We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

Dumb question..

Mandi98U
Mandi98U Posts: 116 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
How do you guys decide your goal weight. I set one but now as I get closer to it I'm thinking I might want to go lower depending on how I feel. How do you set for your I did it goal.

Replies

  • healthy_life2015
    healthy_life2015 Posts: 215 Member
    I haven't set mine yet! I have an idea of what it may be but won't know until my body gets there. I'll figure it out once I know what looks healthy for me and what is realistic given my lifestyle.
  • Courage_Warrior
    Courage_Warrior Posts: 1
    I look in the mirror and eyeball my bf%, my goal is 7%bf, once i reach that, i'm done cutting.

    I'm around 15% atm.
  • JordanRay21
    JordanRay21 Posts: 25 Member
    I started at 200+ lbs. My goal weight was 150 lbs. I am 5 lbs away and you know what....I am now shooting for 140 lbs.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    first time i did i used a BMI chart to determine what my normal weight is for my height.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    I have always been 'heavy' for my height, and I am super stocky so I knew that my ideal weight was not going to be found on a doctors chart. For me it was more about getting into a certain size pants, shirt etc.

    I also had fitness goals and just wanted to like what I saw in the mirror.

    Some people are much more scientific about it, determining body fat index etc. That wasn't for me.

    Good luck and congrats on success thus far.

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Middle of the healthy weight chart.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Middle of the healthy weight chart.

    Of course that is how I originally picked, but no longer care. Now it's all about getting stronger.
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Middle of the healthy weight chart.
    Same. If I get there I will be ecstatic.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Set one, found out it was still about six pounds overweight, dropped it fifteen pounds, then decided I may go ten more (if/when I get there)
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,770 Member
    Mine was picked on the basis that I have a photo of me at that weight and I like how I looked. But realistically, I was 10 years younger and I know I'm not going to look the same, so I'm fully prepared to reassess. I'm really not too hung up on a number though, more how I look, how I feel and what I can do.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,832 Member
    Also, consider what is a healthy BMI (body mass index) for you. Being severely underweight can be dangerous to your health just as can being overweight -- especially since you are still young and want to be sure to develop and nourish your brain, bones, organs, etc. appropriately.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,623 Member
    edited March 2015
    Mine is based off of my previous light weight after losing weight 4-5 years ago. But I may end up wanting to be lighter than that, or heavier, no idea. I'm going to stop once I'm happy with my body fat %, which I'm expecting to be adequately low enough at 140-145lbs (which I was at 5 years ago, although I had less LBM and more body fat then).

    Also my goal used to be 160. At my body fat%, definitely not stopping weight loss now (156).
  • Mandi98U
    Mandi98U Posts: 116 Member
    Thanks!
  • Timorous_Beastie
    Timorous_Beastie Posts: 595 Member
    I picked the middle of a healthy weight chart, then 5 pounds lower, then another 5 pounds lower, then between recovering from an injury and beginning strength training, gained some weight back, then lost some more, and ended up being absolutely thrilled with how I looked at my original weight, and amazed at how different that weight looked than the first time around.

    Takeaway message: I wished I'd started strength training earlier.
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
    I used an ideal weight calculator to get a starting goal. I picked a weight at the low end of the range. Once I get there I'll see how I feel about things and might adjust.
  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
    i set my goal weight based on the weight i was before i got pregnant. i was healthy, happy and felt really good about my size at that weight, so that is where i am aiming this time. :smile:
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    You can decide your goal weight when you get there and you can reasses any time. :)
    I have an idea of my goal weight, but that can change. You don't have to know yet!
  • kfayr
    kfayr Posts: 14 Member
    for me it's more about changing my lifestyle for the better and of course in doing so I will lose weight. Long term your body sits into it's own ideal weight if you keep exercising and eating well. There is always a point your body feels most comfortable and often you can't push past it in a healthy way
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    I looked at a BMI chart and went 10 lb below the top end of a healthy weight range, which would make my BMI 24.

    Depending on how I look/feel once I get there, I _might_ want to go as much as another 15 lb below that (25 below the top end of the healthy range, making my BMI 22), but I haven't decided yet. That would put me right in the middle of the healthy weight range.
  • runnrchic
    runnrchic Posts: 130 Member
    160wannab wrote: »
    How do you guys decide your goal weight. I set one but now as I get closer to it I'm thinking I might want to go lower depending on how I feel. How do you set for your I did it goal.

    Based on stomach fat, although now I am trying to replace about 1 lb of fat with a lb of muscle and stay the same weight. That's when a scale that measures muscle will come in handy.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I looked at some charts and then remembered what I looked and felt like the day I graduated from college in 1976. I'm there now and it seems like a good weight for a 60 year old!
  • runnrchic
    runnrchic Posts: 130 Member
    Pu_239 wrote: »
    160wannab wrote: »
    How do you guys decide your goal weight. I set one but now as I get closer to it I'm thinking I might want to go lower depending on how I feel. How do you set for your I did it goal.


    go based on body fat. Think of how you want to look based on a body fat chart. here is a general one.
    body-fat-percentage-women.jpg

    Know your current body fat based on that picture. Lets say your goal is 17% body fat, and you're at 30% body fat at 185lbs.

    You need to know your lean body mass.

    Total Weight * (1 - bodyfat%) = llbs ean body mass

    185*(1-.30) = 129lbs of lean body mass

    Once you know your lean body mass. You use that to calculate your goal weight.

    LeanBodymass/(1-(bodyfat%atGoal)) = goal weight

    So you want to be at 17% body fat.

    129/(1-.17) = 155lbs should be your goal weight.


    That's pretty cool! I'm at 17% and will take 15%. I'll never get to the first pic unless I quit running and pound some roids, so no thank you lol.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories