What about Ideal Weight

[Giant]

What's up pals?

So, I was wondering if I should change my goal weight. I have it at 250 right now...basically because that seems pretty attainable. And honestly, if I weight 250, I'd be less heavy than when I was in 8th grade. But I'm wondering about putting it down to 220...because that, I think, would make me super skinny looking.

But, most calculations I find say that a 6'1 male with a large frame should be at most 192.

What do you all think? I have my suspicions about what most of you would say...but I'm curious where all this comes from.

peace.

[pennink]

My 6'1" husband is 190 and he looks meaty (oh, bad thing to say to low carber). That said, however, 250 would still be pleasing.

I think it's up to your body shape and your health. I tinker with my goal all the time. I think I might go for when I felt the best, about 10 years ago. It's a goal I can visualize.

[ValerieL]

It's a really personal decision. I think lots of factors come into play like metabolism, expectations, life experiences, etc.

I've been overweight all my life and morbidly obese for most of it as well. I had given up hope and frankly, being as thin as I am makes me feel like I won the freaking lottery. I can't believe I'm here. It still boggles my mind, I was sure I'd be obese to the day I died.

So, for me, being 170 at 5'7" feels thin. Also, for whatever reason, my body likes this weight. It fights me whenever I try to go lower, I've tried a number of times to restrict further so that I can lose more weight over the last couple of years, but no go. I regain the few pounds I can lose very easily, but I maintain this weight relatively easily as well.

So, while I still have enough fat on me to be able to afford to lose at least another 25 lbs if I could, and I know technically, according to the BMI charts, I'm still overweight, I've chosen to maintain at this weight and not try to push to go lower, at least for now.

My sister, the naturally thin one, is my height, and FWIW has a slightly *larger* frame than I do, and weighs 150 right now and feels fat. She's used to being 125-130 as she was most of her life. She'd hate herself everyday if she chose to maintain at 170. But, her body maintains easily at 150 (and lower) and in her experience, 170 is fat compared to what she's used to. And I don't think she's wrong to shudder at the thought of being 170.

Goal weights are very personal. One size *does not* fit all. You need to find a weight that you enjoy and feel comfortable with your body at. That's a good goal weight.

Val

[Kandra]

Giant, you can always change your goal as you get close to it. Our goal weight is nothing set in stone, it's just a number for a target for us to aim at. Yeah, the last chart I did online was the Navy one and it said my ideal weight was 100 or something :rolleyes: ...I haven't seen that since I was a teenager and have had times that I wasn't overweight, wore a size 10 and under etc. So I take those charts with a grain of salt (or litesalt or whatever) and try not to get too wrapped up in them. Everyone is unique.

[Charran]

I'm in agreement with many others. You have to decide for yourself as you approach that number how you're feeling. If you think that is the right weight for you, then stick with it. If you'd like to lose a few more pounds, that's great too. I don't agree with those height/weight charts. I weighed that much in Juniour High School. Is it realistic to think I'd weigh that much at my age now? I doubt it!

[diemde]

I think we should look at our goal not just as a scale weight, but how much body fat we want when we get there. Do you have a target % of body fat in mind? That should help you decide.

If your goal weight is 250 and your BF target is 25%, then you would have to have 187.5 lbs of lean mass (75% x 250). That's a lot of lean mass... and might take a lot of strength training to achieve.

My original goal weight was 172 and was based on the BF calculation as well as my weight back in high school. That was aiming for 24.9% BF, which is the upper edge of being normal. I'm not sure I can achieve 172, so my current goal is to get back down to where I was before I fell of the wagon at 210. I felt good at that weight... felt normal, but I'll decide whether I want to lose more once I get there.

[shy__anne]

I am in agreement with everyone else. My brother is pretty thin and when he joined the gym, they said he needed to lose about 30 lbs to be at his "ideal" weight. That would have made him freaky-big-headed-anorexic skinny. Diemde has it right, body fat is a good calculator along with taking your measurements. IMO we all have a weight we're happy with and it may not be exactly ideal but our bodies know when to stay there. YMMV.

[Mousesmom]

You'll know you are at goal when you get there. It isn't about a number - it's how you feel.

I was overweight/obese most of my life and now people tell me I look great. Ok, so I look pretty good dressed! Not so much not dressed. I'm "nearly there" and I will have to work at it to get "there" wherever "there" is for me.

It's a YYMV thing. You'll know.

Take care, Julie

[LacyOkey]

Body composition and skeletal size make alot of difference too.there was a clothing thread on here awhile back some ladies were 50 pounds difference and similiar height but wore the same size clothing.
My ultimate goal is 230 as long as i continue to compete in strongwoman.250 is just my first really big goal

[CNYMom]

My insurance company says I should weigh 115.

Not since I hit puberty, I say.

I picked 125 because it was a nice, even hundred pounds down. Also, last time I lost all the weight, my maintenance phase kept me between 125-130, and I was very happy. So, that's what I'm aiming for now.

As many others have said, though, I'll know more when I get there.

