How Realistic Am I Being?

lhanks89
lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
edited October 5 in Health and Weight Loss
Alright so, I am 5'9" and currently weigh 158 pounds.

My goal weight is 145 because I was 147 in high school when I was in swimmer shape (without watching what I was eating).

But looking at a BMI chart, if I got to 137 pounds I would be at a BMI of 20 which I think would be great. But my question is, would I be able to do that? Is that physically possible? The last time I was close to 130 pounds is when I was 15, and the last thing I want to do is set myself up for disappointment. So I was wondering if anyone could help me with this?

Currently I swim 1.5 - 2 hours Monday - Thursday, and do some light weight lifting (5 lb. weight curls, tricep extensions, etc.), strength training (lunges, squats, etc.) and yoga.

Thanks so much!

Replies

  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
    Wow. What size do you wear? I'm in my mid 150's, and I am only 5'3'' (and that's giving myself maybe half an inch). <insert jealous face here>


    Do you have children? That does things to a woman's body that makes it nearly impossible to get back to what we once had (with the exception of a few lucky ones).

    This says your ideal is 152, with a range of 135 to 168. http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/ideal-healthy-weight
  • inspirem
    inspirem Posts: 182 Member
    I would say work on getting more muscle definition! Swimming is great, lift more weights...you wont bulk up as much as you will be more sculpted...keep yoga up as a de-stressor and for flexibility! At your height you are near a perfect weight! Don't only rely on the scale!!!
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
    Wow. What size do you wear? I'm in my mid 150's, and I am only 5'3'' (and that's giving myself maybe half an inch). <insert jealous face here>

    Do you have children? That does things to a woman's body that makes it nearly impossible to get back to what we once had (with the exception of a few lucky ones).

    This says your ideal is 152, with a range of 135 to 168. http://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/ideal-healthy-weight

    No children yet, I'm only 22! lol

    My jean size varies depending on the brand, I'm either a 7 or a 9 (so of course I buy the brand that I'm a 7 in! ha ha)
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
    You might be able to if you wanted to lose muscle mass. I'm 5'9" and last time i was 130 lbs I was 17 and I looked sick. I was what they call fat skinny - bones protruding everywhere always looked haggard just ew. No way I would be able to get there again nor would I want to.

    But for me its no longer about my weight. I am focusing on measurements as I am strength training more than doing cardio and muscles weighs more. I set my goal to 144 lbs (before I knew how much better working on strength would be for me) and I have no idea if I will be able to actually reach that in the end.

    The weight will fall off me as I gain muscle so who knows how I will end up, I'm just going with the flow :)
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
    I would say work on getting more muscle definition! Swimming is great, lift more weights...you wont bulk up as much as you will be more sculpted...keep yoga up as a de-stressor and for flexibility! At your height you are near a perfect weight! Don't only rely on the scale!!!

    I was doing P90X for a little while but that made me gain 3 pounds of muscle and lose no inches. Needless to say I was devastated, so I decided to stop that and take up swimming again.
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
    You might be able to if you wanted to lose muscle mass. I'm 5'9" and last time i was 130 lbs I was 17 and I looked sick. I was what they call fat skinny - bones protruding everywhere always looked haggard just ew. No way I would be able to get there again nor would I want to.

    But for me its no longer about my weight. I am focusing on measurements as I am strength training more than doing cardio and muscles weighs more. I set my goal to 144 lbs (before I knew how much better working on strength would be for me) and I have no idea if I will be able to actually reach that in the end.

    The weight will fall off me as I gain muscle so who knows how I will end up, I'm just going with the flow :)

    I wouldn't mind losing muscle mass in my thighs to be honest, but I don't know how to do that. I know that I can tone them up to make them smaller - anything but bigger! That's why I've become invested in yoga in hopes that the stretching will help elongate and tighten my muscles.
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
    pilates is good for lenghtening muscles as well :)
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
    pilates is good for lenghtening muscles as well :)

    I'll definitely have to try it then, thanks!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    yes..of course its possible

    what IS NOT possible is lengthening muscles.
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
    [/quote]

    I wouldn't mind losing muscle mass in my thighs to be honest, but I don't know how to do that. I know that I can tone them up to make them smaller - anything but bigger! That's why I've become invested in yoga in hopes that the stretching will help elongate and tighten my muscles.
    [/quote]

    *head slap*
  • AnneOdland
    AnneOdland Posts: 14 Member
    I think you can do it, definitely. I'm 5'8", 49 years old. For many years my weight was slowly going up... It used to hover around 142lbs, then 144, then 146 then 148... Last winter my weigh got up to around 150 (probably even more, but I carefully avoided scales, so I don't really know how bad it was). Last February I decided it was time to make a change. I started out using Weight Watchers, and was successful with them to a point -- I got down to 136 on their "points plus" program... then hit a plateau that i could not break through. I then decided to go more drastic and really try to be on a "whole foods" diet, eating nothing processed, and avoiding anything white--sugar, milk, flour etc. I got down to an astonishing 126lbs... which was actually a little too thin for my build (132lbs is the recommended low end of the weight range for 5'8"). I stopped being quite so draconian, and yo-yo-ed a bit... I got back up to 135lbs, and started to get scared that I was going to put it all back on again. Found this site to help me keep better track of what I was eating, and I'm back down to 132 now... I look pretty good, and I think I'll just try to maintain this weight now. (if my weight drifts further down to 130, I'd be OK with that, haha). My point to you is-- I never imagined I'd be able to even get close to the low end of the 130s-- I thought I would forever be in the mid-140s. But all it took was some determination and discipline. (I do exercise at least 5 times a week, so that helps a lot.) You can do it too, Ihanks89!!
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member

    I wouldn't mind losing muscle mass in my thighs to be honest, but I don't know how to do that. I know that I can tone them up to make them smaller - anything but bigger! That's why I've become invested in yoga in hopes that the stretching will help elongate and tighten my muscles.

    *head slap*

    I know you can't lengthen muscles. I meant how when they're nice and tight and toned, they look long and lean.
  • epona_mus
    epona_mus Posts: 207 Member
    It totally depends on your body shape and composition. I'm 5' 9" and my goal is 137. I was 135 when I got married and felt a little heavy, but that's what my weight naturally returned to - even after 3 pregnancies (until my accident sidelined me and I gained like crazy!)

    I feel "skinny" at 120-125... but I don't think I could get that thin now unless I worked out intensely and really limited my calorie intake. But I think 135-140 is totally do-able with moderate activity and a healthy diet.
  • Starla_
    Starla_ Posts: 349
    ditto - i knew what you meant and pilates is very good for that long lean look.
  • lhanks89
    lhanks89 Posts: 90 Member
    It totally depends on your body shape and composition. I'm 5' 9" and my goal is 137. I was 135 when I got married and felt a little heavy, but that's what my weight naturally returned to - even after 3 pregnancies (until my accident sidelined me and I gained like crazy!)

    I feel "skinny" at 120-125... but I don't think I could get that thin now unless I worked out intensely and really limited my calorie intake. But I think 135-140 is totally do-able with moderate activity and a healthy diet.

    I'm pear shaped, but not extremely. I've also noticed that when I do lose weight it's like I'm melting from my shoulders down and my calves up. The last place I lose weight is from where I really want to! - in my thighs and butt >:|
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