Setting a Goal weight

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Does anyone know how to make a good goal weight?

I lost 100 pounds 4 years ago, but I never met my goal weight, which is 135. I have been the same weight about 4 years, within 5 pounds, although I have been eating healthy and exercising daily. I think I just saw that 135 on a chart once at Weight Watchers when I was young. I don't even really know if that would be good. It has just always been my "goal weight" but I have never weighed that as an adult. I realize as I type this that it seems pretty silly to view myself as a "failure" because I never met my goal although I have come a long way.

Does anyone know of any resources to help set a goal weight? I am 5'7".

Replies

  • WelshPhil1975
    WelshPhil1975 Posts: 138 Member
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    I set my target at 68lb which still leaves me in the overweight (BMI) bracket, but my plan is to reassess where I am / where I want to be then. I haven't given myself a time limit, but 2lb per week takes me until the end of October this year so I am happy to go along with that. If I set a 'perfect' goal (Ie one that'll get me down to "healthy" BMI levels) I would find it difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel and motivation would be difficult.
  • verhunzt
    verhunzt Posts: 154 Member
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    BMI. Go to a site (I would link one but I only know german sites for this) and calculate the healthiest BMI at your height and boom. But don't worry if you don't meet that goal weight.. 10 lbs more or less are still PERFECTLY healthy!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I am the same height and for me my weight is just a way to track my bf% to be honest and to have some clue on how close I am to that goal.

    My initial GW was 165...(before I started lifting) as that was the smallest I have been since I had my son...I got there and wasn't happy.

    I set another 10lbs and started lifting, realized that my BF% and measurments and clothing size was more important.

    In another 6-9lbs I will be at my desired BF% and I will be happy as I am already in a 5/6 jeans...at 159lbs.

    Perhaps instead of choosing a scale weight you need to look at other measurments as I have realized. Those measurments don't require resourses just a "look" you want to acheive.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    BMI. Go to a site (I would link one but I only know german sites for this) and calculate the healthiest BMI at your height and boom. But don't worry if you don't meet that goal weight.. 10 lbs more or less are still PERFECTLY healthy!

    BMI is not a good way...it's an antequate equation developed to distribute food in lean times back in the 1700s.

    It doesn't take into account muscle mass etc.
  • verhunzt
    verhunzt Posts: 154 Member
    Options
    BMI. Go to a site (I would link one but I only know german sites for this) and calculate the healthiest BMI at your height and boom. But don't worry if you don't meet that goal weight.. 10 lbs more or less are still PERFECTLY healthy!

    BMI is not a good way...it's an antequate equation developed to distribute food in lean times back in the 1700s.

    It doesn't take into account muscle mass etc.

    If you're trying to lose weight it probably still is today. If you're, like you are, almost at your goal and aiming to buil muscle, then you're probably right.
  • LydiaShackelford
    LydiaShackelford Posts: 93 Member
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    I would recommend using both BMI (solely as a number GUIDELINE, not a hard number) and a body fat percentage. I have been using the chart here: http://www.builtlean.com/2010/08/03/ideal-body-fat-percentage-chart/ as a guideline for my BF% goals. I aim to be in the "fitness range" of 21-24% BF. However, if I'm more like 25-27%, I'm not upset by it by any means. As for BMI, you can use the simple calculator here: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/. I would put in what your current weight is, and if it's coming in as a "healthy" range, then I would stop focusing on your weight number and start focusing on your BF% number. I hope this helps! :smile:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    BMI. Go to a site (I would link one but I only know german sites for this) and calculate the healthiest BMI at your height and boom. But don't worry if you don't meet that goal weight.. 10 lbs more or less are still PERFECTLY healthy!

    BMI is not a good way...it's an antequate equation developed to distribute food in lean times back in the 1700s.

    It doesn't take into account muscle mass etc.

    If you're trying to lose weight it probably still is today. If you're, like you are, almost at your goal and aiming to buil muscle, then you're probably right.

    No it's not...for a 5 ft 7 woman the weight ranges are stupid it puts me at almost overweight atm and I am in a size 5/6...I am not even close to being overweight...

    I am not aiming to build muscle I am aiming to lose fat...I am in a deficet so trust me no muscle is being built.
  • Satiable
    Satiable Posts: 121
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    Does anyone know of any resources to help set a goal weight? I am 5'7".
    You could check out Model My Diet http://www.modelmydiet.com to see a virtual model of your height and body shape at different weights.
    …Or, even better My Body Gallery http://www.mybodygallery.com has photos of real people, you can search for images of people at your goal weight and height.

    Body fat % or measurement goals can be good to have, too, if 'goal weight' isn't working for you.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
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    I am the same height and for me my weight is just a way to track my bf% to be honest and to have some clue on how close I am to that goal.

    My initial GW was 165...(before I started lifting) as that was the smallest I have been since I had my son...I got there and wasn't happy.

    I set another 10lbs and started lifting, realized that my BF% and measurments and clothing size was more important.

    In another 6-9lbs I will be at my desired BF% and I will be happy as I am already in a 5/6 jeans...at 159lbs.

    Perhaps instead of choosing a scale weight you need to look at other measurments as I have realized. Those measurments don't require resourses just a "look" you want to acheive.

    I wanted to ditto Stef on this one. I'm the same height as well, 5'7", but I'm at 155lbs right now and wearing size 12 jeans. Everyone's body is different and even being the same height, our bodies carry weight differently. My goal is 135 lbs simply because I needed a number and I was close to that weight at my smallest, but I could achieve my goal look and size at a higher weight depending on my body fat % and measurements. I'm ok with that, it's not like anyone else is going to have any idea what I actually weigh, nor are they going to care when they see how hot I look.
  • MeAlley3148
    MeAlley3148 Posts: 10 Member
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    This is actually really helpful.

    You ladies weigh about what I do and my same height. Yet Kgeyser is size 12 at 155 pounds and Stef at size 6 at 159. I am 157 and a size 10. I would really like to be a size 6- maybe I have to get to 135 but maybe 145, if I focus on building muscle and tone, and reducing body fat.....who knows what the scale will do.
    Thanks guys.