Want to be on lower end of BMI

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FAT_TRILL_BOSS
FAT_TRILL_BOSS Posts: 3
in Motivation and Support
I currently have a bmi of 24 (5'6', 152 lbs) putting me on the verge of being overweight. My goal weight atm is 125-130 lbs, though my ugw is about 115 lbs, putting me on the smaller end of healthy. Anyone else want to be on the lower end of the bmi scale? I gained 20 lbs over the past year, after steadily losing 90, and I really need a diet partner, especially someone with similar stats or a similar goal. I also started working out regularly for the past three weeks. Internet workout partners wanted too!

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  • musetle
    musetle Posts: 70
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    I currently have a bmi of 24 (5'6', 152 lbs) putting me on the verge of being overweight. My goal weight atm is 125-130 lbs, though my ugw is about 115 lbs, putting me on the smaller end of healthy. Anyone else want to be on the lower end of the bmi scale? I gained 20 lbs over the past year, after steadily losing 90, and I really need a diet partner, especially someone with similar stats or a similar goal. I also started working out regularly for the past three weeks. Internet workout partners wanted too!

    I am 5'6', currently 120 pounds :) I'm looking to get down to 110-115 pounds which most people will say is unhealthy, but having been there before and felt happy and healthy, I know otherwise. Though that's mainly for fat loss, I have the intention of putting on a few pounds afterwards of (hopefully) muscle. Feel free to add me!
  • FAT_TRILL_BOSS
    FAT_TRILL_BOSS Posts: 3
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    Thank you! Yeah, some people will judge but healthy is relative to a point. Some people are meant to be slightly underweight, and some meant to be slightly overweight, and everything in between. I've been 30 lbs underweight and obese so I'm just trying to find a middle ground. I have a smallish frame, so I look/feel much better at a smaller weight. I know I weigh quite a but more than you but we can motivate each other!
  • Gilla22
    Gilla22 Posts: 28
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    im 5.2.im wanna lose at least 44 pounds to get down to 110 which is my goal weight.and because im shorter than you ,it's puts me somewhere near normal.feel free to add me.I workout all 7 days ...i log in everyday too
  • alsuna
    alsuna Posts: 65 Member
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    I'm 5'6' too, and currently weighing in at 142. I started from 189. My current goal is 129. I have a larger frame with broad shoulders, so I wont ever be petite, but I would be super happy with 119. Thats my ultimate goal weight. I was only once at 129 in my adult life and for a very short period, but I looked healthy and toned, so not reaching 119 wouldnt be a disaster. I take it as a challenge though, I try to reach it before turning 30 in March.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    BMI is not a good way to measure anything. I'm "overweight" when I calculate my bmi, but well under 20% body fat. Would it be sensible for me to aim to be on the low end of the "healthy" bmi range? God no, I'd have to lose a whole lot of muscle!

    I'd personally have your body fat measured and work on lowering that instead....
  • alisonlynn1976
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    I'm 5'6" and aiming for 120 pounds, so yes. Currently 151 pounds.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    I currently have a bmi of 24 (5'6', 152 lbs) putting me on the verge of being overweight. My goal weight atm is 125-130 lbs, though my ugw is about 115 lbs, putting me on the smaller end of healthy. Anyone else want to be on the lower end of the bmi scale? I gained 20 lbs over the past year, after steadily losing 90, and I really need a diet partner, especially someone with similar stats or a similar goal. I also started working out regularly for the past three weeks. Internet workout partners wanted too!
    Where did you get this figure of 115 pounds from. Why do you believe that is where you will be healthy and happy?. You would be much better concentrating on overall health rather than a random goal weight. Weight loss is part of health but not everything. Your goals should be health. Concentrate on exercise and eating a balanced diet within your goals but don't get too obsessed over the number of 115. If you ultimately end up at that weight and are healthy that's fine. All too often though people aim for these goal weights without looking at the bigger picture. Have a weight that you would like to be in the region of but don't obsess as your weight could naturally vary in weight 4 or 5 pounds a day anyway to specific a goal weight can be limiting. Good luck on your goals
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    what's your frame size? how naturally muscular are you? It's not healthy to just pick any weight in the BMI range based on nothing at all other than just wanting to be that particular number.

    If you have a small frame, then you should be at the lower end of BMI. If you have a medium frame, then you should be in the middle of the BMI range. If you have a large frame, then you should be at the higher end, and the low end would not be a healthy goal for you at all. Additionally, there are some very small and very large framed people who fall outside the BMI range for their height even though they have a healthy body fat percentage. Anyone who does enough sport/physical activity to add a fair bit of muscle will fall higher in the BMI range or even above the range while still having a healthy body fat percentage. And the best way to tell which of these apply to you, I.e. what your frame size is and how much lean muscle you have, is to get your body fat percentage measured in a reliable way. 18-28% is the healthy range for women. However, if you're in the healthy BMI range and your body fat percentage is above that, the solution isn't always to lose more weight, sometimes it's better to gain more muscle, as this firms up your body. If you fit into small clothes but still feel that you're soft and flabby all over, rather than fit and toned, then you need to gain muscle rather than lose fat.

