How do you determine your weight goal?
emileesgram
Posts: 141 Member
I know there are charts out there telling us a range of what we should weigh, but I was just curious how people are determining their weight loss goals. Are you looking to reach a specific weight? A certain size? Going by the charts? I am not sure at what point I should stop trying to lose weight. I am technically still in the overweight range, having gone from 194 to 163, but I am wearing a size 8 or 10 clothes. My BMI is still in the overweight category too. I feel great and don't want to get caught up in well maybe if I lost more....any thoughts?
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Replies
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If you feel comfortable they stay where you are. And if you happen to loose another 5lbs thats great.. At least you wont be under weight. Those chats are just guide lines. My goal is go get down to 160. I was 130 before and i feel that i was too small.. For my bone size and my height i was very boney. Now i have to loose another 40lbs to get to my goal. Congrats on your weight loss!0
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I don't necessarily have a goal weight. I just want to get healthier and have more energy. I'll stop losing when I think I look good enough to stop.
If you feel good where you're at right now then stop. You've done great.0 -
I agree, go with how you feel (as long as you're fairly honest with yourself.) The BMI charts are nonsense when it comes to choosing a goal weight for one's self, in my opinion. I'm aiming for a weight under where I was last at when I was looking good, just because I want to try to get there and have a little cushion for fluctiation without feeling bad about myself, but I will probably just stay at whatever weight I feel the best at whenever I get there.0
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I don't really have a weight goal per say, I would like to get back to 150, that was the weight I was most comfortable at, I was as small as 110 and I know that is not healthy for me. I am more interested in being healthy and feeling good, if I get to that and I weigh more than 150 then that will be just fine.0
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For me weight is not the target - getting under a 30% body fat is where I'm going.0
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I'll be happy when the things that shouldn't jiggle don't.
What the weight will be is sort of interesting from the reference point of view but not really important for me.
Having previously driven myself mad by hopping onto the scales regularly I'm only going to weigh myself when I'm content with the jiggle factor.
After this I'll pretty much eat as I do now, no point in changing anything ...0 -
I'm going by a weight that I used to be and was comfortable at. Once I get there (or close), I'll decide if I can lose more or not.0
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For the average person BMI gives a very wide range for a healthy weight. It clearly states that it is not perfect--and that if you are very short, very tall or very muscular that this range may not be correct. I am also a woman of a certain age. My goal weight is five pounds overweight---BUT recently I have taken a really honest look at pictures from when I was that "perfect" weight. I felt good, but when I am really really honest I see that I was overweight. So go by how you feel--but do be very very honest about the results. Also what I did was look up what it will take to maintain a certain weight at my age--and am trying to decide what lifestyle will be reasonable for the rest of my years.0
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My doctor suggested a weight for my next yearly physical to try to get around to and I've recently hit that. But about halfway through losing that weight, I've kind of come to the conclusion of clothing size I'm aiming for. I'm not too far off that, you find what feels happy for you and go for that, when you get close you start to feel it. For me, my biggest motivation was to be able to do things without getting tired to easily and I'm definitely getting close to that!0
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I want to be what I was a few years ago: happy, healthy, and curvy, and that happens to be right in the middle of what my normal weight BMI range is. Do whatever makes you feel good about yourself. (:0
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About BMI, I'll just leave this link here. PLEASE take the time to look at it!
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmg0e3ITXE1qkalpio1_400.gif0 -
Initially, I set my weight goal at my High School graduation weight.
When I reached that, and still had some jiggle 'round the waist, I dropped the goal 5 more lbs. (muscle loss in old age, I guess).
