How did you choose your goal weight?

nicolaturner1986

I've set my goal to be at the top end of the 'recommended weight' for my height but my goal is actually to get to a UK size 12 or 14 so i'll adjust my goal when I get to a size i'm comfortable with, i've been a UK size 18/20 for a few years now so i'll decide when I get closer to my goal

x

A_Fit_Mom

I picked a weight that I looked great at before, but that doesn't mean that I won't lose more when I get there.



Start with a weight, but know that you can change it later.

doc2zombie

I'm shooting for my adult weight when I was fit and training in karate. I'll see how it goes when I get close to that; I may need to modify it because of body fat this go around. :glasses:

brit__2006

From someone who has been overweight since umm like kindergarten, you can't pick a weight goal that you had once felt comfortable with because well you've never felt comfortable with a weight. The last time I was at my current weight was probably 4th grade and about 7 ish inches shorter. I wouldn't use a BMI calculator because I know for a fact for my body type it's not right. I've always been told by doctors I should weight 130-159 pounds for my height. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine my body could take me that far. So I've never set a specific goal. I just started losing, and the more I lost the better idea I had of where I thought I wanted to be. Well now at my current weight, I've set a mini goal of 173 lbs. (reason being-that makes 125 lost and I just like that number) Once I get to 173 if I like it then I'll maintain. If not I'll set another goal for what I think I would like. I don't think you can be what someone wants you to be, and be happy. I say set a goal of getting healthy, and maybe just set a fitness goal for now. For example my fitness goal is to be able to do a pull up. Something I've never done before, but to succeed in that I will have to be healthier and stronger. Good luck finding out what and where you want to be when this is all said and done.

DonM46

I chose the weight I was in college.
My wife had a coniption fit, saying that she liked my appearance better with more mass; that I'd look too frail.
I asked what SHE would choose.
My original choice plus 10.
So, we compromised at plus 5.
I can live with that; my wife is happy; all is well.

SlinkyAndHerAmazingBunsOfSteel

I chose my goal weight of 130lb because that was about he weight I was when I was a UK size 10 in clothes. I may need to lose more, I may need to lose less...as long as I'm a certain size/shape, I'll be happy!

WilmaDennis91

I just wanna look good in clothes lol. And plus that my body proportion is so weird. I'm more apple shaped, so all my fat goes to my upper body and my lower half fits in everything size small. And bikini shopping is so hard that way lol

walleyclan1

I picked the highest weight that would put me at a healthy bmi since I am very curvy and don't care to bee skinny, just healthy

alikonda

Here is what I do. I pick the body fat percentage I want to achieve. In my case, it's 12%. Right now I'm 23% @ 213 Lbs. So, if I subtract 23% from my current weight, I have 164 Lbs of lean muscle mass. (This would be me with 0% fat, which is not possible.) I then add 12% to 164 to get 184 Lbs. That is my target at this time.

So...kinda. I agree that body fat is a good metric. Just be careful how you're measuring it. I had hydrostatic testing down a few weeks ago - a variety of BF% calculators that I found put me anywhere between 24-45% bodyfat :huh: ...the hydrostatic testing confirmed that I'm actually 23.
Another thing to consider is that if you are going to lose weight, you will ALSO lose lean muscle mass because you can't JUST lose fatty tissue. My goal is to get down to 18% bodyfat. According to the calculations done above, I would make it at ~144 pounds...but in reality, I will have to go down to ~135.

If you're able to, I highly recommend going for hydrostatic testing. It's the only way to really get an accurate reading of your physical makeup, and the people that run the test have a lot of helpful information regarding where you are, where you need/want to get -- this can all be incredibly valuable information as you set/reach for goals.

