How do you choose your goal weight?

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  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
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    I think some folks are conditioned to being fat or conditioned to seeing a lot of fat people. Some folks also just think losing lots of weight is for the lucky few who get to go on TV Shows like The Biggest Loser...


    I know someone who wore a size 32 before gastric bypass surgery. She is know a size 20 ( with no exercise or dietary restrictions). I mentioned to her that imagine what she could be if she was careful about what she ate or if she exercised. She told me that she looks good "thick" and not everyone is built to be skinny... WTH???? She was a size 20 in 6th grade so she has no idea what is would be like to be any smaller. When I mentioned my goal weight, she said that's too much to lose... I reminded her that my goal weight is simply my pre-pregnancy weight and I was certainly not too skinny then.....

    Pardon my French and I don't mean to offend, because I am Fat and that is why I am here, okay? It is one of my pet peeves and maybe people are just trying to be nice when they say, "your'e too thin, or you look great, or you don't need to lose any weight."

    I am going out on a limb here assuming that we are sensible people trying to do our very best to feel better, look better, and be healthy with losing weight. I hope we aren't anorexic and dealing with false body images of weighing 80 pounds and complaining how fat we are.

    With that said, I think our FAT friends, co-workers, family members, and perfect strangers are just plain jealous that we have the guts and gumption to take the bull by the horns and do something about our health, looks, and self esteem. I had someone do that to me the other day , "Oh, you are small already." I thought if I confided in a fat acquaintance she might want to get on board or agree with me, commisserate, whatever - but no she said I am already "too skinny." Really? In what warped world is 40 inch hips considered normal size? Please, I know what I am! I am working hard to change it. My thighs still rub when I walk and I had rolls on my side at the time.

    They are in denial for them selves and want to drag us down and I'm not going! If you felt great at your pre-pregnancy weight, and your doctor approves, then go for it. If your friend wants to dig her grave with her teeth, then that is her choice, but I refuse to let anyone derail me with their comments. Comments like that from people like that mean that the topic is no longer open for discussion between us. I won't support anyone who wants to stay fat because it is easier. Yeah, I can agree if I wanted to pile on the pounds, too, I'd get a lot more donuts to eat, but believe me I've had my share. I won't discuss my issues with anyone who can't take it. Even when I was just barely at the top of the BMI I had a jealous friend of a friend say behind my back that I was too skinny. If she mean't that I could wear any size 8 pants that anyone could throw at me, then yes, guilty as charged! I only hope to be able to be there again this summer and maybe a size 6 to boot!

    Ignore them. They are just jealous because you have got what it takes to change your life! Go for it! = D
  • musicoflife08
    musicoflife08 Posts: 66
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    I was a skinny kid, but once I got into fourth grade I started putting on weight and it just never stopped. I'm 21 now, and I have absolutely no references as to what is normal for me. (I was 190 in high school, the highest I've been is 240).
    I had to ask my doctor what weight I should be at, she told me 130-140. I think I'm just going to start loosing weight and go from there. Personally, I want to have some curves and have a little cushion (not too much though!). But, maybe I'll change my mind once I get there, after all, I have no idea what I'm going to look like past 180.
  • susanswan
    susanswan Posts: 1,194 Member
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    I was a skinny kid, but once I got into fourth grade I started putting on weight and it just never stopped. I'm 21 now, and I have absolutely no references as to what is normal for me. (I was 190 in high school, the highest I've been is 240).
    I had to ask my doctor what weight I should be at, she told me 130-140. I think I'm just going to start loosing weight and go from there. Personally, I want to have some curves and have a little cushion (not too much though!). But, maybe I'll change my mind once I get there, after all, I have no idea what I'm going to look like past 180.

    I never had a skinny day in my life until I was 40 and dieted to a midrange healthy BMI for my height. THat is where I am headed to and I am taking no prisoners.

    You will be just so proud of yourself when you can break your lifelong barriers and see what you were really mean't to look like. I am glad that you are young enough now to enjoy it! Use your doctor and BMI as a guide. Continue your healthy habits forever. When old habits return, chances are so will your weight. Take care and good luck to you!
  • Nataliethin81
    Nataliethin81 Posts: 315
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    I'm referring mine back to the time I was skinny.
    My goal weight is anywhere around 95-105 lbs.
    And just talk to your doc about it to make sure it's okay for you.

    That is just crazy, I am sorry. To each their own, I know but that is not a healthy weight for anyone unless you're 4'10".
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Mine is a stone above my lowest weight. I know I can't ever get anywhere near my thinnest as my body is different now, and I am 10 years older, so I went for a stone higher, which puts me with a BMI of about 22. I imagine I won't make it TBH, but it's a good aim. I am just into a healthy BMI at the moment.
  • Mayor_West
    Mayor_West Posts: 246 Member
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    I don't have a goal weight- rather, I'm more concerned with getting my bodyfat down to a certain percentage, regardless of how much I actually weigh. For me, my goal is to simply look and feel a certain way and that's really it.

