Healthy weight depending on build?

Hi

I am part-way through my fitness/weight-loss journey. I have now lost 60+ lbs but still plenty more to lose. Having been overweight for many years, I have not been a medically healthy weight so I am unsure where to set my goal. I have based it on getting to a healthy BMI. Is this a good plan? Health websites seem to give a range so I have aiming towards the upper end of this since I would say I am a larger/curvier build despite being overweight. That would be around 10.5- 11 stone, height 5 " 6. Does this sound reasonable or could I weigh a bit more than that and still be healthy?

Thanks for any advice!
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Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Congratulations on your 60+ loss :)

    I'd aim for the healthy BMI range and see how you feel once you get there. Some people find they actually want to lose a bit more and others are happy there, some want to regain a 1lb or 2.
  • Azercord
    Azercord Posts: 573 Member
    For starters I would throw out the BMI, that is a metric designed for a population not an individual, and go more with a body fat %age that you would like to be. As you get slimmer just think if you feel comfortable in your skin, do you think you look good in the mirror, and then relate that into a body fat range. I currently like the way I am looking in the mirror but I have a little bit left around the mid section that I want to get rid of so about another 5 lbs of fat or about 2% putting me around 10% body fat. Either that or go until you like the way you look and stop there, weight is just the gravitational pull on your body and who needs that :tongue:
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    I think it's a good starting goal. You can adjust as necessary as you get closer to it.
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
    My approach is to achieve a weight that is healthy for my frame. It almost doesnt matter what I weigh (though it does, I know!) but as long as I can wear a particular size (and yes, I know they are not standardized, its all psychological!) then I would be happy there. And so would my doctor, apparently!!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,846 Member
    For frame size, what's your wrist circumference? http://www.timigustafson.com/2009/what-is-your-frame-size-s-m-l-xl/

    Mine is 7" and my goal weight is still in the Overweight section of the BMI, but I'll see what happens when I get there.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    I started with the top end of BMI as my GW. Through weight loss, lowering sodium consumption, and eating "healthier", my blood markers are "fine" so my GP isn't concerned over how much I weigh though I'm listed as overweight on BMI.

    Considering most health professionals still use BMI as a health marker, it's a decent place to start.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
    Before BMI we had height/weight charts and those provided a similar weight range for my height. So when you don't have much else to go on, BMI ranges are a great place to start. Body fat % is a great metric, but getting an accurate body fat measurement requires access to a bodpod or hydrotank, both of which are impractical and expensive to do on a regular basis. Once or twice a year for those makes more sense. Body fat scales, calipers, etc are generally considered unreliable and inaccurate methods, so what's the point?
  • lasciate
    lasciate Posts: 1 Member
    BMI/frame charts kill me. I have a "large male" frame and at my height of 5'8" supposedly should weigh 154lbs at most. I couldn't get that low without being skeletal, I was skinny at 170lbs. My goal is 200lbs which is still 'obese' by BMI, but will be merely 'overweight' for me personally. After that we'll see what happens.
  • upoffthemat
    upoffthemat Posts: 679 Member
    I know I have no idea what my ideal weight will be. I just know that I will know it when I get there. Until I get there I am going to enjoy getting healthier.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,879 Member
    kittymou wrote: »
    Hi

    I am part-way through my fitness/weight-loss journey. I have now lost 60+ lbs but still plenty more to lose. Having been overweight for many years, I have not been a medically healthy weight so I am unsure where to set my goal. I have based it on getting to a healthy BMI. Is this a good plan? Health websites seem to give a range so I have aiming towards the upper end of this since I would say I am a larger/curvier build despite being overweight. That would be around 10.5- 11 stone, height 5 " 6. Does this sound reasonable or could I weigh a bit more than that and still be healthy?

    Thanks for any advice!

    One thing you have to be aware of in regards to the BMI range is that it is a range to accommodate a variety of builds and body types...I only bring it up because a lot of people tend to think it's a range so that you can pick and choose...and you end up with people with larger bone structures or more muscle mass fruitlessly trying to get to the lower end of BMI because they think lower = better...when in reality they don't have the build to be at the lower end or middle, etc.

    BMI is a fine place to start, but it isn't the be all and end all either. When I was over fat I also put on a fair amount of muscle carrying around all that fat...I'm no body builder, but I also spend a fair amount of time in the weight room. As per BMI, I'm currently overweight even though I'm only about 12% BF. Being at the highest end of BMI would put me at a very lean 8%-10% or so which I have difficulty maintaining without being really strict about what I'm doing and basically not having any fun.
  • BioQueen
    BioQueen Posts: 694 Member
    Congrats on your loss so far! The healthy BMI range is pretty big, my first goal was just to get there in the first place! Now that I am here I am realizing that I am a lot more petite in body frame than I ever thought. I shouldn't be surprised, several of the women in my family are petite. So I realized that I will probably want to be on the lower side (although not the lowest) of my BMI to be completely happy. Although just being healthy makes me happy enough!

