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

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  • chelseachelsea1991
    chelseachelsea1991 Posts: 55 Member
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    I always figured my body would be at 160-that that was where my body wanted to be (I'm 5'10" btw). I wasn't fat or anything-the best word to describe me was "thick". Then I started working out and lost betweeen 15-20 pounds. For a while, I dropped to 137. I loved it! I also found out that I have a smaller frame so being 137 looked good. I've decided to make 128ish my goal weight. Long and lean is my favorite look. :) I guess I never figured I could weigh less than 160 so I'm assuming that's how others feel.
  • Nataliaho
    Nataliaho Posts: 878 Member
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    It's probably a combination of many things and/or different things for different people. For me presonally I have alot of muscle and I always have. The problem with this is that when I was a teenager I was very fit and healthy. I was a state competative swimmer and early bloomer. I always felt fat and was told I was fat... even though looking back my BF% was probably pretty awesome. The effect that had on me as a teenager was to completely give up all sport at the age of 16 because I felt like 'what's the use, even with all my achievements I'll never be good enough". So then of course my weight went through the roof.

    So I wonder if its the chicken before the egg? Maybe some of is who are naturally more muscled and broad are more likley to get big in the first place? Personally I just wish we could broaden the idea of what is 'normal' or 'ok' for women. No one seems to question the fact that some men are big, muscular and broad... they just put them up the front of the football team. Or that some men are small and quick. Yet for women we seem to have a tiny window of what is ok and the rest is just fat.
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
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    Well for me I started out at 140 and im 5'2.. a healthy goal weight range for me is: 120-125 even 130 so yeah
    Im basically staying realistically in my range.. and NOT trying to go under. I just got a call back to be on tv for a tv show called : THE CONFIDENT YOU
    However, I had to turn it down cuz the show required ppl to lose a minimum of 30 pounds and if I did that I would have been at 110 which is WAYYY too low and probably stick like for my frame so yea.. o well sucks but its all good..
  • princessdracos
    princessdracos Posts: 125 Member
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    I'm doing the mini-goals thing someone else mentioned. My first goal is 40 lbs down; then it will most likely be another 30 or 35 depending on how my build is. I've not been at a healthy weight since I was 9 or 10 years old, so I have no idea what will work best for my body. I'm sure as hell excited to find out, though! :tongue:
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,323 Member
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    Awesome replies!

    I was just thinking that last year when I did get down to 146, my hubby thought I was a little too boney. I think when I get down that low, I will work on gaining muscles even more. I am working now on that, so I guess really I'll just be continuing to work on that. :smile:
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    My starting weight was 16 stone (224lbs). My goal weight was initially 11.5 stone (161lbs). This was based on what I thought could be achieved without seeming TOO daunting, and also put me in 'overweight' rather than 'obese'. Then, I would see how I looked and felt and take it from there.

    161 came, and I still definitely stood to lose some weight. Now it's just a work in progress basically; setting smaller targets and seeing how I feel and look (back in the day, for example, I remember thinking 161 would look too thin).

    My next target was 10.5 (147lbs), as that put me in the 'healthy' BMI. I'm at that now, and my next target is 10 stone (140lbs) as I still have some weight to lose. I have leftover flab on my stomach, and everywhere else is pretty much how I want it to be. I don't think I would look scrawny at all at 140, especially as I now carry a fair bit of muscle.

    Who knows? I may get to 140 and then aim for 133. But we'll see :)
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I'm 5'9 and really only had 30 pounds to lose at first(started at 180 and wanted to get to at least 150) now that I'm here, I'm thinking I could lose 10 more and make it down to 140.... but I'm also pretty small as it is... so I may just hang out and maintain what I have.