    I also place NO value on the BMI statistic either- according to my BMI (32, btw), I'm considered OBESE, which even Stevie Wonder would confirm as being BS. The BMI is a statistic devised to calculate the "overall health level" of an entire population. Since bodyfat is difficult to measure, not to mention do so accurately, the BMI formula was devised to help researchers and scientists create a statistic that was calculated with only a few measurements- height and weight. As a result, it fails to account for individuals with higher levels of muscle mass or conversely, people without a healthy level of muscle mass. It also give all of us a "one size fits all" approach to health and fitness, which is incredibly unrealistic, not to mention narrow-minded.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    I think most people do have a distorted view of normal. I am at the very top end of healthy BMI (right now I am 24.6), and yet I get told constantly that I have an eating disorder or a messed up body image because I want to to lose 18 lbs (to give me a BMI of 22). It isn't me who has a distorted body image. It's the people who think I am already skinny, when I am in fact very close to overweight.
  • Kat120285
    Kat120285 Posts: 1,599 Member
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    When I was around 120 I could see the muscle I had built with P90X not not as much as I wanted. I kept going, but it really seemed like I need to shed a few pounds. I weighed in at the beginning of this week at 115, big difference, and I think the best weight for me is about 110. I would never go below 105 and probably won't be going below 110. I think at 110 I'll just maintain and keep doing my P90X, P90X Plus and Insanity =]

    Everyone's body is different and people the same height can have completely different happy body weights. You just have to do what you feel is right for you.
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
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    I go by 100lbs at 5ft, plus 5lbs for every inch of height, +/- 10% for a petite or large frame. Gives me 115, which, going by how I look at 126, is about right.
  • taletreader
    taletreader Posts: 377 Member
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    My goals are to be healthy and to gradually become more athletic. So what does this mean?

    - Becoming more athletic, well, that's something you can do at any weight. Many activities become easier the lighter I am, so yeah, it goes along with weight/fat loss, but I wager this goal will continue to translate into a series of increasing fitness goals regardless of what weight I'll be at.
    - Healthy, that's where things get dicey. What we know is that statistically, a BMI > 30 is associated with increased health risks. But it is very hard to show in studies that a "healthy" (="normal") BMI is actually better than a slightly overweight one. BMIs between 25 and 30, while overweight, aren't inherently unhealthy. Indeed, even one very highly publicised story that DID show an optimal health on the average for BMIs between 20 and 25 also showed a) that 18.5-20, while "normal", was less healthy and b) that for some groups, like female former smokers (ME!), the optimum health was in the BMI range of 26-27 or so. So for this goal, I first focussed on getting out of the "obese" range, which I am -- 175 pounds was that limit. Now I will continue to work on shrinking while paying at least as much attention to my waist circumference as to my weight. The waist should first get below 35" (right now: 37") and then below 32". That would get me out of the ranges of statistical associations with heart disease.

    But what weight will that be? I have no idea. I think that as a next step, getting into the 150s (and to about 70 kg) and then reassessing will be good. Things will slow down, and from now on, there's no real hurry.
  • Rubie81
    Rubie81 Posts: 720 Member
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    I'm 5'4 and 124.5 pounds right now (gosh, I really didn't think I could make it here), my goal is for 120 but I might shoot for 115 and 115 would be the very, very smallest I would want to weigh. I'm here to be healthy and have a fab body I don't want to wilt away. Looking like a cadaver is not sexy.
  • TrainerRobin
    TrainerRobin Posts: 509 Member
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    I don't have a goal weight- rather, I'm more concerned with getting my bodyfat down to a certain percentage, regardless of how much I actually weigh. For me, my goal is to simply look and feel a certain way and that's really it.

    I also place NO value on the BMI statistic either- according to my BMI (32, btw), I'm considered OBESE, which even Stevie Wonder would confirm as being BS. The BMI is a statistic devised to calculate the "overall health level" of an entire population. Since bodyfat is difficult to measure, not to mention do so accurately, the BMI formula was devised to help researchers and scientists create a statistic that was calculated with only a few measurements- height and weight. As a result, it fails to account for individuals with higher levels of muscle mass or conversely, people without a healthy level of muscle mass. It also give all of us a "one size fits all" approach to health and fitness, which is incredibly unrealistic, not to mention narrow-minded.

