Just saw my primary doc a couple weeks ago and he said to not go below 130. I'm 5'2". According to him, there are new studies out that show 128 is the cutoff for women to help avoid osteoporosis when they get older. If you weigh less than that you're more apt to get it as you age. He said it doesn't matter if you're 4'10" or 5'10", women should not weigh less than 128.

Obviously the people doing the study were never that short, because that is a lot of weight to carry around on someone very short in stature. My daughter is only 4'9 and if she left her weight at or above 128 pounds she would definitely be in the overweight category. When she started IP she was 130 pounds and her body fat was 33% which of course is not in the healthy range for a woman. She lost 25 pounds and her body fat was 18%, which is in the healthy range. I think the medical community often times gets too stuck on a number on the scale and a BMI number, when those two don't really tell you what's going on inside your body. They need to pay more attention to what your lean mass and body fat is.

I don't know, I am usually against anyone or any study telling me what to weigh and what not to weigh. Categorizing as such can be a dangerous path. what I know is that you will figure out where are comfortable and your body will stay there. I am 5'2" and I know that 123 is too low for me BUT 125 to 127 is ideal for me. Some women that I know are around 95 at the same height and healthy as can be or 140 and fine.

I'm 5'2-1/2" and 130 pounds is good on me. 115 pounds = about 15% bodyfat for me, which would be lovely, but I'm not sure it would be sustainable.

I actually googled this and got several different answers: the National Cancer Institute does bone structure and age to determine. I am 51 and just under 5'3" (think I shrunk with age - lol)

It said I should be 140 at my age and medium bone structure ... In a perfect world, that's what I would LOVE to be ... but I haven since before kids; My goal now is 160 ... I can always re-evaluate once I meet my current goal.

I KNOW when I was younger and fit, the doctors told me I should be 125 max - well I was 135, well muscled and HEALTHY!! Any time I dropped below that weight I became sickly, so I am going with my body and not their charts :O)

JMO

How to measure your bone structure:
This is from the Livestrong Web Site ... "Approximate your frame size by wrapping your fingers around your wrist. If your thumb and index finger overlap, you likely have a small frame. If the two meet, your frame size is probably medium and you are large boned if they do not meet."

Well, everyone is different and it all depends on your bone structure/body type. For me, being 5'3, I feel pudgy if I'm over 115. But I have a weird body type where it all goes to my stomach/back :/

I hover around 125 and I feel very comfortable. I wear medium tops and size 6 and sometimes size 4 jeans. I don't want to be any smaller.

When I was on P1, I looked up ideal weights and came up with 114-119 for my height, age and frame. It was just that on this diet, I am currently smaller than when I used to weigh less. Because of this diet you might actually weigh more yet fit into smaller sizes.

As you size down you will know when it is time to stop.

Might be better to look at BMI instead.

I just realized that I had started this thread over 2 years ago :) too funny. what is telling is that at the time I was wondering where I should be and well my body told me 125 because I got there and there was no way that I could go any lower, I went to 123 BUT it only lasted 10 days or so. needless to say I gained 10 pounds since last november and trying to get back to 125 again now.

When the doc told me about the study I was thinking about the height/weight charts we've all seen through the years. I never had any hope of being within the 'normal' weight range for my height, even as a teen. Between bone structure, body type (ever see those women that are 'normal' from the waist down but have a huge bust? that was me), and muscle mass differences, I just didn't get how they can say "if you're this height you should weigh in this range". So I'm thinking the BMI combined with where I feel my best is the way to go.

Totally agree! It all depends on your bone structure and muscle. I'm 5'2" and am aiming for 125, but would be completely happy at 130!

This changes with age. A young person may look great at 115 at 5'2" but an older person would not.
So a general rule of a 20 year old is 100 pounds at 5 foot and five pounds for each additional inch but as a woman gets older closer to 130 would likely look better
The problem is that when you get closer to an average range for your height the last bit you want to lose may not go from where you want it to.

I still have a roll around my middle. I would love to get rid off it so that pants would fit better. But when I try to lose 5 more pounds it goes from my bust and face.

me me me me me
 

I am 145lbs atm and My goal is 130 and we are the same height. All my weight goes on my stomach and my PT said: i could even make it to 120 to look amazing but 130 would just be the ideal perfect you know?:hug:

Ill just keep at it like you and weight train when I get to 130!

I'm 5'2" and I made by temporary goal weight 130, although I may have to go down to 115-120. It's hard to know since its been 20+ years and pre kids since I've been 120. I want to be realistic. I probably have at least 5lbs extra skin :(