How do you decide on your goal weight?

chocolatecroissant
chocolatecroissant Posts: 155 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I started dieting I set myself an initial weight loss goal which I have now met. However, I'm not sure I'm quite there! I don't want to get as low as I used to be in the dim and distant past when I was in my 20s but am not sure what is right for me. I also plan to increase muscle which will mean more weight.

How did you decide on what goal was best for you?
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Replies

  • mambagirl
    mambagirl Posts: 137 Member
    I have a general goal,but I plan on stopping when I like the way I look naked!!!!!! And when I can wear a clingy dress without any spanx! That's when I'm done.Also,I remember how I looked at that weight before so it's a start...
  • Theresafinallygetsitright
    Theresafinallygetsitright Posts: 157
    I agree with the "how I look naked" comment. My goal is about body fat percentage and not weight. I also want to build more muscle and truthfully have no idea how a number on the scale will look when I reach my goal.
  • chocolatecroissant
    chocolatecroissant Posts: 155 Member
    Many thanks. The look good naked guide sounds good. I think I also need semi-independent (ie my other half!) advice as I never like the way I look and don't want to lose the curves!
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
    To me there won't be a point I've finished. It will be a point my goals change. I'm planning on having a goal range (currently between 65-70kg) that I can fluctuate within. But once I'm there I won't be stopping counting calories (planning on doing for the rest of my life. Not a hassle and keeps me accountable) but will be looking for new challenges.
  • Alexandria1213
    Alexandria1213 Posts: 152 Member
    Well, originally I weighed 130. At that point I felt comfortable with my weight but always felt I could tone up and lose a little more weight. So, I made my goal to be 120.
  • obwize
    obwize Posts: 102
    I go based on body fat percentage. And fortunately live near a place that I can get the bod pod test done for just 25 bucks. So when I lose a significant amount I can go back and make sure I'm on track, and if I gain muscle it'll take that into account and my body fat will be lower even at a higher weight.
  • ferrytrip
    ferrytrip Posts: 497 Member
    I started with the goal of just losing weight. I figured that 200lbs would be a good place to start, that means losing about 90lbs. According to the BMI index I should be around 145 or 150 which I have never been as an adult. So I hope to get to 200 and then I will see about matching the BMI
  • squirrelythegreat
    squirrelythegreat Posts: 158 Member
    Sadly right now my goal weight is whatever the military wants me to weigh. Which is based entirely on BMI and not body composition at this point in time(bummer since I'm naturally muscular) May not be a realistic goal for me but we'll see how close we can get.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
    Immediate goal is BMI from Overweight to Normal (so approx 1.5st to lose).

    After that Body Fat from 36% (where it is now) to get it to 25% (good range for my age)... obvs it is coming down as the weight is coming down...

    Already looking less tubby and core improving so I carry myself straighter...
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    Going by previous weight.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    My goal is to be happy so I'm just losing weight until that happens
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Just based on where I felt at my best. My adult weight has varied from 11st4lb (154lb) when I felt too skinny and weak to 15st (210lb) which felt dreadfully overweight and flabby.
    12st7lb (175lb) was where I always felt at my best. Almost at that weight now and will then work at reducing body fat and increasing muscle bulk.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    Originally my goal was to get into my pre-pregnancy jeans. I hit that target and can no longer wear the jeans as they fall down. So then my target was to get into my jeans from 10 years ago (I'm 35 now, and yes, I kept all my old clothes in the hope i'd be slim enough to wear them!). Now I can wear a lot of those old clothes. Well, they all fit, but I have a muffin top in some of them. So the goal now is to lose that muffin top and tone up. I am not that bothered what my weight will be when they fit, but my goal really is to be a UK size 12 in everything (US size 8) which I nearly am, and then i may adjust it to be a size 10 (US 6).
  • lyndalpn
    lyndalpn Posts: 151 Member
    My goal is the top of the healthy weight range for now - I did have a BMI of 39, it's now 27 ish and my goal is 25. Then after that I will re evaluate what I look like and what is needed from there.
  • myrestlessfeet
    myrestlessfeet Posts: 95 Member
    I base mine on BMI. When I started I was just a little over the boundary between healthy and overweight so my target was to have my BMI somewhere in the middle of the healthy range. Now my BMI is at 24.6 so I still have a ways to go.
  • sheppeyescapee
    sheppeyescapee Posts: 329 Member
    BMI within the healthy range which is a fair way off (about 70lbs away! eek!)
  • amyc0128
    amyc0128 Posts: 13
    I based mine on the middle point of the BMI I will determine if I need to lose a few more when I get to that point.
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    BMI is complete crap as a determinant of goal weight, since it can't account for body type. Find an online body fat calculator. If you're a female and you want some ab definition, you're going to need to be about 20% body fat or less - 14% for guys. The calculator will show you how much fat you'll need to lose in order to get to 20% and that becomes your goal. My BMI shows me as borderline obese!
  • toggerr
    toggerr Posts: 15 Member
    My goal going in to all this was to get down to 180 lbs; whether or not that is my "ideal weight" is very subjective. I have decided to let my body tell me what my right weight is. I am careful to eat right and exercise like I am supposed to and I figure I will end up where I am supposed to be. (I know this is utterly contrary to every dieting lifestyle out there but...)
  • jfrankic
    jfrankic Posts: 747 Member
    My goal weight has been a moving target. First a guess. Then based on clothing size. Now based on BF%.....and I'm sticking with this!
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    My goal weight has been a moving target. First a guess. Then based on clothing size. Now based on BF%.....and I'm sticking with this!