    Agreed. My personal goal and my goals for my clients has everything to do with body fat percentage (not BMI) and less to do with weight. Although generally, when my gals get to the desired body fat/composition, they're pretty closed to the basic rule of thumb (general, and everyone is different) of, for women, 100 pounds for the first 100 pounds, and an extra 5 pounds for every inch of height over 5'. :)

    Hope that helps.
  • amberpaigee
    amberpaigee Posts: 74
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    My lowest weight was around 9 stone 3lbs (129lbs) and I remember being really happy with myself then so it is my first goal! But I would love to be 9 stone (126lbs) so when Christmas comes it doesn't matter if I pile on a couple of pounds! :bigsmile:

    :flowerforyou:
  • Barelmy
    Barelmy Posts: 590 Member
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    My goals are to be healthy and to gradually become more athletic. So what does this mean?

    - Becoming more athletic, well, that's something you can do at any weight. Many activities become easier the lighter I am, so yeah, it goes along with weight/fat loss, but I wager this goal will continue to translate into a series of increasing fitness goals regardless of what weight I'll be at.
    - Healthy, that's where things get dicey. What we know is that statistically, a BMI > 30 is associated with increased health risks. But it is very hard to show in studies that a "healthy" (="normal") BMI is actually better than a slightly overweight one. BMIs between 25 and 30, while overweight, aren't inherently unhealthy. Indeed, even one very highly publicised story that DID show an optimal health on the average for BMIs between 20 and 25 also showed a) that 18.5-20, while "normal", was less healthy and b) that for some groups, like female former smokers (ME!), the optimum health was in the BMI range of 26-27 or so. So for this goal, I first focussed on getting out of the "obese" range, which I am -- 175 pounds was that limit. Now I will continue to work on shrinking while paying at least as much attention to my waist circumference as to my weight. The waist should first get below 35" (right now: 37") and then below 32". That would get me out of the ranges of statistical associations with heart disease.

    But what weight will that be? I have no idea. I think that as a next step, getting into the 150s (and to about 70 kg) and then reassessing will be good. Things will slow down, and from now on, there's no real hurry.

    I was listening to a Freakonomics podcast the other day which discussed whether or not having a high bmi was actually bad for you. iirc, they couldn't really reach a conclusion either way.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    My goal is the weight at the top of my healthy BMI range. However, I know that's not the be-all end-all of judging a long-term healthy lifestyle and that's what I'm trying to focus on this time around. Not just cutting carbs or taking "magic" pills or working out a certain way because that's what worked for someone else but eating mostly healthy foods and throwing in the occasional treat like pizza or chocolate and working out as consistently as I can.

    I haven't been anywhere near a healthy weight since I was 17 (that was almost 20 years ago), I'm much more muscular now and definitely have a big-boned structure going by that fingers around the wrist test - so who knows. Maybe that top number will be perfect, maybe I'll be able to lose another 10 or be healthy at 10 over. Once I get there, I'll see how I feel and see what my doc says and pick a maintenance weight then.
  • cupcakecarnivore
    cupcakecarnivore Posts: 267
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    People look at me like Im crazy when I tell them I want to lose weight. I picked my goal weight by a weight that I used to be when I was happiest with how my body looked:) I started at 135 and my goal is 120ish....but I might end up stopping sooner depending on how my body fat percentage is!
  • LemonSocks
    LemonSocks Posts: 238 Member
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    I used to be 140lbs and pretty happy, but I did need to tone up and lose a little weight on my hips and tummy. So because of that I want to hit around 134/135lbs. It might be nice to drop a few more pounds after that but I won't need to push myself further than that.
  • yvfitness1
    yvfitness1 Posts: 20 Member
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    I chose 150 as my goal weight based on what I remember myself looking at 160 when I was in my teens. At the same time, if I get to a body shape I am comfortable with before getting there, I will stop. Its just an idea for me really.

    + 1
  • ybba12490
    ybba12490 Posts: 252
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    I just have a general area where I want to be: 170
    The last time I was there I felt super healthy and just loved the way I looked.
    I agree with others saying just take it 5 lbs at a time... its overwhelming to look at a large number.
    I'm also not super concerned with "I have to lose 10 lbs in EXACTLY a month." If I don't make it, I have more time to catch up.

    Just keep your journey fun, otherwise exercise and dieting becomes WORK.
    And no one wants to go to work.
    Don't overthink, just do :)
  • SabrinaJL
    SabrinaJL Posts: 1,579 Member
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    I researched my BMI range. For me at 5'4" my BMI range is 117 to 145 pounds. To figure out where in that range I wanted to be I considered my age (as Im in my 40's) and my bone structure.

    Bone structure guideline: wrap your index finger and thumb around your other wrist
    if it does not touch you are big boned
    if it "just" touches you are medium boned
    if it overlaps you are small boned

    I'm never sure if i'm doing it right. If I wrap my hand gently around my wrist, my fingers don't touch. If I squeeze a bit, I can get them to touch. If I squeeze more, i can get them to overlap a tad.

    According to a chart I found my range is 118 - 155. I went with 134 just because 100 lbs sounded like a good number.

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