For those who have always been overweight

I also have a target in the slightly overweight range. It makes sense given my body shape, the fact that I am athletic and given some health issues. I haven't *always* been fat, but I have pretty much always been slightly overweight.

What helped me was to ask several of my doctors for their opinions. They all came up with a similar recommended number for my body.

Most of my adult life I've been able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Not the case as a child and into my first year of college. I use to weigh 285 roughly. I took a slow approach to dieting and got down to 221 to join the Marines in 2003. When I left Parris Island i was at 178. Over the years with hard training and watching what I eat I have built muscle and now at 241 with a BMI of 14% when I lean out I usually shoot for 8 to 10%. It has definitely been a life long lifestyle change that I have to stay committed too. The only advice I can give due to everyone's circumstances being different is get to a healthy weight and try to maintain it by eating healthy and moderate exercise. Some body types just want allow us to lose weight easy...good luck on your journey and where it takes you.

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I have always always always been fat. In a few pictures I see that I was not fat, but I know I thought I was. Except on the day I was born, which is why I use by baby picture as my avatar - NOT FAT! Even underweight!! lol. Anyway, I have lost 115 lbs. I believe I would like to weigh in the middle of my BMI range but there are things to consider. Will I have to get a body tuck? It looks like I may, so I would include the possible weight of that skin into what I don't want to lose. Lots of different things to think about. I aiming for a final BMI in the middle of my "ideal body weight" range. I will never FEEL "normal," have to consult with doctors and such, as you did, to figure out where I will land. BEST OF LUCK!!

I don't have a "goal" weight anymore, I just want to be strong and hot!

I picked 150 for starters because I couldn't even pick out a time I weighed that little. Maybe middle school. That was still overweight for me. No, I was not happy until I got into a healthy weight/height range.

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I have several goals in mind. I started at 266 now I am 237. I have been working at it since January. My goals are: to get to onederland, to lose 100lbs, to lose 60lbs this year. I focus on whatever goal sounds right at the time. If I am having a great day I think about losing 100lbs total. If I have a bad day I just think about 60lbs in a year. These are all goals that I would be proud to accomplish. Just keep going...never give up...that's what I tell myself

sheldonklein wrote: »

How have you set your target weight/when did you know it was time to stop losing? I've basically always been obese, with a few interludes of merely overweight I've dropped 65 pounds, from 260 to 195. I'm still overweight by standard BMI and BF% measures, but I question whether I could maintain or would feel healthier at a "normal " weight. I am leaning toward dropping another 5-10 lb, then declaring victory. Have others see a target in the overweight range?

Sheldon,

I was overweight my entire life, my highest weight being 220. I lost about 30 pounds in 20's and maintained for a long time between 185 and 195, but I also fluctuated a lot, once or twice getting as low as 165. I had convinced myself that 165 was where I was supposed to be because I could not get lower than that.

In my early forties, after I'd gained quite a bit of weight back, I decided to hire a trainer at the gym because I wanted to get below 165. With his help, which included weight lifting and dietary consultation, i was able to get to 155. He taught me about portion control and logging my food and taking charge of my dietary habits.

Over time, I "forgot" what he'd taught me and found I'd put about 30 pounds back on. Two years ago I found MFP, read a lot, learned a lot, started weighing and logging food and lost the weight until I was in a healthy weight range for my height. I have been maintaining at 139/140 for over a year now, and I feel fantastic.

As for you- you are the only one who can make the decision of how much you want to lose and where you want to be. However, I never in a million years envisioned myself being a healthy weight that is not in the overweight range, and I feel wonderful and victorious and now know I can manage my weight.

Oh, and I never did choose a goal weight, I just lost weight until I felt good. I've thought of losing a few vanity pounds, but the number doesn't matter.

I also worked with my doctor to come up with a goal weight and at 44 years old, 5'2" with a SW of 244 we decided upon 175, based on my body type, etc.. I later decided on hoping to be a size 10/12 at 150 pounds. I am currently 150 and a size 2/4, still going down in size but not so much in weight. I would like to be under 150! I think looking in the mirror and seeing what you like is a much better guide than using the scale.

Welll i m lucky in that case that i m always maintained :-P:-):-):-)

sheldonklein wrote: »

SergeantSausage wrote: »

Go ahead and question how you will feel, but *know* that you will absolutely *BE* healthier, regardless of how you now think you will then feel in the future.

Victory isn't simply declared by giving up and calling it "done", right?

Why do you say I will be healthier? The research I have seen indicates no significant difference in health outcomes between overweight and normal BMIs. IOW, it is basically a U shaped risk curve, with significantly adverse health effects for the underwent and obese, but not in between. Do you have different research?

There is no guarantee that a person with a BMI less than 25 will be healthier, but the reason 25 was chosen to identify "overweight" is because there is a sharp increase in health risks for people who have a BMI of 25 or more.

00figg wrote: »

i chose a clothing size that i felt i would be comfortable with and aimed for that.

This is a great idea. Everyone weighs differently, but as long as you feel comfortable in your clothes, then go with that.

I was always overweight, and my goal is the middle of the normal BMI range (I'm 2 pounds away, if that, but probably under if you remove the loose skin weight!). It's totally possible. For me it was about making a positive change, and staying overweight and having too much body fat just didn't cut it for me.