    I think it is important to not have a specific number to start and then adjust later.
  • zestyzesty
    zestyzesty Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks so much for all the encouragement and advice! It's really motivating and good to have support. Having spoken to a few people recently, they sounded surprised I still want to lose quite a lot more but I think perhaps I look quite a lot less than I weigh (currently at about 220lbs). I definitely feel a lot happier where I've got to so far, as I was this size when several years ago when (with training) I was able to swim 5km/200 lengths so I'm now at a size where I know I'm capable of being pretty fit and healthy, but at the same time, I suffer with my knees and now, having lost more weight than I ever hoped a couple of years ago, I sort of feel like maybe I could do the whole thing and just get down to being not overweight at all. I think it would really help my health and confidence.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    lasciate wrote: »
    BMI/frame charts kill me. I have a "large male" frame and at my height of 5'8" supposedly should weigh 154lbs at most. I couldn't get that low without being skeletal, I was skinny at 170lbs. My goal is 200lbs which is still 'obese' by BMI, but will be merely 'overweight' for me personally. After that we'll see what happens.

    I'm one inch shorter than you at 155 still with fat to lose. Unless you are super tall, short, or a major body builder (probably wouldn't be here if you were) it's really acurate. Expecially for people like us at the middle of the chart. If you are happy ar 170 that's your choice but don't discredit BMI or use the OMG I'd be a skeleton. On top of that even if you are "super muscled" and not obese at 200 somehow by bf% it's still more weight than is intended for your body wich can lead to stress and health problems. If you want to talk about it more let me know. Our changing bodies can be weird.

    All in all yes BMI isn't meant for individuals once they have gotten into or around a healthy weight to pick a number. But it gives an acurate range for most individuals to set healthy goals. It is also the metric health risks are associated with so it's good not to throw it away.

    OP BMI is a good baseline once you get into or close to a healthy weight you can reasses your goals from there.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
    I always thought I was a medium build until I measured my wrists, and found I'm small. I also always thought 65kg, which is in the upper end (23) of healthy bmi for me, was fine.
    But now I'm 57kg and still going to lose a couple more and it feels like I've been kidding myself my whole life. I'm actually quite small. My wrists and fingers and ankles and hips and neck are all small. A supposedly "healthy" bmi, for me, could actually be overweight.
    And that's the bit you often don't hear. Lots of people like to claim bmi is bs as they're healthy above it, or at the top end of it, but for some, it can be too generous if taken as "anywhere within 18.5-24.9 is healthy"
  • WeekendWarriorTX
    WeekendWarriorTX Posts: 1,844 Member
    I'm a 6'4" male, and in my adult life i have weighed everywhere from 165 lbs (way too skinny) to around 260-270 (freshman year of college before i decided to get healthy). i'm 32 years old and still can't tell you what my ideal weight is. i've decided to set different goals. I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in april (i haven't run that distance in awhile, and never in a timed/race type event. longest i'd done before was a 10K). i want to do another 1/2 marathon later in the year to make sure i keep up my cardio. I also want to be able to regularly do sets of 225 lb on bench press. right now i start my workout at 195 and work my way up to 215. i can get 225 up a few times, but i want to be at a place where i'm doing my last two sets of 6-8 reps at 225 lbs. I also want to be able to work out squats 1.5x my body weight, again at the 6-8 rep range. i think when i can achieve these three goals i will like the way i look. if not, i will adjust from there.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
    I set my goal at the high end of healthy BMI for my height and then plan to recomp once I hit that point and go from there. It may not be the best way to go about it, but it allowed me to be able to set on a number.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    I feel most comfortable right around the bottom of the healthy BMI range. I think it depends on your frame, your body composition, and personal preference. Just stop when you feel happy. :)
  • zestyzesty
    zestyzesty Posts: 57 Member
    Thanks for all your thoughts! I think it will be a while still before I am at a healthy BMI but before I simply didn't think it would be possible to ever be even close to healthy. Everything seemed so difficult and impossible. But now it seems like it could be possible!

    Katem999, I think I know what you mean! I guess when you are bigger, you have the sense of having a bigger frame when some of it is just excess weight. I think the same is true of shape. Before losing weight, you can think I thought of myself as quite apple shape for example, but now not so much. Maybe there is a Beyonce figure hidden in there after all ( a girl can dream) !
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    There are different definitions of "ideal weight". One is a weight for optimal health; one is a weight for optimal appearance; one is a weight for optimal physical performance; one is a weight that you feel comfortable and happy with, and feel you can maintain. The "ideal" or "acceptable" weight for good health is usually higher than the one for optimal appearance, so that's usually a good initial goal. Achieve that, and the decision then becomes more personal.

    Ideally you want to base weight "targets" on your goal body fat percentage and lean body mass. As others have said, getting a reliable number can be problematic (I have a lot of confidence in my measuring tools and ability, but there is only one of me ;-) And most online tools and calculators, wrist measurements, etc, are pretty bogus.

    I would caution against getting too attached to a specific scale number, since the scale weighs everything--"good","bad", and "neutral". Ultimately, the best guide will be what you see in the mirror and how you feel. Don't set any limits in advance!
  • WickedPineapple
    WickedPineapple Posts: 701 Member
    edited February 2016
    Starting at the high end of your healthy BMI scale is a good place to start. It's not like you can't change your mind later. I also had never been a healthy weight, so I chose the higher end of the BMI chart for my height (132 lbs). Once I got there I decided to aim for a little lower. I currently maintain at 126 lbs and am working on recomp. I always thought that'd I'd look like a skeleton at a "healthy" weight.

    A warning about frame size. My wrist measurement actually went down after losing weight. I was considered a large frame before losing weight, now I'm a medium/large frame (measurement is right on the lower end of large). So, it's kind of a catch, because you base your goal weight on your frame, but you don't know your true frame size until you lose weight.