The more you weigh when you first start trying...

Amy_B

to lose, the higher your goal weight?


I have seen several threads where people asked goal weights for certain heights. A lot of people will say their starting weight. I've noticed many people who have only 30 or less pounds to lose want a lower goal weight. People who started out pretty overweight would be okay with a higher goal weight. Why do you think that is? (I am sure this is not always the case, but it's something I've noticed...probably because I fall into the latter group.)


I started at 260. I would be happy at about 140-145. I know for my height, 5'5", some wouldn't be happy until they were 125-135. I think I am just getting tired of trying so dang hard to lose that last little bit of weight after working so long and hard to lose the first big chunk that a higher goal weight would be fine with me.

Zombierawr

I think it also depends on your bone structure as well. Like you, I'd be happy in that range. But mostly because I feel I'd look sickly below that.

But really I just set huge mile stones, and if I feel like still going after those, I will! My first one is in 2 pounds – it was the weight I was prior to taking steroids. And I know I'll keep going to my next milestone- about 20 more pounds.

misscristie

Realistically, if you've been carrying a LOT of extra weight (like me) for a long time (like me) you have additional muscle mass, increased bone density,etc that makes weighing less not overly realistic.

TotalTiger

I think it's because we can't imagine being that low.I speak in kg (and my son has disappeared with the calculator to convert) but I can't imagine below 80 which is still overweight for my height (166cm) so I'm only aiming for that. If or when I get there, then I will readjust my goals.

abberbabber

I fall into the latter category as well, lol. Maybe we just can't even fathom being that low? I know I've been saying I'll be happy at 180 (I'm 5'8") but who knows? I will say, that I see women my height at weights lower than my "goal" talking about losing and I think how happy I'll be to have their bodies lol.

Jennical

My goal weight was 145 from 154 mainly because it was the lightest I'd ever been in my adult years and didn't even think it was possible to get there again. When I actually did, and realised it was very possible and not as difficult as I'd imagined, I have set a new goal weight of 124 pounds. I am 5 ft short. and loving the transition!!!!

Blessedmommy_2x

For me...My goal weight is 170 because it puts me in a healthy BMI.While I know many women at my height (5 9.5) on here are trying to get in the 140s. Even when I was in my best shape I was 155lbs. Its been many years and two kids later so I set my goal higher.

THAT SAID now that I am getting closer to that goal I am seeing myself wanting to get EVEN LOWER.

I think many times people are setting higher goal weights so that the journey ahead doesn't look AS out of reach. They set mini goals the whole way through to make it so that they can push to each goal without feeling overwhelmed with the bigger picture.

ALSO a large part of it is that they either have never been at that weight as a adult and don't know whether its realistic. Or they don't know what that weight would "look like" on them so they can't set their "actually goal weight" until they are closer to that goal.

NCTravellingGirl

I read an article once that talked about exactly this. Their theory was how those with more to lose chose a higher final goal weight because their idea of what they would look like or should weigh is skewed. It discussed how those seriously overweight tend to start adjusting their end goal as they lose because it doesn't seem as far fetched any longer to go even lower.

When I started on MFP over a year ago (old account), I was 282... 225 seemed like a huge improvement so I set that as my goal. As I got closer to that weight, now I have adjusted my goal down to 200. Now that I'm most of the way there, I'm already thinking of 175!!

It's all perspective I think! I couldn't imagine being under 200 when I was 282, so I wouldn't have chosen that as a goal! Good luck whatever your goal is (now!)...

Christine1110

I started at 232 and I'm 143.6 today I am also 5'5" and I still have about 15 pounds to go. I have a muffin top that needs a new home!

Jweb8969

i am 5'4" - 5'5" (depends who you ask) and started out at nearly 300 pounds. my goal weight at this point is 180. i know that that is still way over the 'recommended' healthy weight, but the last time i weighed that much i felt great and looked fit. so, for me right now, 42 pounds down, i'm sticking with that - FOR NOW! lol

(edit) PS: way to go to you on your weight loss, btw!! :flowerforyou:

bulletprooff

For me personally, I haven't really thought of it in terms of my "ULTIMATE GOAL" because It would seem far harder to lose 100lbs instead of breaking it down into increments, like first goal, 30lbs, second goal, another 20lbs and so on until I'm at a healthy weight. Not only is it easier, but also you want what you don't have, the grass is always greener I suppose.

Hickyvikki69

i am going to be happy at 170lbs. actually im happy at 193 but i dont want to be a twig again i just want to be happy.

bonniejo

I also think that there might be a muscle factor. I bet that you at 140 will have more muscle and less fat than most people at 140, since you'll have been working out

usmcmp

I actually adjusted my goal up. I started at 217 and wanted to go for 140 pounds. I'm about 164 now and I know that 140 would make me look sick and it wouldn't be healthy. It is harder when you have lots to lose to know where you should/could be. I think setting a higher goal and adjusting when you get closer is healthier than setting a low goal and hurting yourself to get there.

MCinSoCal

I'm also 5'5" and my goal weight is around 135, that's the lowest I want to go. I've been 120-125 before and I looked awful because I'm naturally curvy and at that low my face looked sunk in and just yucky...that's about the ONLY thing I don't like about losing weight is my face changes, I like having a fuller face...but that's just me I guess, lol.

Oh I got off-topic, ok so before I was always wanting to lose weight, and that's WHEN I always weighed what i now my goal of around 135, i wanted to be 125, but now that I weigh more I would be VERY happy to be 135-140 again, heck, even 150 will have me doing cartwheels!!!

jacqui1612

The only reason I could think is that maybe because a person is heavier they may be happier to still be a little bit heavier than others because they are already bigger. I would imagine that once they get down close to their goal weight they will adjust it to a lower weight because they have proven to themselves that they can loose weight and that it is possible.
I also speak in kilos. I was 80 when I started loosing weight.. So that puts me about 176 lb. I wasn't huge or anything to start with. I was to be 60 kg which is pretty small.. I could not even get there because of bone structure etc. Im going to give it my best shot though

wonderkitten711

Realistically, if you've been carrying a LOT of extra weight (like me) for a long time (like me) you have additional muscle mass, increased bone density,etc that makes weighing less not overly realistic.

This. I'm 5'8" and theoretically I should get down to 135-165. Problem is that I have ~140 pounds of lean body mass already, and I'm striving to maintain as much of that as possible (lifting, ftw!), so my goal weight is 175-180, which would be a healthy body fat level for me. When I get there I may decide I want to go lower, but honestly, to get much lower than 170 I would have to start losing significant amounts of muscle as I lose weight and that's not part of the getting healthy plan I've got going.

wonderkitten711

Oh, also, I am genetically "blessed" in the curves department, and I know that even when I'm "skinny" I will still have a somewhat exaggerated hourglass figure (like every other woman in my entire family), so combine that with higher muscle mass and a large frame and I'm pretty sure I'd look anorexic if I aimed for what would be a healthy bmi for my height.

shaelataylor

for me its because i have never been smaller than about 15 or 20 pounds above my goal weight so i dont know what i will look/feel like at that point. i plan to reach my goal and then reevaluate from there. nothings set it stone...im just giving it a guess

PunkyRachel

I started at 225, my goal is 145. Once I get there I will decide if I want to try for 125 or just maintain. For me 145 is the high end of a normal BMI, that's my only goal really is to get in a healthy range.

I think it is just the fact that since they were a lot heavier and therefor will be content at a higher goal.

Sublog

Most people who are obese or morbidly obese think they are "big boned" or "thick" or have a large frame. In the end, when you get a low body fat, most people fall within a very small distribution of weight based on height.

People underestimate their fatness.

Some people are okay with remaining fat, but just being less fat.