Setting a goal weight?

Loralrose

Noob here! I'm trying to set a goal weight, and not quite sure what to aim for. Currently 5'8" and about 200 lbs. I know that the upper end of "healthy" for a woman my height is 160. Is that a good goal to aim for? Forty pounds just sounds like such a big number to lose, it's kind of daunting....

shadow2soul

You could set your goal to lose 10lbs and re-evaluate when you lose those 10lbs. It is easier for some people to have small goals to work towards, rather than 1 large goal.

My goal is based on a weight that I once was and was happy with. Is it possible that I will change my mind when I get close? Sure. Only time will tell. I've had to stop working towards that goal for now (about 8 weeks or so till I can work on it again), because I'm pregnant. I generally like to focus on things other than the scale though. Like walking 10 miles or running a 5k. I love working towards these goals, because no matter what the scale says when I get that goal, it means that I can do something today that I couldn't do yesterday.

navygrrl

I have a goal weight set, and yes, it seems like a HUGE amount when I think about it. I try to keep my goal weight in the back of my mind, but I also have smaller goals that I focus on so that I don't get overwhelmed. Hitting those small goals are a great motivation for me when I start thinking that it's all too much.

Good luck!

ukaryote

Yes, it sounds very daunting at first. Think of it as carrying around a big bag of dog food, about 40 lbs worth. Every day, every step. You could set a target of 40 lbs and celebrate at each 5 or 10 lbs. I would cheat if my goal was 10 lbs (mine is about 50 lb), but that's just me.

What sounds good to you? No bad way to do it, no criticism. the point is just setting a goal. A 10 lb goal or the final weight?

(and navygrrl, I like the hat)

kluvit

My recommendation is setting a goal that's worth keeping! I think many of us fail to maintain because we don't lose enough to truly feel like it's worth keeping. I say go for the lower end of "normal/healthy" range for your height/frame because at that goal, you're likely to be proud of your body and will fight with everything you have to keep it.

RomulanWarbird

I agree with Shadow2Soul. You can make mini goals for yourself and update, or put it all on your tracker at once. As I was losing weight I realized that 145 would be a little too much for my frame, so I made my goal 140, though eventually, by December, I'd like to be at 135. I've got a little frame. So I'll just make those changes as I get closer to the goals.

I've lost over 100 so far, and I'm a gamer and I'm pretty lazy, so I'm sure you can lose 40!!! I wish you the best!

tinavflynn

It is definitely difficult to look at such a big number. I set my goal to lose 125 lbs. Will I make it there? I'm not entirely sure, but I would like to think so. I also look at weight loss in 10 lbs increments because those seem more attainable than 125 lbs. Try the first 10, as suggested above, and then re-evaluate what seems right for you. Hope this helps! :drinker:

MinnieInMaine

When I first started, I hadn't been anywhere near a healthy weight for nearly 20 years so picking a goal weight seemed quite daunting. I vaguely remembered being in the 130s and 140s as a teen and being pretty comfortable with my shape/size but would that be realistic given changes in activity level, age, etc? So I went with BMI as a guide and decided to aim for the high end of the healthy range for my height (157) As I got closer, I knew that wouldn't quite do and I wanted some wiggle room so I decreased the goal to 150. And who knows, once I get a bit closer, I may decide to aim a bit lower.

There's nothing at all wrong with having a moving target or smaller goals as others suggested.

asciiqwerty

I started at 85kg or 190 lb - I had three goals
1 - the last weight at which I hwas happy and stable (75kg - 165) = -10kg
2 - the top end of the healthy BMI range for my height (71kg - 156) = -14 kg
3 - the healthy weight target set by my doctor (66kg - 145) - which is nearer the middle of "healthy" = -19kg

in MFP i set the lowerst - because that was my ultimate goal, and I hit the first one quite quickly because the first weight come off quickest, I'm now nearly at the second target - so we're getting there, but you have to be patient and dedicated and understand that you rate of loss will diminish

good luck

julez4774

i was told my ideal weight was 9 stone 1 pound which is 127 pound
but felt better when was 10 stone which is 140 pound
want to get to dress size 12 in uk

sweetpea03b

My goal weight is just north of the high end of my "healthy weight range" for my height. I figure, once I get there... it would be pretty easy to lose another 5# to get in the healthy bmi range... if I feel I want/need to.

I've also set mini goals along the way to keep something within reach in a shorter amount of time Good luck!

nomad1000

My goal weight is about 150 but I have a long way to get there so I am breaking it up into smaller parts. My first major goal was 25 lbs, now it is 50 lbs, then it will be 75, then 100, and finally 125.

For me if I had started out with that 125 number in my head every single day, which is a huge and daunting amount that will take over a year to lose, I would have freaked out at every little misstep, every little gain. I guess it is just the trick I play with my mind that an off or up day won't derail me on the way to 50 lbs lost since I had missteps and off days and I lost 25 lbs so I know I can attain my next goal (50 lbs) by the end of summer and move onto my third goal (75 lbs) by the end of the year.

