Goal weight? Starting to doubt

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  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
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    My goal weight is 190 and people say, "Are you sure about that?" I want to say, "I don't see the letters M.D. after your name" but instead I say that I am on a medically managed weight program and a doctor set this goal for me. That is usually enough to end it but if they persist, then I have to step it up a bit.
  • T7886
    T7886 Posts: 1
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    I think your goal weight should be based on muscle tone and body frame. I am 5'3" and the dr.'s say my goal weight should be 118 - 122 on the high side. I weighed 118 entering 10th grade, and every rib showed. I have a large bone frame, so they obviously missed that one, and 4 lbs more did not cover that. Personally, I think your goal weight should be what you are comfortable with. I know that I will never be smaller than a size 16 b/c of my bone size, and I don't want to look anorexic just to please others.
  • squatsandlipgloss
    squatsandlipgloss Posts: 595 Member
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    People and their comments... My goal weight is anywhere between 180 and 185, and when I tell people I have 50 more lbs to lose now, they'll say "there won't be anything left of you!" lol they have no idea.

    I came to this goal because that's the weight I was at when I last felt good in my skin and healthy (I exercised a lot also during that time). But I might change the goal up or down a bit as I am approaching it.
  • felicia8604
    felicia8604 Posts: 274 Member
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    Just remember you are doing this for you! Dont worry about what every one else says. Im currently about 163, im 5'5 and my ultimate goal is about 145. People tell me all the time i dont need to lose weight but they never see me naked! yuck! lol ..... Just do what makes you happy and what makes you feel good. Others might be just jealous of your success also. Keep up the good progress! you look great!
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I dont have one.


    I am more concerned with the reflection n the mirror and how my clothes fit.

    This^^^^

    The scale is ultimately useless - because bad diet/exercise practices can lead to you losing a lot of LBM, hence your scale weight is going down, but ultimately the aesthetics will not match your idea of how you should look at a particular weight.

    I see a lot of scale obsession on this site, but you can't rely on it, you have to track different metrics like bf% rather than some arbitrary number you think you should weigh
  • waldo56
    waldo56 Posts: 1,861 Member
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    An observation:

    Most women set goal weights based on what others think, a weight they once were, a BMI chart, or how much they heard someone weighed that they want to tbe same size as.

    Men go though a progression of "some number way far away" to calculating at which point they should have a 6 pack and using that.

    This is one place where women could learn a lot from men. I think Yoovie was the only female to mention an interest in body fat and composition moreso than simply a scale number. The object of losing weight for most people is to lose fat and look better, not simply to make the number on the scale go down; these are NOT the same thing. At first they are mostly the same, but as you get leaner these items begin to strongly diverge to the point where weight has very little relationship to body composition.
  • micheabr
    micheabr Posts: 72
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    I don't tell people my goal weight because it's my body and it's none of their business what I do with it :)
  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
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    An observation:

    Most women set goal weights based on what others think, a weight they once were, a BMI chart, or how much they heard someone weighed that they want to tbe same size as.

    Men go though a progression of "some number way far away" to calculating at which point they should have a 6 pack and using that.

    This is one place where women could learn a lot from men. I think Yoovie was the only female to mention an interest in body fat and composition moreso than simply a scale number. The object of losing weight for most people is to lose fat and look better, not simply to make the number on the scale go down; these are NOT the same thing. At first they are mostly the same, but as you get leaner these items begin to strongly diverge to the point where weight has very little relationship to body composition.

    Good observation. Weight is only one facet of health. Take into account neck size, waist size, body fat composition, and also how you feel overall. Is your blood work normal? Is your HDL/LDL level a good ratio? Do you have a healthy blood pressure? Are your triglycerides normal?
  • EmmaReed84
    EmmaReed84 Posts: 263 Member
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    I am 5ft2" and started here at 143lb wearing very tight size 12's (UK)

    I set my goal at about 110lbs, I only have a very small frame, and I was that size before I had my babies when I was 21.

    However I am now 122lbs and very comfortable in a size 10 (UK) I am happy with my size now (although the ticker has my new goal of 119lb) I have now stopped worrying about the number on the scale, but do weigh regularly to maintain my weight.

    I am now concentrating on my shape. So my advice would be, although it is good to have a number in your head, don't set it in stone, you may find you reach the size you like but be heavier on the scale, also if you work out you may find that you are losing fat but not necessary weight.

    People who say "Don't get too skinny" I usually say, I am not trying to get SKINNY, I am trying to get healthy.
  • mzjessicaxo
    mzjessicaxo Posts: 330 Member
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    I am 5'4, UGW for me is 125. I really don't think you will look "too skinny" just make sure to keep up strength training :)
  • sonograssa
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    Every body type is different. I am 5ft and currently weigh 138. I would like to get to 128 as there is where I look the best. Problem is that as body changes losing too much weight can make us look older and "too skinny." Plus, lots of my weight is in the belly that remains after two C sections. Further, I have full breasts...sure some weight is there but no problem if they stay.

    So look in the mirror and see what you look like and let that also be the judge. Not every BODY looks good at the same weight.

    One more thing...if you use weights, remember muscle weighs more than fat.
  • SemperAnticus1643
    SemperAnticus1643 Posts: 703 Member
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    I am 5'8" tall and weigh around 161. In high school I weight 125 and was around 14% body fat. My "goal weight" is 143 ALTHOUGH the number on the scale isn't what my final goal is. My final goal is to be between 20-22% body fat. I am currently at 30.8%. I say this because I can drop down to 143 but I could also be what is deemed as "skinny fat" where I just have too much body fat. I would recommend lifting so that you burn fat and build muscle. Keep in mind that muscle is leaner than fat. So the scale may not say what you want it to say BUT you are more toned and your clothes fit better and you will look better naked. I was told when I went in to see my trainer that based upon weight alone, the goal weight was 146 but if I build muscle then it may be more but the BF% will be down.

    What I'm getting at is "haters are gonna hate" so don't pay them no mind. It's your body and you know what feels comfortable to YOU. Probably focus more on the body fat % opposed to the number on the scale. I think there is the tape test, the caliper test and I was told of a DEXA scan that is the most accurate. Either way, GOOD LUCK on your journey!! :)
  • yamsteroo
    yamsteroo Posts: 480 Member
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    When it came to setting a goal weight I looked at my BMI and checked what a middle ranking of the healthy bracket was so I'd have a rough guide. So 133 is my goal.

    If I'm honest though, my ideal weight would be 120 as this was the weight I was when I felt best about my body shape BUT I'm also aware I've crashed through the menopause after surgery 7yrs ago and I'm 44 not 30 :)
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
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    I picked mine (157) because it's an even 200 pounds lost, and I like round numbers. :)

    I weighed 165 in high school and had decent muscle definition. I was a little pudgy in the belly, hips, and thighs, though (pear shape), so I could have lost another eight pounds pretty easily without being underweight. So, again, 157 seems good.

    For my frame, the top of the BMI scale is 154. My doctor recommended 150, based on my measurements and frame. Considering I want some muscle definition and a healthy body fat percentage, 150 seems about right.

    Basically, once I get to 157, I'll reassess. I'd rather have a healthy body fat percentage than wear a certain size or weigh a certain amount. If I get to 150 and fit those guidelines, great. If I can do it at 145, great. If I'm there at 160, that's fine too.

    As for the "too skinny" comments, I see my friend going through that right now. To be honest, I was pretty surprised when I saw her after she'd lost weight. I thought she looked too thin, but then I realized 1) I'd never seen her that thin, so of course it was shocking and 2) most people are so used to people being a little bit overweight that a healthy weight does look pretty thin in comparison to all the other people on the street.

    Once I looked at her objectively, I saw she was healthy, just much, much smaller than I was used to. I wasn't used to seeing her collarbones, so she looked "bony" to me, even though they weren't protruding that much. I just wasn't used to seeing them. She's actually quite far from "too thin". She's been doing Insanity and P90X, so even though she's lost another few pounds since then and now wears a size 2 (which I never thought possible with a pear shape), she has great definition and looks really healthy. She looks awesome. :) She definitely inspires me since we have the same body type and love/crave all the same foods. I'm proud of her. I felt bad for thinking she was too thin initially, but she understood that I was just surprised. Now that she's been that weight for several months, I barely even notice. I'm used to her being that size, and it looks "normal".
  • Sarahmeridith
    Sarahmeridith Posts: 298 Member
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    Im trying to get to 160 which is actually still above what would be a healthy BMI, but at 160 because of my height I am was very skinny, so personally I dont really think I want to try to get much below that. Its whatever you feel good at and like yourself at really.
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    I certainly don't see your goal weight as being too low. My goal weight is roughly the same as yours, and I'm five inches taller than you. I have a small frame, arthritic knees, and my weight-loss is guided by my physician.

    Will some of the people I know start screaming that I'm too thin? Absolutely. Will they question what I'm eating? Yes. Will they tell me I don't need to worry? You bet. Will they tell me I looked better 10 pounds heavier? Yup.

    My physician will pat me on the head, tell me I've done well, and hopefully tell me that I don't need to go on meds or get fluid injections into my knees.

    I'm more concerned about what my physician and I think, versus the ladies I know who complain about their fat, and their aches and pains, but won't do anything about it.
  • agstone1
    agstone1 Posts: 4 Member
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    I thought it was just me! I have NEVER been at a normal weight as an adult. I'm 5' 7" and my highest weight ever, was 328lbs. So, friends and family were only familiar with the "heavy" Angela. In 2007, for the first time, I lost weight all the way down to 139lbs, which is no where near unhealthy. When I met new people, they acted as if I was a normal human being. But, most family and friends commented and insisted I was "unhealthy, anorexic, and looked bad." My own Mother said,"I don't like how your face looks." Well, I gained back up to 225lbs and, of course, the comments stopped and the new mantra became, "We don't think of you as heavy. We love you because you're you." Fast forward to today. I am back to taking care of myself and my health. I've lost 25.5lbs since January 2013 and I am prepared for the negative comments as I get closer to goal. I plan to simply smile and reply, "I appreciate your concern" or "Thank You for sharing". I will not try to explain to the Harpies that I feel good at a lower weight or any other benefits of my weightloss, that only sets me up to be nagged. * Stay true to yourself.
  • neacail
    neacail Posts: 228 Member
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    I will not try to explain to the Harpies that I feel good at a lower weight or any other benefits of my weightloss, that only sets me up to be nagged. * Stay true to yourself.

    Love it. :smile: