Right now in my ticker i have my maintence weight being 160. Im still questioning this though. Im wide framed and I weighed 150 before and i looked like a bag of pounds. Im 5'7. I honestly dont know if I should weigh more than 160 or not. All I know is that I dont want to look anerexic and be unhappy. how would you guys suggest I approach this? Thanks a bunch!

To some extent, I think you'll know, or have a much better idea, when you get closer to your goal. Not completely because the brain likes to play funny tricks, making you not really "see" the new you in the mirror, but, still, it will become easier as you get slimmer to decide where to "quit". It is not like this is a short term, finite project anyway...a healthy lifestyle and weight maintenance is a lifelong job. So, you may decide you went too far and increase your weight...or not far enough and decrease it -- even five years from now. What counts is that you are content with you.

You and I may have different frames, but I definitely do not look like a bag of bones--in fact, I still have a ways to go. I have reached a couple of goals but then adjusted because it wasn't right for me. There are several websites that can help you determine your frames size. One method is by wrist measurement. There is another method in which you measure between the bones of your elbows. I have always considered myself large-framed. However, I have learned I am not--I am on the high side of medium.

Best of luck to you.

ETA: If I remember correctly, even with a large frame one should weigh no more than 164. Some do argue the charts, however.

Wow, three 5'7"-ers replying already And I think we're all different. Schumeany and I have similar goal weights, but she is much smaller than me at that weight. Thighs Be Gone has a slightly different goal weight than me. And I've seen lots of others at this height with higher maintenance weights and different sizes than I would have at their weight.

You just have to see when you get there! It's not set in stone. It's awfully hard to judge when you first start out. Just don't worry about too much yet.

Have fun!

I'm a dwarf compared to you lovely ladies (gosh, I envy you!) but have to agree that you won't know what your right maintenance weight is until you get there and live there for a while. The most important thing is that it's a weight you can comfortably sustain for the rest of your life -- and there isn't any way to figure that out in advance.

Body composition, bone structure, and where you genetically hold fat will make the same weight on women of the same height look completely different. Many people set preliminary weight goals but almost everyone ends up adjusting them up or down as they get closer.

As these wise and tall ladies said, take it one step at a time and you'll know when you get there.

Another "dwarf" checking in *sigh*. And another one who agrees it's much too soon to "tell" at what weight you will be satisfied .


No need to get too thin and be unhappy. You'll most likely know beforehand when you're ready to stop the losing portion of your journey, well before you hit the "too thin" stage. There's no way on earth for you to know ahead of time (unless you've recently been there) just how you will look and feel at any particular weight. Perhaps keep a "target" weight in mind, more for your ticker then anything else, with the knowledge that it's just a guesstimate. Goal weights are not written in stone. They can be changed umpteen times til you "figure it out". You'll know you're the "right" weight when you get there.

I have to admit that having the advantage of height makes it a lot easier. My family says I look great and they think I've lost weight lately (I haven't--I've gained 2-3 pounds). But I do feel that I am able to camouflage the extra pounds a lot easier than a shorter person.

I didn't know my maintenance weight until I got here. I figured it for 127, was surprised to find it at 119.5-120.5 most days.

Ummm hmmm. That's exactly it. No room to hide anything on a 5 foot nothing frame. And since I'm always swinging back and forth those 5 lbs, you can REALLY see when I'm up the 5 (or even the 3). I suppose the good thing is that you can also easily see the 5 (or even less) lb loss as well. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that 5 lbs up or down makes a BIG difference on me.

Five pounds makes a difference on me, too. 3 used to, but oddly, at a lower weight three pounds don't stand out as much. I would have expected it to be the other way.

I can easily swing 10 pounds without the effect of ill-fitting clothes, muffin tops, or simply having anyone (but me) notice. I don't really know if that is a good thing or not.

When my weight swings a few pounds, my clothes still fit just fine, but you can see it in my face -- my cheeks and nose look different. Not bad, just fuller, but I can usually tell, before I step on the scale, that my weight is going to be "up" based on what I saw in the mirror that morning.

Wow. I AM envious. That statuesque look and being able to "hide" a 10 lb swing.

10 lbs would without a doubt be the difference of more then an entire clothing size for me. I'd have nothing to wear, except my PJ's. Maybe.

I too don't know if it's a good thing or not . I guess it is, what it is.

thanks guys i appreciate the input. The thing is I have been at 150 before. I wasnt happy. looked very unhealthy and my friends and family thought so too. I guess im trying to figure out more a number to aim at right now than what is right for me if that makes sense. The thing is when I hit every number besides 150 I didnt pay attention to it at all. So I didnt know what I really felt like at each stage, look at at each stage, etc.. Hope this makes sense. I am not trying to focus on it to much, but do want a number I can enourage myself with.

Another shorty (5'4") checking in. Another factor to consider is your age. I'm 2 weeks from 64, and I cannot go back to weighing 135-140 (which is where I spent my college and 30's) without looking much older (due to the wrinkles left behind when the fat is gone ) and without exercising waaay more than I find acceptable and also being hungry all the time.

I started at 240 on WW, and their goal weight for me was 145. When I got to the 160's I was wearing size 10's, feeling fit from exercising, and looking healthy. I declared that my goal weight, and was happy there for several years. I've since gained some back and have been working for - sigh - the past couple of years to get back. To me it's more about how I feel and look than the actual number on the scale. The scale is a quick check though. I know if I see a few pounds up on the scale for several times, I'll soon notice it in my clothes and like Schumeany, in my face.

But, like everyone said, you don't have to choose now, and in fact it might be easier to set small goals - both scale and other measure related - until you get closer. You'll know. And welcome to Maintainers!