How do you choose your goal?

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paulaswrld
paulaswrld Posts: 49
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm wondering how most of you chose your goal weight? Is it a weight you've been at before? A previous milestone? A Healthy BMI?

Here's my concern. I am just a few pounds away from the goal I originally set for myself. It's a weight that I have been before and knew I would be thrilled to meet again. However, it's still just a few (5) pounds higher than the healthy bmi range. So I just don't know how to proceed. Of course I want to reach my original goal and feel that success that I've never reached before. But, now that I am so close, I kind of feel like I should reach for the stars and do better. I would LOVE to get that extra 5 pounds. But, it really is smaller than anything I've ever maintained before and I think I am a little scared of setting myself up for failure.

Just curious....what is everyone's goal compared to the "recommended" weight for your height and weight?
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Replies

  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
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    I chose one smack in the middle of the healthy BMI range. It's a few pounds higher than what it was when I was in my 20s and early 30s but it's a comfortable weight for me. I don't want my face to sag so I'll just live with it :).
  • AllisonMS
    AllisonMS Posts: 104
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    Great question....I'm curious to see the responses.

    I, too, am close to the original goal I set when I joined MFP -- to lose my cancer and baby weight and get back to my wedding weight. I'm 2 pounds away, which is awesome. But I think I can go lower, but the question is, how much lower is really feasible and live-with-able?
  • durbanski
    durbanski Posts: 183 Member
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    I'm shooting for a surgery weight. But definitely looking to go sub that once I can work out more hardcore.

    Good luck :)
  • Sweetie_Pie92
    Sweetie_Pie92 Posts: 314 Member
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    Well, my goal weight is 165 lbs. I'm 17 and 5'6''. I've always been very curvy and big boned, lol. My BMI says I should be 135 lbs to be in the middle of the Normal Weight category, but I've been told by my pediatrician that that would be a very unhealthy weight for me. The lowest I remember being in the last 5 years was 180 lbs...and I was getting pretty small at that point. So, I just basically chose mine on gut instinct. If I get to it and I'm unhappy (too big or too small) I'll change it. Cross that bridge when I come to it!
  • mlv333
    mlv333 Posts: 86 Member
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    I have needed to lose weight once before. At that time I was starting at 180 picked 120. I'm 5'5". I picked that b/c it was my high school weight. As I got closer to my goal I couldn't get passed 135. I took my measurements and I was in a size 4, so I just started maintaining there. I've come to find that I'm a very dense person. At work I weigh people all day :) I can compare. So I would continue to weigh in and set a goal, but make your true goal a particular waist size. In all actuality who cares what you weigh. It's what you can fit into :tongue:
  • sassydot
    sassydot Posts: 141
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    My goal is around 70kg. A 25 BMI for me is 67kg. A 22.5BMI is around 60kg I think, I was that once, and a size 6-8 (4-6US) - So I think I'm just natuarally heavier than average I'd hate to think what a rake thin thing I'd be at a 18,19 or 20BMI!

    However, I'm not focusing on my weight so much, as I am on my waist measurement as my tummy is my only problem area. I'm aiming for 82.5cm waist measurement - or around 32.5"

    Also, I KNOW I won't be able to maintain a much lower weight without being forever a "dieter" I simply need more food than that! - so I'd rather aim for what I know I can happily maintain
  • iwillweighlessoneday
    iwillweighlessoneday Posts: 30 Member
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    I chose one at the higher end of the healthy BMI range for me. I figure if I can hit that, and I still feel that I need to lose a bit more, I can go 10 or so pounds lower. I'll see where I am when I'm 10 or so pounds away from the "goal".
  • BetterVersion
    BetterVersion Posts: 459
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    I've actually chosen a goal that still leaves me a minimum of twenty pounds "overweight." I'm not comfortable with the thought of being "skinny." I've always been obese, and I think I would look good and feel good at the weight goal I've set for myself. Now that I'm within thirty pounds of that goal, I'm starting to see the possibilities of pushing it a little further, but for now I'll stick with what I think would be right for me, and see how I feel when I get there.
  • MysterriGal
    MysterriGal Posts: 52 Member
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    My goal right now is just above my "healthy" BMI. I allow for this because a) I'm only going by number crunching, not taking into account muscles etc. as I am a heavier built person, muscle wise. Also, I was never that small. I have a while to go, so when I get to a certain point, I may change it. I don't think you can really go by specific numbers, unless it involves scans or tests and doctors, but even then everyone is different.
    The question at the end of the day is do you feel good, and healthy. If your good where you are, bump your calories up to maintenance and keep exercising. Otherwise, keep going until you feel your at that place.
    Eat and live healthy, in a way you can maintain and makes you happy, and everything else is just a bonus.
    Also, you shouldn't be setting yourself up for failure because you've already succeeded!
  • Junisahn
    Junisahn Posts: 166 Member
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    I want to get to my pre-pregnancy weight - 112. I'm 5'1, and am currently 120. I've been 102 one time in the past 5 years, and thought I looked fantastic (and felt great about myself), but that weight came and went very quickly. (I only got that small because my life was extremely extremely stressful, and I lost my appetite for months - it was NOT a healthy weight loss, in that it was not deliberate or controlled).

    I have a very easy time maintaining a weight from 110-115, so why fight it? I'm medium boned and pretty large chested, which adds up in pounds! ;)
  • msbanana
    msbanana Posts: 793 Member
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    I say BAH! to the BMI. Go to a gym and get a free fitness acessment. Make sure they use the 4 point pinch test (This is WAY more accurate than the stupid electronic gizmo that a lot of places use) to find out what your current body fat percentage is... this will tell you how much LEAN body mass you have and it will be easier to determine what a healthy attainable weight for you is. An Example... I am 5'10" my "healthy" BMI range (which again I believe is antiquated and rediculous) is 135-175. I've been 140 pounds and I was hospitalized for being too skinny. I was thin at 175. I look "normal" at about 185-200.
  • Yurippe
    Yurippe Posts: 850 Member
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    170 is the high end of a healthy BMI for my height. It's also what I weighed in high school wearing a size 12. One I'm under 200 I may not decide to go that far or I may choose to go farther. I don't want to be skinny, I want to feel healthy and get to a weight I can maintain.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I've decided to set my initial goal at the weight to get me into the "overweight" BMI category. Once I'm there, I can decide how much further I want to take it. I've initially set my long term goal at 140 to get me into the healthy range. I don't think I've been that light since high school, and I've never been a healthy weight in my life. So, I'm gonna take it one step at a time and decide as I go. I want a weight I can maintain, and at 190 pounds at the moment, I've already started to see myself as looking good. I don't think I need to be 120 pounds to achieve that. I'd be happy with 150 even.
  • GumbyAnne
    GumbyAnne Posts: 130 Member
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    I chose a weight that will put me a couple of pounds below my maximum "healthy" BMI (so if I eat a big meal it won't make me "overweight" again. Haha.) It is also the lowest weight I have ever been since reaching my full height and I was very happy and comfortable at that size.
  • dwarfer22
    dwarfer22 Posts: 358 Member
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    My goal is 20 lbs overweight. Trying to hit 180 some day. started in mid 300's so for me it will be a skinny weight. I think you should shoot for you first goal now and not think about the other part til you do. then sit back, see how you feel and THEN decided if you want to shoot for 5 more lbs. Allow yourself to be proud of your acheivement for a bit b4 you consider going for a new one.
  • Mom2Emery_Liam
    Mom2Emery_Liam Posts: 149
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    First of all, congrats on almost reaching your original goal! Allow yourself some time to be proud for that achievement....continue to eat right and exercise and maintain...then when you feel you're ready, set your goal within a healthy bmi range.

    My goal weight is 10 lbs under the highest recommended weight for a healthy bmi (135lbs). Right now I'm in the overweight category and need to lose ~18lbs to be within a healthy bmi for my height (only 5'2"). I wanted to push myself under that b/c I've been much smaller (113lbs) and know I still look "heavy" at 135lbs.
  • hooah_mj
    hooah_mj Posts: 1,004 Member
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    It's the # that will get my doc off my back.
  • SquidInTraining
    SquidInTraining Posts: 196
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    I'm 5'6", and I felt best before my knee surgery when I weighed about 135, about a size 6 in jeans. My husband thinks I'm too thin at 135, however, so we compromised at 145. I just want to be able to hold my own in the military -- I'll be happy at whatever weight that ends up being.
  • Sarandipity
    Sarandipity Posts: 1,560
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    I originally started out with a goal of 180 which is just out of the obese category and the weight my dr had said I should use as a first goal. Admittedly that was when I was 225, and I ballooned up to 300 before starting to lose. As I hit a plateau at 205 I decided to change that goal to 150, the upper end of healthy for me. I was thinking it might be a psychological block as I was getting close to that goal and I never really intended to stop there. Not really sure if I will end up there or not, but it is something to shoot for. I mostly watch how I feel as I go. I am much fitter, healthier and smaller at 198 than I was at 180 in highschool. I may hit 170 and feel that that is where I want to be. I am not focused on the number so much as how I feel. Talk to your Dr he/she may have an idea of what your goal should be. I intend to talk to mine when I see him next month.
  • Berliner
    Berliner Posts: 20 Member
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    at this moment I have set my goal in 10lbs increments. I think it makes me personally feel good to have "only" 10 lbs to go. once I am done with that I might set it for another 10lbs and will see how I feel.

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