Do we really need weight loss goals?

cwolfman13

I never had a goal of a specific weight on the scale. When I started out, losing weight wasn't even really on the radar. I had some pretty nasty blood work going on and my Dr. basically told me I needed to get it together and start eating better and exercising or I would end up very sick and possible dead at a pretty young age.

I just started eating better...more veg and fruit and things like oatmeal and beans...leaner cuts of meat...using less oils and whatnot for cooking, and I for the most part cut out dairy save for a slice of cheese on a sandwich here or there and I started going for walks everyday and ultimately got into running and hitting the weight room.

I lost a good 20 Lbs or so before I ever even heard of MFP. I joined MFP largely because I had become a lot more interested in nutrition and I kinda wanted to see what that looked like on paper in regards to how I was eating. I also became more engaged in fitness beyond walking and as a former competitive athlete I knew I needed to properly eat for what I was doing activity wise and was kind of lost on that front.

I lost another 20 Lbs with MFP and settled in at a weight that I felt good, looked reasonable good aesthetically, and was performing good fitness wise. All in all, I cleaned up my blood work...though I just had my physical recently and it's going south again namely due to the fact that I haven't been able to really exercise...even go for a walk since about mid May, but once I'm better I'll be back on my bikes and in the weight room again.

podperson1

I have mini goals and I have a vague idea of where I'd like to be on the scales, but I may feel happy before I get there or I may get there and want to lose a little more - I won't know until I'm a lot closer to it I feel.

I also have NSV goals, like wanting to fit into certain clothes again, being able to do more exercise-wise, having more energy etc.

steveko89

I've been a user for over eight years and have had vastly different goals at different points. When I started my goal was to just be less fat. I'd gained some weight after starting my first job out of college and wanted to get back to where I had been before that, right around 165 lbs, so that was number was my only goal, which I achieved. A few years later I realized that a given number on the scale or number of pounds lost was no longer cutting it. I wanted to look and feel better (mentally and physically), I got more powerlifting/bodybuilding in lieu of P90x or whatever burned the most calories and my goals became less scale-focused and also more about continuous improvement than about reaching a finish line.

scarlett_k

Well, my initial goal is just the top end of a healthy BMI. I just picked it arbitrarily as I had a lot to lose. Now I'm closing in on it I'm mentally preparing for making myself a new goal depending on how I feel when I reach the initial one. For me, it's just a vague number to aim for, and chipping away at the amount to get there has been more and more satisfying as it helps me to realise how far I've come. I could pick any other number in the healthy range though and I think I'd still feel the same.

age_is_just_a_number

I have a weight loss goal that seems unattainable. I like your approach of wanting to feel better and be healthier.
It shouldn’t all be about losing weight.
I think this all depends on where you are in your journey. I do strongly believe this is a journey, with bumps in the road and curves and straight aways. Being fit and healthy is not a destination — no one will ever get there and say ‘ok I’m here, now I can stop’. Being fit and healthy is ongoing and you have to eat well and exercise for your entire life to maintain it.

1poundatax

For me I have a general goal weight, it will take me from obese to overweight. I got down to that weight several years ago and I was pleased with how I looked and felt. I will reevaluate when I get to that weight. I want to look better, but mostly I want to maintain/improve my health. I do NOT want to be obsessive about the scale and my weight- been there, done that.

ninerbuff

spyro88 wrote: »

When I tell people I am on here they often say "That's great! How much do you want to lose?" and I'm like... I dunno... I just want to be healthier and feel better.

I don't really like attaching a number to my journey because I don't really know how I will feel at any given point on the scale. I do weigh myself regularly and it does feel good when the numbers are going down, but I've not got an end in sight. I just want to do this until my body feels right - which currently, it definitely doesn't. I feel unhealthy and overweight.

So I guess I do have a goal but it's a lot more vague than a number on the scale... because it's more about the journey!

What are your thoughts?

A person without a goal is like a ship without a rudder. You wander aimlessly and occasionally hit land. But with no goals, you really have no accountability to anything. How you feel, isn't really the same as achieving what you set out for. People always feel then don't look that bad in a mirror. But when they see a picture, they can become dissatisfied with themselves.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition