How do you use your weight loss ticker?

pseudotim

Hey everyone - if you use a weight loss ticker, how do you set the start weight and the goal weight? Do you set your start weight as your current weight? Do you set it as your maximum weight, even if you are lighter now?

Do you set your goal weight as your ideal weight or something you will achieve in a near timeframe?

If you tell people how much weight you have lost, what number do you use to subtract from?

Thanks! Tim

kesteele

the ticker goes by when you "check in" it depends on what number you start from.....If you want to see that minus number already then put your highest weight down. I started mine at what I weighed when I started MFP. I don't really "tell" people I've lost weight unless it's a significant amount like over 10lbs. Feel free to add me if you have any more questions!

fatboypup

i use mine to show off my legs :P

beckipercy

Its entirely up to you how you use it as it can be edited at a later date. Personally I would set start weight as your heaviest weight, because then you can see what progress you have already made. And set your goal weight as whatever you think will help more. If you set it as a smaller goal, it can be changed once you reach the goal

cbuggin22

I put my starting weight as what it actually was when I started. I keep my current weight current and set my goal weight in 10 pound increments. It's a mind game I guess, but it seems easier to lose 10 pounds than 100. I just subtract 10 when I reach my goal. I've only done this once so far, but it seems to be working for me.

runnercheryl

I've set my ticker for my weight when I started on MFP, but as you can see I'd been losing before this, so I've mentioned that in the image.

It says I've lost 1lbs, but with the other weight that's 12.8lbs.

My goal weight is my final goal. To me, nothing else matters - there are no 'landmarks'. Any loss is an achievement, why keep working to various 'non'-goals?

Helenatrandom

I used the weight I started at the day I signed up here.
I lost some before that, but I thought starting weight on that date was implied.
Keep in mind, though, that mfp is a tool for you to use, and if you find it somehow more accurate to put down your highest weight, then do so.
As for goal weight, I put down 100 pounds. I need to lose at least twice that, but felt that looking at a number that seems so impossible whenever I come here would discourage me and I'd give up. So I put down something tough but doable, and have resolved to add 50 pounds to that goal when I've lost 75 pounds.

I only talk about my mfp number of pounds lost. Before this, I was trying Slimfast. Not so great nutritionally, I noticed once I started looking at reports. I'd rather talk about what goes on here, in case someone who asks feels they want to lose weight, too and want to do what has worked for me. I don't lie and say "I lost x amount on mfp", but truthfully only mention what I lost using mfp.
Good luck, TIm!

crb1988

I started with my highest weight and my first goal. Now that I am a few pounds away from that I changed it so I can show how many pounds I have left, rather than how much I have lost. When I reach that goal I will change the end weight to my next goal. I will change it back to show how much I lost.

CheleLynn44

I put my starting weight as what it actually was when I started. I keep my current weight current and set my goal weight in 10 pound increments. It's a mind game I guess, but it seems easier to lose 10 pounds than 100. I just subtract 10 when I reach my goal. I've only done this once so far, but it seems to be working for me.

I love setting mini goals like that for myself!! Then I don't feel so overwhelmed knowing I should lose over 150lbs! YIKES!!! See how scary that sounds all at once!!!

I do the same thing with the 10lb increments!!

pseudotim

thanks for all the feedback. has anyone ever set a goal and then gained weight above their start date? did you reset your start weight if this happened? or did you just leave it as it and work to get back below it?

fatboypup

I just left it alone mines said 105lbs lost at times but I go up and down :X

Helenatrandom

thanks for all the feedback. has anyone ever set a goal and then gained weight above their start date? did you reset your start weight if this happened? or did you just leave it as it and work to get back below it?

Not exactly, but I didn't know my current weight when I signed up, so I put in what is was the last time. Then I went back and edited it later. When you check in, there is an option to edit previous entries. I clicked on that and fixed the number a few days later.