How did you choose your goal weight??

maria1993

I' 5' 2"
I don't like the idea of looking at some chart and it saying you should weigh X amount of you are of X height and X old.

For my start weight (267 or more) I was wearing about an 18-20 in pants and large-1x shirts.. So even though I weigh so much my clothing size is much smaller than what it is for others my weight. I've seen most people say that they wear 24-28.. So what gives??

I've been able to feel my ribs since before I started this journey. I do have a large and round (yet very firm) butt.. And aside from that most of my weight is on my stomach. I have a muffin top and the pouch thing going. My thighs need work too. But over all, I don't understand where all the weight is. I can even look at pictures of others my weight and it is shocking that they look so much bigger than myself.. My father is about 10 pounds more and I'm like "WHAT?", he looks huge.

But anyway, how did you choose your goal weight?? I didn't want something unrealistic, and I didn't want to be too skinny. I chose 150 as my goal because that is about the same as my aunt and she looks good at that size.

get_fit2009

I just adjusted mine this morning to something more reasonable. I thought back to the last time I could put on clothes without worrying if things were bulging inappropriately and the last time I felt strong and fit and I can remember what I weighed then. SO, that is how I decided on my goal weight.

CherryOnionKiss

I chose my goal weight to be what I weighted before my pregnancy. I gained A LOT of weight when I was pregnant with my son.

mikegohl

I asked my doctor.

onefiveoh

I've also chosen my goal weight as 150 (hence my screen name!) )

According to charts, I should probably be about 133, but I didn't want to use that for a few reasons.

First, it just made it sound like so much further to go! Second, it wasn't a nice, round number like 150 and third, I figured I can always change my goal later. When I reach 150, I can reevaluate whether or not I need to lose more then.

Right now, 150 sounds soooooooooo small so that goal totally works for me!

Good Luck!

dcmat

I knew I had to lose at least 3 stone, so when I hit 4st I adjusted to lose 1 more, at which point I will stop

QueenofCups

Well, when I started this journey in 2009 I was @ 220lbs. I originally said I wanted to lose 40lbs to be at pre-pregnancy weight (and when I was in 12s). Once I hit that I figured I would keep going b/c I wasn't completely happy with my body yet.
When I got married back in 2000 I asked my Dr what weight I should be and she said 150 would be a good weight for me b/c of my body frame size.
When I got into 10s I was 165. I started getting hung up on numbers and so even though I was thrilled to be in my smallest size ever, I wanted to see if I could get to a healthy BMI weight.
I hit 8s @ 155 and was stunned! 8!!! I never in a million years thought I would wear a size 8. I have big hips, always have. BUT, I am @ 150 and STILL not happy. So I changed my goal weight to 140. And I cannot freaking get there to save my life. I work out, change my diet, change my routine, eat more, eat less, cut down on sodium, drink lots of water, etc. Cannot get under 150. Still hate my body.

So, I think this is a lesson. Stop when you like the way you look, when you feel great. Don't get hung up on the number like I am. It's frustrating and sad.

crazyears

I picked the highest weight that would get me out of the "overweight" category. I think I will have to adjust as I go because I cannot imagine weighing 50lbs less than I do now and being able to maintain that weight.

dcmat

I asked my doctor.

Actually, one of the best pieces of advice seen on MFP

nikibob

i looked at the healthy range for a female my height and aimed to be right in the middle of that range. once i got closer to my goal i realized that was way too skinny for my body type and eventually my body quit losing the weight before i was done. pick a goal weight, but don't let that be your black and white, "must attain" number. once your body gets to the weight that it needs to be it will let you know and you will stay there. i hope this helps!

bethdris

My first goal weight is what is on my drivers license, and what I weighed when I got married! (190) Then I changed it to give me a 5 pound leeway (185) Well now I changed it again to (177). I chose this weight because it is what I"d have to weigh to join the military, if anything bad would happen and my hubs couldn't work anymore. (hes our sole income). Of course that is WORST case scenario.


In all reality as long as I'm tone, and healthy, what the scale says needs to be secondary. Good luck on your journey..