    BF% is the only way to go!
  • JamieG8991
    JamieG8991 Posts: 1,203 Member
    I decided on mine because I didn't want to set too high of a goal to start out with, then I might give up trying to reach it. I'm never gonna be a "skinny mini" that's not how I'm made. I just want my clothes to fit comfortably and I want to be healthy!!
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
    Are those online body fat calculators anywhere near accurate? How do they work? I did the military one, and it was spot on with my average fat scale readings at 17%. However, my caliper readings are around 15% (maybe I'm getting the wrong spots?). I was surprised the first two were so close. How can waist/hip/neck measurements even come close to approximating body fat given that people have different fat distribution, amounts of muscle mass etc...
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I recently reached my original goal weight. I had set it in the middle of healthy BMI, but I decided to go ahead and lose 5 more lbs once I got there. After that I'm going to focus on building muscle.
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    I started with taking my LBM +10% as a male. My LBM has increased as I have moved along this last year so my goal has also changed. Currently it's 210lb.

    Feck BMI,
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    How did you decide on what goal was best for you?

    I haven't. I happen to have lost weight but I'm more interested in the shape. I couldn't care less whether I weigh two tonnes or 1kg as long as I attain the shape that I want.

    I only use the ticker below so that you can see my furry friends.
  • pg3ibew
    pg3ibew Posts: 1,026 Member
    Being someone who has reached his goal weight, here is what I did.

    I started at 250 pounds. Decided to change my lifestyle. Figuring I could never get below 200, I shot for 210. Once I got to 210, I adjusted and went for 200.

    Once I reached 200, I took a good look at the CHARTS for my height and age and figured, what the hell, let's give it a shot.

    When I got down to 174, the top end of the chart, I figured, let me get to 170.

    Well, I flew past 170 all the way down to 162. I am now extremely happy at 165 and have a nice 5 pound cushion to play with.
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    The goal I've set right now is exactly the middle of the "healthy" range on a BMI scale.
    But this is actually a fake goal. As I get closer, I will decide when I am happy enough with how I look.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    How I feel, how I look, how my clothes fit, if my body metrics in terms of lipids, glucose, BP are optimal. The scale is a tool, isn't the final authority. It's totally possible to have a low scale number with a higher body fat % and less than optimal health.

    So, my advice is to focus on health. Incorporate healthier eating and exercise habits into your life, properly fuel your body, do some weight training , focus on losing fat not weight ..then let the rest fall into place.
  • earlyxer
    earlyxer Posts: 240 Member
    Are those online body fat calculators anywhere near accurate? How do they work? I did the military one, and it was spot on with my average fat scale readings at 17%. However, my caliper readings are around 15% (maybe I'm getting the wrong spots?). I was surprised the first two were so close. How can waist/hip/neck measurements even come close to approximating body fat given that people have different fat distribution, amounts of muscle mass etc...

    Sorry, Robin -- I was unclear. Yes, you should measure your BF% with calipers - they're cheap and effective. Once you have a BF%, THEN you can use the online calculator to determine caloric intake for the amount of fat loss you want to achieve.

    As for the accuracy of calipers ...... that's always a subject of debate. There are 3-point methods, 7-point methods (you'll need a friend), and I think an 11-point method as well. I've done the 3 and 7, and they both show the same within a percent so I just do the three because it's quick and easy. The gold standard of course is an immersion test, and now the new chamber tests they have. And really, if you're off by a percent or two it's not going to push your caloric intake value around very much - this isn't an exact science. It does put your right int he ballpark though and as you approach your goal, you will know by the mirror if you have achieved it or need to adjust your plan.

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