ideal weight for 5'4"?

what would be the ideal weight for a 15 yr. old female thats 5'4" :aka me! my doctor wants to get me to 96 lbs. before i can excersise again but no one has told me what weight i can stop gaining at! pre-ED i was 110 lbs. at about 5'3" and almost 15 yr. old..

Thanks<3

You want a BMI of 20, as you're recovering from anorexia/a very low weight. For 5'4 that's 116lbs. This is for a buffer against potential relapse and also in case you lose anything when adjusting to maintainance. Still, you shouldn't be focusing on that right now - concentrate on gaining.

since you're only 14, i don't think there really is an exact ideal weight for you just yet.  when you get there, i'm sure you drs will let you know.  i definitely agree with lalabanana. i think at least 116 is good but for now, stay focused on gaining.  you want to give yourself enough nutrients and cals to not stunt your growth, which is really crucial at your age.  trust me, you don't want to regret it when you're in your 20s or when you want to start a family of your own.  good luck on your recovery.  its great you're getting help.  =)

im pretty shocked that you were told you can excercise at 96lbs, that seems awfully low.  really focus on gaining, as you do fears of maintaining begin to subside, focus on getting healthy now.

good luck

while 96 is low, it is not awefully low. Its merely 4 lbs away from hiting the 100s, and I think that is a good short term goal. I would say to listen to the others who said to aim for 116. Once you are there, you will better know how to adjust your caloric intake to suit what weight best fits your body type and best keeps you in good health, more importantly.

i also agree with the above, but all this talk about age and weight made me think of something. if someone had an ed at a young age, like 14 or whatever age they're still growing, but don't begin recovery until they're 18 (practically adult), are they still considered teens in regards to caloric requirement? i know 18 is still young, but it's a lot older than 14 and is usually when girls are close to maturity. anyway, just a thought.

Original Post by darkouthere:

i also agree with the above, but all this talk about age and weight made me think of something. if someone had an ed at a young age, like 14 or whatever age they're still growing, but don't begin recovery until they're 18 (practically adult), are they still considered teens in regards to caloric requirement? i know 18 is still young, but it's a lot older than 14 and is usually when girls are close to maturity. anyway, just a thought.

Use the teen calculators until you're in your twenties.  Most women are still developing internally into their 20s.  It's possible that you might end up with your body responding like a teenager into your twenties if it's continuing to play catch up.

hey there...i am 19, 5'4" and 113 lbs, just to give you an idea. I used to be 130, my goal was 116. But when I hit 116 the other 3lbs just kind of lost themselves.

i am equally happy at both 113 and 116.

and it makes me sad to hear that you went through an ED, you are really young. at 14 you should have to worry about that. keep strong and don't let it get you down. stop focusing on it, and just let yourself live.

im 5'4 + my goal is about 130lbs. 

 it is an individual thing, were all different, but you also need to keep in mind what a healthy weight is, healthy so that you can live a full life as a woman, and a bmi of at least 20 should be the goal.

I'm about 5'4 too and preED I was around 110lbs.

I was happiest at that weight and it was normal for me. And I ate everything I ever wanted without a health concern or thought (McDonalds everyday for lunch, and never a salad or veggie!)

I miss those days....

I would highly reccomend plotting a growth chart that includes your life time weight patterns. This website, http://kidshealth.org/parent/food/weight/bmi_ charts.html ,

is a very helpful one! By plotting your growth chart, you can see where your weight would be now if you had never encountered an ED.

As an estimation, since you were 110 prior to ED, your present weight would be around 115 (since you grew an inch)

However, it's wise to gain an extra 5 lbs. beyond the "bare minimum" for your health. Like lala said, this can aid in relapse prevention.

Target weights will be different for every person, dependant upon body frame, genetics, and lifestyle.

Personally, I am 5'4" and have lived the majority of my life along the 15th percentile of the growth curve. Thus, I am aiming to hit the 20% percentile to ensure full recovery. For me, this means a target weight of 108-112 lbs.

It's also wise though to remember that your weight will fluctuate, thus, one sole number isn't realistic. My treatment team is having me aim for a range, to compensate for typical weight fluctuations.

Best of luck in this, I first ecountered Anorexia at the age of 13. Please work hard to escape this. I lost the majority of my 8th grade year, because I was a 5'4", 70 lb. ghost who lived in the hospital. I recovered for two years, and those two years were the most productive and incredible years of my life.

Unfortunatly, I had a minor relapse. Although, I am almost recovered again, and have the utmost anticipation to resume my life in this world with so many opportunities. Best wishes, stay strong!