6'1 & 230lbs - Reasonable ultimate goal weight?

vidoardes

I am pretty new to dieting, loosing weight and being active, since I let school and stopped playing sports I got very very lazy, and very big (when I started a months ago, I was 240lbs!).

At the moment, I set myself 3 goals. I set the first target to 226lbs, because it is at that point I move from being obese to overweight. It a nice easy target to hit (34lb lost), and gives me a victory. From that point onwards, my next target will be 217lbs (nice easy 9lb down), because that is 15.5 stone, and then I set a third target of 199lbs, to get under the 200lbs mark.

My question is where should I be aiming from there? I know I still have quite a way to reach that point, but I genuinely have no idea what a good final target weight for me should be. I am a pretty big built guy and I am planning to do strength training throughout the whole process, so I am hoping to put on muscle weight as I loose the fat, but I don't know at what point I should switch from loosing to maintaining. I am assuming it will be more of a visual / common sense thing and say " I am comfortable with the way I look and my fitness level, I want to stay here", but I am also guessing there is a good number to aim towards, even if I decide I don't want to go that low / want to go a little lower.

Any help would appreciated here!

BrianSharpe

First, banish the word "dieting" from your vocabulary - think more in terms of embracing a healthier lifestyle, in other words this is something that you can sustain for the rest of your life.

I'm not big on just the number on a scale, it only tells part of the story (same with BMI, you can be muscular & have a BMI that says you're obese...). Having said that at 6' 1" and if your build is a bit on the muscular side I think 200is sounds about right.

How about changing your goal to fitting the same size pants you wore in school?

BTW if you enjoyed sports in school check around for adult leagues. Where I live we have a very active adult soccer scene (men's & women's) with both competitive and recreational leagues for the under 35s and recreational leagues for those of us with a few more grey hairs. Finding activities that you really enjoy makes the whole process a lot easier.

vidoardes

Thanks, some helpful stuff there. I think 14st 4lbs sounds about what I was before I quit smoking, so sounds like a nice target, I appreciate the scales aren't the be all and end all but that coupled with measurements is the most accurate idea I can get of where I am (body fat calculators can only go so far without callipers, and as you say BMI is just a vague marker for the population as a whole).

It's more about begin fitter that thinner for me, loosing weight just happens to be a part of that.

Laura_beau

Hello!

I'm not a man, but I am 6'1" and my goal is to first get under 200lbs and then re-evaluate. I think if you are pretty muscular and this is about fitness, not thinness then I would look at yourself once you get down to 216- that may be perfect for you.

BMI is tosh! So I would set fitness goals, and trouser/pant size goals rather than the number on the scale.

Good luck!