[c_cat]

My sister and I had a bunch of body/fitness testing done last year. I thought she was so out of shape and needed to lose a lot - :lol: . Ha ha ha ha ha. She weighs maybe 10 pounds more than me - at just a couple inches taller (I'm 5'1").

They told me I'd need to get down to 175 to even MATCH where she is now. I'd have to weigh 50-60 pounds less than her to equal her bf% (and they're assuming my VOmax blah blah etc etc will improve in same time frame) And I look smaller. Guess I'm about 50% fat bodyfat. She's more apple shaped so looks bigger - but secretly she's relatively fit!

But I know we were both surprised. I need to lose 100, she needs to lose 50 or so. I upped my goal from 125 to 128 to get a round number, and cause as I get close - we'll see how my bf% has changed.

Sarah

[jschwab]

I chose my high school graduation weight and my low "adult normal" weight as my goal. I maintained between 205 and 230 my entire twenties until I got a full time job and gained over 50 pounds in a year. I know that going below that number will require me to go on a completely new kind of diet, so I plan to reevaluate when I get there. 250 may be a meaningful transition for you - for someone your height it might be the transition into "normalish" weight, like 205 will be for me. Keep to your current goal and you will get there all the sooner!

[kyrasdad]

It's a tough thing. When I started, I pegged 210, which was about what I weighed in high school when I was running and lifting weights daily and eating for five. I have made it as low as 241, and am at 256 today. I don't know that I'll ever hit the 210, much less the 178 the BMI charts think I ought to be.

However, I'll tell you this: at 5'11", 250 feels "thin" compared to the way I've been most of my life. I want to lose more. I want to lose to about 200, but it will be slow going and difficult. So you may get to that 250 and find yourself comfortable or at least accepting of a you that is vastly improved but not at an ideal weight, or even "thin" by normal standards. I'm still obese by most any standard and need to lose more weight...trying to lose more weight.

But I am so much better off in absolutely every single way that it's hard not to be complacent.

[j13]

Here's the way that I look at it - maybe you can relate.

I used to worry about my goal weight and what it should be as well, and I no longer do.

I was never thin. EVER. My waist today is smaller than it was when I was 12. I know this for a fact - I put on a baseball jersey recently that I bought then and couldn't button. So I have no idea what weight my body should be. I've never been an adult and at a healthy weight. I was never even prepubescent at a healthy weight. So how do I know?

So I'm not concerned. I have incomplete information, I can't make a real guess. Plus, I'm lifting - that adds weight, but in a good way. Maybe by the time I get there I'll have put on so much muscle that it will be realistic. Maybe it will be way too high. I don't know - I have no way to know, because I have no frame of reference for my body, which I know for a fact is different from anyone else's. Brian Westbrook's 3-4 inches shorter than I am and only weighs 15-20 lbs less than my goal weight, and he ain't fat (and he's sick fast with an amazing first step and a breathtaking ability to split the tackles, but that's a different topic for a different board). Other people would be fat at that weight and height. Not to mention that I'll probably have x lbs of extra skin that other people's calculations don't account for. So who knows??

I'm concerned with today. I'm concerned with my next meal. I set a goal weight that was arbitrary, and if I'm not happy with it when I get there, I'll reassess. But, really, what difference does it make? It's about feeling good - today and in the future. I'm more concerned with making sure I do the right thing and giving up control over and aspirations beyond making sure I keep to it.

-j.

[Kandra]

But, really, what difference does it make? It's about feeling good - today and in the future. I'm more concerned with making sure I do the right thing and giving up control over and aspirations beyond making sure I keep to it.
<-------Yep to what Jake said.

[MizKitty]

My choice of 180 was kinda arbitrary, as it wasn't based on any science or charts, but just in the ballpark of lowest weight I can remember being the previous 2 times I lost all the weight.
I could get into 14 jeans and thought I looked pretty darn good (dressed, anyway).
But the reality is, as dictated by my diabetes, something I didn't have to deal with the previous 2 times, I plan to eat this way for the rest of my life, so have no idea what weight my body will eventually choose to be, given enough time. 160? 145? I've been fat all my life and never seen those numbers as an adult either, and can't picture it. But I do look forward to finding out!

[Dorr185]

250 sounds a little chunky, I'd go with the 220. If you going to go, you might as well go all out!

[NixCarbos]

I chose my goal weight at this because it's the last time I actually felt comfortable being me.

When I get there, I will reassess as needed.

I don't go by the medical charts that state this height should be in this weight range. It says I should be 135lbs. Honestly, when I think back to myself at 180, I have no idea where I would lose another 50lbs. I'd disappear into nothingness I am sure.

But I dont really know, because I've never been there.

I often wonder what I would do if someone said to me one day that I was too skinny. I'd probably kiss them lol

[piper10]

Interesting thread. Check out the different weight charts on this page: http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm -- I upped my goal by 10 pounds! :)

[katwoman]

I like that site--looks like I agree with others my age/gender/size as the chart shows the choice ideal weight is 166 and I've set my goal at 165. Good to know I'm "normal" in some way--lol.