How do you calculate your goal weight?

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singallagher
singallagher Posts: 42 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm new to the forums and wonder how everyone calculates their goal weights - is it just plucking a number from thin air or is there theory to it?
I am 38, weigh 144lbs, am 5'6" and have no idea of what I 'should' weigh. Truth be told I don't actually care once I lose my jelly belly and tone up. Even if the scale remained the same but I looked slimmer I'd be happy.
But perhaps I'd have something to aim for if I had a magic number in mind :laugh:
Thoughts?
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Replies

  • ALNoog
    ALNoog Posts: 413 Member
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    As long as my health improves I'll be happy. My lowest weight during my adult life was 189.... I'd like to get back there and improve upon that but I don't have a magic number.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    Guess, then repeat as necessary.
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
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    For me its having a healthy fat ratio (BMI). That gives me a range of about 25 pounds so I chose a number a little bit lower than the highest point for a healthy BMI at my height. When I get there, or close, I will decide what is a proper goal weight.
  • corgarian
    corgarian Posts: 366 Member
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    I dont have a goal weight, I have a goal pant size.
  • mrslstage
    mrslstage Posts: 51 Member
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    For me its having a healthy fat ratio (BMI). That gives me a range of about 25 pounds so I chose a number a little bit lower than the highest point for a healthy BMI at my height. When I get there, or close, I will decide what is a proper goal weight.

    Exactly what I'm doing. :wink:
  • Snow__White
    Snow__White Posts: 1,650 Member
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    im not sure,was wondering the same thing!
  • VanillaSmile427
    VanillaSmile427 Posts: 45
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    I used a reverse BMI calc.

    http://www.countcalculate.com/diet/reverse-bmi

    I want my BMI to be around 20.. so I'm aiming at 100 lbs. :)
  • angel7472
    angel7472 Posts: 317 Member
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    Im also 5'6" and my goal was 140. I got there and went ya know I like how I look but I dont LOVE how I look. So what I did was look at the BMI chart and decided I was gonna aim for smack dab in the middle of that sucker. I got there and my body kept losing. Ive at 126 pounds. I was 129 in October went on maintenance and somewhere along the way lost 2 more. Personally its how you feel you look. I wanted to be at 20% bodyfat but that would take me to 116 and thats even too low for me. I will live with where Im at. Good Luck to you
  • Amandawith3kids
    Amandawith3kids Posts: 367 Member
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    i looked up my healthy weight range based on my height and gender, and picked a weight smack in the middle of that range. when i get to within 10 pounds of that, i'll evaluate what i want to do. lose the last few, keep going to the lower end of the range, or a body recomp (leaning towards that)

    my goal is 140, for now. but if i recomp and gain a few but look like a hot tamale, then thats ok too LOL
  • BetterThanExpected
    BetterThanExpected Posts: 104 Member
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    Check out mybodygallery.com, it gives you a good idea of what people your height look at different weights. If you're really not sure how much you want to lose, then you could just focus on changing your body fat % instead, or focus on fitness goals.
    I personally figured out what I wanted to weigh based on BMI and bone structure.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    If you know that you need to lose some weight then aim for 10% for starters then work with your doctor, nutritionist, and/or dietitian to determine your healthy weight goal. Another option would be to check out some of the online tools to determine your healthy weight.
  • pandagirl813
    pandagirl813 Posts: 84 Member
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    I put your height and weight in a BMI calculator and your BMI was 23.2.

    BMI Categories:
    Underweight = <18.5
    Normal weight = 18.5–24.9
    Overweight = 25–29.9
    Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    I picked mine based on what I used to be. I looked healthy, felt healthy, and it was an appropriate weight for my body. When in doubt, consult a height/weight chart to get an idea!
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
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    I looked online for a site that calculates my healthy weight range for my height and age. Which for a 23 year old female at 5"7.5' is between 120lbs and 160lbs :o
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,135 Member
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    I picked the high end of the BMI chart. It's changed now that I realize I've shrunk an inch. :grumble:
  • Aaron_K123
    Aaron_K123 Posts: 7,122 Member
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    Personally I determined my frame from a wrist measurement (small, medium or large frame) then just looked online for what was a lean or fit bodyfat composition for a male (around 12-15% was what I found. I then looked up what a small framed 6' tall man with 12-15% bodyfat weighed and there you go. First time I did this I calculated that I should way 155 pounds which seemed shockingly low at the time given that I am 6' tall and at that point I weighed about 195. My profile picture is me when I attained that bodyfat goal and sure enough, I was 155 pounds.

    Alternatively if you have the means you can measure your percent bodyfat which is much more telling about your fitness than your weight is and set a %bodyfat goal which you could then use to calculate a weight loss.
  • MonicaA2013
    MonicaA2013 Posts: 753 Member
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    go into apps click on the BMI link and enter your info and click calculate . It will give you a range for your weight and height that is within the normal "zone".


    edited to add -- i chose my goal from what i was 12 yrs ago and added a bit for muscle gain.
  • krennie8
    krennie8 Posts: 301 Member
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    I chose one in the middle of the normal BMI range and one that's slightly lighter than I was when I graduated college 6 years ago.
  • ALNoog
    ALNoog Posts: 413 Member
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    As long as my health improves I'll be happy. My lowest weight during my adult life was 189.... I'd like to get back there and improve upon that but I don't have a magic number.


    ALTHOUGH I WOULD Like to step on my Wii balance board on wii fit and not have it tell me in that mocking voice "that's obese"
  • krawhitham
    krawhitham Posts: 831 Member
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    I go by what I weighed 4 years ago. I was around 128-133. My goal is to be between 125 - 130 and allow that 5 lb fluctuation but maintain being able to fit into my old clothes :)

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