Weight question for other 5'7 girls!

lavrn03
lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
edited November 15 in Motivation and Support
Good morning,
I am 5'7 and weigh 186.5lbs right now. My first goal is 175, that will be a 60+lbs weightloss this time around.
My heaviest 250lbs and lightest 165lbs.
Charts say that I should be between 127-159lbs. Ideally 143lbs.
I can't imagine being that low. I have pretty good muscle gain from my strength training so I think I look smaller to my friends.
When I say I have another 50 to lose they voice that I would be too thin looking. I think I agree. I know I'm use to being bigger but I'm "big boned" and need some meat on me.
I know I will ultimately base it on what I can do and maintain with relative ease. I am very busy and need to find a place that I can feel good and maintain realistically.
I'm asking other similar framed females what do you think? How much do you want to lose and what's a good weight.
My gut tells me 155-160 might be good. Normal BMI range works for me.
I already feel strong, healthy and confident again. Anything past 175lbs is gravy!
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Replies

  • lauracups
    lauracups Posts: 533 Member
    It really does vary person to person. I'm 5'7 179 heaviest at 230 lowest at 140 (but that was in my 20's i took phen/fen and lived on cigs and coffee! ) A friend of mine, same height roughly same weight is a size 12, I'm a loose fitting 16..just bought some 14s. My goal is 155, but honestly i would be happy in the 160's. I've hovered at this weight for almost a year. ..so I'm trying different things with the macros and what I'm counting as calorie burn.
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks lauracups!

    I can't imagine what I would need to do to maintain at 143.

  • sombrefawn
    sombrefawn Posts: 44 Member
    I'm 5'7" and currently 181.5lbs down from 238lbs. There is a way to tell if you actually are big boned http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/17182.htm. But I would go with your gut regardless of whatever friends say. Many people who have had a fair amount of weight to lose find themselves resetting their goal weight after reaching their first goal in order to do a body recomp to get more lean mass and cut body fat %. This would likely keep the weight up but your size/measurements down. Personally I think I would look great at 130lbs as long as I maintained good muscle and felt strong. I don't, however, want to look gaunt.
  • eva_svi
    eva_svi Posts: 24 Member
    It really depends on your bone structure. I am 5'7 too but have a tiny frame. I look and feel my best around 128 - 130 lbs; around 150 lbs (post pregnancy) I looked overweight. On the other hand, my late stepmother was 5'7 as well and looked pretty much perfect around 155 lbs - slim but not skinny. When she got down to 135 lbs due to serious illness she resembled a walking skeleton. So it's quite likely you have a larger frame and will feel perfectly fine at the higher end of the healthy range. Just trust your gut ;)
  • kaitlinrt
    kaitlinrt Posts: 28 Member
    I'm 5'7'', heaviest at 207 (Nov 2014), right now at 192. When I was in the mid 190s I comfortably wore a size 14 jeans. At my heaviest I was in denial and should have bought some size 16s!

    High school graduation in 2007 I weighted 145 and wore a size 6-8 jeans. I thought I was so fat(ugh). Ideally I would like to be 150-155 since that is still within a normal BMI but I'm not focusing on my ultimate goal; rather I'm concentrating on my next small goal of 180.

    I do think that anything within that normal BMI range is pretty acceptable but I always take friends advice with a grain of salt. None of my friends took me aside when I was at my heaviest to mention my weight (although I understand why) so they shouldn't comment on how much is too much to lose!
  • Marydeibler
    Marydeibler Posts: 3 Member
    edited March 2015
    I think that your goals are realistic. You've already lost so much, congratulations on that!!! We all know how hard it is, and I bet you're already feeling fantastic at your current weight!
    I am 5'8", 48yo... I carry my weight up top. My exercise of choice is running, so I have awesome legs. :) I never had much of a waist, have a larger chest and carry fat on my back. I think I look good at 150, but not everyone around me does. I was there two years ago, and am trying to get back down there now that I've conquered some health issues (and some diet issues ;) ) I still have fat on my body at that weight, so no bag of bones, but I think as a culture we are not used to seeing people at the low end of the healthy weight range. And we especially don't want to see friends and loved ones looking different. It can be alarming to see someone and think they look "gaunt", "too skinny". But I say get to a place you feel your best and let those people get used to the new you.

