Is this a cop out?

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tanniew78
tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been doing a lot of thinking about where I want to go with my weight loss and I had an original goal of 170 or so. However, lately I have been thinking maybe 200-220....

I have always been comfortable with a little extra weight. I am not necessarily looking to be skinny. I am just wondering if this is a cop out of sorts. I dont know what it is like to be under that and honestly.... it does scare me to think I could make it there.... I know that probably doesnt make much sense for such goal oriented folks, but knowing where I have been in my life and what I have been through, I am just not sure I would ever feel safe much under 200...
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Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    how far away from 200 are you?

    if it's still far away why worry about it now? it's like worrying about the details of your potential college major when you're barely in middle school.
  • cgirly
    cgirly Posts: 56 Member
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    I think you should stick with it. Looking at your profile you say you want to lose weight for your kids. Getting down to 170lbs will help you be so much more active in playing with them.

    Good luck!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
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    Yes. Cop out. There aren't many of us that can healthily support 200+ pounds.
  • newmein2013
    newmein2013 Posts: 674 Member
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    You're not alone. It's actually pretty common. I made a similar post a few months ago. I had no doubt that i wanted to continue to 140 but 200 seemed to be my safe point as I hadn't gone below it in 18 years. It took me 3 times to get past that mental block but it felt really great once I finally did it. I think the fact that you made this post in a public forum says you're ready. Don't be afraid of the unknown. You will find a new strength and want to continue further. Don't think about the number, just keep eating healthy & working out and see where it takes you. Best of luck to you.
  • sweetchildomine
    sweetchildomine Posts: 872 Member
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    At the end of the day it's your body and you should do whatever makes you havppy. However, in my opinion you should make 200 your mini goal and then decide what to do from there. Even if you're comfortable at 200, think about how GREAT you would feel at 170!! You should ALWAYS strive to have the best for yourself!! :) You can do it!! Keep trying and it will come with time! :)
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    DavPul- I actually did very well with this when I was younger before kids and in my teens. Ive been a bigger girl all my life and its mostly what I know. I know what felt good, and where Im at now, I definitely know is NOT good. I always just thought I would lose until I feel comfortable being in my own skin... Now I am not so sure thats the attitude I should be taking.

    To be sure, I am working from this moment on to get myself healthy and that means eating right. I am plenty active (CNA) but need to find my balance and get back at it.

    These goals are very far into the future, to be sure. This years focus is to lose 100 lbs...... I want to be sure I am working on ALL aspects of weight loss, including mental. So I want to sort of call myself out when I am attempting to put a roadblock out there....
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    I'm at 220lbs now, and I'm pretty confident that if I choose just to aim for 200lbs I'd feel like it was a cop out.

    Even 170 isn't going to be particularly slim unless you've been lifting and have a high LBM.
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    I have very wide shoulders and hips. 170 is the maximum for my BMI index
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    These goals are very far into the future, to be sure. This years focus is to lose 100 lbs...... I want to be sure I am working on ALL aspects of weight loss, including mental. So I want to sort of call myself out when I am attempting to put a roadblock out there....

    In which case Mesha is right, you don't have to decide now, wait til you are closer to the goal. Hit 200lbs and see how you feel.
  • gem25984
    gem25984 Posts: 20
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    maybe keep 170 in mind for the end game but do smaller goals for the nearer future... (i dont know how much you weigh so just example) lose 15 lbs by valentines day. lose another 10 lbs by easter ect
  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
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    Yes. Cop out. There aren't many of us that can healthily support 200+ pounds.
    What are you talking about? I am near 200 lbs.
  • mariagabriella
    mariagabriella Posts: 267 Member
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    I wouldn't worry about it now, having looked at your profile you've got a bit more to go.

    What are you so afraid of?

    I originally set my goal to 80kg (I'm 5'7) then dropped it to 75kg... now I'm aiming for 70kg and I weigh 79kg. My biggest fear was that I'd never get to my goal, and sometimes I feel like I'll never weigh 70kg but damnit, I will do all that I can to get to my goal weight. You can do it. Don't let anything hold you back.
  • MrsPixelbark
    MrsPixelbark Posts: 175 Member
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    I have very wide shoulders and hips. 170 is the maximum for my BMI index

    Maximum to put yourself at a healthy weight, or maximum before you slip into underweight?

    Also, as much as you say you have very wide shoulders now be prepared to reevaluate your body in 20kg's or sos time. Myself and my Mum didn't ever think in a million years that I'd get down to the size I am now due to being very broad all over. Turns out I'm no where near as broad as I thought I was.

    However, upon saying that, I'd be tempted to take baby steps- get to 200 and then go from there. However, I'd really at least push to try and get into the healthy BMI weight range. I know it's not a fantastic range by any means for some people (such as bodybuilders), but it does give you a rough estimation and for most people somewhere between the top and end of the healthy scale does work quite well.
  • nz_deevaa
    nz_deevaa Posts: 12,209 Member
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    Yes. Cop out. There aren't many of us that can healthily support 200+ pounds.
    What are you talking about? I am near 200 lbs.

    You are 200lbs of (hot) man-muscle. Not 200lbs of squishy lady-lumps (like me).
  • BamsieEkhaya
    BamsieEkhaya Posts: 657 Member
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    I understand where your coming from...even when I was younger and a LOT slimmer I was still kind of heavy on the scales, so my UGW of 126 at 5'5.5/5'6 scares me a little...but I'd say keep it as your UGW if its a healthy BMI, but if you get closer maybe even 190-180 and think you personally don't look/feel right then change it.
    I'm leaving my UGW at 126 and seeing how it goes the closer I get to it
  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
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    I think you should get to your goal. Like someone above me said, there aren't many people who can handle 200 pounds healthily. I understand how you feel, and even though my goal weight is 115 ish, it actually frightens me to think about it. I've been chubby my whole life and it seems scary to be healthy, fit, and thin. I'm actually scared of how I'm going to feel when it's time to maintain, because for a long time weight loss has been this driving goal in my life and it feels good to have something to work towards. I think you should set minigoals for yourself, because that makes it seem less dramatic. :)
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    I have very wide shoulders and hips. 170 is the maximum for my BMI index

    Maximum to put yourself at a healthy weight, or maximum before you slip into underweight?

    Also, as much as you say you have very wide shoulders now be prepared to reevaluate your body in 20kg's or sos time. Myself and my Mum didn't ever think in a million years that I'd get down to the size I am now due to being very broad all over. Turns out I'm no where near as broad as I thought I was.

    However, upon saying that, I'd be tempted to take baby steps- get to 200 and then go from there. However, I'd really at least push to try and get into the healthy BMI weight range. I know it's not a fantastic range by any means for some people (such as bodybuilders), but it does give you a rough estimation and for most people somewhere between the top and end of the healthy scale does work quite well.


    The high end of healthy for my frame. And it IS my frame. I can actually find my hip bones and my shoulder bones. My fat is in my stomach, boobs and thighs...
  • tanniew78
    tanniew78 Posts: 602 Member
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    I absolutely will reevaluate myself at 200 and see how things look and feel for me.... I already have the mini goal thing set in my mind. Still... I dont want to mentally limit myself when looking at my overall goal.... I am in the habit of "settling" and I have been breaking out of that shell this last year... I have achieved everything I set my mind to this past year. Other things got in the way of weight loss, but now I am able to focus just on it and its my time to shine.

    I do want to thank you. I will occasionally call upon mfp for some tough love and a lil dose of reality. It might hurt but I dont want to get complacent. And I know me and my tendencies. I am absolutely ready for this change.... I just need to get it in my mind that the sky is the limit. There is no more ceiling for me anymore....
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Good for you for working on the psychological aspects of weight right now. The sad fact is that many people lose a load of weight, and can't actually handle being that lower weight. David Smith (the "650 lb virgin") springs to mind. I think your chances of successfully losing and maintaining are much greater if you deal with this stuff upfront.

    I'm a big believer in the health benefits of being a healthy weight. However, looking at your ticker, getting to 200 would be significant, and you would be better off (in my opinion) getting to 200 and maintaining that weight, than dropping to 170 and start gaining again. What I'm thinking is that if it makes you feel better to aim for 200 lbs, then go for it. It's a nice round number, and you don't feel freaked out by it. Get there, and see how you feel. It might well be that you feel a lot more confident about yourself and about losing the weight once you get to that number, and you'll want to go all the way. You'll surprise yourself. I am a far lower weight now than I have been since probably my early teens, and honestly, it is strange. I do feel and look a lot better than I ever did though. Physically, it will be well worth it to get into a healthy range. Mentally, I get that it's not always that simple. If breaking it down into smaller goals helps you get there, then do that.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    for me it would be a cop out - I would like to reach at least 170 as like you mentioned it puts you in healthy category according to BMI
    but you have quite a long way to go
    set your goal for 200 if it makes you more comfortable
    re evaluate once you reach 200, I think most of us re evaluate once we reach our goal. Nothing wrong with that

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