By the way I started at 246.2 and am down to 195.6 Im 5'9

Kitiara47

My goal weight is around 160 or so. But in the process, I'm making little goals to reach. Try that. Make little goals of about 20 or so pounds and see where you are. Use a measuring tape and taking measurements of your waist, thighs, and whatever else about every 2 or so weeks so you're not just relying on the scale. We are all built differently.

ejmcam

My goal weight is my pre pregnancy weight, because that was a healthy weight for me. But I think that going by a chart is not such a bad thing....the reason healthy weight ranges are so broad is because they take into consideration the different body types. I think you should find out what your healthy weight range is for your age and height and then shoot for somewhere in the middle, or make an appt with your doctor and ask them what they think you shoudl shoot for.

dianichole73

I am also 5'2 and I know the goal weight is between 104 - 136 lbs. My goal weight is much higher. I carry the majority of my weight as the bottom (butt, hips & thighs). I am currently 165lbs and I am happy. I only want to lose another 5 -10 lbs. I don't pay attention to the BMI chart because it is a one size fit all and I don't fit into that box. I use other alternatives such has waist to hip ratio and different measurments to determine if I am on the right tract. My main goal is to get rid of the chub rub because this is my most problem area. When I reach that goal then this will become my goal weight.

booberj

I asked my Dr. he has a different view of weight than what a lot of Dr. do... he believes in taking into consideration someones natural build, bone mass, muscle mass and how you feel. He wants me to be between 250 and 220 he said any less than 220 would almost be impossible for me to achieve so why should I try to kill my self trying to be 165 like the BMI charts say I should be I'll never achieve it.

So I chose 220

catherine1979

I chose a weight at which I can recall being happy with my body. My goal is fluid though, I'll know it when I get there.

AngieM76

My goal weight is 160 and I just chose a number between what the charts say is a healthy weight for my body type and height. When I get closer to that, I may change it but I just needed somewhere to start.

maritimemom

First, it just made it sound like so much further to go! Second, it wasn't a nice, round number like 150 and third, I figured I can always change my goal later. When I reach 150, I can reevaluate whether or not I need to lose more then.

Right now, 150 sounds soooooooooo small so that goal totally works for me!

Dito for me! I chose 150 for pretty much the same reasons. I also plan on re-evaluating once I get to that goal.

Shutterpillar

i chose my weight based on what I used to weigh before I picked up 20 pounds in 6 months.

eates

I thought about the last time I felt comfortable with how I looked. My goal weight will likely change because the last time I was there was before 2 pregnancies and c-sections. It's at the high end of healthy BMI for my height but because of my build I think it's a reasonable goal. I'll re-evaluate once I get within 10 lbs of my goal though.

mlweaver89

I went off of what I used to weigh in high school, but I also don't have a particular set weight that I'm desperate to be at. I decided quite some time ago that as long as I can look in the mirror and just look good and toned, I'll be satisfied.

jessradtke

I think it's hard to pick a goal weight because, as you pointed out, people can carry the same weight very differently. I personally just want to get back to what I used to weigh before I develop the health problems that caused the weight gain. If I didn't have that to go by, I would probably start by setting my goal at the higher end of a healthy weight range for my height.

funkyspunky871

I remembered a friend of mine in 7th grade complaining about being 130 pounds and fat. I didn't think she was fat at all.... So, 130 has become my goal weight. (And it just so happens to be right about in the middle of the healthy BMI chart) But, since I've never been skinny before, I don't know how I'll look at 130 pounds. I might stop at 145 or keep going to 120. Who knows? mybodygallery.com also helped me to decide. I look up pictures of girls 130 pounds and 5'7' and yep. That's what I'm going for! LOL!

beach_chelle

I also agree with you that looking at all of those charts can be unrealistic for some people, myself included. So I went through some old pictures from High School (my goodness I couldn't believe how skinny I looked, and I thought I was fat!?!?!) and choose that weight (160 lbs) once I reach that weight if I want to lose more I will, but I know I look great at that weight based upon my build. So based on what you are saying on your build I would maybe go a little more than what the chart says. Check out some reading on body shapes and types.

