How do you decide when to stop?

RhinoSaurusRex75

I can't speak for others, but you truly never stop. You can reach a goal weight, but that's not a goal physique. It becomes addictive picking out body parts to build muscle leaning out a bit more and looking to perfect your bodies semetry. Weight is a lie. It's how you view yourself and a passion to keep perfecting what you love. It will never end for me.

Tedebearduff

bear2303 wrote: »

Im just curious as to when people have decided when they have reached a point where they are ready for maintenance? Or I guess how did you even set your original goal weight? Is it when you've hit a certain number on the scale? When you're no longer in an unhealthy BMI? When you're at a weight you've been previously and wanted to get back to?

For me i set my goal as a number that i thought was reasonable and maintainable for me but now that I'm here im tempted to try and lose another 10 lbs but not sure if pushing myself to that is worth it.

After my large weight loss (173lbs) I stopped because I was always cold my goal was to lost 175lbs but like didn't care cause I was cold all the time. I stayed in maintence for months and then got tired of ppl telling me I was to skinny, so I went from being called fat to being called skinny. Then a long story goes on about cutting and bulking over the years no one wants to read so I will end it there.

Don't care about my BMI it makes no sense to me as I have more muscles now so that scale isn't accurate for someone like me. I'm 5"11 270lbs and still wear a large/XL and size 36 jeans so ... just doesn't seem like it accounts for muscle mass.

instead of aiming for a # on the scale aim for how you look in the mirror and how you feel about yourself, that's the end game IMO not a # on the scale.

vivo1972

A dress size Uk 12. I want some fat on me as I think I look better and it's a generally healthy weight - I'm 5 foot 5. I also have cyclist legs so I would never get lower than that over my calves

ReenieHJ

My personal goal is to fit into size 6 Levi jeans again. I figure maybe another 5 lbs. It'll be a lifetime of maintenance. But I can see myself living this week as a typical week, stray way off for a couple days then hang tough for the rest of the week. Losing those last 5 lbs. will put my weight at around 133 at 5"9". I'd like to lose those dreaded love handles and shape my thighs a bit more but I truly think years and years of abusing my body with overeating plus having 4 children have all played into forming the basis of my body shape. But we'll see. Mostly I'm just shooting for good health now.

sthurman

I guess for me I’ll know when I feel my most confident.
I am always happy when I reach a mini goal but then I know I can keep up the hard work to achieve a healthier weight. I set one every 10-15lbs lost and then re-evaluate my situation when I reach those goals.
I’ve been thinking I’d like to be near 130lbs when all is said and done but for now I’m focusing on 160. If I get to 160 and I’m confident and happy/healthy then maybe I’ll stay there 🤷🏻‍♀️.

donnadee1984

Tedebearduff wrote: »

bear2303 wrote: »

Im just curious as to when people have decided when they have reached a point where they are ready for maintenance? Or I guess how did you even set your original goal weight? Is it when you've hit a certain number on the scale? When you're no longer in an unhealthy BMI? When you're at a weight you've been previously and wanted to get back to?

For me i set my goal as a number that i thought was reasonable and maintainable for me but now that I'm here im tempted to try and lose another 10 lbs but not sure if pushing myself to that is worth it.

After my large weight loss (173lbs) I stopped because I was always cold my goal was to lost 175lbs but like didn't care cause I was cold all the time. I stayed in maintence for months and then got tired of ppl telling me I was to skinny, so I went from being called fat to being called skinny. Then a long story goes on about cutting and bulking over the years no one wants to read so I will end it there.

Don't care about my BMI it makes no sense to me as I have more muscles now so that scale isn't accurate for someone like me. I'm 5"11 270lbs and still wear a large/XL and size 36 jeans so ... just doesn't seem like it accounts for muscle mass.

instead of aiming for a # on the scale aim for how you look in the mirror and how you feel about yourself, that's the end game IMO not a # on the scale.

Did youre skin cope ok?

Copaiba

5’4” and 140 lbs at 53 years old. I was thrilled with this weight 15 years ago but now I’m not as consistent with the weight training as I was then and oy, my joints often hurt at night 🙄
My goal was initially to lose weight and I’ve lost 60 lbs this last year but always have the goal to eat a low fat whole food plant based diet WITHOUT FEELING LIKE A VICTIM 🤣😂
I love junk food 😢
I think if I can manage to stay away from processed foods and refined oils, I should be able to get to my ideal weight of 125 by spring at least....maybe.
The danger of MFP, for me, is learning that I can eat some processed foods and still lose weight.
But those foods leave me feeling just a tiny bit gross/bloated/oily and yet I still think of them as rewards (?)
I envy people who stick to a vegan no oil diet, don’t count calories or macros, and drop weight without feeling deprived.

bear2303

Copaiba wrote: »

