Need help- How did you choose your goal weight?

jennau1

Hi all,

I've been thinking about something a lot lately and that is my "goal weight". At my heaviest, I was 287pounds. That was only two weeks ago. When I saw that number on the scale I committed to making a lifestyle change. But here is when it gets tricky....what is the numerical goal? Currently, it is 175 pounds. I chose that number because that is the lowest weight I remember being, in middle school. I have pictures from then, and I can't help but think "if only I could look like that again..."
But here is the catch, for my height (I'm 5'7") and age, I would still be in the obese range on BMI.
I know that everybody is different, but how did you chose your goal weight? Is it what you envision yourself being? Is it the healthy weight for you based off BMI? Based off your doctor or trainer?

Any input would be awesome!

The struggle is real.

Xoxo

Nimhel

I am 5'8 and I originally chose 145 lbs because it would put me smack in the middle of a healthy bmi. But at the moment I'm at 164 and I think I would be happy with only ten more pounds. Sometimes it's hard to tell where you want to be until you get there. I think you should keep 175 as your goal weight and then reevaluate when you get closer! Good luck!

zoeysasha37

Hello :-)
When I started, I picked my goal weight as 135 lbs because I remembered how I looked at that weight, and I also used those online calculators to see if it was a good healthy weight. Now I personally don't have a goal weight anymore. I now have a goal body. Hope that makes sense. LOL! Instead of worrying about a number, I just concentrate on what I'd like my body to look like.
I reached the 135 goal weight, btw. I'm 5"8 tall. But like you said, everyone is different so certain weights will look different on different people :-)

fit2014yay

I chose the weight I was in college. It seemed pretty impossible at the time, but I'm 3 lbs away from it now. :happy: I've already decided to go lower, to shoot for what I weighed in high school, because I've proved to myself that I can do this.

Also, once I reach my initial GW, I plan to start toning - probably lost too much muscle along the way.

I'm 5'7", initial GW is 140.

keobooks

I did a similar thing. I picked 120 because I was that size when I was 25. I was very active and athletic (rock climbing and performing in plays) and because I have a small frame and am short I think its reasonable to be that size again. I also picked it because it was almost exactly in the middle of the BMI chart for normal weight for me. (109-140 pounds) I also picked 120 because when I started I was 240 and the idea of losing almost exactly 50% of my body weight sounded appealing to me.

I know I won't look like I did at 25. For one thing, I intend to do heavy cardio workouts because that's what most of the group exercise at the Y near me is. Rock climbing is a weight training exercise so I won't be as compact or skinny as I was. I'm also 42 now, so I'd be fooling myself if I thought I could look 25 again.

I'd say you picked a very attainable goal if you are still obese when you get to the "end". Once you get down there, you can see if you are satisfied or if you want to go for a few more pounds. Also if you do a lot of weight training, you could possibly look really trim but have dense muscle mass and weigh that much , but be thinner than ever.

mvfoster

I agree with many of the other posts here. Go with the original goal you set for yourself. You can always reevaluate that goal when you near it, or reach it. You may also want to set some interim goal as well. Something in between the 175 and your current weight, aim for that first. Goals are much more attainable when you chunck them out. Good Luck.

sun_fish

As other people have said, I picked a goal weight that I remembered feeling good at. Somewhere along the way, I decided I would focus more on a body fat percentage as a goal. Then, I realized that was just another number to obsess over. So now, my weight goal is to be able to look in the mirror, and say, yeah, that's it.

JBfoodforlife

I agree with many of the other posts here. Go with the original goal you set for yourself. You can always reevaluate that goal when you near it, or reach it. You may also want to set some interim goal as well. Something in between the 175 and your current weight, aim for that first. Goals are much more attainable when you chunck them out. Good Luck.

This... Win the small victories and before you know it you have won the battle... Good luck and fall on your friends here when you need them most!

gypsy_spirit

As other people have said, I picked a goal weight that I remembered feeling good at. Somewhere along the way, I decided I would focus more on a body fat percentage as a goal. Then, I realized that was just another number to obsess over. So now, my weight goal is to be able to look in the mirror, and say, yeah, that's it.