tam120

Normal weight for my height (5') is between 97 and 127, I cannot imagine being under 100 lbs - I think I'd be a skeleton. I like 120 because it's an even number and it's under the high point for my range. I think if I ever get there I might try for 115 or 110 just to see if it works for me but I'm not holding my breath.
BTW - at 5', my high weight was around 235 and I would have never fit into an XL shirt and I was in a 20/22 jeans. Of course I wasn't comfortable in anything that wasn't loose fitting so that may be the difference.

flausa

I didn't have a goal weight to start with, because I knew I just had a lot to lose. But I finally decided to go see my doctor, because there can be such conflicting advice out there. He told me he didn't want to see me under 11 stone (which by my scale at home will be about 10 1/2 stone), because he says I have a large frame (I thought I had a small frame based on wrist and elbow measurements, but I'm extremely broad across my shoulders). I'm 5'4," and I think that sounds a completely acheivable and sustainable target!

potluck965

It's a really tough question, actually. I suggest you start with something that you feel is attainable and go from there. I have revised mine down by ten pounds and may go down some more. After all, it is just a number that you are picking out of the air based on some past experiences or future hopes. It is not set in stone. You need to find something you can be happy with and most importantly, be able to maintain.

tatiana_13

First, I did use the BMI charts. Because, as much as we like to think we're individuals, we're not that individual...and, i do think our eyes play tricks on us. When we've been bigger for a long period of time, we can fool ourselves into thinking we are smaller than we truly are (or, when others around us are large, our eyes tell us that we're smaller than they are, so we must be just fine). The BMI charts give most of us a 30 pound range...large enough for most individual variation. And, most clinicians will say that, for health, being in the low end of the overweight category is just fine, giving most of us an additional 10 pounds to play with. So, my first weight goal was for the low end of the overweight category. For my health, that was the golden spot.

But then, as you say, charts aren't everything. I was still pretty fat at that weight. Was I going to die of a heart attack? Probably not. But I don't have big bones and do not have "an athletic build," so I was plenty pudgy. So, I just kept resetting my weight goal to match the size I thought I wanted with a body fat percentage I thought I could maintain (with the amount I wanted to workout...which is not very much).

But generally speaking, I think folks with alot to lose, start worrying about this way to early. If you have more than 20 pounds to lose, don't worry about this. Really. Because you have no idea. You're going to change your mind 20 times.along the way. You might decide to become a power lifter and not lose another pound and become all muscle. Or become a marathon runner and become stick think. Don't get mired in BMI controversies and what you want to weigh and what percentage of macronutrients are the best.... Just stick to the basics and lose one pound at a time. You'll figure the rest out. Everything else, at this point, is pure distraction.

CirrusMoth

I was at my most fit when I was in high school. I, like most teens, seemed to have ballooned in middle school. I wanted to be healthier...alright, I wanted to look hot. My deadline was prom. After about a year I was looking pretty good. Partly my success was due to heavy amounts of exercise (Cardio Karate) in hour long sessions 3-4 times a weeks, partly my age (wow it was easier back then!), and thanks to the guidance of a very nice nutritionist.

You see, I use to be hung up on the numbers. For my height (5'4") and frame (medium), the charts say I should weigh between 124 and 138 lbs. At my BEST, I never broke 150...and while I could have been thinner, most of that was in my belly (damn stupid stubborn belly-fat). My nutritionist cautioned me that she would be worried if I dropped below 140 lbs due to my frame. I'm more inclined to believe her over some random chart. Go clothes shopping sometime if you want to know whether most "experts" know the shapes of average people.

So, I set my goal at 140. I want to see if I can get in better shape then when I was younger. When I get there, I can re-evaluate if I need to lose more or if it's just a matter of toning up.

My advice: don't hang up on the pounds so much. Pay attention to your BMI, that is a much truer indication of whether or not your healthy. Good luck!

yanicka

I started by choosing the highest weight to have a healthy BMI, then I had to re evaluate is that was what I wanted (it's not). So what I will do is lose 5 more pounds end then see if how I feel. Hopefully I wont lose more in the chest!!!

Zeromilediet

A couple of things--first, my bone structure is petite (5.5" wrist circumference--genetics), and second, recalled what weight I felt and looked my best. In my adult life I've sometimes weighed less than that, but I'm at a place in my life now that being a hard body isn't what I want so much as general good health and balance.