Whats realistic?

N

NotSoSlim

New member
Ok, I have been overweight since I was like, 9 years old. This spring my attempts to lose weight are actually working, I have gone from 234.8 down to 200.2lbs. Initially my goal was to drop down to about 175lbs.

However, having lost 34.6lbs I know just by looking that dropping my weight to 175lbs isnt going to ditch all this fat. At 5'11 and 200.2lbs with a 42-44" waist most of my research tells me I should be down around 140 - 150lbs...

Not to be intimidated but that seems kind of low... of course I have been rather big most of my life. I do have a larger more solid bone structure so am kind of unsure as to whether to set my goal that low.

For now I am going to adjust my goal to 10% of my current weight, 20lbs, which will drop me to 180. I'll do another 10% from there which will drop me to 162. One last go for just under 10% should knock me down to about 150'ish.

But is 150lb's realistic for a guy who's been 220lbs for the last 14 years?
 
Well 150 - 160 puts you smack dab in the middle of the healthy BMI range for your height, so I suspect that it is possible.

However, many of us who have been heavy for a long time have a hard time seeing those smaller numbers as being achievable. I started out at 250 (and I'm only 5'4") and for me I truly thought that under 200 would be the best I could do. Especially after nearly 20 years of being overweight.

When I got to 200, I realized it was amazing, but I could do better and then I thought that 170 was realistic. I'd spent so many years with unreasonable expectations that I was scared to go too low and I really thought that 170 was the best I could do.

Last fall I got down to 163 (I'm back up about 10 lbs now) and realized that not only did I break 170, but a goal of 130 was actually doable and reasonable for me. So that's my goal now. :)

All of that to say, don't sweat the big goals yet. What you think isn't possible now, you might rethink in a few months. What you see as being "big boned" right now, you might change your mind as you start to lose weight.

Keep in mind also that if you exercise and lift weights and build some strength to get in shape, it's not just that you'll lose weight - your body SHAPE will change. And that can really blow your mind. I always thought I had wide hips and narrow shoulders until I started working out. Suddenly ... not so much. :D

Just take it baby steps ... I think a 20% goal is a good one. When you get there (or close to there) you can see how you feel and if you want to set a further goal. Or maybe you'll find yourself very comfortable and happy with your body at 170 - which is still within a "normal" BMI range.
 
What research is telling you that you need to get down to 140-150lbs? That sounds seriously skinny for a 5'11" male.

I personally think (and this is just speculation) that you would probably be just fine at 175. Not that it hurts to get lower (to a point)_ if that is what you want.

I guess the important question is what do you want to look like? Are you trying to get super-lean and ripped-looking, or are you just trying to lose excess fat and get down to a healthier body composition?

Both are valid, but both are different.

My suggestion is that you get down to your initial goal of 175 and take a look at yourself. Then decide where you want to go from there, not what some calculator somewhere is telling you you "should" be.

For instance, I initially set my ultimate goal at 200lbs, but that is going to be subject to review as time goes by. Perhaps as I get close I will be happy with my body. Perhaps I will want to get down further. I'm leaving that open for the future.
 
Thanks for the replies.

Will have to see how it goes I guess. All I want is to not be fat anymore... that would be a bonus. Ripped... not so much, I know im not the kind of person to keep that kind of maintenance up.
 
Oh, this website says I have like 31.5% fat... which is like, 60lbs.

And this website says that I would be within a normal BMI between 133 - 178lbs.

Here it claims that "essential body fat" for males falls between 2 and 4%.

So I figured If I even tried to get down to 10% body fat, I have to lose 21.5% of what I am now... or 43lbs, putting me down to the 155 - 160lb range.
 
Good luck. It's hard but possible. Set daily weekly ad monthly goals
 
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