Please do me a favour; help me settle on a healthy weight goal.

I think most people just keep going until they feel happy with themselves. My initial goal is into an 'average' BMI or 150lbs or so, but I'm a 5'7 woman with no muscle mass to speak of, it's a wonder I stay standing

Personally I'd like to get to 140lbs or so though but I won't really know until I get there, I might like being 150lbs. Plus your high muscle mass might mean you want to focus on Body Fat % rather than a BMI calculation.

I agree with what is said by other here but I will add this. If you don't want to wait and see if you get to a place where you are satisfied, aim to get somewhere in the BMI overweight range and find out your body fat percentage is. From there, pick a body fat percentage as a goal. Below are some picture to help you.

I have a large frame and my current goal weight would put me in Overweight according to the BMI. We'll see what happens when I get there.

My husband is 6'1" with a "massive frame" as his physicians and physical therapists have called hit. His weight sweet spot is around 220-225. Under that and he looks a bit sickly. Like others said, you'll know it when you see it.
Congrats on your progress

Not to hijack the OP's thread, but I have a question about this as well. Is height the only important factor in BMI, besides weight? I'm 5'5 1/2" tall, but I'm super short waisted, and long legged. I have a 34' inseam. The numbers that put me in the "normal" range seem high for me. I think I'd look like a twig if I got as low as 130-135.

Redmonkeydf wrote: »

Hey All

I started at 340 (well, 355 really, but started MFP at 340) and I am 83 pounds down so far (CW 257). I am 6 foot 1, and have a large frame. I carry an above average bit of muscle on me, having been blessed with some good genetics. My trouble is, I have never been a "normal" weight, so I am struggling to set a ideal goal weight. I have recently been told that my goal of 195 is too low for me, even though my BMI ideal weight is 189. How do I settle this?

Thanks in advance.

Great job losing 83 pounds. Obviously, you're doing the right things. Don't use the BMI for anything. It's not the least bit accurate, especially for someone who has above average muscle mass. Generally, body fat percentage is going to be a better marker. You should be able to get that done at any gym (or possibly a local college with an exercise science/kinesiology program). That will give you more useful data to use.

I wouldn't worry about a specific weight, eat the right foods (meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and legumes) and adjust the amounts as necessary based on weight and what you see in the mirror. The simpler you make it, the better.

blankiefinder wrote: »

Personally I would pick a goal size instead of a goal weight. So maybe your goal size would be a size 36 pant, or something similar.

thats what i did. i picked a uk size 14. when i got to a 12 was really surprised with myself.

I'm just over 6'1", have a long waist, and also maintain muscle without much effort. As you know, the highest end of "healthy" weight for us is about 190 pounds according to the BMI. I have no intention or need to get down to 190. That's what I weighed in high school with little muscle and I was very thin. In college I was lifting weights, put on 20 pounds of muscle and was in great shape even at 215. Since then I gained weight (*cough*fat*cough*) steadily until I hit nearly 260 earlier this year at age 39. I put on weight proportionately, and with a long torso and broad muscular shoulders I didn't even start getting a noticeable belly until I hit about 240. At nearly 260 I was looking at a wardrobe change and saw where things were headed.

I have a sedentary job, but I don't sit down much at home. I increased my activity by wearing a pedometer. (I now avg 6800 steps a day, double from when I started, and now shooting for an average of 8000). I bought a good bike that I'm riding a few miles to work a few times a week. I'd like to ride more, but I'm not going to burn out from going overboard. I lost a few pounds from walking more in early August. I knew the main problem was my caloric intake. I already eat a healthy combination of foods, but too much of it.

I was at 255 when I started started tracking calories at the end of August and I weighed in at 238 today and yesterday. (17 pounds over 5 weeks.) I'm now comfortably fitting into pants I could barely button two months ago. I'm eating 1600-1800 calories every day with one day where I ate (and drank) 2800. I'm likely underestimating my base activity level, which resulted in a greater than 1000 calorie deficit. It's doing me some good to realize I don't need 3000 calories day after day with no real intentional exercise. I feel like I have more energy now.

I'm going to bump up my calories when I get down to 230 for a smaller deficit and get used to that level of eating. When I get close to 220 I'm going to start lifting again, set my calories at maintenance, eating back a small percentage of the weightlifting burn, and see what happens. The scale won't matter so much at that point. Shoulder, waist, and upper leg measurements will be more meaningful. I already have my free weights set up and ready to go. I doubt I'll want or need to get below 210, and that's 20 pounds over the BMI healthy range.