How did you pick your Goal Weight?

ninerbuff

I take my current lean mass and then decide what body fat percentage I want to be. It works for anyone. You just need to know what your lean mass is, then apply the formula:

Your lean body mass divided by (1 minus the body fat percentage you want to be)

So say you're 120lbs lean body mass and want to be 20% body fat. Then apply the formula.

120/(1-.20)
120/.80= 150lbs

So 150lbs would be the target weight (approximate) to be at 20% body fat.

Now granted you may lose some lean mass along the way, but this is a good approximation.

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ksenya03

According to some ideal weight calculators I've found online my "ideal" weight is between 105-118lbs. My current goal is 130lbs. I chose that because it is well within normal BMI for my height, and because for most of my 20s I weighed between 120-130lbs. So I know it is an achievable goal. It is also the last weight I felt happy at as an adult before I started gaining weight. My lowest weight as an adult was 114lbs, however that was over a decade ago and I'm not sure it is still achievable for me with out more sacrifice than I am currently willing to make. I figure I'll get to 130lbs and maintain for a while and see if I still want to continue losing weight or if my health goals change.

SCoil123

My goal is actually a 20lb range. Given fluctuations a range seems more realistic to me. The range Im aiming for was set by my doctor based on age, gender, height, activity, frame size, and muscle mass.

vanmep

I am aiming for the top of the healthy BMI range. But I like the idea of losing 50 pounds because it is a nice round number And if I lost 50 pounds that would put me 7 pounds under the top of the healthy BMI, which would give me a little bit of room to play with if I ever was unable to exercise for some reason. So that's likely what I will do. But I will wait until I get there and make the decision then, I have chosen a lifestyle that is very sustainable as it is right now, so I could see myself just doing this forever maybe. Bottom line - it's all flexible

Meghanebk

My goal weight is not final - I do better progressing towards a small step goal than looking like I'm at the beginning of a very long road. I also don't have a set timeline. I'm happy to take the slow loss route, it's much less stressful for me.
I'm 5'0" and my starting weight was 171, and I picked 150 as my first goal because it shifts me from obese to overweight on the BMI charts. I will probably alter that to 135 at some point. I doubt I'll go much lower than that. I was 115 in my mid twenties and felt too skinny.

neldabg

I first set up boundaries of a goal within a healthy BMI range, which for my height is around 101-136 lbs. My highest weight was in the 170's, and I originally wanted to get to 120 lbs and then keep a range of 115-120lbs. I've never NOT been at the very least, overweight, so while yes, I had been 120lbs at some point in life, it was overweight relative to my age/height at the time.
When I got to 120lbs, I thought I looked good, but I decided to lose a few extra pounds for vanity reasons.
I now keep a BMI of 20 with a weight range of 108-114 lbs. I feel comfortable here, and everything works ten times better than when I was obese, so I'm staying put. However, I'm reading more and more about how elderly people could benefit from being on the higher end of a healthy BMI range, so when I hit 50, I *might* consider maintaining at my original 115-120lbs goal range, but idk. I'll see where life takes me and what doctors say when I get there.
At the end of the day, I just want to stay healthy and strong and never cross that border into obese territory ever again.

jamcdonel

I was given a target date and a goal weight based on an outdated USDA height /weight chart. There is an activity I have planned with my Scout Group next summer. The preparation materials state that you must meet the weight criterion for your height when you arrive, or you will not be allowed to participate, and be sent home at your own expense.

The requirement is not unreasonable, but it is rigid, and flies in the face of the "don't focus on the scale numbers, weight loss is not linear, weight is not everything, variations and fluctuations occur" mantras that get used here on MFP.

So I have set my goal weight 10 lbs. less than my assigned maximum. No way I am going to let a normal variation, water weight, or a wonky scale in the med-check tent ruin two years worth of preparation and two weeks in my happy place with my kids!

I Wanna Go Back To Philmont!

hiyaitschloe_x

My doctor told me I needed to lose 2 stone to be in a healthy weight range. So I decided I'd lose 3 all together to feel comfortable with myself.

JDixon852019

I aimed for the low end of the BMI scale (reached it), now I am building muscle.

sunny_d22

I've never been a normal weight by BMI so that was my first goal. I've reached that goal and see I have more to lose so I've a set a goal to lose another 7 pounds, to get to 148. I'm 5'6. It's hard to figure out where to set my goal because I'm now lighter than I was as a kid. I always thought I had a large frame with a lot muscle so I had thought a normal BMI was not for me. I'm finding that I am pretty strong but an average amount of lean body mass and frame size doesn't matter that much. I had a dexa test 3 months ago.

LaReinaDeCorazones

My goal weight is 140 at 5'5, and a weight I was at in my early 20s. I looked good then, so I figured I can try for it again

JaydedMiss

I didnt pick an ideal weight i picked an ideal body shape. I find it a much beter way to focus on my own body and be happy with whatever number aslong as i see progress to the shapes i want. You know, Waist slimming, Strong thighs...Booty ;D If i start losing to much boob ill probably begin to maintain there

JeromeBarry1

My goal weight is the middle of the healthy BMI for a male as tall as I am.

reggia09

I checked three different sites online for what a woman my age (in 50s), with my frame and height (5'4.5") should weigh. I then averaged those ranges together, and went straight for the middle of a healthy BMI (between 18.5 and 24.9). That number was 129.

Originally, I told myself I'd be very content to just get below 140 lbs. But when I did, losing weight suddenly become easier. I went down to 125 which seemed a bit too low, 127 seemed naturally right and I stayed there for over a year then gained 4 lbs, stayed there for another year before gaining another 15+ lbs back.

