How do you determine your weight goal?

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Replies

  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    That is an interesting question because your goal can change. It depend on if you are happy with where you are or not.

    When I started out I thought I wanted to be a size 8 because that was the smallest I'd ever been in my life. I lost weight on my own the first year, then I found something called the Venus Index which helped me redefine my goals and I have exceed my wildest imagination at age 50. I also found a couple of books, Naturally Thin by Bethany Frankel and the Anything Goes Diet by John Barban who also wrote the Venus Index (and the Adonis Index for men). My story and audio interviews are on the Venus Index blog as Roberta because I placed in a couple of their contests.

    Anyway, I am now size 2-3 at age 51 and the fittest I've ever been in my life.

    Don't limit yourself.
  • madelonism
    madelonism Posts: 292 Member
    I started out saying I wanted to be 145. but It all depends on how it looks because i happen to love the way plus size models look like Candice Huffine (shes beautiful). so maybe I will be happy at 160 or 170.
  • DeMarraDontStop
    DeMarraDontStop Posts: 342 Member
    My goal is to lose 50 pounds in 1 year and to wear a size 10. I am now a size 10 but still a few pounds from 50 pound loss! I'm going to still reach that goal!
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I use body fat percent and a chart for that. I know what I am at, so I subtract what I want (22% which is the middle of the "fit' category) from what I am (29.3), and multiply that with my body weight. This gives me the number of lbs I would like to lose (12). I would then weigh 153lbs. This doesn't quite work since most people lose muscled as well as fat. The way I am losing weight, I should lose very little, and however much I do, I will try to gain back after I finish cutting.

    I also want to get back into my size 10 jeans that I know I looked fab in. When I wore those, I had a flat tummy and also looked good in a bikini. That was the best looking weight for me which I think was 150-160, but I'm not sure.

    The body fat thing is important, because there are a lot of people dieting in an unhealthy way without enough calories. They are losing quickly, but a lot of what they are losing is muscle. They won't feel or look as good when they are done. They also will have slowed their metabolism down, leading to yoyo dieting when they start eating normally...
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    I go by what I see in the mirror. Currently I'm pretty happy with it and I'm busy so I've decided to stop losing for now.
  • PenYu76
    PenYu76 Posts: 5 Member
    The BMI is crap! My opinion, of course... =)
    I'm shooting for my healthy, happy weight, the weight I was at when I got pregnant with my son. At one point I was thinner, and working out too much, and eating crazy crap and taking a bunch of supplements and I was not a happy or fun person. I don't want to get that thin again. And even then, at my thinnest, my BMI said I was overweight. So I go by how I feel. I feel so much better now, but I have a long way to go (40 lbs) still. I'm going to get there! Using this app on my phone, it is the first time that losing weight has been almost easy. I wasn't eating enough before. Now I get to eat and lose weight. I recommend this to everyone who will listen!
  • marlonkysha
    marlonkysha Posts: 4
    i think your fine, we get cought up to much by BMI and all that stuff, if you feel great and you have lost weight and overall your much healthier than that is for you to determine, bc if we all went by our BMI then more than likely noone would be overweight. Keep up the good work....
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
    Lean body mass/(1-desired body fat %) = Goal weight

    *desired body fat percentage should be in decimal form.

    For me: 134/(1-.18)=163
    As a personal trainer, I base a person's reasonable weight goals on their present lean body mass. Now and then I have people asking for goal weights that are nearly identical to their present lean body mass which clearly is not obtainable.

    Aside from that, I always set short term body composition goals for them to reach. Once they look in the mirror and love what they see and how their clothes fit, they can decide when it's time to begin maintenance.
  • gobraves47
    gobraves47 Posts: 213 Member
    I picked a goal that was just inside the healthy BMI range for my height. I'm open to adjusting it a little as I get closer to it. I haven't been that weight since I was 14, 3 inches shorter, and pretty athletic. Hopefully I'll end up close to my goal. :smile:
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    Lean body mass/(1-desired body fat %) = Goal weight

    *desired body fat percentage should be in decimal form.

    For me: 134/(1-.18)=163
    As a personal trainer, I base a person's reasonable weight goals on their present lean body mass. Now and then I have people asking for goal weights that are nearly identical to their present lean body mass which clearly is not obtainable.

    Aside from that, I always set short term body composition goals for them to reach. Once they look in the mirror and love what they see and how their clothes fit, they can decide when it's time to begin maintenance.

    This formula definitely doesn't take recomp into account. For the example I used for myself I wouldn't care if I reached that specific weight as long as my lean mass increased and body fat decreased.
  • crimsoncat
    crimsoncat Posts: 457 Member
    I started with BMI because I didn't know where else to go at the time. I was never super fit, so I knew that when it said "overweight" for me it really was just fat and lack of moving. I recalled being 135 and I figured that was better than 150+ for me. After I got to 135 I kept losing weight and settled out at 125 all on my own. I've been trying to get to 120 because I like round numbers, but hey, if I don't make it I'm still happy. 25lbs is pretty darn good.
  • Share_h
    Share_h Posts: 2
    Alot of people think im crazy when i tell them..My weight loss goal is definately not even close to what it would be if I was anyone else. Im 218lbs now and i'd like to be around 180 ideally but i would be okay with being closer to 190 honestly. I just want to be under 200 and be healthier. For me, my health seems fine but my self esteem is what needs the kick when it comes to weight.
  • LuxHappens
    LuxHappens Posts: 72 Member
    DaisyDavis hit the nail on the head!
  • Aventuria
    Aventuria Posts: 151
    I used the BMI as a start, nut honestly only because I need to have a goal and I don't know how I'll look then.
    My real goal is to get a healthy relation of body fat and muscles and to overall be lean but womanly.

    And I'll see when that is later on my weight loss journey. :wink:
  • NelehY
    NelehY Posts: 52 Member
    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.

    Me too!
  • jessicataylor2
    jessicataylor2 Posts: 150
    My goal weight is the weight I used to be until my unhealthy eating and eating disorder killed my metabolism and after losing 10 lbs made me gain back 20. My body used to naturally be at 110, so I'm determined to get back to it. Hopefully I'll be comfortable with my body then. I'm only 5 lbs away from it and I'm nowhere near satisfied, but I never really have been so maybe it'll just kick in.
  • internationalmf
    internationalmf Posts: 38
    Started with BMI- when I got down to the lower end of my bmi I found I was still carrying quite a bit of fat.
    Decided I need to build muscle PLUS get down to just under "healthy" because I have such a small frame. I'm looking now for a bmi of 18.

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