How do you decide on YOUR target / goal?

2013Alli

Hi all, hope you are fit and well

I was wondering how you set your weight loss target?

When I joined, I set myself a target of what I want to ultimately be, I found myself taking a deep sigh every time I looked at my ticker telling me how many Lbs to go. I've been watching the olympics and lstening to the inspiring stories from the athletes and their coaches and realised that although they have an end goal (the olympics), they set themselves interim goals along the way - Makes sense.

I ended up changing my profile text, ticker & goal as a result. I have now set myself a 2012 target which I think will be much more motivating for me. Once 2012 is over, I will set myself a new target to get to my end goal.

What about you? Are you using an end goal or an interim goal?

Alli x

jvinmill

I have an end goal set on my ticker, but interim goals on my profile page

skonly

I set mine 10 lbs under what I was before I gained weight. I doubt I will get there, probably won't need to. My body has been through a lot of changes due to health issues and I thought maybe I might need to be a little smaller.

I don't stress about the final goal. 10 lbs at a time. Making it to the next number that ends with a zero is fine with me. 10 lbs is enough to see a difference, especially at my height. 50 lbs made me go from a size 4 to a 12.

Don't look at how many you have left to go. Look at what you have lost. Are you eating better? Look at your foods and take the time to congratulate yourself every time you make a good food choice.

Amryfal

i have an end goal, but it's high. i really have no idea what it will look/feel like because i've never been there, so i plan on reassessing at that point. i may lower it when i get there, or i may switch to a body fat % goal, or i may decide i'm fine there. i can't do smaller interim goals because i'm a very long-term-planning kind of person - if i don't know where i'm expecting to be in the future i can't maintain my motivation.

newmooon56

My original goal was to lose 15 lbs and be back where I was for a LONG time after losing weight the last time. I have reset my goal to 5 lbs less than that. I may even tick it back another 6 lbs. That final 6 lb push would put me at "before babies weight" (oldest is 17 so its been a while since Ive been 118-122)

I was being easy on myself and since I have found new motivation thru this sight and I am doing so well- I continue to re evaluate my goals. I dont want to be fat skinny as ppl call it. I dont expect my before children body but I know I can be the proper weight for my height and have it look toned since Im lifting heavy as I run this fat off.

2013Alli

Thanks for the replies, it's interesting to see how other people are doing it. My 45lbs will put me in certain clothes in my wardrobe that I felt reasonably ok (but not blissfully happy) in and when people commented on how good I looked in, so that's where that one came from. My end goal puts me in a uk size 12 which I would be happy with. I dont need to be skinny, just slim & healthy :-)

skonly

Thanks for the replies, it's interesting to see how other people are doing it. My 45lbs will put me in certain clothes in my wardrobe that I felt reasonably ok (but not blissfully happy) in and when people commented on how good I looked in, so that's where that one came from. My end goal puts me in a uk size 12 which I would be happy with. I dont need to be skinny, just slim & healthy :-)

Slim & healthy sounds good. I've never been skinny in my life. I'm not built that way. When I think of skinny I think of women with no curves or boobs and look like boys from behind. Thin is good. Skinny is growing teenagers. lol

Athena98501

Hi all, hope you are fit and well

I was wondering how you set your weight loss target?

When I joined, I set myself a target of what I want to ultimately be, I found myself taking a deep sigh every time I looked at my ticker telling me how many Lbs to go. I've been watching the olympics and lstening to the inspiring stories from the athletes and their coaches and realised that although they have an end goal (the olympics), they set themselves interim goals along the way - Makes sense.

I ended up changing my profile text, ticker & goal as a result. I have now set myself a 2012 target which I think will be much more motivating for me. Once 2012 is over, I will set myself a new target to get to my end goal.

What about you? Are you using an end goal or an interim goal?

Alli x

For me, it's a weight I was at around 10 years ago (long after I'd had my daughter). That was the last time I felt like I was at a healthy weight. I'm 5'4" with a very large frame, and my goal weight is 135#. If I end up building muscle (which I'd like to do at some point), I'll probably have to raise it.

VinoFonseca

I have lost weight previously, and when I weighed 140, my doctor told me to take off another 10. I was so upset. I had worked so hard to get to 140. After that I put it all back on now I'm trying again, and I set the goal at 130. But really, at 47 and 5'7", I've no idea. When I get down into the 160 range I'll reasses.

FungusTrooper

I set my ultimate goal by this awesome t-shirt:
http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=QW-PERSON&Category_Code=QW#pic


I set two goals on the way, too. I started at 260lbs, and my first goal was 230lbs, then 200lbs, and now my eventual goal is the 176lbs (or 80kg). Nice round numbers.

Athena98501

I have lost weight previously, and when I weighed 140, my doctor told me to take off another 10. I was so upset. I had worked so hard to get to 140. After that I put it all back on now I'm trying again, and I set the goal at 130. But really, at 47 and 5'7", I've no idea. When I get down into the 160 range I'll reasses.

That's awful! :grumble: I'd have been pissed! That's not at all overweight! The top of the "healthy" range for 5'4" is 142 (I don't know for 5'7", but it would have to be at least 10# higher). I'm sorry, but some doctors just talk out of their @$$es! (I've known more than a few I feel that way about.)

If I were you, I'd find one of the websites that determines your frame size from your wrist measurement, and go from there. Unless you have a small frame, you'll want to be either in the middle or the higher end of the "healthy" range for your height.

flyingpurplemonkey

For me, I looked at what is considered "healthy" for my height and then picked a number that was a little below that so I wasn't right on the edge. However, I do not see this as a magical number that I'm desperate to see.

I'm eating healthy, working out and drinking lots of water. I plan on doing this for life. I figure as I have a healthy lifestyle, I'll let my weight fall at what is natural and comfortable for my body and not force it to be at a weight that it doesn't want to be at.

gramacanada

Some people can set long term goals. Everyone is different. I set my MFP goal as my End Result. I don't pay too much attention to weekly losses. As long as one shows up. : ) I have written, in my day planner a 12 % body weight goal. Today's weight then my minus 12 % weight. When I reach that I change it down. Next 12 % . It's a smaller goal than my End Result and a lot easier to aim for. I was going to use 10 %. but that way it was always 10 pounds. Using an odd number you always end up with a different number of pounds to lose. made it more interesting for me. Figure out what a number you can stand to look at : ) is. Everyone is different. As your weight goes down you can raise your %age. Because it will be fewer pounds. I don't know what you weigh or how much you want to lose. I don't need to. Example: 12 % of 200 pounds is 24 pounds. That's a big number. But if you start at 6 % that's only 12 pounds. Much more manageable to start. By the time the hypothetical weight is 160, 6 % is only 9.6 pounds. At that point if the %age is raised, it feels like a major victory. Too long? Rambling? Hope it makes some sense. Good Luck.

speedisoverrated

I picked a number that would have my BMI towards the bottom of the 'Normal' range. As much as I know BMI is as much use as '5 a day', it was a target nonetheless.

Now I'm hovering around that range, I've had to reassess. Picking a weight was one thing, but as I'd now like to tone I'll probably stay at this weight or gain. This doesn't help at all does it. I guess my point is, the ultimate target might end up changing but you still need one that is achievable but also ambitious.