When I decided it was time for me to start losing weight, I knew I needed to drop some pounds. That said, the first thing most diets ask you when you want to get started is what your goal weight is. Easier said than done. I know what I weighed a million years ago when I was slim and thought that it was easy to keep the weight off (shows what I knew!).
Still, when I look at what my weight was at that time and what it was at my highest, it stopped seeming realistic that I would get back down to that low weight. What’s more, even if I could get down to that weight, it didn’t seem like it was the best idea for me anymore. I started doing some research into what my weight should be and found out that age does actually impact what your ideal weight should be, just like your sex and your height makes a difference.
This helps to explain why my best friend and I could be the exact same weight, and I can have a substantially higher BMI. There happens to be a considerable height difference between us. Age and height are particularly important factors to consider when you’re choosing a goal weight. So if you’re just starting your diet – or if you’ve been losing weight for a while – make sure you’re basing your goal on the right factors.
Don’t do what I did and compare your current goal weight to where it was ten years ago when you felt you were the perfect level of slim. Don’t think that you should be the same weight as someone else you know but who isn’t the exact same height as you. These factors are integral to calculating what your weight should be when you’re at your healthiest.
If you’re not sure how to take those and other important factors into consideration when you decide on your goal weight, you should get some help before choosing it. This could mean that you will make an appointment to speak with your doctor – which is what we should all do – or it could also mean that you use a reputable weight calculator or app that you know you can trust to give you great recommendations – which is what most of us are more likely to do!
After all, if you’re going to be putting all your time and effort into losing weight, you may as well have the right goal to aim for!