DucklingtoSwan

It sounds to me like a perfectly reasonable goal weight for you (of course that may vary a little depending on your build, but still.) I have a few goals... some immediate and eventual. My "eventual goal-goal" is to lose about 130 pounds (talk about daunting) but I'm just working toward losing an even 100 and then reevaluate from there. That too is pretty overwhelming so right now the first immediate goal is to just concentrate on ten at a time (with a reward at the 50 and 75 marks.)

Like others have said here, it's not always about the numbers. I'm also trying to enjoy non-scale victories like my clothes feeling looser, having more energy or finally seeing the definition in my face coming back :-)

susannamarie

You can change your goal weight as you get lower. Whatever you find most motivating. I've seen people who changed their goal weight every 10 lbs and kept track of the dates the mini-goals were attained in their profiles.

bwogilvie

Since the "normal" range depends on a lot of factors, the top of it isn't bad as an initial target, but it's not necessarily the place you will want to end up. I initially picked 170 lb. as my target (from a high of 214 lb.) but have revised to 155. My real goal is to have a body fat percentage around 15-16%, and the way I'm losing, I should be at or near that goal around 155.

saraharnoldnelson

My goal weight is the weight at which I was healthiest/most active...which is a number FAAAR away from where I am right now. I also keep a chart on my computer with a list of smaller goals. Whenever I reach one of those goals, I add the date to the chart.

klkateri

my goal weight is HUUUUUUGE (100+)
But I set myself up much, much smaller goals!! Like my current goal is 30 pounds. After that, maybe 15?! I just find that smaller goals seem easier to achieve and give me something easier to attain while working towards my big goal.

KingofWisdom

I looked at an ideal weight chart and picked a number that sounded good. I'm not too emotionally attached to it. I'm more concerned with my waist to height ratio.

sheskimtastic

I agree with setting mini goals as you go. When I started it was to at least get active and break 190. And then I aimed for 175. I think if I had just said I want to lose 50 lbs from the get-go, I wouldn't have been as motivated or successful. Don't take me as saying there's anything wrong with setting goals that way. I just know it wouldn't have worked for me.

callas444

I set mine to my ultimate goal weight, which is the weight that will put me in the normal BMI range.

mebepiglet123

Once you get closer to your goal only you will know what goal you want to be at. But I would start at the higher end and re-evaluate once you get closer.

toronto_j

I'm around the same height and started at the same weight...now I'm in the mid-180s. My first goal weight is 170, and then I will evaluate from there. You're not married to any number, though goals of some kind do help, IMO. Maybe try 10 or 20 first?

conqueringweightissues

160 lbs is perfect …. which is a BMI of 24 which is considered very healthy, but slightly depends on your age. If it sounds too daunting, why not shoot for 35 lbs, see how you go ...

Helen

Loralrose

Thanks so much to everyone for your advice! I think I'll keep the 40 lbs goal, but set smaller targets for short-term.

Part of the reason why it seems so daunting is that I've never been that small in my life! In high school I was very active, very fit, and still weighted at least 175. But it's something to work towards, and I can always re-evaluate as I get closer to that ultimate goal.

ericscontreras

I suggest to always set goals with both a number and a time frame. I completely agree that you should break the major goal into chunks For example; if you are trying to lose 40lbs, break that down to 5-10lbs a month.

Starting with 5lbs you will be at your goal weight in 8 months. Not fast enough?... 10lbs means 4 months

Create daily goals like 20 minutes of medium-vigorous activity or keeping snacks to only nuts and veggies. Weekly goals like mastering a exercise movement or finishing an entire spin class, etc.

Try not to focus strictly on weight, keep tabs on changes in waist and hip sizes and body fat %, because your results may not show on the weight scale all the time, but that doesn't mean you are not moving forward.

Last suggestion, Celebrate your accomplishments! Meet a goal reward yourself with a new outfit, a night out with friends, or even a wonderful expensive dinner.

quepretty288

Smaller goals like 5 or 10 lbs at a time are easier to reach. I think it's more encouraging to....baby steps.

JengaJess

Hey! I'm between 5'9" and 5'10" and my highest weight was around 205-210 lbs.
I lost a lot of weight in a short period of time, and dropped down to 157.
After a bad car accident and a death of a loved one, I put a lot of that weight back on.
In August, I weighed in at 183 lbs. Joined MFP in late January, and I'm now down to 167! I'm 10 lbs away from my goal weight.
My point is, you can totally do it!

What I'm doing now that has helped me is I established that goal weight of 157 because I remembered what I looked like and felt like, and I was happy.
But I've established smaller milestones along the way. I usually set small 2 month goals. Every 2 months I try to lose between 5-7 pounds. Setting these attainable goals has really helped to keep me motivated, confident and wanting to continue.
I'm getting closer to my goal weight, and realizing that the number doesn't matter as much as how I feel, how I look and the amount of physical activity I can do now.
Good luck! You can do it!