    It's all a work in progress that changes as my body changes.
  • ShaunaLaNee
    ShaunaLaNee Posts: 188 Member
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    I think because saying 30 lbs doesn't seem as horrid as a 100, I look at 100 and don't see an end in sight, I look at 30 and say " I can do this"
  • amanda8o
    amanda8o Posts: 352 Member
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    I'm 5'5 and currently at 226,my goal weight would be between 130 and 135 but I think mostly it will depend on how I feel once I get to 150ish,I might really like the way my body is and just decide to tone up more instead of worrying about losing the weight so much,it definitely is a personal choice and a self image thing.
  • butterfly10398
    butterfly10398 Posts: 176
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    Me personally, my goal weight is 145, but once I get there, I may lower it... I'm going in with the mindset, that its not a number that is set in stone... I can and probably will lower it as I get closer... We'll just have to wait and see! :-)
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    My goal is to get out of the obese bracket and comfortably into the overweight one. I've no expectations of ever reaching 'healthy' but after years of being obese I think that'll be more realistic for me.
  • wurgin
    wurgin Posts: 241 Member
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    I think folks want to give themselves an acheivable goal... knowing they may re-evaluate later.... at least that is my position. I am starting with an "acceptable" weight, after that I may continue but will have been successful if I do not.
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
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    Everyone is different and has different reasons for setting their goal weights. I think it's best to pick an obtainable goal and one that YOU can be happy with. You can always make adjustments as you go. You may find once you reach your goal you want to get just a little bit more or maybe you are totally satisfied with where you are.

    I am trying to get myself in the mind set that the # on the scale doesn't matter as long as I can fit in my clothes and look good in that bathing suit sitting in my drawer. I am going more for fitness than weight loss. I don't want to look like a body builder (not there is anything wrong with that, so please don't attack me) but I do want muscle definition instead of jiggly flab.

    Good luck with reaching your goal!
  • ChrisIsGrillin
    ChrisIsGrillin Posts: 2
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    I'm focusing on 10% of my body weight at a time.

    I started at ~230- the first 10%(-23) brings me down to 207. the next 10% (-21) brings me down to 186. the next 10%(-19) brings me down to 167. another 10% (-17) gets me to 150. For me, focusing on losing 10% 4 times is a lot easier than focusing on losing 80lbs.
  • noweightfisherj
    noweightfisherj Posts: 220 Member
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    You are awesome! Your testimony that you have here on how you lost the weight sure makes you an inspiration to other. Thanks for posting it.
  • BeckyProctor
    BeckyProctor Posts: 56 Member
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    When I started, I needed to lose about 140 - 150 lbs. That was a bit overwhelming, so I started out with a smaller more manageable goal. My initial goal was to lose 50 lbs. When I reach that goal, I will set it for another 50 lbs and then another 50 to reach my final goal.
  • ppkitten
    ppkitten Posts: 5
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    I agree with blessedmommy, I used mini goals to acomplish weight goals, the reason I did was not to set to high of a goal where I would not get discouraged and overwhelmed. It helps when you have realistic goals. I started out at 217 and im only 5 ft. I do however have a goal weight of 150 that would put me under my bmi from obsese to the next lower one. I started off with 200 as my first goal, 185 second, 170 third, 150 now. I dont think that i could have done as well as i have setting my orginal goal at 150. I like to reward my self at each goal. so it makes it all worth while to me. You need to set you goals at something that is realistic for you, what works for me may not work for everyone. But i'm happy with my results. I now weight 164 and still going forward to reach my goal.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
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    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.

    You can determine your frame by your wrist size. In fact, I am big boned (woman with 7"+ wrist regardless of my weight). I can still be lean and have been in the past. I also tend to build and keep muscle easily, so as I lose weight, I don't care if I lose some muscle, because I know I can adjust for it later quite easily.

    Here's an interesting article on how to test for bodyfat, but in summary, the only surefire way to get an accurate reading is to do an autopsy. Other methods will show a range of results for the same person.

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/02/AR2008050203388_2.html?sid=ST2008050500910
  • MaryBowen27
    MaryBowen27 Posts: 132
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    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.

    Agreed. My highest was 228lbs and my lowest was 142. Right now my goal is 142 and I think it's probably all mental. I have never been 5'6 (nearly 5'7") and 130lbs, however "statistically" 130 may be just right for me. If I hit 142 and I feel like I have more to go, I will. As of now, I think choosing a number, that I have reached before, for whatever reason seems more comfortable/likely/easy to wrap my head around.
  • MaryBowen27
    MaryBowen27 Posts: 132
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    You can determine your frame by your wrist size.

    Just to be devils advocate, I think this is about as accurate as "you know what they say about guys with big feet..."

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