How To Choose a Goal Weight...I DON'T KNOW!

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ontherunat41
ontherunat41 Posts: 21 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, Community! I've lost about 48 pounds in the last year and I've done it niiiiiiiice and easy. Problem is, when do I say "when?" I'm 5'5", 44 and menopausal thanks to a complete hysterectomy. Plus, my thyroid needs a lot of help. I'm not deluded enough to think I should weigh what I did when I was 21, but I'm not sure where I should be. I feel pretty good about the lifestyle changes I've made and been sustaining, plus I've achieved one of my fitness goals of running again and I'm feeling pretty good about that. I think I'd be happier and feel better running if I lost 15 more pounds, but maybe that's unrealistic for me. I've been sitting at the same weight for a while now and I'm wondering if that's just where my body wants to be. How did you guys decide on a goal? Educate me on a reasonable approach to this. :)

Replies

  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I don't have a definite goal weight. I have what I think I will weigh (give or take a few pounds ) once my remaining trouble spots have lost most of their fat. But it's really based on the mirror.
  • Cyndiaquino
    Cyndiaquino Posts: 72 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Google "BMI Calculator "
    You can see what your current is and it will tell you if you're in the normal range. If you're not, play with the numbers and then you can see what your goal weight can be.
  • Cyndiaquino
    Cyndiaquino Posts: 72 Member
    edited March 2016
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    If you tell me your height and weight I can do it for you. If you can't figure it out or need help, I can help.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I used mid to upper range of normal BMI as the initial goal point. Once I reached it, my goals were more focused on body fat and fitness but BMI can provide a good rough starting point.
  • ontherunat41
    ontherunat41 Posts: 21 Member
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    Cyndiaquino wrote: »
    Google "BMI Calculator "
    You can see what your current is and it will tell you if you're in the normal range. If you're not, play with the numbers and then you can see what your goal weight can be.

    Right now, I'm just under the upper range of "normal" on the BMI chart. If I can be honest, though, I don't like to go by the BMI because there are so many factors it does not take into consideration. My own hope of losing 15 more pounds would put me in the middle of the healthy range, though. Do you think that's reasonable? I guess because I've been sitting at this weight for about two months, I'm questioning whether or not it's a plateau or just a comfortable place for my body.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,502 Member
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    If you've been sitting at this weight for a couple of months, you'll presumably need a bit larger calorie deficit to lose those 15 pounds. Is it worth it to you to cut back your eating a bit more, or exercise quite a bit more, or some combination of those, to lose the 15 pounds? Only you can answer that question.

    Personally, I'm heading into maintenance now at the low end of the BMI range (I'm 5'5', low 120s, BMI low 20s). It makes sense for my body configuration. If, by genetics, I had lady-hips instead of boy-hips, any kind of a booty, or breasts (I had mastectomies), I would need to weigh more, possibly quite a bit more. I'm fairly muscular for my age (60), but if I were moreso, I'd also need to weigh more.

    There's a reason the BMI range is big, and is only a guideline/rule-of-thumb/screening tool. We all have different personal goals, aesthetic preferences, body composition, and somewhat different body shapes/types.

    I know that's not terribly helpful, but I think it's true.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    ontherunat41 wrote: »
    Cyndiaquino wrote: »
    Google "BMI Calculator "
    You can see what your current is and it will tell you if you're in the normal range. If you're not, play with the numbers and then you can see what your goal weight can be.

    Right now, I'm just under the upper range of "normal" on the BMI chart. If I can be honest, though, I don't like to go by the BMI because there are so many factors it does not take into consideration. My own hope of losing 15 more pounds would put me in the middle of the healthy range, though. Do you think that's reasonable? I guess because I've been sitting at this weight for about two months, I'm questioning whether or not it's a plateau or just a comfortable place for my body.

    Bmi is pointless. Don't use it. It's difficult picking goal weights but I've aimed more towards measurements and fitness goals and of course aesthetics. Weight on a scale can be very deceiving and doesn't take in a whole host of things into account.
  • AskTracyAnnK28
    AskTracyAnnK28 Posts: 2,834 Member
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    I hear what you're saying, because I'm not sure myself. I'm 43 years old, 5'8 and 138 pounds now. I'm having a physical in May so I'm going to ask my doctor what he thinks.
  • ontherunat41
    ontherunat41 Posts: 21 Member
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    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    If you've been sitting at this weight for a couple of months, you'll presumably need a bit larger calorie deficit to lose those 15 pounds. Is it worth it to you to cut back your eating a bit more, or exercise quite a bit more, or some combination of those, to lose the 15 pounds? Only you can answer that question.

    Personally, I'm heading into maintenance now at the low end of the BMI range (I'm 5'5', low 120s, BMI low 20s). It makes sense for my body configuration. If, by genetics, I had lady-hips instead of boy-hips, any kind of a booty, or breasts (I had mastectomies), I would need to weigh more, possibly quite a bit more. I'm fairly muscular for my age (60), but if I were moreso, I'd also need to weigh more.

    There's a reason the BMI range is big, and is only a guideline/rule-of-thumb/screening tool. We all have different personal goals, aesthetic preferences, body composition, and somewhat different body shapes/types.

    I know that's not terribly helpful, but I think it's true.

    Great advice....thanks!
  • ontherunat41
    ontherunat41 Posts: 21 Member
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    elsinora wrote: »
    ontherunat41 wrote: »
    Cyndiaquino wrote: »
    Google "BMI Calculator "
    You can see what your current is and it will tell you if you're in the normal range. If you're not, play with the numbers and then you can see what your goal weight can be.

    Right now, I'm just under the upper range of "normal" on the BMI chart. If I can be honest, though, I don't like to go by the BMI because there are so many factors it does not take into consideration. My own hope of losing 15 more pounds would put me in the middle of the healthy range, though. Do you think that's reasonable? I guess because I've been sitting at this weight for about two months, I'm questioning whether or not it's a plateau or just a comfortable place for my body.

    Bmi is pointless. Don't use it. It's difficult picking goal weights but I've aimed more towards measurements and fitness goals and of course aesthetics. Weight on a scale can be very deceiving and doesn't take in a whole host of things into account.

    Thanks. Good reminder. I hate the BMI and the fact that so many medical professionals still use it as their gold standard for weight and health drives me bananas.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    I don't really have a goal weight. When I use a under it's midway of the healthy weights on the bmi scale. My real goal though is size 4 jeans, nobody sees my scale, everyone sees my booty, lol.
  • roxywho42
    roxywho42 Posts: 165 Member
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    Use a number *

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