Ok, so I'm two weeks in and I'm starting to realize that maybe the goal I've set for myself is not quite possible...
The reason I set my goal at 135 is because that's what I weighed in high school, and it's only been about 10 years..my body couldn't have changed THAT much, could it?
Well. Maybe it has.. 10 years of retail and restaurant jobs seem to have added an awful lot of muscle to my already large-ish althetic-somewhere-under-the-chub frame. My BMI is 33.1 but due to my frame, I really can't go by that number.. It's always been inaccurate for me.
I had a body fat percentage test done - and I know those aren't always entirely accurate either - but my body fat percent is supposedly 32%. So that means that I have... 61.75 lbs of fat and about 131 lbs of, well, skin and bones and organs and muscle? Did I do that math right (193 x 0.32)? If that's the case than I CANT weigh 135 ever again - a person does need some body fat.
My ultimate goal is to be HEALTHY and just not overweight, but I really do need some kind of number to have in mind, and if the number i've set is too low.. well.. let's just say that's not good for me.
So if a fit and healthy percentage is around 20% then I should set my goal for.. omg I have no idea.. I can't figure out this math!
Can someone more knowledgable about these percentages break out the crayolas and explain this to me? I am incredibly confused!

Yes, it could.

Plenty of people are still growing & changing as they leave high school.

135 doesn't sound unrealistic for your height, but every single body is different. A doctor is your best bet to find a good weight-range. Or focus on your BMI instead of your weight. Get the electronic readings so that it's closer to the actual percentage than just the height/weight formula (which can be way off...).

Why not just go ahead and readjust your goal weight and then re-evaluate when you hit that goal? If you are not happy and feel that you could stand to lose more, then you can decided then. Or instead of a weight goal, you could set a clothing size goal or something else.

The best answer I can give you is "wait and see". Using your BF% as a guide is very wise on your part and a much better indicator of fitness and health than BMI. As you know from yourself, BMI is a lousy guide for people with muscles (and muscles are a very good thing! )

The problem with trying to pick a goal scale weight now based on your current BF% is that no one can lose 100% fat and 0% lean body mass (LBM). Inevitably, some LBM is going to be lost as you lose the fat -- the goal is to minimize that LBM loss and maximize the fat loss. Studies show that up to 40% of the weight you lose will be LBM if you're not weight training, so the way to counter that is to work out with weights to sustain and build your LBM.

Let's say you're doing cardio, weight training, and eating healthy. You'll still lose some LBM because your body doesn't need all the blood and water to sustain a smaller body (and 60% of your body weight is water, so it's the biggest component of LBM). And some muscle tends to be lost too -- it's just the nature of weight loss. So your current LBM isn't going to remain at 131 for the duration of your weight loss.

So, unfortunately, we just can't predict what your numbers are going to look like once you lose 10 - 20 - 30 - 40 pounds. Suggestion - why not pick a BF% as a goal instead of a scale weight? Like the 20% you posted about? You're focused on that number already, so it makes sense to use it instead of trying to predict a number on the scale.

Hey! There is no reason that you can't get to 135, in my opinion--but I'm not a doctor or nutritionist, so you should talk to your health care provider.

When we lose weight, we don't just lose fat. We also lose some muscle, some bone, etc. So don't think of your lean body mass as static.

The important thing is that your body fat percentage goes down as you lose weight--that indicates that you're losing more fat than lean mass. One way to keep lean mass up is to do regular exercise and some weight training (resistance training). And also, to make sure you're getting enough protein in whatever program you're following.

My body fat percentage changed from 44% at 198 to 33% at 157. I'm heading for 135 myself.

Jay

Great! Thank you Meg - That was the info I needed!! No one has explained THAT part to me.. the part about losing lean body mass, too. I can't go by BMI or doctor's charts - with my frame and build that info is waay off.
In that case, I'm leaving 135 as my goal, but if I find someplace that is more comfortable for me far before that, I'm going to settle there instead. This is more about becoming more fit and healthy for me than it is a number on the scale - though I do want to see that number go waaaay down!

Karmuz, you're one very smart chickie! And with all your lovely muscle, you're going to look fantastic when you lose the fat, regardless of what silly number the scale happens to say.

I would LOVE to see 135, I was just worried that is wasn't a healthy number for me. No one ever explained the bit about lean mass to me!
I'm going to wait and see .. I HAVE talked to my doctor .. several in fact..
I've heard everything from 180-120 as "healthy weight" for me.. 180 is too much, i've been there, and at 120.. well I WAS 120 once and that was less healthy for me than the weight and fitness level i'm at now.
my current doctor has told me that I'm probably "genetically predispositioned" to be heavier because many people in my family are heavy (but there are slim people, too, so what's that about?) and that since I am healthy with normal cholesterol, bp, etc I shouldn't be concerned.
I am totally firing her. I'm not happy where I am and she provided no support.
This is my second go-round at trying to lose the weight I put on after college.. at my heaviest I was 220, a size 18/20, and definitely out of shape and unhealthy. I got down to 165 and a size 12 when some other factors and stresses in my life caused me to abandon the healthy lifestyle i was living. I gained back just over 30lbs and i am just sick and tired of myself. I know how to eat well, I never really stopped, but If I don't stay really active I won't drop weight, so I've been making sure I don't skip the gym since it is absolutely essential for me.

Thanks so much! this board is truly a great support system and motivator! Your story especially - I know that somewhere under my belly fat I have a set of abs like yours - I just need to find them!