How do you pick your goal weight?

Melolson14

How do you pick your goal weight

Luke_rabbit

Mid of normal BMI. I've been happy enough with that weight in the past.

healingnurtrer

I picked mid of normal BMI too. First, I picked the weight I used to be that was on low-end of normal. Then, after reading some experiences on here, I decided to go for middle of normal (10 lbs more) and body recomp when I get there.

threewins

It is a weight I've been at in the past and relaxed about staying at that weight permanently.

StatChicBayes

My first long-term goal weight was to get into the healthy range for BMI (from morbid obese). I then updated it based on a weight that I felt was achievable and that was a good weight for me back when I was doing more weight training (about in the middle of the normal BMI range). Shooting for that and will re-assess based on bf%, but will probably do body recomp if need to reduce additional belly fat. (also was seeing a nutritionist so discussed this goal with her as a check to see if still a good weight/achievable given that I am older now :-) Will be checking back in with her in November to assess.

There are ideal body weight calculators at

https://www.calculator.net/ideal-weight-calculator.html?

which can give you a range of options if you are looking for targets.

Keep in mind ideal weight will vary for individuals, so if you are strength training you may actually be heavier than some of the ideal weight results but actually leaner and a much smaller size due to reduced body fat %. It is also a good idea to keep track of measurements (hip, waist, neck, etc) to monitor progress in addition to just tracking changes on the scale. the https://www.calculator.net site does have other calculators that can estimate %bf based on these measurements.

HTH!

AnnPT77

I hope you realize that the goal weight you put in your MFP profile has no impact at all on the calorie goal it will estimate for you? (It's just used for some motivational messages MFP will give you along the way.)

The good thing about this is that you can put in a tentative/provisional goal weight at first, and re-evaluate as you get close to that weight. If you have a fair bit to lose, it'll be much easier to tell what's reasonable, when you get closer to it. I adjusted my goal 2 or 3 times as I got closer and saw what was what!

Best wishes!

rainbow198

I had a dream dress size in mind and I wanted to be in the normal BMI range, but I focused on losing fat and inches and I let my goal weight pick me.

I had no idea what I would look like at said weight, so I kept going until I liked what I saw in the mirror and how I felt.

Then I lost another 5 pounds to give me a 10 pound range to maintain my weight year round.

Good luck!

lgfrie

My goal when I started was to get to out of the Obese BMI category and into Overweight. For me that entailed losing 112 pounds. Last week I passed the half way point. I celebrated by not celebrating with food

Now that I see how doable this is, I'm starting to feel ambitious about taking it all the way to Normal BMI, but I'll see how I feel about that when I get to 29.9 on the BMI scale.

mads_o86

I started out picking a weight I thought I could maintain and where I thought I remembered that I looked good.

I revised my goal as I got there, as I still had a belly I wanted to lose :-)

corinasue1143

lgfrie wrote: »

My goal when I started was to get to out of the Obese BMI category and into Overweight. For me that entailed losing 112 pounds. Last week I passed the half way point. I celebrated by not celebrating with food

Now that I see how doable this is, I'm starting to feel ambitious about taking it all the way to Normal BMI, but I'll see how I feel about that when I get to 29.9 on the BMI scale.

Me, too.
But I’m only about 13 pounds from overweight.

amusedmonkey

I didn't pick it, it picked me. I dieted until it felt unsustainable to keep dieting, I was happy with the way I looked and felt no drive to lose more, and maintenance days felt doable for life.

Ladywynema

I picked my goal based how I was before college. I am overweight and I know I can achieve my goal weight as long as I put forth the effort.

Ed2B40

do not focus bon bmi is my advice, how you look and feel about yourself is more important, most of all find happiness

DiscipleOfChrist29

The high side for my bmi range was how I picked my goal weight. Noticed similar responses. I do not stress about it though but just try to be consistent with what I'm doing.

nighthawk584

I picked it because it is the weight I gained in the last 16 years. (100 lbs) I have 25 to goal and 16 to BMI normal weight.

SnifterPug

My BMI range is 9 1/2 to 12 1/2 stone. My first aim was to get out of obesity, hit the healthy BMI range and get under 12 1/2 stone. I don't rate BMI much but as doctors do I figured it would be nice to end the nagging. I got there, slacked, gained a stone, and have now got back there.

