Question about recommended healthy weight

[ChantillyLace88]

When it comes down to the ideal weight for my height, am I supposed to aim towards the lower, higher or the median weight?
Supposedly I should aim for 111 lbs. to 150 lbs. In my opinion, I would look sick if I weighed in at 111 pounds; that is just wayyyy too low for me considering I am not petite (I'm 5'5" with a medium/large frame).
There's a 40 pound difference in my weight range so I'm not sure what to go for. For those of you who are aiming for their weight based on height, are you trying for the lowest number? median? Thanks a bunch!

[mizski]

I picked a nice round number that was about in the middle of my range of 130-167#s (based on my height and age). I haven't been thin in 20 years so I have no idea how I'll look as my weight decreases. Twenty years ago, I weighed 136#s and that was a good weight for me then. Now, who knows? I have a long way to go and will start to re-assess a final goal weight probably when I hit 170#s. Most likely, my goal weight will be the number that I look/feel the best at. For now, 150#s seems like a good number.

Another thing I realize is that goal weights for the very heavy are not that simple when you figure in the weight of saggy skin. That could be anywhere from 5-15 (or more) pounds so while the scale may say 150 the "thinness" weight would really be lower. The BMI would also be inaccurate. I figure I'll deal with that when I get there.

[Momtofour]

Originally Posted by mizski

I picked a nice round number that was about in the middle of my range of 130-167#s (based on my height and age). I haven't been thin in 20 years so I have no idea how I'll look as my weight decreases. Twenty years ago, I weighed 136#s and that was a good weight for me then. Now, who knows? I have a long way to go and will start to re-assess a final goal weight probably when I hit 170#s. Most likely, my goal weight will be the number that I look/feel the best at. For now, 150#s seems like a good number.

Another thing I realize is that goal weights for the very heavy are not that simple when you figure in the weight of saggy skin. That could be anywhere from 5-15 (or more) pounds so while the scale may say 150 the "thinness" weight would really be lower. The BMI would also be inaccurate. I figure I'll deal with that when I get there.

Ditto

I picked 150 pounds because I remember feeling great at that weight years ago. A couple of years ago I was done to 178 and I felt great but I knew that I still had weight to lose. I think I will know when I get there.

[ErinB]

I am 5'6", medium build. For now I am aiming for about middle of the range on the weight charts. That is not a fixed number for me. While I know below 120 was previously too low for me and, when I was 115, people who loved me were worried sick and constantly coaxing me to eat. I remember feeling quite comfortable at 125 and my husband mentioning I could stand to lose weight at 135.

That said, I have never needed to lose so much weight before as I am doing this time. I have never done it using this WOE or with the amount and kind of workouts I am doing now. I am allowing it is possible, given what I am doing, I may be as comfortable at 135 as I once was at 125. I guess we'll see when I get there.

I think a lot of people set their goal a bit higher than they may eventually want to go, perhaps because it doesn't seem like such a huge distance to go. Later, after reaching that goal, they sometimes decide to go further during the pre-maintenance phase, perhaps.

[ChantillyLace88]

Thanks for the responses! I've kept my goal at about 140 lbs. just to see how things go. I definitely will not be aiming for 111 lbs..unless I shrink to 5'0"

It seems like everyone that responded was skinny at one point. Not fair! haha At least ya's know what weight you were comfortable at. I'm pretty sure I haven't been in Onederland since I was 14 and that's UPPER Onederland!

[ErinB]

Originally Posted by ChantillyLace88

I'm pretty sure I haven't been in Onederland since I was 14 and that's UPPER Onederland!

But you're on your way to changing that now! Just stick with us, you're on the right track. Great progress, so far, btw!

[RitaCeleste]

Yeah! Hang in there, it'll come off. You can always slow it up and go to maintance anytime you feel happy with where you are. I think I may stop before I hit my goal weight, depends on how the pants fit and look. Ya'll can laugh, but as I was loosing weight I kept myself in clothes from thrift stores mostly. I'd always pick a pair of pants a size too small. ($3.00) Just one size too small. And instead of measuring, I'd try them on. When they fit, I'd go get some more. And a new goal pair. Right now my goal pair looks pretty good, so when I get rid of the belly bulge and they fit right, I may move to maintance for awhile. Then if I decide to actually find skinnier pants later, I can go back on a stricter level. Your not a failure in anyway if you look good at a higher weight and want to stop there though. With Atkins, I finally feel like my size is my choice. That I can actually choose what size I am is my own little miracle.

[JulieB]

Originally Posted by ChantillyLace88

...It seems like everyone that responded was skinny at one point. Not fair! haha At least ya's know what weight you were comfortable at. I'm pretty sure I haven't been in Onederland since I was 14 and that's UPPER Onederland!

I have never been thin - Fat baby, fat toddler, fat child...obese child, obese teen-ager. I had NO IDEA where to set my weight goal. I set it to something I knew I could acheive, then later realized that it is still in the "overweight" BMI for my height (5'2", slight build)! I have been toying with the idea of changing my goal, but I have left it where it is for now.

I think that given a medium build, you are supposed to aim for the middle of the range (says the pettite-boned woman aiming above the high-end of her range )

[msanjelpie]

I would go by bone structure. small/medium/large = low/medium/high weight... I think that's how they intended the range to be interpreted anyway...

I decided to go by BMI. It gives me a much smaller range. Since I'm 5'2" 115lbs puts me smack in the middle of the healthy BMI range. The last time I weighed 115, all of the clothes felt great and it was very easy to move around.

For most people, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered healthy. So I went for a BMI of 21.5... somewhere in the middle...

[imagood1]

I picked a number around where I felt best a few years ago -- but like everything else in my life, it is negotiable. I know what weight was too thin and I know where I felt good so I have a pretty good gauge of where I plan to end up. I'm older than I was those "few years ago" and my lifestyle is completely different so I'll see how I feel and no worry so much about what the numbers say.