How did you pick your goal weight?

24

Replies

  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    When I first started I was over 300 pounds & just randomly picked 160 in my head, but now that I am around 170 I've picked 150. 140 will be the next goal if I still feel the need to lose anymore weight.
  • twixlepennie
    twixlepennie Posts: 1,074 Member
    What was your process for deciding where to set your goal weight? What if you get there and don't feel "done"? What if you feel satisfied before you get there? How firm are you with the number you chose?

    I chose my goal weight because it's what I weighed in my early 20s/when I got married and I liked how I looked back then. What I didn't take into consideration was having three kids since then and being in my 30s now :tongue: I hit my goal weight and it was very anti-climatic. I remember weighing myself that morning, getting all excited, and then I looked in a full length mirror and had horrible let down. I did not look the same as when I was 23 darn it :grumble: I had a pity party, then got over myself and decided to keep losing. Fast forward half a year and I'm now almost 20lbs below my original goal weight and the lowest weight I've ever been as an adult. But, it's what I had to do, to get to the point where I wanted to be.
    I'm in maintenance now and love how I look and feel :smile:
  • annekka
    annekka Posts: 517 Member
    I knew I had weighed 55 kg as a 17 y-o teenager. I didn't think I could get back to that weight. I knew the last time I had definitely known my weight I was between 65-68 kg. So I decided I was going to get back down to 65 kg. I would like to go a bit lower, but that is my "happy" weight and need to consider physical fitness more than weight at this point. I am down to upper 65s in the morning, or I was before I left for vacation. Right now I am waiting til my vacation is over to start back up again. I hope I did not put on too much weight while I've been here, but then again I've been diligent that I need a break!
  • inside_lap
    inside_lap Posts: 728 Member
    I have an amazing collection of vintage lingerie, cocktail dresses and evening gowns, seriously...a whole closet full. Some were my mom's and/or grandmother's...some I've picked up at estate sales, some have been gifted to me. I also have bins of outdoor activity clothes, camping/hiking, skiing, etc. When I can fit into all my really COOL clothes again, I'll be done!

    Intensely jealous of your closet ;)
  • helena_jj
    helena_jj Posts: 200 Member
    I once went to the nutritionist and she calculated it using some device which calculated my body fat. I was at this weight after that and looked really good, even a little too thin. So it's my goal weight now.
  • jarelary4
    jarelary4 Posts: 141 Member
    After I had my son 7 years ago, I weighed 179 lbs. I felt pretty good at this weight although it is considered overweight for my size 5'6". I am at 230 right now and a size 20-22, so a size 12 sounds pretty good right now. I'll readjust as I get closer if I feel like I need to.
  • Gingerspice45
    Gingerspice45 Posts: 137 Member
    I used the BMI as a guide, but also the last time I felt happy with my body size when I was between 130-115. I'm a small framed, short person. I figure once I get lower in weight I will reevaluate my goal.
  • smokeytex74
    smokeytex74 Posts: 55
    Last time I felt healthy at that weight. I will reevaluate as I get closer.


    Ditto
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    What was your process for deciding where to set your goal weight? What if you get there and don't feel "done"? What if you feel satisfied before you get there? How firm are you with the number you chose?

    I've never had a goal weight...I could care less what the number on the scale says...the number on the scale is indicative of many things, not just fat...but too many people put all of their stock in the scale and just can't seem to wrap their brain around the fact that their body weight is so much more than fat.

    First and foremost, my health is my goal...my blood work numbers are far more important than what the scale says. Secondly would be BF% and composition.

    FYI, if you diet and just do a ton of cardio as is typical, you will lose muscle mass along with your fat and probably won't look like what you have imagined in your head. Resistance training is crucial to the dieting process to preserve lean mass...
  • fallenoaks50
    fallenoaks50 Posts: 84
    I've had biometric screenings at work and they always calculate what my ideal weight would be. I'm using that as a ballpark and will adjust as needed when I get close.
  • seltzermint5
    seltzermint5 Posts: 6
    I've been over 200 lb since I was 15 or so (and I am 37 now), and once reached 307 lb... so until pretty recently I never even CONSIDERED the idea that my goal could be under 200.

    For years I felt pretty good at 260-270 so that was my first goal when I was around 300.
    When I joined MFP at 262 I thought 220 seemed like a good goal because previously I'd only been down to 227 as an adult.

    Then once I got to 220, 199 seemed doable and now that I am 204 I feel like 180 is a doable realistic goal.

    I have no idea if I will readjust again and go smaller than 180. I can't even imagine being 160-something but I would not be too surprised if I wound up in the 170s eventually. I am 5'8".
  • xenaroadwarrior
    xenaroadwarrior Posts: 41
    High end of healthy BMI range for my height. Don't remember ever being NORMAL on the chart. Seemed like a good starting point. Once I feel good, I won't care what the chart says. That's the plan.
  • EMTFreakGirl
    EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
    I have an amazing collection of vintage lingerie, cocktail dresses and evening gowns, seriously...a whole closet full. Some were my mom's and/or grandmother's...some I've picked up at estate sales, some have been gifted to me. I also have bins of outdoor activity clothes, camping/hiking, skiing, etc. When I can fit into all my really COOL clothes again, I'll be done!

    Intensely jealous of your closet ;)
    I actually have one of the LBDs (@ 1950's) hanging above my scale for daily motivation. Right now I am still jealous of my closet! Onward and Downward!!!! :drinker:
  • ScorpDX
    ScorpDX Posts: 93
    I picked the weight I was the most happiest with myself. It's a realistic goal in my eyes. I've been there before. I could certainly go lower and be even better off. But I want to get to my goal first.
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
    You don't have to pick a goal weight and stick to it. My original goal weight was 140, and I was still unhappy at that size so my new goal is 125. Once I get there I may or may not change it again.
  • Broderick50
    Broderick50 Posts: 842 Member
    I picked a weight that I hadn't been at in about 20 years when a time I was pretty healthy. I'm currently on the fence about taking it down another 25lbs but that's how I picked it.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    Get your lean body weight number.