    About me:
    Surgery a couple of months ago.
    Started an exercise plan and got back on MFP 2 weeks ago.
    Current weight - 190
    High - 230 8 years ago
    Semi-Recent low - 145 2 years ago


  • ajadumas
    ajadumas Posts: 85 Member
    I am currently 207 and a size 16. I have a large frame, and feel like at my most fit, and when i liked my body best, I was around 160.
  • palwithme
    palwithme Posts: 860 Member
    I'm 5'7 and 172. At my heaviest I was a size 18W/20 and 230. I am now a size 12. My goal weight is 145, but to be honest I have no clue what it should be. I have to get to 159 to be in the healthy BMI range - so 13 more pounds to go. I may just have to evaluate how I feel then.
  • carlyn4
    carlyn4 Posts: 2 Member
    I So agree that 145 is crazy. After spending most of my adult life as high as 350 and getting to 190 it was frustrating to be still considered over weight. Now I have gained weight back up to 250
    I swear when I get back to 190 any one who says I over weight can take a hike.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    I am 5'7" and when I was at my healthiest weight, and around 20-22% body fat, with my medium build frame, I was 140 lbs. and a size 5. When I was at 140 lbs. I was exercising 1-1/2 hours a day, cardio and lifting, and maintaining with 2,500+ calories per day. My profile picture is from that weight. Right now (with some health issues) I am 121 lbs. and a size zero.
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    Thanks everyone! It's nice knowing people understanding what I'm questioning and asking.
    Luckily I'm not losing this weight for anyone else but myself. No bridesmaids dress to squeeze into, finding a man, fitting into my wedding gown...nope losing it for me!
    It's kinda freeing this time around. I'm 39 and finally get the whole idea of losing weight to live a better life and be a good role model for my son.
    It's my own time line.
  • jglovicz
    jglovicz Posts: 44 Member
    I'm 5'7" and the summer before my wedding, I ran 8-10miles per day, did 30 day shred a couple of days per week, and had my goal at 1490cal (as per mfp) -I ate back most of my calories. I weighed 138 and wore a size 6...I knew I wouldn't be maintaining that type of lifestyle! I otherwise like to average around 143-145 and wear an 8-10 - I'm pretty active and still enjoy running frequently, but just not to the extent!
  • lavrn03
    lavrn03 Posts: 235 Member
    I eat an average of 1700-1800 cal a day and do 6 days of 30-45mins of cardio and 3 days strength training. I'm averaging around -1lb a week. I am comfortable and happy here. I can still be hungry depending on how much I workout that day but I'm always working on figuring out what foods keep me satisfied longer and are still good for me.
    When people ask about my weight loss journey and if it's been hard, I say.... lts not hard working out, I enjoy it and love seeing my body get stronger- it can be hard to prioritize my workouts when I'm so busy and for eating well- buying and preparing the food is more difficult then eating it. So I hope I keep this mind set because it's brought me thus far.
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 610 Member
    Well it really does depend. I'm not a huge person, but I don't feel good when I'm above 150 lbs. It feels awkward sitting, I don't have a lot of energy, and I have a belly. It's a lot about where I carry my weight. I'm currently at 158 from 168 originally and I'm feeling a lot better but not at my ideal. I think my best spot is 128-135 and I'm hoping to get that low this year. I've been there before and had a lot of muscle definition and felt great! If I could get to a size 4/6 jean though I'd be happy with my weight regardless because that's my true goal.

    I've really been working on strength training though, I want to be smaller but I don't really care if I"m smaller and weigh more than my 'goal' as long as I'm happy with how I look and feel.
  • cj94404
    cj94404 Posts: 154 Member
    I am like you but an inch shorter. I haven't been below 150 since my early twenties. I am very happy at 145. Not skinny (I have never been remotely skinny), but comfortable and confident. Trust yourself. I think a healthy BMI is a great goal.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    It is so individual!! I would probably set a 'size goal' instead. I am 5'7 and currently weigh 133, and still have a good muffin top I'm trying to get rid of. At 133 I am a size 8, and I know lots of people on here who are the same height and weigh lots more and wear a much smaller size. Muscle mass, frame, genetics, it all plays a factor. No 'one weight fits all' solution!
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    It depends! I'm 5'7 and for me, anything below 155ish is healthy and looks good on my body. The lowest I ever got was 146 and I was getting pretty bony, so I wouldn't want to go much lower than that. With my frame/how muscular I am, I can't imagine ever going under 140 pounds and not being underweight.
    For reference, I think I'm about 152 in my profile pic and I'd be very happy if I got to that weight again.
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    solcokey7cg8.jpg

    for further reference, this is how I look at 165ish pounds (more or less how i look currently). i wouldn't call myself fat, but my ideal weight range is 150-155, which would probably still be too high for a lot of 5'7 women
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    edited March 2015
    rawhidenadz wrote: »
    for further reference, this is how I look at 165ish pounds (more or less how i look currently). i wouldn't call myself fat, but my ideal weight range is 150-155, which would probably still be too high for a lot of 5'7 women

    165 looks great on you, you're beautiful! At 165, I look overweight.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    It really does depend. I'm between 5'6" and 5'7". Closer to 5'7". I look best at 130. I'm around 135 now and have been between 130-137 for about 14 years now. I don't look good at 150 or above. Doc says I have big bones but I don't carry weight well I guess. Find what feels and looks right for you. Good luck!
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    blankiefinder wrote: »
    rawhidenadz wrote: »
    for further reference, this is how I look at 165ish pounds (more or less how i look currently). i wouldn't call myself fat, but my ideal weight range is 150-155, which would probably still be too high for a lot of 5'7 women

    165 looks great on you, you're beautiful! At 165, I look overweight.

    Aww thank you! I mean I'm technically still in the "overweight" range here. I feel pretty fit and I'm healthy and I mostly like the way I look, but I definitely have some belly fat that isn't around when I'm at my lower weight.

    We all carry weight differently . . . it's really weird. I have a friend who is the exact same height and weight as me and I'm like three sizes smaller than her somehow . . .
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    Yes, at 165 I was a size 14 to 16!
  • otter090812
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
    My first goal was a healthy BMI - 157lbs (ish). When I got there, I decided I wanted to go a bit lower, so I am now experimentng with maintenance at 140lbs +/- 5lbs. I have a large rib cage and am muscular, so I guess I look pretty lean at 140lbs, whereas someone with a small frame may not. We're all so different!

    I am fairly active in my day-to-day life, and it looks like my maintenance calories are going to be around 2100 net. With exercise I can consume about 2400 gross at the moment on average. Still working on it, but I think this is where I will settle.

    Do remember that friends, family and colleagues will take a while to adjust to your weight loss. One of my colleagues was saying 'don't lose any more weight' when I was about 190lbs, but now agrees I'm looking good where I am.
  • otter090812
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
    syozc4c5jaxv.jpg
    (me at the top of my range)
  • gle8442
    gle8442 Posts: 126 Member
    I am 5'7 and currently weigh 147 lbs. Size 12 jeans/size 6 shirts (dresses off the rack are a problem!). According to that body frame calculator thingy anything below a 6.25" wrist is small-framed. My wrist is 5.75". I don't know if I will stick to my original weight goal or not, but I definitely want to lose at least 10 lbs more, probably more like 20.
  • sevader
    sevader Posts: 16
    I'm 5'7 and my highest was 197 and I'm currently 167... I want to drop down to about 140/130 and then see if I need to lose more or maintain.
  • rawhidenadz
    rawhidenadz Posts: 254 Member
    otter090812 wrote: »
    syozc4c5jaxv.jpg
    (me at the top of my range)

    you look fantastic!
  • PwrLftr82
    PwrLftr82 Posts: 945 Member
    edited March 2015
    I'm 5'6" (close enough) and am currently 127-128 (size 2). I'd gotten as low as 114, but have gone through two bulk cycles. Lots of lifting and maintain at 2400 cals.
  • __Roxy__
    __Roxy__ Posts: 825 Member
    edited March 2015
    I am 5'7 and I personally wouldn't go lower than 165. For my body type, bone structure, etc, less than that would not look good or be easily maintained. I start looking & feeling really great anywhere under 180. I carry my weight pretty well though, and I am comfortable maintaining the diet and activity level that keeps me in the 165-175 range.
    (I know to some people that seems high, but I have a high lean mass; so this is actually quite a healthy weight for me)
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    I'm 5' 6.5" and I don't feel good unless I'm 120 or below. I'm currently ~130 and don't feel comfortable. Then again, I have a pretty small frame and not much muscle. I think others with more lean body mass could look quite different at this weight.
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