Ok I totally know the answer to this question, but I still sometimes have a hard time not being influenced by others goal weights and I don't understand why. I know I'm at the top of my ideal weight range, I know that is where I'm supposed to be for my body type, but I still can't help but wonder when I see other 5'5 people with goals in the 120-130s. I wish we'd post our body type in that area, I suspect that most people with this goal have a small frame. I have a medium frame, although it's getting suspiciously smaller everyday, and I'm muscular so I easily look 10 lbs less than what I weigh. I know that the low 140s is as low as I should go, but I still wonder what lower would be like. Gosh I know I just sound so insecure in this, but I can't help it and I know better. Can anyone relate?

I'll tell you what I noticed -- in your "made it to goal" threads, I noticed that you carry your weight incredibly well. I would have guessed that you weighed much less.

I don't know how you go about assessing frames, but I can tell you something about my stats -- I have NO boobs. None. Think Ally McBeal or Kate Hudson. And if I gain 20 lbs I still have none, so it's not a question of losing too much weight. I figure if I had normal boobs I'd weigh considerably more. If I get 'em done, my goal weight will go up accordingly.

5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet is what I have always heard. If you are particularly chesty, perhaps add a few. I would guess that most 5'5" girls are shooting for 125-ish based on that standard.

I think it does depend on shape somewhat. I am an apple shape and tend to look more heavy than pear shaped women who are the same heigth and weight as myself. My sister is a pear and about 1.5 to 2 inches taller yet can weigh in at a good 20 pounds more and still look as thin if not thinner.

People's bodies are soooo different. I've seen women my height who look fabulous at 129, my highest weight. But while I know I wasn't fat at that weight, it was still too much weight for my frame, especially with all the muscle I have. I needed to lose the fat in order for the muscle to show for what it was rather than make me look bulky.

As for boobs, I wear a 32C bra. I still have curves; I'm a small person, but an hourglass.

When you get to a lower weight, every five pounds really makes a difference, especially on women under 5' 5" I think. So I think the way you are losing weight makes sense now. See what you think five pounds from now. Then you can reevaluate if you want to.

Weight is so random. It's taken me a long time to realize that, but it is.

I have been noticing lately that the majority of posters here who are 5'4" (not all, but many) are wearing size 10's around 155 pounds. I am 5'4" and am wearing size 10's at 170 pounds.

Do I have a large frame? I have no idea, but I really don't think so. My fingers wrap and overlap around my wrist, I wear a AAA width shoe and a size 4.5 ring. That suggests small frame to me.

I am more focused on size now than weight. I want to get down to maybe something that today would be a size 4. I'm really confused by sizes at the moment. I think that's what I used to consider a 6.

I'm another who weighs more than others at whatever size. In my case it's the muscle that does that. Muscle is more compact than fat, so I tend to wear a smaller size than someone else my height and weight. At 129 I was a 2 (or a 4P, which is the same thing), and a 0 at places like Ann Taylor. There was enough room in the 2s to have still fit if I were five or more pounds heavier.

I am with petite powerhouse on this one. My 115lbs are probably not the same as somebody else's. I think it depends on many factors such as muscle vs fat ratios, body type, frame, etc.
Also keep in mind age, at 45, it's been much more difficult for me to get rid of fat and develop muscle than when I was 25...
My advice is to set your goals according to all these factors and, ultimately to what makes you feel good and comfortable when you look at yourself in the mirror!!


Caribbean Girl

I have a tiny frame. Little baby looking wrists and my finger size is a 4.25-4.5 no matter what weight I am, little feet, small bones etc.

Plus I have extra tummy skin from pregnancies and want to see if going a little smaller will help me get in a smaller size and possibly avoid a tummy tuck. I'm barely into 12's and mostly 14's right now at 154 lbs..... I'm also 30, so I may not look as good as when I was in my 20's

If I didn't have the extra saggy stomach skin, I'd probably be pretty thrilled around 140. I'm quite concerned with keeping my curves and breasts, so we'll see how I look as I get down there. I also want a little buffer in case I struggle with maintenance because I know it will still be hard work. I'm still a 36DD, so I hopefully won't shrink too much

I'm 5'5", and I know that, honestly, I start to look pretty good and slender around 145. Technically, 135 is my measured-by-several-registered-dietitians ideal weight that I shouldn't really be going under, because I'm muscular, medium-framed, and partially of African descent (apparently that affects measurements -- guess we're all built differently by race, go figure.)

125 is my goal only because I'm stubborn and vain and would like to wear my size 2 jeans again. I used to be anorexic, and a big part of me would love to be 90 pounds again. Since I know that's not healthy at all, and that my husband and doctor would have a fit, 125 pounds (possibly 120) is my compromise weight goal. But 135-145 (give or take) would be a perfectly reasonable goal for me, if I were into being perfectly reasonable... but I'm not.

So I don't think there's anything at all wrong with your current weight. You have done awesome with your weight loss and are an inspiration. Please don't be swayed by the goal weights of others, because you never know the reasons behind it.

I sometimes get intimidated by other people's goal weights. But I base my goal weight on my frame. My wrists are 5.5" and I have a 5 ring finger. I have a small frame and delicate bones. And not much muscle I'm afraid

It saddens me to know that at age 40, I struggle with building muscle. So, I'm losing fat and pounds, but not gaining much muscle weight to balance that out.

Goal weights are simply numbers on the message board. How healthy we are in real life is all that matters.