5’4” and 140 lbs at 53 years old. I was thrilled with this weight 15 years ago but now I’m not as consistent with the weight training as I was then and oy, my joints often hurt at night 🙄
My goal was initially to lose weight and I’ve lost 60 lbs this last year but always have the goal to eat a low fat whole food plant based diet WITHOUT FEELING LIKE A VICTIM 🤣😂
I love junk food 😢
I think if I can manage to stay away from processed foods and refined oils, I should be able to get to my ideal weight of 125 by spring at least....maybe.
The danger of MFP, for me, is learning that I can eat some processed foods and still lose weight.
But those foods leave me feeling just a tiny bit gross/bloated/oily and yet I still think of them as rewards (?)
I envy people who stick to a vegan no oil diet, don’t count calories or macros, and drop weight without feeling deprived.

Oh man, i am waiting very impatiently for the day when junk food doesn't feel like a treat to me. I eat less of it now for sure and i do feel so much better when i don't but its SUCH a mental hurdle for me to not feel like i'm depriving myself when i don't eat crap.

ReenieHJ

I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

EliseTK1

ReenieHJ wrote: »

I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

I know that feeling. It can be hard to love and accept your own body as is even when it's already healthy and amazing. That perfectionist mentality creeps in. Just know that whatever you end up doing, you are AWESOME and you've accomplished something great!

RelCanonical

ReenieHJ wrote: »

I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

I went through that the last time I lost weight. I think I struggled because I hit my goal and didn't give myself another to work toward that was health-related but not necessarily weight-related. Maybe that would help? I think a lot of us feel like if we're not moving forward, we're moving backward, which is why maintenance can be a struggle.

jimb2u

I’m at 163.2 pounds(at 6’3”) this morning. This is under my original Goal Weight of 199.9 (at 6’3”) which had been my goal weight as long as I can remember. My lowest adult weight has been 207 pounds when I was 20 years old and I was able to wear size 36 jeans. 199.9 also brought me into a “normal” BMI (for whatever that’s worth). I had never gotten close to the 199 mark in my 20’s, 30’s and 40’s with
My lowest weight hitting 247 in 2007 after seeing a picture of myself at a weight well over 350 pounds (I didn’t weigh myself them). I gained most of it back over the years and last year, my 4X shirts were getting tight and I was having trouble getting out of my car. I decided enough was enough and based on advice from a bodybuilder friend who had being doing Intermittent Fasting for decades, I started on July 1, 2018 at 330.2 pounds and a size 50 waist (with elastic so probably actually 52+). I started at 16/8 (fasting 16 hours and eating in an 8 hour window) and slowly transitioned into longer fasts as my body became adapted to the lifestyle. I also ate at a caloric deficit of at least 1000 calories a day and focused on feeding my body better food. I hit 199.7 pounds on June 12, 2019 and felt great but kept following the way of eating which at that point had become a sustainable lifestyle. At 165 pounds and a size 32-33 waist, I decided to maintain this approximate weight (+- 5 pounds) and focus on continuing to reduce body fat % and build lean muscle. My focus since hitting my original Goal weight has been on maintenance and building lean muscle and continuing the healthy exercise and eating lifestyle that brought me to this point. I have been eating a flexible diet of whole food (not Keto) and was eating at a daily caloric deficit following a 22-24 hour One Meal A Day (OMAD) schedule most days. I fast every day and will throw in a shorter fast if I have family or social needs to eat earlier (or extend to a 36 hour fast if I can). I am now consuming 1800-2200 calories a day with occasional days of higher (and lower) caloric intake. I feel great at that level and never feel deprived and have reduced weight loss to about 1/2-1 pound a month at this point

bear2303

ReenieHJ wrote: »

I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

Dude! I get it, I literally JUST reached my Ultimate goal recently too. I originally aimed for 142 and then i hit that and went to 135 now that I'm here I'm like... well maybe i should move that to 123?

Not sure why i am doing that to myself either...

bear2303

RelCanonical wrote: »

ReenieHJ wrote: »

I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

I went through that the last time I lost weight. I think I struggled because I hit my goal and didn't give myself another to work toward that was health-related but not necessarily weight-related. Maybe that would help? I think a lot of us feel like if we're not moving forward, we're moving backward, which is why maintenance can be a struggle.

That is an interesting perspective. Maintenance is something I've been waiting for for a long time but now it seems like it's not a goal anymore. Maybe need to focus on training for something!

imxnianne

You never stop. You may stop trying to lose weight, but keeping the healthy lifestyle should be forever. Yes, take breaks by all means but never end it. We started the journey to be better, don’t reverse by stopping whenever you think you should.

I’ve maintained my goal for about one year until 4 months ago. I ate nonstop again due to stress and gained about 12 lbs. in between I never stopped working out though. I am not going back to where I was!

I am going to push myself again, not as hard but slowly this time. I will keep my achievement locked!