    ETA: and I second what fatdoob and livinglean say too.
  • TamaraKat
    TamaraKat Posts: 533 Member
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    what's your frame size? how naturally muscular are you? It's not healthy to just pick any weight in the BMI range based on nothing at all other than just wanting to be that particular number.

    If you have a small frame, then you should be at the lower end of BMI. If you have a medium frame, then you should be in the middle of the BMI range. If you have a large frame, then you should be at the higher end, and the low end would not be a healthy goal for you at all. Additionally, there are some very small and very large framed people who fall outside the BMI range for their height even though they have a healthy body fat percentage. Anyone who does enough sport/physical activity to add a fair bit of muscle will fall higher in the BMI range or even above the range while still having a healthy body fat percentage. And the best way to tell which of these apply to you, I.e. what your frame size is and how much lean muscle you have, is to get your body fat percentage measured in a reliable way. 18-28% is the healthy range for women. However, if you're in the healthy BMI range and your body fat percentage is above that, the solution isn't always to lose more weight, sometimes it's better to gain more muscle, as this firms up your body. If you fit into small clothes but still feel that you're soft and flabby all over, rather than fit and toned, then you need to gain muscle rather than lose fat.

    ETA: and I second what fatdoob and livinglean say too.

    ^^This. COuldn't have said it better meself!
  • Fairlieboy
    Fairlieboy Posts: 84 Member
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    BMI is still a pretty good indicator. There are other measures such as waist measurement, but the thing with health is that is visceral fat which is probably the most important factor. Fat on boobs or bum is ok. Fat around your middle is not. Hence females who go through menopause tend to put weight on around their middle rather than other parts, which is not good for their health prognosis.
    When you lose weight, you tend to loose fat everywhere. There is some evidence that intermittent fasting (such as the 5:2 diet) may (stress MAY) tend to loose more fat than muscle. Whichever way you reduce weight, the best health part is lower visceral fat.
    So if you are a normal person (not a body builder) then mid range BMI is probably a good indicator of lower fat. Some recent studies suggested that being a bit overweight is not good, yet reviews of over 3m people said overweight but not obese - you lived longer.
    So it is a bit confusing in the science evidence space!
    Health Canada’s health risk classification suggests that a waist circumference of greater than or equal to 102cm for men and greater than or equal to 88cm for women, can lead to an increased risk for developing health problems such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and hypertension.The average waist circumference for Canadian men aged 18 to 79 was 95.1 cm and for women it was 87.3 cm. If you are Asian, then you need to have a BMI about 2 or 3 less (on a health basis).In the EPIC study in Europe, with over 366,000 people, they found for a given BMI, a 5cm increase in waistline increased the risk of premature death by 17% in men and 13% in women.
    So use BMI as a guide but recognise waist (as an indicator of visceral fat) might be a better measure.
  • leadiax3
    leadiax3 Posts: 534 Member
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    I hAVE 18.5 bmi. I am 5'5 and 116 pounds. I work hard for the body I am maintaining. You can check out my diary...:flowerforyou:
  • bkw61
    bkw61 Posts: 29 Member
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    Been contemplating this thought also. Im 5.4. @ 142. now. Finally at normal bmi. I tend to keep moving down my goal weight. It was140....but decided today to shoot for 135. I think my idea is more to allow for a 5 lb cushion that I normally flex once I start to maintain. Is that anyone eles thought?
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    I am 5'6.5" and my GW is 150. I will be on the high end of the BMI, but when I was actively bulimic I weighed 138 and had 6-8% body fat, which was horrifically unhealthy for me. I'll stick with 150 and be happy, thanks.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    No, because BMI isn't the best measure, you're better off focusing on BF%. For example, I weigh 180 Lbs and have roughly 145 Lbs of lean mass and I am at a perfectly healthy BF% for my stats...but if I were to get to the low end of a healthy BMI, I'd not only have to drop a bit more fat, but I'd actually have to burn my muscle mass as well (about 10Lbs worth) which is just about as stupid as you can get.

    You have to understand there there is far more to your body weight than just fat.

    Edit: also, I'm by no means a body builder and super muscular...I have a decent amount of muscle but people seem to think you have to be some kind of body builder for muscle mass to impact your BMI.
  • FindingMyPerfection
    FindingMyPerfection Posts: 702 Member
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    BMI is not a good way to measure anything. I'm "overweight" when I calculate my bmi, but well under 20% body fat. Would it be sensible for me to aim to be on the low end of the "healthy" bmi range? God no, I'd have to lose a whole lot of muscle!

    I'd personally have your body fat measured and work on lowering that instead....
    This

    BMI is a range because people have different muscle mass bone size and density. Body fat % is the best way to measure healthy weight.

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