    Now divide that number by 1 minus the body fat percentage you'd like to be. That's a good goal weight.

    IE. Say you want to be 20% body fat above your lean body mass

    Lean body mass- 100lbs
    100/ (1 minus 20% or .20) = 125lbs.

    125lbs would leave this person with 20% body fat.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • gmthisfeller
    gmthisfeller Posts: 779 Member
    1. Looked up height and weight data of 10 of the worlds top long distance runners
    2. Calculated the BMI of each
    3. Calculated the average (mean) BMI for all ten
    4. Calculated my weight at the BMI from step 3 (my goal)

    +1

    This was very close to what I did when I reached an interim goal of 150 lbs (I am now 142). These men, a few of whom are about my height of 5'7", all have BMI's in the 19-20 range. Since I am way older than any of them --Meb Keflezighi is only 38-- working with the Sports Clinic here at Vanderbilt, I selected a BMI about 5% above their which gave me an ultimate goal weight (UGW) of 135.
  • otter090812
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
    I've never been a weight/size I was happy with, so I've just had to go with BMI. I'm aiming for the top of the healthy range as a starting point. I've got a strong/broad build, so I expect I won't need to go too much further than that, but I'll reassess when I get there.
  • AprilJG79
    AprilJG79 Posts: 56 Member
    At first my goal was to feel better. My knees and back was hurting me because of all the extra weight I was carrying around.
    So I reached my first goal which was to lose 50lbs. My back is stronger but my knees still bother me. That took me 6 months to do and I have a new goal in mind. I want to fit back into the dress I got married in which is a 10 and I'm wearing a 18-16 now.
    My mini goal is to lose 30 more pounds by Mid February. I do have an ultimate goal in mind but I plan mini or short term goals so I don't get discouraged.
    Do what you feel good at AND healthy. Remember though after your reach your goal, don't stop. Keep going for conditioning. So many people get to where they want to be only to gain everything back because they stop. Think of it as a life style not a diet.
  • aprilduncan942
    aprilduncan942 Posts: 1 Member
    I have been at 160 before. I felt good, my self esteem was through the roof and I know its where I want to be again.
  • DeathListFive
    DeathListFive Posts: 29 Member
    I had completely different goals. First was to weigh less than my husband. Second was to get under 200lbs into "onderland." From there, I didn't really have much of a goal in mind because I never though I'd get back under 200lbs to begin with. Since then, it's been a matter of "What the hay, let's see what happens."
  • neelia
    neelia Posts: 750 Member
    I looked at the low number and the high number of my healthy weight range and chose the number in the middle. That's my goal weight.
  • Saramelie
    Saramelie Posts: 308 Member
    Just went with the ""magical"" 100 pounds loss number, which gives me 132.
    Maybe too low for me, I'll see when I get close, but for now I like this number.
  • gmoneycole
    gmoneycole Posts: 813 Member
    I always felt great about my body when I was at my goal weight. It's flexible though, a little lower or higher I don't care as long as I feel good!
  • alienrite
    alienrite Posts: 314 Member
    220 lbs sounded cool with my height of 6'-2". Honestly, I never expected to hit my goal when I started. After I hit my goal, I realized I probably needed ideally weigh less (205 lbs roughly). It always amused me that I had no real idea what it would be like at my goal weight when I picked it. :)
  • jjeennnn
    jjeennnn Posts: 10 Member
    I start out with 5 lbs under what I weigh now so I never feel unaccomplished! Then adjust every time! It's easier to meet a goal if it's not so far away and you never want to set yourself up for something that isn't within reach fairly quickly as you may get easily discouraged :/
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
    I picked a weight from experience. I was in the low 140's before and looked and felt good. I know I don't want to be any lower...I feel comfortable and look good now at 150. But I do have some "soft" spots that I want to tone and know I need a little more weight off to get rid of it.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    My first weigh in at WW about 4 years ago showed I was at 258 and according to their ranges, 158 was the high end of the healthy range for my height. While the thought of losing 100 pounds was a little daunting, I figured 158 was a good healthy goal to aim for.

    Just a week or two ago I decided that 150 was a better goal to shoot for. It may not be a weight I can stick with but I'd like to see if I can get that low and that way I can bounce up a few pounds and feel ok about it...better than bouncing up a few pounds from 158, if you see what I mean.

    IMHO, there is absolutely nothing wrong with deciding to change your goal as many times as you like. Do what works for you, there is no right or wrong (well unless you give up, don't do that). :flowerforyou:
  • AliciaStinger
    AliciaStinger Posts: 402 Member
    I'm 5'2" and my goal weight is about 150, which is what I weighed when I started high school. Someone my height is "supposed to" weigh less according to the BMI scale (I think 134 is the top end of "healthy" for my height) and I've spent the last six years weighing between 175 and 210. At my lowest weight of 173 (which only lasted a couple of days), I was pretty happy, but still wanted to lose more. Unfortunately, I've gone back up to about 200-205 pounds, and I think 50 pounds is a good amount to lose from where I am.

    Once I get there, I'd like to focus more on toning for a while. I'd rather be "thick" and toned than thin. I've spent my entire adult life being bigger, which kind of makes me feel safe; I can't run from danger, but I have my weight to back me up in a fight. If I can be 150 without being too flabby, then I'll stop there. If I feel like I'm not where I want to be, then I'll try to lose a little more.

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