Some questions about goals

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Lily - 27 Mar 2004 17:48 GMT

I guess this will be sort of also an introduction of sorts for me since
I have pretty much only replied to others posts.

I am 34 and on a somewhat modified version of a low carb diet, as I said
in the quick 8 questions survey i started to modify my WOE and lifestyle
choices because of a health issue.

Several links have been posted in here to body fat % calculators and I
have even "googled" up another nice one I like. So here comes why I
have MORE questions about goals than ever before.

One of my doctors said that for my frame (med.) and height 5'4" I should
weigh between 110-115 no more ( my LBM is approx 115 that would mean i
would have to lose all body fat?). My current Dr. says that for the
same frame and height (I havent grown or anything lol) my goals should
be between 135-140. My mother seems to think 130-135 is more
reasonable, she being the largest critic of my always more sturdy look
than she thought I should have even though she married the man that my
more muscular type build came from in the first place. The %
calculators also vary as does the "healthkick" software greatly (the
software has greatly over the last couple weeks helped me look at what I
am eating where I am going etc.)

For me I would be happy getting into my favorite jeans again that I
never got around to getting rid of on the hopes I someday might. Is
there such a thing as too much emphasis on a magical # we should reach?
Also according to the one calculator I found that I like 135 puts my
BF% at approx. 16%. BTW as a point of reference on yet ANOTHER # the
"healthkick" software says my goal weight should be 123 no matter what
profile I made up concerning weight or measurements, but another
software said 160!?!

For a size frame of reference I was a 24 or a tight 22 when i started
this change in my life, now im in a 14 or a tight 12. Those magical
jeans i want to get back into are all a size 8 or the equivilent even if
the tags said 7 or 9, these are the jeans I wore up until about '96 or
so when I started to gain.

Should size and overall look be the most important factor...or LBM / BF%
or should it be a # on the scale? I guess this is my overall question I
wanted to get a feel on since some of you have reached or maintained a
goal of your own.

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low carbing since 11/12/03
235ish/178/135

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The Queen of Cans and Jars - 27 Mar 2004 18:29 GMT

> Should size and overall look be the most important factor...or LBM / BF%
> or should it be a # on the scale? I guess this is my overall question I
> wanted to get a feel on since some of you have reached or maintained a
> goal of your own.

i personally think that size and overall look combined with bodyfat
percentage is the way to go. numbers on the scale vary and don't always
tell the whole story. it's good to have a general range to shoot for as
far as scale weight goes, but body composition is far more important.
if you build up some good muscle, you can look smaller while carrying a
little more weight.

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Saffire - 28 Mar 2004 03:19 GMT

> I guess this will be sort of also an introduction of sorts for me since
> I have pretty much only replied to others posts.

Hi Lily, welcome to the group!

I didn't have a target weight when I first started here, but most people were
putting something in their signature, and Fitday wanted that info, so I picked
125 because it seems like a reasonable target and I look and feel good at that
weight. I might stop sooner or I might go even lower -- I won't know until I get
back into that neighborhood. I have chronic bi-lateral foot problems, so a lower
weight would be even better as far as stress on my feet go. We'll see. I don't
know what my body fat weighs or what my LBM is and don't much care. It might be
nice to know, but I'm not going to go out of my way to find out. I eat right and
exercise and that's the best I can do, which is a hell of a lot better than I WAS
doing.

Signature

Saffire
205/162/125 - 5'2.5"
Atkins since 6/14/03
Progress photo: http://photos.yahoo.com/saffire333

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Ina Hesmer - 28 Mar 2004 12:40 GMT

Hi Lily

>I guess this will be sort of also an introduction of sorts for me since
>I have pretty much only replied to others posts.

Welcome to the group then :)

>One of my doctors said that for my frame (med.) and height 5'4" I should
>weigh between 110-115 no more ( my LBM is approx 115 that would mean i
>would have to lose all body fat?). My current Dr. says that for the
>same frame and height (I havent grown or anything lol) my goals should
>be between 135-140. My mother seems to think 130-135 is more
>reasonable,

[snip]

>For me I would be happy getting into my favorite jeans again that I
>never got around to getting rid of on the hopes I someday might. Is
>there such a thing as too much emphasis on a magical # we should reach?

I think the goal you give in your signature (135) is a good one. When
you are near that goal, check how you feel about your body when you
move about, or how you feel about it when you look at yourself in the
mirror. *You* have to live in your body, not your doctors and not your
Mum. They can give you recommendations, but *you* feeling good about
yourself should be the measure of when to stop.
(And I do think it is a bit unreasonable to tell somebody who is
losing weight such a low goal weight as 110. That is a really low
weight for your height (BMI of 19 something), and I don't know why you
shouldn't shoot for a normal BMI as a start.)

Ina

213/152/150
since 8/15/03, 5'8"
www.skreee.de

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PJx - 28 Mar 2004 13:54 GMT

I think that you are asking all the right questions. However, there
is absolutely no one answer that is correct, so don't fret about it.

It could be that 140 is the compromise weight that will best satisfy
all the constraints that make up your life. Thats fine. You will
only know when you reach that weight and spend some time with it.
.

Pj

>I guess this will be sort of also an introduction of sorts for me since
>I have pretty much only replied to others posts.
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
>wanted to get a feel on since some of you have reached or maintained a
>goal of your own.

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