Lately....I've fallen off the "track my ins and outs" wagon (keying after eating, so the damage is done)....and the scale punished me for it. I'm back at it now, sorta.....if I could just get that BACON message board topic off my mind
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My doctor set a goal of 150 which is the high side of my height. I like where I'm at but would like to lose 10 more pounds. I love going into a store and finding clothes that I like.0
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Losing weight is only for people who want to, so there is no reason to do it if you are fine with your current state. I have a certain figure/model size I want to get to, I'm not entirely sure what weight it equals, and I've had to adjust my goal as I make progress.0
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My lowest weight was 145. I looked great but do feel I could have lost a few vanity pounds. I tried figuring out what would be a good weight by frame size measurments but it came back inconclusive. My wrist measurments go with a small frame and measuring between the bones by your elbow gave me a medium to large frame. So my goal is 10lbs heavier than the lowest healthy weight listend for a large frame. Not sure if its going to work out or I will feel comfortable at that weight but its a goal. (20 less than my ticker)0
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My aim was the middle of the healthy category on the BMI charts. I think that's a pretty good place for most people to start.0
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I felt good and feel like I looked good in photographs at my lowest weight in high school.. so I am setting my goal to that. Once I get there I will judge how I'm doing and go from there. Honestly, it's all about myself feeling healthy at this point. I want to be fit enough to do anything I set my mind to.. so if I find that I'm not at my potential goal weight, I'll change it. ^_^0
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I call my weight goal my "arbitrary weight goal". Officially, it is 164. 163 is the highest number for the "large frame" category for women who are 5'7". 164 is a nice round 140 pound weight loss. 141 would upset the OCD in me.
I've only weighed in the lower 160s once at my adult height and I was 17/18 years old. At the time, even though I remember looking in the mirror, hunting for fat and for places I needed to improve, I had a really hard time finding figure flaws. HOWEVER, it was impossible for me to imagine that I could weight 160+ pounds without being disgusting, so I continued to assume I was horribly overweight, in spite of what i saw in the mirror.
With benefit of hindsight, I now realize I may have honestly been in the ball park of the ideal weight for me at that time.
So, I picked an arbitrary goal of 164.
What I hope to do is to have some body composition tests done at a nearby university when I get down close to 170 and just see what it says. I suspect it will honestly be difficult to figure out if I'm close to a good weight because I'll have floppy skin that will add both bulk and extra weight. I'd like to be around 20% BF.
If I can't do the testing, I'll just lose until I'm happy and find clothes I like, invest in a wardrobe of spanx to firm things up, and make it up as I go. Hey, maybe I'm even closer to my goal than I think I am!! 
Shannon0 -
I'm shooting for 185 even though my "ideal weight" is 150ish because, honestly, I think the last time I was anywhere near that weight I was pre-pubescent. Plus, I have and always have had muscular legs, big booty, and I could win a wet tshirt contest in a parka if you know what I mean. Not to mention I've carried 3 children. My first goal is 199.99 then I will re-evaluate how I look/feel at 185. I am not too concerned about the numbers (weight or clothing size), I just want to feel confident and not jiggly. Plus I want to go shopping and be able to find something that fits well. Being able to keep up with the kids and hopefully avoiding the diabetic and cardiac disease that runs rampant in both sides of my family is my TRUE goal. I say, if you feel good and you're healthy, that's what's important.0
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I think I need to be in the 140's as a healthy weight for my height. When I get closer, I'll see how I look and feel. If I weigh more because of muscle, then I'll take it. That's the goal, is to have some muscle and get toned.0
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I chose the middle of BMI. For me at 5'5", that was 130. I'm at 140, I'm a size 6 now, and so if I reach that 130 goal great. If not, not so sad. I thought that I would be able to tie my shoes, sit with my legs indian-style in a chair, walk without pain, climb stairs, swim in a pool, and maybe run again if I was at 130. Funny thing is, I can do all of that NOW.
Thing is, I was never ever a size 6. Even in high school. I remember wearing a size 7 when wearing an all-in-one girdle (we had to have those for twirling under the sequin costumes). I did lose to about a 6 for a month so I could fit a formal dress Mom borrowed (she promised me a wonderful dinner with all the trimmings if I could save her $500 for a dress). Dinner was wonderful!!!
If you are unsure, try maintenance for a while. If you decide to lose more, then do it. Ask your doctor what he/she thinks the next time you have to go. With all of the conflicting information out there in print and on the internet, it's good to ask the one person that has your health to consider. Remember to ask only the questions you want answers to...don't do like so many people have done and ask open-ended questions. You may not like the answers (lol).0 -
I know where I don't want to be and just guaged it from there. According to the "charts" I am supposed to be 135-165. At 174lbs I looked like a crack or heroin addict. I actually took my clothes off once and was told to put them back on. I know, I will never go that low again. I figure any where between 200-220lbs is good for me as long as it's healthy as well. (i'm 5'9")0
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I call my weight goal my "arbitrary weight goal". Officially, it is 164. 163 is the highest number for the "large frame" category for women who are 5'7". 164 is a nice round 140 pound weight loss. 141 would upset the OCD in me. I've only weighed in the lower 160s once at my adult height and I was 17/18 years old. At the time, even though I remember looking in the mirror, hunting for fat and for places I needed to improve, I had a really hard time finding figure flaws. HOWEVER, it was impossible for me to imagine that I could weight 160+ pounds without being disgusting, so I continued to assume I was horribly overweight, in spite of what i saw in the mirror.
With benefit of hindsight, I now realize I may have honestly been in the ball park of the ideal weight for me at that time.
So, I picked an arbitrary goal of 164.
What I hope to do is to have some body composition tests done at a nearby university when I get down close to 170 and just see what it says. I suspect it will honestly be difficult to figure out if I'm close to a good weight because I'll have floppy skin that will add both bulk and extra weight. I'd like to be around 20% BF.
If I can't do the testing, I'll just lose until I'm happy and find clothes I like, invest in a wardrobe of spanx to firm things up, and make it up as I go. Hey, maybe I'm even closer to my goal than I think I am!!
Shannon
Ooooh, where did you find a chart with "large frame"?0 -
i used BMI and the met life tables.
http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/met.htm
neither is perfect, especially if you're a bodybuilder or are very tall. i'm medium build and 5'11", so it worked well for me.0 -
I used a dartboard to come up with a goal weight of 200 lbs even. I'm 11 lbs away.0
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I don't put much stock in BMI charts. At my height the normal BMI range is 115-150 lbs (male). At 150 lbs I would be too skinny. At 115 lbs, Sally Struthers would be pleading for you to send my 37 cents per day to buy a sandwich.
Better to determine your goal weight using your goal BF%. Divide your current lean body mass by 1 - goal BF% to determine your body weight at your desired BF%.0 -
I always thought I was at least 5'10" maybe 5'11" and now I find I am only 5'9.25". I have checked the ideals on BMI charts and the number is lower than I've been in my adult life. I have set a goal of 60 lb. weight loss, which still leaves me in the obese category. I want to see what the results are in my blood levels--BP, cholesterol, blood sugar, and triglycerides--and then decide if I need to go further. I am quite confident my levels will be substantially improved, and if they are, then I'll worry about how I look. I am expecting to reach my goal and then going for a new goal, about 40 more pounds (100 total).I know where I don't want to be and just guaged it from there. According to the "charts" I am supposed to be 135-165. At 174lbs I looked like a crack or heroin addict. I actually took my clothes off once and was told to put them back on. I know, I will never go that low again. I figure any where between 200-220lbs is good for me as long as it's healthy as well. (i'm 5'9")0 -
I call my weight goal my "arbitrary weight goal". Officially, it is 164. 163 is the highest number for the "large frame" category for women who are 5'7". 164 is a nice round 140 pound weight loss. 141 would upset the OCD in me. I've only weighed in the lower 160s once at my adult height and I was 17/18 years old. At the time, even though I remember looking in the mirror, hunting for fat and for places I needed to improve, I had a really hard time finding figure flaws. HOWEVER, it was impossible for me to imagine that I could weight 160+ pounds without being disgusting, so I continued to assume I was horribly overweight, in spite of what i saw in the mirror.
With benefit of hindsight, I now realize I may have honestly been in the ball park of the ideal weight for me at that time.
So, I picked an arbitrary goal of 164.
What I hope to do is to have some body composition tests done at a nearby university when I get down close to 170 and just see what it says. I suspect it will honestly be difficult to figure out if I'm close to a good weight because I'll have floppy skin that will add both bulk and extra weight. I'd like to be around 20% BF.
If I can't do the testing, I'll just lose until I'm happy and find clothes I like, invest in a wardrobe of spanx to firm things up, and make it up as I go. Hey, maybe I'm even closer to my goal than I think I am!!
Shannon
Ooooh, where did you find a chart with "large frame"?
If you Google "height weight large frame chart" lots of websites with charts will come up. I found this one and it looks pretty standard: http://www.changingshape.com/calculators/ideal-body-weight/0 -
Lean body mass/(1-desired body fat %) = Goal weight
*desired body fat percentage should be in decimal form.
For me: 134/(1-.18)=1630 -
Shooting for no love handles or poochy tum! Just a few more pounds but mostly happy with where I am, in no hurry to lose more although I'll take it if it comes.0
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