I desperately want to get back too. If I go below that I start to lose curves and get closer to a 2. Considering I am no longer a teenager and have no desire to be mistaken for a 15 yr old ..that is my goal. Even though the evil app on my phone tells me my ideal weight is 117.
  • melham
    melham Posts: 233 Member
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    No matter how short you are anything under 100 is a little scary to me, I feel like I'll break you honestly, no offense. Try shooting for in between 110-125 or whatever feels comfortable.
    99 feels comfortable. Boo! Now I'm extra scary!

    If you feel comfortable then that's good. I sometimes say or write things without thinking, my bad.
    No worries. I'm just a smarta$$! :drinker:
  • nagniho
    nagniho Posts: 132 Member
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    I am 4'11 am 95lbs with 21.3% BF. I do not look skinny ( see profile pic), have tons of energy and lift as heavy as I can. Squat 110lbs and bench 80lbs. Goal is to increase muscle mass.
  • judilockwood
    judilockwood Posts: 134 Member
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    I heard that Marilyn Monroe was the same as an English size 16 which is the same as an American 12 - seriously curvy x
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    I know this kind of thing is important in discussions between women, but it doesn't matter for a second with men. Show me a 150 lb short woman with the right curves and a pretty face, and I could give a damn what the scale says or doesn't say.

    Seriously, do you care what a man weighs, or is it how strong he is and how he looks? Same thing.

    I'm 5'4", 148 lbs. There are men my height who weigh as much as me and are fat, there are other men who weigh as much as me and are leaner & more built. The number on the scale doesn't mean anything at all. You have to learn what the number means, and use it as a tool to reach your real goals.
  • ragingmrs
    ragingmrs Posts: 34
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    Doctor's use the BMI calculation as a quick and inexpensive way to determine a healthy weight range. It estimates body fat percentage based on height, weight and gender. The BMI is not perfect but a place to start.

    I know someone in the military that was not eligible for promotion and threatened to be kicked out because BMI showed him to be overweight. He played football and was one of the leanest muscular people I've met. After a period of time being pushed by the military over his weight, they paid for him to have his fat percentage measured by a lab. His percentage was in the 10 to 15 % range which is below what is normally considered healthy; however, for an athlete of this nature is probably ideal.

    I hope this helps.

    That would be why the military has a tape test as an alternative to the standard hight/wieght tables. My husband has almost alway been taped. No the BMI is not perfect. It puts highly muscled athletes like Michael Jordan as morbidly obese.

    Really just go until you like the look and feel of your body. My acid test is if I see my hip bones sticking out or I can count my ribs in the mirror, with my arms down I need to gain weight.
  • ragingmrs
    ragingmrs Posts: 34
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    Marilyn Monroe was a size 12. Nuff Said!
    I am by no means trying to start a fight here, but a size 12 in those days was a lot smaller than a size 12 is today.
    To burst everyones bubble, mine included. Marilyn Monroe averaged 36-24-36 which is a modern day 6-8 in designer brands. The woman had beautiful curves. I think most women would kill to have that body. When we are talking about variance of personal bodies I know that the lowest I should go at 5'2" is 160. It really is what is right for your body.

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