Is there a way to determine your 'ideal' weight...

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goal30Lori
goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
...other than BMI? My BMI gives me a range of 115-155, so I'm shooting for the middle, but that's quite a range, and apparently not all that accurate of a gauge anyway!

So, how do we really know when we are at our 'happy weight'?

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  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    Everybody is different! For me it's when I look strong and toned and slim, fit into the clothing I want to wear, and when I have the confidence to tackle the things that scared me when I was heavyier!
  • mzenzer
    mzenzer Posts: 503 Member
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    Hard to tell, but what I do is look at what I think is an ideal body fat percentage for me. So lets say this is 12%. I figure out what my body fat percentage is now, then from that I can get what my total lean mass is. Add 12% to that and I have my "ideal" weight. Different for everyone really though, but that's what I do.
  • redhotsmacker
    redhotsmacker Posts: 227 Member
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    I would image right at about the same time as you stop seeing imperfections with yourself and noticing how much you love the way you look and feel (=
  • katoka97
    katoka97 Posts: 62 Member
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    try this

    http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html
  • blockeramanda
    blockeramanda Posts: 68 Member
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    its said that it's 100 lbs for woman of five feet then add on and additional six lbs for every inch after that. I know because I just looked for myself last night :)
  • MariSama44
    MariSama44 Posts: 340 Member
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    I do a calculation with body fat percentage. Right now I'm 35%, I use that to find my lean weight:

    Current Weight - (current weight * 0.35) = Lean weight

    so I'll do my own weight for an example:
    194 - (194 * 0.35)
    194 - 67.9
    126.1

    Finding your ideal:
    My ideal weight would be me at 22% body fat. You can find idea body fat percentage charts all over the internet. Here's how you set up to find your ideal weight:

    Ideal weight - (ideal weight * 0.22) = Lean weight

    basicly the same equation but we're finding a different variable, that is my ideal. For this example, x = Ideal weight
    x - (x * 0.22) = 126.1
    x - 0.22x = 126.1
    0.88x = 126.1
    x = 126.1 / 0.88
    x = 143.3

    So according to my calculations I would be 143 pounds at 22% body fat.

    This is strictly something that helps me understand my body and its composition. it helped me pinpoint a healthy weight without using BMI scale, which I think is greatly flawwed when you're talking about individual people.

    KEEP IN MIND! These numbers can change, and DO change often. Get an accurate body fat reading from your local gym or health center, and try it with that. Also remember that your muscle can bulk up as you work out and that can make your ideal weight go up. I'm shooting for 170 as of now, but I dont think I would ever go under 150, as I'm pretty muscular. If possible, use this as reference only, and try to keep yourself from taking it too seriously. I use it to guide me to a comfortable weight as I go along.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html

    That calculator is CRAP!! I have very long fingers and hands and therefore I had an "overlap" around my wrist which according to them means I have a small bone structure. That couldn't be further from the truth! I have, @ best, somewhere between a medium/large bone structure.
  • eillamarie
    eillamarie Posts: 862 Member
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    I can see that being accurate within 10lbs on either side. I'm 6 feet tall so my "ideal weight" according to that would be 172lbs...I'm aiming for 175lbs (my weight when I was a competitive swimmer)!
  • timbotina
    timbotina Posts: 1,130 Member
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    try this

    http://www.healthcentral.com/diet-exercise/ideal-body-weight-3146-143.html

    Thanks for the site...went on and it says I am at ideal weight...I have always thought I was larege frame but tried both large and medium frame for my height and it still said ideal for both...I am at 171lbs right now...had set a goal of 165 for me (some wiggle room ya know) and if I don't loose that last 6 lbs..no biggie for me--I figure the 57lb I have already lost have made me a lot more healthy than I was before at 228lbs...so that was my goal all along to be healthy...I don't think I will ever be "skinny" or "totally happy" with what my body looks like naked, but the feeling of being healthy and the way I look in my cloths now is "my ideal".....thanks for the post Lori
  • goal30Lori
    goal30Lori Posts: 307 Member
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    Thanks for the responses everyone! Off to check out the links...

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