How do you set your final goal weight?
 

Hi Everyone,

I am new to this list and have been wondering how others set their final goal weights. :q:

I am 162cms (5' 3") tall. I currently weigh 56kg (123.20 lbs). My original goal was to reach 54kg (118.8 lbs) but I still have a pot belly and my waist is huge at 30". :( I look nicely in proportion now except for my stomach region. I am thinking that 50kg (110 lbs) might be a better goal for me. Also as a health risk I am concerned about the considerable flab around my girth (my mum died of a heart attack very soon after she turned 58 and she had a big tummy too). :(

I do exercise 6 times a week. 3 days doing a fast 30 minute walk on the treadmill and the alternate days I do weights with a bar bell (about to add weights to it)and abs. :)

Trisha :wave:

A healthy weight for your height at a medium body build is between 121-135. Even a small frame the optimal weight would be 111-125.

If you don't know what frame you have, you can go http://www.healthchecksystems.com/h...chart.htm#frame to check.

I would try a goal weight of 115 to 120. With the tummy issue, have you been checked by a doctor for PCOS?

Weight is not necessarily the best barometer for your health. Listen to any podcast with Dr. Robert Lustig. He talks mostly about how sugar affects our metabolic health, but one of his key points is the ineffectiveness of the scale. In a nutshell, he says that the scale measures 4 things:
1) Muscle (more is better)
2) Bone (more is better)
3) Subcutaneous fat (more is better)
4) Visceral (abdominal) fat (less is better)

So, a scale won't necessarily tell you the true story of what is happening. Now, with all your working out, it sounds like you maintain your bone and muscle quite well. The problem is, you may be losing visceral fat, and gaining one of the other 3 good things, and that will reflect as no loss or even a gain on the scale. The best thing to do is use a measuring tape. Take measurements. The most important thing to reduce is your waist.

However, measure other things too. Does your fast walk become a jog? Does the amount of weight you are lifting increase? Are your clothes fitting looser? Do you have a generally improved self image? Those kinds of things are the true barometer of how successful you are being.

I do understand the use of the scale however. Piece of advice- no more than once per week. It is tempting to do it everyday, and it can be quite rewarding if you are seeing daily losses in the direction that you desire. However, if you begin to stall, or the pace of weight loss slows down, or heaven forbid you gain any weight, that could be detrimental to your motivation.

Good luck!

I hope the OP doesn't mind that it took us eleven years before we tried to help her with her problem... :lol:


I think she should also consider possible effects of stress and of various food intolerances. And avoid wheat, if she wasn't already.

What the hell? I just noticed this. Somehow this post got bumped 11 years! Hahahaha

wow! guess the second poster was doing a search and found the thread without noticing the date.

but i wanted to say that sometimes daily weighing is a good thing so you can see your daily fluctuations. my weight can go up or down a few pounds based on different circumstances. if i only weighed once a week, i might not see that i've actually been on a downward trend but the extra salt or late meal caused a slight increase that day. everyone has to do what works for them but daily weighing can be beneficial.

Huh! I'm 5'3.5" (actually 3.25" since I've lost a little height). The measurement on my elbow is 3-1/8". Makes me wonder what my ideal weight should be after all.... trisharau, I'm really glad you asked this original question.

After you know your frame build, you can check your weight at the same sight - just scroll up the page. With your info, it should be 131-147lbs.

To answer everyone's 11yr question - yes, I was searching for a=unanswered threads and didn't look at the date...lol better late than never, I guess.

That cracked me up, teaser! :lol:

She hasn't posted since 2007, but looks like she got her weight down!

Do what feels right for you! Charts mean nothing in reality. Inches can help you determine what is best hit your height/weight with still being healthy. :)