I don't want to be thin - I want to be strong and healthy. So my current goal is to get to between 11 and 11 1/2 stone. Then I'll be working on recomposition. Although I kind of am already working on recomposition because I am in no hurry to shed the weight and am working hard to maintain my muscle.

apullum

Middle of my ideal BMI range. That's what a lot of folks who have been here for a while do, and what I would recommend.

kimny72

I aimed for the middle of the healthy weight range for my height. I got there and decided to lose another 5 lbs. I've been sitting there for a year or so, but I'm thinking I might try to lose another 5 and see how that feels. If I decide it's too low, I'll just gain a little back.

wmd1979

I did as many others have suggested and picked a number in the middle of my BMI. Once I got there though, I realized I was much more comfortable at the upper end of my BMI because I felt I lost too much muscle mass, and I am actually in the low end of the overweight range now and would not want to go below my current weight. It is going to vary for each person though, and I think once you get near that goal weight, you will figure out where you are the most comfortable.

cwolfman13

Melolson14 wrote: »

How do you pick your goal weight

Never had one...I just wanted to have a reasonably good physique with no gut and no love handles and good health markers...I just lost weight until I got to that point because I had zero clue what my weight would be with those goals.

BarbaraHelen2013

I picked 110 lbs because I was 112lbs through my 20’s and 30’s between having 4 children. The 2lbs less is to pander to the fact that once, a very long time ago I saw a weight chart for women where it stated in small print at the bottom that women who’d had a hysterectomy should subtract 2lbs from the ‘ideal’ on the chart!

This was years before I was anywhere near having a hysterectomy myself but it struck me as pretty nit picky at the time but it’s stayed with me all these years. So, yes, I’m stubborn and bloody-minded but I’m dropping that extra 2lbs too, this time! 😂

seltzermint555

I actually chose my weight from age 14, when I felt pretty good about my body.

Full disclosure, though, at 14 I was already 5'8", somewhat overweight and curvy, I was not a skinny little teenager by any means. I know for a lot of my friends returning to their early teen weights would be crazy, like 92 lb!

flippy1234

My goal weight has everything to do with health and my waist. Smaller the waist, better on the heart. Simple as that for me.

nooshi713

It is based on when I looked and felt my best!

My goal is actually in the top end of the healthy BMI range. Any lower is too skinny for me.

Pamela_Sue

My doctor and I came up with my goal weight together. While it may not be for everyone, my doctor wants me to reach the middle of the overweight category as my maximum weight range. I am 60 and started in Category 3 Obese and am now in Category 2 Obese. My doctor knows how I have struggled in the past and is therefore just being practical and is more concerned with my health numbers (which are definitely improving). Who knows, she may change her mind as I progress, and ask more of me. I don't think she wants to overwhelm me with goals that seem unattainable at the moment. So this weight range, along with cardio and strength training are the goals we have set.

Katmary71

I wasn't sure what I wanted to weigh so I chose a range of 5lbs from when I previously felt good to tentatively reach. I don't mind being more if it's muscle gain. Right in the middle of it is where I'd be 100lbs down from my highest so I'd like to hit it even if I decide to increase. I'm 3lbs away so I'm almost there. My stomach is being stubborn to go so I may have to re-evaluate weight loss or recomp.

Cat_A_89

I also used bmi but want to have some muscle so my goal is about 5/10 over my "healthy weight" but I'll see how I feel when I get there

middlehaitch

I had a 30lbs blip in my late 40’s early 50’s so I just wanted to get back to the weight I had been most of my adult life, since 14yo.

The weight I always thought/think of me at is 7st 7lbs (105lbs, 47.5kg).

When I started I had no idea about BMI, I just wanted to return to ‘me’. Turns out my maintenance 100-105 is at the bottom of the BMI scale for my height, 5’1, but as it was my ‘usual’ weight I like being there, and have had no problem maintaining it for 10yr.

Cheers, h.

BTW: No way do I think everyone my height should be my weight.

tigrig

Kinda did some pseudo math with my body fat percentage. I want to hit 10-12 percent and 205 should put me there or at least be close

ElizabethKalmbach

I usually stop at around 18% body fat, which is where I feel like I look best. 5 years ago that was 145. 20 years ago that was 135.

etherealanwar

My goal weight is the weight I was back in Highschool which I remember being in the 120's so I worked off of that and set it at 125 lbs. This is actually the middle of the bmi range for me at 5'4". I am 8 lbs away from this weight now and will evaluate whether I want to lose more once I reach it.