How do you know what your final weight goal should be?

For me, my ideal weight for forever, is what I weighed when I was 19.
But the answer to your question is, you're ideal weight should be whatever you feel comfortable with! I think it would be wonderful to go into maintenance mode now if that's what you want. I actually lost more weight at the beginning when I transitioned to maintenance.

I agree, Sue. It is a real struggle to decide where to come to a stop. I have been so focused on losing weight for the last 4.5 years that I have a hard time saying.. "Enough is enough." I, as well, can see my ribs, hip bones and collarbones, however, I am still at 185#. It feels like failure to stop losing when the BMI calculator says you're still overweight. However, I would need to weigh 159 in order to crack into that Healthy BMI range. Knowing I have a minimum 10-15 pounds of excess skin after losing 200+ pounds, I cannot imagine getting down to 159 on the scale. THe number wouldn't be accurate for me with the excess skin factored in. I am looking to 175 as a stopping point right now. I guess I will see how I feel at that point. Oh, and I am 5'7"

Congratulations on your loss so far!

What is your height? I know you don't want to know about BMI calculations but they are a good way of finding a weight range that is healthy. Extensive research has been done and found that (at the population level, anyway) people who have a BMI of 20-25 (roughly) have fewer lifestyle related diseases and lower mortality.

Yes, I did forget to list my height. I am 5' 4" which is short.

At 5'4" I'd say a good goal is 140-150

When you look in the mirror and you're like 'DAMN SHE FINE!'

I have been told that meeting the bmi will make me look like a drug addict and I think that maybe true for older people. Our skin is thinning and like you said, it makes it tough on the butt bones. I would go with a weight that makes you feel comfortable. No one knows your body like you do. If you feel it is time to maintain then do so. Go with your gut. My doctor told me to go with what my body tell me. He said BMI and government weight charts are for a general guide line. But we are not general, we are all specific only to ourselves, and we know when we feel good and that is not necessarily when the charts say we should. I am so happy for you and I wish you nothing but the best.

First of all congratulations! It sounds like you're enjoying your senior years in a whole new way.

You're already under a doctors care so I'm not going into that area. I would suggest changing your weight loss goal to lose .5 pounds per week, so that you don't suddenly have to find a way to eat 300 or so extra healthy calories a day. Also I've been told by many who have done weight loss surgery that there excess skin weighs somewhere on average of 25lbs. Your doctor can probably tell you more and since you have lost over 100 pounds I'd say you're probably in the same boat with many of them.

Keep exercising and fuel your body with good healthy foods and most importantly don't forget to keep working on strengthening your muscles.

I agree with the others. If you feel good go to maintenance. You may have 20 lbs of excess skin on you. If that's the case then you've met your goal. I would focus on how you feel and a reasonable percent body fat.

First & MOST IMPORTANT - CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!! :flowerforyou:

What a great accomplishment!

Now, to your question... when you think about your ideal weight, I think you should take into consideration your health - for instance do you have diabetes or pre-diabetes? I'm told that weight and this disease are close cousins. Do you have high blood pressure or any type of heart disease? If so, weighing less than you do today is probably in your health's best interest. Now, let's say you have none of these.... then I'd say, you should count your goal weight as the size that makes you most happy. That may be the size you are today or smaller. Have a photo taken of yourself - take a look. Do you like the way you look (REALLY?). If yes, than go on maintenance. If no, then exercise and/or diet to get to the size you want & don't worry about the scale.

The only thing I will say that may influence your decision more than a photo, is how do you feel - particularly your joints? If you feel pain in your joints, the weigh might be making it worse. I used to have severe back pain from sciatica. I still have sciatica, however, after I lost about 60 pounds the incidents of flare ups have gotten much less - and weight loose and exercise is the only thing that has changed.

Finally - you shouldn't have to starve yourself to be the size you want to be. You should be able to eat a normal diet - with good food and reasonable exercise and stay your 'goal weight'. If you have to always feel like you are on a diet, then that might not be the ideal goal weight for you.

Whatever you decide, BE HAPPY & BE PROUD because you have accomplished something absolutely wonderful!

I think that you should stop where you are comfortable, as long as you are healthy. If your doctor thinks your health will improve by losing more, then yes keep losing. I would recommend a slow down to 1 pound a week loss.