You saved me from typing this. My thoughts exactly. :drinker:

mzbek24

I think really you've got to think about what will make you feel and look your best as well as just a number on a scale.
I've got to the point where I honestly have got no idea what my goal weight would even look like on me, I don't recall ever being that light even in my teens, maybe when I was 12 or something.

So I'm just going to try and work on strength training to improve how it looks, and also monitor and see how I start to feel as I get closer. I'm also a bit worried it would make me very flat chested or something so I'm conscious of that.
I'm 5'9" and goal weight is 65kg, because when I was 85kg two years ago, I had PCOS and a specialist I saw told me I should get down to 65kg...I'm 73kg and was told that I show no signs of it now though, so possibly I'm just going to keep working towards it but watch and see where I go from here, stop if I'm happy with how it all looks before then.

ninerbuff

Find out your lean mass.

Then use the formula:

Lean mass/(1 minus bf% desired)

So for instance if you're 120lbs of lean body mass and want to be 25% body fat then the equation is:

120/.75= 160lbs


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

RaspberryKeytoneBoondoggle

I agree with all the advice here.

contingencyplan

Don't choose a goal weight. Assuming you're doing the right kind of exercise combination and eating enough you will see increases in lean body mass along the way that will throw off your original estimates of your goal weight. I would say don't bother with a goal weight.

sappy42

I chose 120 because that's about what I weighed before I had my first child. But as I lose the weight, I realize what I really want is for my body to be a certain way. I wanna lose what I gained around my middle and slowly its coming off. I'm 5'4" and 37 years old and small framed so I may be able to go a little lower on the scale as long as my measurements come out the way I want. We'll see...

AngeliqueAcee

I picked it by, as many other, checking my BMI, which at 174cm (5'8"ish) is between 56-70 kg, I just picked what I thought would be good for me.

I'm more interested in my body and how it looks than the weight though.. I've always been very skinny looking for my weight. I was 76kg and looked like I weighed no more than 65kg. But I think just go with a BMI weight and then when you get close you just re-evaluate and look at how your body is, how you're feeling and if you feel you need to lose more to look and feel the way you want to

I've also set little mini-goals, like 76kg -> 70kg -> 66kg -> 62kg! Make every little step feel like a victory!

RabbitLost

As other people have said, I picked a goal weight that I remembered feeling good at. Somewhere along the way, I decided I would focus more on a body fat percentage as a goal. Then, I realized that was just another number to obsess over. So now, my weight goal is to be able to look in the mirror, and say, yeah, that's it.

You saved me from typing this. My thoughts exactly. :drinker:

^^^ So this!

Bernadette60614

I don't worry all that much about the number, I try to focus on my habits. My goal is to eat 10 servings of veggies a day, 2 fruits, and adequate protein, sleep 8 hours a night. The numbers seem to go down on their on if I stick to that general plan.

The other piece I look at is my athletic goals. I do stairclimbing, and at my last competition I did 54 flights in under 13 minutes (well, just 15 seconds under). I'd like to get it down to under 10 minutes, that means lighter and stronger.

mp5girl

I'm only 5'4 with a thicker German frame and I chose a goal of 160. Statistically that's still 'fat' but I figure at that point, I can work on more fitness related goals and not worry so much about what the scale says. I'm not worried about the end number as much as I am about how I feel, how my stamina is, and how strong I am. I do not want to get winded every time I go up my stairs.

battybecks

Mine was bang smack in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height. I'm one lb off it now, and I'm re-evaluating. What someone said above - the goal is not a number anymore, but looking in the mirror and approving of what I see!

Keep to your goal if you want, re-evaluate it now if you want. I think most people change their mind and set different goals at some point - whether that's because they get to goal and think there's more work to be done, or whether it's because they decide they look great before they get to the arbitrary number. It's important to have one, because it's incredibly motivating, but it doesn't have to be set in stone.

Good luck!

BurntCoffee

My husband completely disagrees with my goal weight. He thinks it's too thin. But I chose it based on several things. The first is that it is on the lower end of a healthy weight for my height. I'm 5'6" and I chose 123. I am however concerned that I selected a number that is too low since it is based on a small frame. I don't know what a small frame looks like. How do you know what size frame you have? Also, I weighed 135 6 years ago and 123 before I had children. The goal seems reachable for me but I still don't know if it is reasonable. I just don't know. I guess I will know when I get there.

DellaWiedel

I chose my goal weight similar to how you chose yours. At my healthiest, when I was younger and working out all the time, I weighed 150 and wore a size 8, so I'd like to get back to that. I'm 5'5" and a lot of those weight charts say that I need to weigh 135. The only time I have ever weighed that low was after being sick for 2 weeks and being in the hospital, and I thought I looked way too thin. I do have a curvy figure though, the typical hour glass figure with hips and a bust. lol. I guess for women who are 5'5" who have narrower hips and shoulders 135 might be just fine, but not for me. I think you'll know when you feel healthy. Don't put too much stress on the charts, every person is different.

KirstenRLD

I picked a GW in the healthy range for my height, and one I feel like I'd be able to maintain easily.

DeterminedFee201426

i choose my goal weight by my imagination i just think of how my body would be if i were to wei the goal weight and go for it
current weight 122 goal 112 pounds i have a big imagination :laugh:

143tobe

I think your goal of 175 pounds is right on. It is the thinnest you can remember yourself being, and you have a photo to back it up. For you, that is a very realistic, and reachable goal. To set it any lower might not register as truly reachable to you, possibly setting yourself up for failure. I am 5'4" and I set my goal at 143. That is actually barely in the acceptable range if I remember, but it was the lowest I can remember myself being without having to work out every day. I am now halfway to my goal, and my plan is that when I do reach it, my aim is to maintain that weight while building muscle. Then 6 months down that road I will probably make it a goal to lose another 10, but honestly, if I were to be able to maintain 143 for the rest of my life I would be happy as a clam.

PinkNinjaLaura

I hired a trainer last year and when he asked me my goal weight I said 150. That's still a lot for my height (I'm 5'2") but I was starting at 230 and I didn't want to sound unrealistic. I didn't actually expect to get there, but I was thinking it would be nice to at least get out of the 200s. When I got to 175 I realized I could get lower than 150. At that point, like a lot of other people who have posted here, my goal weight became whatever number was on the scale when I was happy with my body.

I've been running & strength training for over a year so I'm in a smaller size now than I was on the way up at the same weight (I'm in a size 8 now vs a size 12 at this weight when I wasn't working out). I was 110 pounds when I graduated from high school, but now I think the lowest I could go is 130. That might even be pushing it so right now I tentatively have 135 in mind, but again I'll have to see where I end up. I'm in a size 8 now and would like to be in a comfortable 6. I think 136 is where I move into the "normal" range for BMI.

SuperJo1972

I am using my weight aged 18-19 (10 & 1/2 to 11 stone) as my goal as I remember being healthy and feeling relatively content with my size back then. But this is in conjunction with my GP's advice. She recommended that I see how I feel at 11 stone and not go lower than 10 stone.

But I have found that my goals are all changing as I get closer to my target. I would still like to end up in this range, but I am aiming to increase my muscle mass and decrease mt body fat, so that I may weigh more in the end, but will be shapelier and fitter.

I would recommend a chat with your healthcare provider when deciding your goal.

cassie4animals

I chose the goal weight that my doctor recommended. He actually recommended a range, and I selected the middle of the range.

keobooks

Oh one more thing -- there's nothing set in stone with a goal weight. You may get 10 or 20 pounds away from your goal and say "This is fine right where it is!" I had a friend IRL who did that. She was going to go to 110, but when she got to 130, she decided that was too scrawny looking and went back to 135 and stayed there. 110 was fine when she was in high school, but not for a woman with 2 kids in her opinion. I've never heard anyone say she failed at her goal because she never made it to 110. She looks great now and can keep that weight stable -- so who cares?

zoeysasha37

As other people have said, I picked a goal weight that I remembered feeling good at. Somewhere along the way, I decided I would focus more on a body fat percentage as a goal. Then, I realized that was just another number to obsess over. So now, my weight goal is to be able to look in the mirror, and say, yeah, that's it.

Exactly what I was trying to say! :-)

EllaIsNotEnchanted

I go for my goal look. Not weight. Muscles.

sadrithmora

I am using my weight aged 18-19 (10 & 1/2 to 11 stone) as my goal as I remember being healthy and feeling relatively content with my size back then.

This as well, used to be 114 lb. But I don't think there's any problem with re-evaluating your goal once you reach it either. Just don't go for anything unrealistic (too low weight or too fast loss).