Several years later and I'm back below 140, and honestly, this time around, I'll be content to be under 135. LOL, but if I lose a few more, I'll be very happy.

jayeless

Well, I remembered weighing 45kg when I was about 16. I put that number into a calculator, found that it would give me a BMI of 20.5 (i.e. not underweight or anything!) and I decided to aim for it. I also decided I would settle for higher if 45kg proved to be too hard to reach or unsustainable once I got there. I haven't got there yet, so we'll have to see

lynn_glenmont

savithny wrote: »

I'm setting goals as I go: 10% of body weight to start with, as that's an amount that makes a real difference to health. Then 10% increments.

I have no illusions that I will get down to absolute "ideal" for my height - even my doctor didn't encourage that as a goal, based on my build, age, etc. She liked the 10% at a time idea because its way more achievable than a weight I last was before I got breasts...

I started with a 10% goal, too, also because of being told that it should make a real difference to my health. Also, that would get me down to a weight I hadn't been for nearly 10 years.

I was surprised by how easy the weight loss went when I actually had the right tools for tracking calories (I had tried pure calorie counting in the distant past when you had to look things up in books, and keep a paper record, and that was a real pain -- plus it was before I had a food scale in my kitchen, which I originally purchased for baking). Anyway, I shot right past the 10% to 15% down, and the weight loss and increased activity did make a real difference to my health.

I've been maintaining for about three years, but it's started to creep up a couple of pounds, and I'm thinking about setting a new goal. Maybe 10% from where I am.

DebSozo

fitqueenbess wrote: »

I picked a BMI of just under 21, which is the amount I weighed for many years, and is right in the middle of the healthy range. BMI doesn't work for everyone but I'm a typical body type. Now my focus is to be stronger, leaner and more flexible. "Strong is the new skinny"

This is my goal also-- BMI around 22 for me. I had creeped up to 25 BMI in my 50s which is borderline "overweight" according to charts. Since then I've managed to get down to 24.5 BMI in the upper normal range. My goal is to get to midrange normal BMI. I feel extremely comfortable, fit, and healthy when there. Strong and flexible sounds great also.

Francl27

I picked the middle of the healthy BMI, which was also my lowest weight for maybe 1 month when I was 21. I've never reached it though (I'm 5 lbs above that) because I'm just too hungry and not willing to give up on my treats to reach it either (which would just make me binge anyway). I'm 17 years older and more muscular now though.

But keeping that goal has helped me maintain my weight at least, so it's all good.

princessalmz

I picked my goal weight based on my body frame size, height and BMI. I'd like to be on the lower end of the healthy range and based on my frame size this would be ideal.
I'm 5'4 and 151lbs which is 30lbs away from my goal weight but I'm going to take it 5lbs at a time. Who knows, maybe at 130 I'll be at my ideal body!

amusedmonkey

Well, this may sound weird, but I want to be as fat as I can be for various reasons without being unhealthy. From all the data I've seen, being slightly overweight is not as bad as being obese or underweight, so I set my goal to slightly overweight. If at any point during my maintenance my blood tests show warning signs I will go back to dieting to drop my weight further.

amandapleighse92

I'm 5'8 my ultimate goal weight is 125. This is around what I weighed before I got pregnant. Unfortunately I ate everything in sight my whole pregnancy and didn't EVER work out. So I gained quite a bit. (I'm at 165 now) I have never had muscle though. Like seriously VERY little. If you are aiming for toned, you will weigh more though. My weight was so low because I had so little muscle. I'm hoping for a little bit of muscle this time around though, so maybe 130?

rachelr1116

I'm 5'11" and it's been so long since I've been a healthy weight that I'm not even sure what is realistic for me. I've set my goal at just under the high weight of normal BMI, 177 lbs. I'm sure I can go lower than that but for now it's my goal and I'll adjust accordingly once I get there.

not_my_first_rodeo

I have a weight that I picked out from looking at a couple of BMI charts. My goal weight is 140. That may be unrealistic, but I'm trying to focus on losing ten pounds at a time. I plan on discussing this more with my GP when I see her next.

T1DCarnivoreRunner

I used the best available information for current body fat % and weight, then researched the ideal body fat % and calculated my new weight that would match that body fat %.

That was almost 3 years ago and I'm less than 10 lbs. away now. Unfortunately, I've lost some muscle and will probably need to lose a few more lbs. of fat, but not really that much.

LizIsBack86

I will pick my body weight ideal for me when I reach that point where I am like okay for my height and weight this is just fine I don't go by my doctor and websites only because everyone's body is different and what they feel is right for me, might not necessarily be!!! Were all different so pick what you feel is best:)

idabest777

Mine was/is constantly changing. The lowest I had every remembered being was 140 at 5'4 so I originally decided to go with that. But once I got there I kept bumping it down by 5lbs. I'm at 125 now and am planning on setting my final goal to 118, which would be 10lbs above the lowest end BMI for me.

BuffMom84

I didn't pick my goal weight, my goal weight picked me.

trigden1991

Having an ambitious goal weight is a good plan but this should be split into smaller manageable goals on the way down. 5lbs in one month seems like a much more achievable goal than 60lbs in a year.

sijomial

Favourite adult weight.
Then a bit less, could see best weight in 20's wasn't same as best weight in my 50's.
Then a bit less, mostly vanity.
Then a bit less for cycling performance.
Then a bit more as found lowest weight too hard to maintain.
Then a bit more after I'd put some muscle on.

Long story short - your goal weight doesn't have to be set in stone.

Shanel0916

Before deciding on a goal weight I had never weighed less than 169lbs (I'm 5'3) as an adult. Through viewing before and after pictures of others I orginally decided my goal weight would be 135lbs. Now though after losing 31lbs (from 188lbs) I think 145lbs may be more suitable. At the end of it all I really just want a muscular physique tho, so I suppose the numbers really don't matter.