If you're not able to go for testing (unfortunately, it does cost $ and is not necessarily widely available) you can definitely use BMI/doctor recommendations/previous experience/what-have-you to figure out a ballpark number, but pay attention to how your body feels as you head toward the goal and don't fixate on a number. Everyone's body is different, so no table can definitively tell you what your ideal weight is. (And even your body has changed over time. I was a bit of a late bloomer and didn't really go through puberty until college. In high school my athletic weight was ~118, nowadays it's ~135)

TruckersWifeTruckersLife

I chose a weight i was at years ago and plus i asked the doctor i told him i done an online bmi test and it calculated what my weight should be he didnt agree with that but he told me i should be between 50-60kgs. 60kgs is about 130lbs so i am slowly getting to 60kgs and then i will assess myself when i get to that weight.

gowrirao81

I googled 'hottest bmi for a woman' and went off of that arbitrary number. Kids, don't do this ... it is quite stupid. After a few weeks in I realised I would'nt be able to buy anything in the stores at all, not even a size 0 if I got to that and I changed it. True story.

RebekahR84

I calculated mine using the BMI chart. I plan to first lose enough fat to put me into the lower range, about 19-20, and then I want to build enough muscle to put me in the mid-range, about 22-23.

LearnFromTheRed

I chose the weight I was at before I had an operation a couple of years ago (it's been all downhill from there!).

slkehl

I chose my weight at the beginning of college. Not sure if it's realistic anymore-my body has changed since then, and I've put on a decent amount of muscle.

FP4HSharon

Here is what I do. I pick the body fat percentage I want to achieve. In my case, it's 12%. Right now I'm 23% @ 213 Lbs. So, if I subtract 23% from my current weight, I have 164 Lbs of lean muscle mass. (This would be me with 0% fat, which is not possible.) I then add 12% to 164 to get 184 Lbs. That is my target at this time.

So...kinda. I agree that body fat is a good metric. Just be careful how you're measuring it. I had hydrostatic testing down a few weeks ago - a variety of BF% calculators that I found put me anywhere between 24-45% bodyfat :huh: ...the hydrostatic testing confirmed that I'm actually 23.
Another thing to consider is that if you are going to lose weight, you will ALSO lose lean muscle mass because you can't JUST lose fatty tissue. My goal is to get down to 18% bodyfat. According to the calculations done above, I would make it at ~144 pounds...but in reality, I will have to go down to ~135.

If you're able to, I highly recommend going for hydrostatic testing. It's the only way to really get an accurate reading of your physical makeup, and the people that run the test have a lot of helpful information regarding where you are, where you need/want to get -- this can all be incredibly valuable information as you set/reach for goals.

If you're not able to go for testing (unfortunately, it does cost $ and is not necessarily widely available) you can definitely use BMI/doctor recommendations/previous experience/what-have-you to figure out a ballpark number, but pay attention to how your body feels as you head toward the goal and don't fixate on a number. Everyone's body is different, so no table can definitively tell you what your ideal weight is. (And even your body has changed over time. I was a bit of a late bloomer and didn't really go through puberty until college. In high school my athletic weight was ~118, nowadays it's ~135)

Agree that the dunk (hydrostatic) or air pod testing is the most accurate for body fat percentage, but it's very hard to find in many areas, and if you can find it it's usually expensive. We live in a large metropolitan area & I haven't been able to find that service anywhere. But I am a co-leader of a weight loss group & we use the body fat % scales (electrical impedence). Most studies have shown that w/a few precautions it IS pretty accurate. So we tell people that they should measure at the end of the day when they'd be more hydrated, to drink plenty of fluids up to 4 hrs before testing, then stop eating/drinking for the 4 hrs before the test, also more accurate if you don't exercise the 12 hrs before the test. Also make sure that you are completely dry before the test, this is not one to do AFTER a shower. If you buy a scale like this (Weight Watchers and/or Biggest Loser scales have good reputations), & take these precautions, then it's going to be close enough to estimate a healthy weight.

paigeslims

I used a weight calculator, looked at other people,my height and made a decision based on that.
I'm 5ft 7 and my original goal was 130lbs. Now I am close I realise that I still need to lose a bit more. I'll probably go down to 125lbs. Make a goal and just see how you feel when you get there

http://www.calculator.net/ideal-weight-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=17&csex=f&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=7&cheightmeter=180&x=95&y=15

ReadyToBeMeAt160

I'm with the "I-feel-the-best-at-this-weight" club.

Me too. and honestly i feel really great at 188 (from 230) and I'm probably going to chill here for a bit but my end goal is to at least not be "obese" according to BMI. Overweight probably still isn't (for my height that's a max of 174) great but much better health wise.

so my end goal is at least 174.