What is my target weight?

Mr_Starr
Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How can I find out what my target weight is?

I am 5' 10" tall. If I use BMI metric of 24.9 (maximum normal), the target weight I should be is at most 174 lbs.

I know 174 lbs can't be right! The problem I have is I have never been as low as 174 lbs... and I used to be very skinny (under normal weight). After high school, I grew two more inches and gained a lot of mass. But I was still to skinny. Though out most of my 20s my weight varied between 176 to 182. I could not "pinch an inch" (at least my abs were visible), and I was under doctor's orders to gain weight because and I did suffer some health issues with being to thin. I was active (and participated in sports, many outdoor activities, and went to gym), but never really saw myself as an athlete or gym rat. Since then, my career started getting very demanding as I neared 30, my activity dropped to zero, and I started slowly gaining a little weight year after year.

So my question -- How can I find out what my target weight is?

Replies

  • Ignaura
    Ignaura Posts: 203 Member
    Your target weight is the one where you feel comfortable. Nobody can give you a number.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Target weight is what makes you look and feel good. Varies by person.

    My guess is you've probably lost muscle to the point that 174 would be quite reasonable if you just lost the excess fat. But maybe your target body is 185 or something - which you might have to build muscle to achieve.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
    If you are muscular enough that you can't "pinch an inch" at 25+ BMI, body fat percentage will be a much better metric for you to use. A lot of superfit athletes and bodybuilders are considered obese by BMI standards.

    BMI is a pretty good approximation for everyday sedentary or lightly active people (I am 5'9" and 150 and could stand to drop 10-15 lb of fat), but if you are more muscular than average, it is pretty valueless.

    Aim for a healthy body fat percentage and you'll be good. If you just want to arbitrarily put a goal weight in to get a deficit from MFP, take a guess, and adjust when you get closer.
  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
    Thank you Ignaura, jwdieter, and Makepeasnotwar. I appreciate all of your advice.


    I am getting my body fat percentage measured again in about 12 weeks. That should help, especially in I will be closer to my goal by then. I think i will also set in my goal some measurements .
  • Skrib69
    Skrib69 Posts: 687 Member
    I changed my goal weight 4 times before I was happy with what I saw in the mirror. As long as you are in what could be considered a 'healthy' range, To my mind the numbers are irrelevant.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    what is a pant size you are comfortable with? 36" 32" ? Pick one perhaps bigger than when you were 20.
  • Mr_Starr
    Mr_Starr Posts: 139 Member
    what is a pant size you are comfortable with? 36" 32" ? Pick one perhaps bigger than when you were 20.


    Thank you ! Great idea...

    I will aim for a pant size of 32" or 34". I think i have about 20 lbs to go. I was a 30" to 32" in 20s (depending on the pants/slacks). I bought new 36" waist jeans a couple of weeks ago and they are already feeling loose, and I keep punching new holes in my belts. So weird... not till these last 20 lbs lost that i finally really started shrinking so much in my waist.
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Eff BMI.

    Pick a target based on a bodyfat level you want to be at. If you want to be really accurate, you can have your current bodyfat analyzed by dexa or bodpod or dunk test, or you can get someone who is properly trained in using calipers to help you figure it out. Bioimpedence methods are basically garbage, don't bother using one to set goals- visual comparisons are more likely to be accurate.
    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/

    When you get close, reassess. If you don't like where you're at, you can always change your goal.

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