I have just started my weight lose journey and I am currently trying to determine my goals.
When I spoke to my Dr. about it he suggested that my ultimate goal should be 175. I weighed 155-160 through most of high school and I would love to get back to that weight... but even that is considered "overweight" on the BMI calculators. When I mentioned this to him he said to ignore that. He said "You don't need to be the size that you were in school. Your a GROWN woman now (37), not a kid. You've had 3 kids and body changes." He insisted that 175 was a healthy weight for me.
So, this is my question.....
Would you take his advice and shoot for 175 or would you go by the BMI calculators? In order to be in the normal range I would need to weigh 156, what I weighed in 9th grade! And that's the MOST I can weight and still BARLEY squeeze into the "normal" range.
When I weighed 155, in high school, I had people tell me that I looked to skinny. I wore a size 8 jeans but a lot of that was in the width of my hips! My sisters use to joke and say that my collarbones and front hip bones (you know the ones that you can see when you are looking straight on) were going to kill someone, cause they stuck out so much.
I would LOVE to go back to the 32B bra that I wore then, but my hubby would not appreciate that!
Any advice?

Honestly, for now I wouldn't worry to much about it.

A lot of Drs. are also clueless when it comes to the whole weight issue.

As you get closer to goal you can evaluate and reevaluate as needed to reach a goal that you can maintain and where you feel good at.

See how you feel at your doctor's suggested weight. BMI calculators don't take into account frame size or muscle. My "healthy" BMI is supposedly 130. I think I would look too skinny at that weight because I have a large frame and a decent amount of muscle.

I'm all about setting goals, that's the reason I am trying to decide where I need to be. While I understand that I can set a goal of losing 10 pounds, or 25 pounds....or whatever, for me, I tend to want to set goals like getting below the "I need to lose 100 lbs mark". I know it may sound crazy but that's just how I'm wired, I guess. Which is the reason that I am so curious about this.
I know there will have to be some adjustment as I reach my goal....whatever I decide it is.
I just don't want to set an unrealistic goal and I am just wondering if there are others who may think that the BMI charts don't speak to how they think they should look or where their Dr. think they need to be. I honestly don't think I need to lose down to where the BMI chart says I need to be, in order to be considered "normal".
I guess my real question is....is it possible to be healthy and still be in the "overweight" range on the BMI charts?

This.

My lowest healthy is 120 and highest is 155..... I have a really big frame and huge bones. There is no way I'd ever even reach 120 LOL 155 is doable I guess, but I was looking dang good at 170.

Set it to what you feel satisfied with. I don't put much faith in the whole BMI thing and my Dr. only so far.

Well there does seem to be more and more research coming out these days that seems to point to that...

For me personally I based my "goal" weight on what I weighed when I was fit and healthy... and happy with the way I looked... and the weight that I chose seemed "realistic" for me because it was within a range that I had been at before... and I think more importantly, it was within a range that I was willing to "diet" to get to... and do the exercise that is needed to maintain it... which I think are the key points to consider...

I totally understand setting goals -- I just "perform" better if I'm working towards a goal. But with that in mind, things such as the BMI, the height/weight charts, etc., are used only as guidelines when I'm setting goals. The BMI was actually developed to be used to compare COUNTRIES to each other, and were never intended to be used on an individual basis. The height/weight tables were developed by the insurance industry to assist in determining premiums for life insurance. So, using either or both to determine what's best for us is somewhat misleading. Obviously, if you have a BMI measurement of say 45, then it's pretty obvious that shooting for something in the 20s is going to mean you're at a lot better weight. But, BMI like the height/weight charts don't take into account body type, build, age, metabolism, etc.

So, set your goals with what you're comfortable at initially and then adjust as you lose the weight. And the doctor's right about not weighing what we did in high school.

If I went by the BMI calculators, I'd look anorexic and everyone would think I was dying.

I'm glad your doctor doesn't go strictly by the BMI calculator and that he took other factors into consideration based on your personal history, age, etc.

I will be getting fertility treatments soon and the doctor told me under no circumstances will the hospital treat someone with a BMI over 40 (I was slightly over it at the time). I am finally under it so that won't be the factor that stops me, thank God. I had to explain to my husband that I was over the 40 and it was one of the most embarrassing things I have done. Imagine the only thing between me and a baby could be my weight? Obviously I want to be healthy for me and my soon to be pregnancy/baby (fingers crossed it happens!) but that BMI number being the end-all factor didn't seem fair. But I do understand the hospital and doctor have to protect themselves. And like I said, it's not negotiable under any circumstances as far as the hospital is concerned. Overweight women get pregnant everyday, I couldn't get pregnant now without medical help even if I weighed 100lbs soaking wet.

I am fairly healthy, big-boned (even though some say no such thing), and losing weight with a new healthy medically supervised diet. And all that matters about me was the BMI number. So sad.

Good luck with your goals, we are all in this together and I love the support here! Sorry I went a little off-topic. It's just this whole BMI thing gets me worked up.

While I can appreciate the idea of having a "Big Goal" to aim for, I think that the reality often turns out to be different. For some people, it means they reach a weight that is higher than they expected it to be but it's one that they feel comfortable at and feel they can maintain with a realistic amount of effort. Conversely, some people get to what they thought was their goal weight and realize they aren't done losing yet so they keep going.

As someone who has been overweight ever since I was in grade school, I honestly have no idea how I am going to look and feel as I lose weight. I got to 198 in 2011, and I know that I definitely had more to lose from there. But how much exactly, I have no idea. So once I get back down to 198, I am going to have to play it by ear, and figure out a few pounds at a time how I feel, how I look, how much more effort would be required to take off more weight vs. putting that effort into maintenance.

The other thing I keep reminding myself is that a goal weight isn't set in stone. I might get to 180 and feel ok there and maintain for a while, and then in a couple of years, decide I want to lose another 15 lbs. Or I might get to 190 and feel the same way. Or I may get to 170 and decide I need to go below that. But because it's all going to be new for me, I don't want to try to predict now.

Since you are so goal oriented, I recommend setting your goal at losing 100+ pounds. Once you reach it. You will be in a wonderful position to decide if you want to maintain or if you want start a Phase 2 with a new goal.

I'm your height, and at 161 I am very healthy and fit. Great bloodwork and fitness scores, and not taking any medications. I dont think anyone would look at me and call me overweight. So,yes,I believe it is possible to be just fine despite the BMI number.

Yep, this is what I did... 100 pounds lost.

OP, you and I had very, very similar stats. I got to 175 last winter, 165 this summer and then gained this fall and I'm now relosing.

I think in the ideal world, I would weigh around 155-160 to be very fit with no extra fluff at all. I'm built large, with large hips and I do have loose skin (which will probably stay with me). But can I MAINTAIN 155-160? I don't think I can. Or at least, I don't want to work that hard to do it.

So, I've been all over the place with my goal weight. It was initially 175, then 165, then 160, then 155 and back up to 160 and now back up to 170. I JUST came to terms with the 170. It gives me a bit of wiggle room (redline being 175). And I think I can maintain it. That's they key.

I workout 5-6 times a week and I'm quite fit. My Personal Trainer says I'm a machine as I push myself hard. And my blood work is perfect. I'm healthy, healthy, healthy on all indicators except for the extra fluff in the middle which will decrease.

Even my husband who is fit and trim (6'1" and 175) with NO visible fat thinks 175 is best for me... even though it's the same weight as him! My doctors seem good with it too.

For me, and I think for most people, fitness level should be the bigger consideration. Not the number on the scale.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like you are going to set your body to 175 so you won't be able to change your mind when you get there. You can change your goal as many times as u want. I was 118-120 in high school am 34 with three kids and I can easily see myself weighing close to that. Heck I am almost there. He might just think losing over 100 sounds difficult. You might find you love 175 or 180 or 170

Thanks, ladies!
I think I will shoot for 175 and go from there.
Out of curiosity I input my hubby's info and it puts his BMI at 23.1....I LOL'ed! He is a stick! Then I put in my 17 year old son's....who is 6'2" and weighs 203, you couldn't pink an inch if you wanted, and it says that he is overweight! What? Maybe I should have done that to begin with and I wouldn't have been so worried about it!
I would love to tell his football coach that it showed overweight!

Haha Jillbean, my son is also "overweight" but has a little 6 pack going on

175 and go from there is a great plan. No need to get hung up on the numbers. I thought 115 (my high school weight) would be perfect but at 130 (+ 2 kids and many years later), I looked just as good It sure changes with age.

There are lots of hollywood actors (George Clooney among them) who have a BMI of overweight.

While I use the BMI as a guide, I feel like it's not the end all. Right now I'm considered class III obese (isn't that fun) with a BMI over 40 - and from what I've read online, those people are considered to have a hard time just walking around and getting around. I got a laugh out of that considering though I'm out of shape I am not immobile and bed stricken. Lol.

I'd listen to your doctor and don't worry about it until you get there. YOu might feel happy at 190. You might get to 180 and still feel the need for some improvement. As long as you're happy with how you feel and the clothes you can fit into, it doesn't really matter. Either way, I wouldn't use BMI or a doctor's advise as the golden standard.