How did you select your goal weight?

How you chose your first goal weight? I picked a weight that just "sounded good" to me.
Did you stop when you got there? I actually lost more than I'd intended and ended up way too skinny--have since done a few bulk/cut cycles.
What made you finally want to stop losing? I'm more concerned with gaining muscle than with losing weight. I'd rather be 130 lbs and 16% body fat than 120 lbs and 25% body fat.
When did you stop focusing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal? I'm just working toward being fit and strong. It's more important to me than a number that doesn't mean much.

I wanted to drop 25% of my total weight. Hit that and still had a bit more to go to get most of the rest gone. I'm at 26.3 % of total body weight lost from the start right now. Still have a few more lbs to go to hit the body fat % I am after but getting close. Good luck to you!!

@ilovesweeties you have done very well to have lost 68 pounds and maintained it for 6 weeks. As you know weight loss is doable but most of us will regain it.

If you will maintain your loss for one year then you will have a handle on how to do maintenance for life. 46 weeks from now you can decide where to lose more or not. The body needs time to adjust to your new 'normal' weight.

Best of luck as you move into this critical maintenance stage.

@Franc127 you have down well to have maintained for a year. Congradulations.

I calculated an estimated weight as per the BF% I wanted to be at. I'm still slightly overweight as per BMI, but I'm only 12% BF right now...being at the high end of BMI for me would put me at about 10% BF...so pretty lean.

12%ish is basically my happy place...it's easy to maintain...I'm lean, but not ripped.

the number on the scale doesn't mean a whole lot to me.

How you chose your first goal weight? I don't really know. I just felt like 130 was a good weight to be, I guess. My first goal was 120 and I'm glad I've stopped here for now.

Did you stop when you got there? I plan to maintain/recomp for a while before getting back on the horse.

What made you finally want to stop losing? I realized that a) the level of dissatisfaction I feel with my body is too out-of-sync with how I actually appear, and b) after about 65 pounds lost, I started noticing that I have loose skin on my thighs and should rest here before even considering further fat loss.

When did you stop focussing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal? I'll let you know. I no longer weigh every day because the fluctuations have started to weigh on me and I know my logging is tight.

My doctor wanted me to lose 10-15 lbs. He wanted my weight at 120 lbs. I lost 22 lbs and went on maintenance at 120 and dropped an additional 8 lbs. I have maintained 112 lbs for over a year now. I guess you can say my body chose the weight. I was comfortable at 120 but I really like being 112. I never thought I would be this small again. I am 54 yrs old. I have zero desire to be any smaller. I feared maintenance but it has been easier than I expected. I made a life style change and did not diet this time. I log daily and eat pretty much the same thing weekly.

How you chose your first goal weight? At first, I didn't have a goal weight, but I was unhappy with my dress size and getting heavier every year. I wanted a long-term plan, so I became a calorie-counter by way of Weight Watchers. I lost weight slowly over a number of years, which is good for someone in their 30s. I use 135 as a peg now because I'm either losing or gaining (but really I am happy at 140.)
Did you stop when you got there? I can't stop because I am either losing or gaining. I adjust my calorie deficit accordingly, creating a greater deficit when I start gaining past 140.
What made you finally want to stop losing? I'm at about 140 and close to my goal of 26%. I can maintain this weight while eating enough to train, work, and lead an active lifestyle.
When did you stop focusing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal? Only recently did I realize I don't need to weigh everyday. The fluctuations were upsetting. I weigh towards the end of the week after the weekend bloat is gone!

Two answers for 2 different periods

How you chose your first goal weight? My SW at the time was 178 (I'm 5'7); I initially picked 150 because it seemed achievable, and I liked myself at 150.

Did you stop when you got there? Nope, kept losing. I kept a moderate intake but was pretty active (I used exercise as stress relief and to help manage mood), and my body just settled in that balance at 124. I maintained that for years until I started getting hurt and regained almost 20 lbs (have lost about half of that now).

What made you finally want to stop losing? My body just settled there. I was happy with my food/exercise/life balance.

When did you stop focussing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal? I wasn't focused on the number, it was more about how I felt and looked.

So after I regained:

How you chose your first goal weight? I wanted to get back to 124. All of a sudden the number mattered, lol.

Did you stop when you got there? Nope, didn't get there - am hovering at 135. I'm still deciding whether I want to stay here or reduce further... maybe a few more pounds.

What made you finally want to stop losing? The kind of workouts I can do don't help that much with building muscle, though I could probably maintain a lot of what I have. Like barbecuesauce said, losing 10 lbs of fat (which would be the ideal, except of course it definitely won't just be fat) would probably mean some loose skin, and I'm not thrilled with that idea either, since the kind of muscle mass I would like isn't in the cards at the moment.

Also, I think it's again down to the balance I can do right now - I can shave maybe a hundred or so calories off my diet without feeling too deprived, but basically I'm eating what I think I need to eat to feel ok, take care of my health, and still enjoy my life.

When did you stop focussing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal? I'm trying to focus less on that 124 and more on how I feel. I'm trying to accept the limitations I'm having to work around (a constant struggle) and be ok with what that means for what I look like.

I am a 56 year old male 5 feet 6 inches tall. I peaked at ~ 150 lbs this year, but was at ~ 143 when I began calorie counting and exercising in July.
My first goal was a mixture of low normal BMI, and 60 Kg as an even number (132 Lbs). I weigh 134 now. I expect to continue losing weight until most/all of my belly fat is gone. Somewhere in the low to mid 120s ?

My secondary goals will be fitness and appearance. I am one of those unlucky males with skinny legs, no butt, a protuberant belly that is the first to collect fat, and small bones. I carry fat really poorly. So skinny/lean is just about mandatory and a goal will be lean and wiry. I have a bias against lifting, but expect (hope) that a mixture of cycling, swimming, and body exercises will bring tone. And while rarely discussed here because of the focus on weight and muscle, posture, balance and flexibility are *really* important to a long healthy life. I have neglected these my entire life and will have to start at ground zero. Perhaps my wife's Yoga class is calling.

I was at the top of my healthy BMI range (the NHS range in the UK is huge - over two stone wide!) and am now maintaining at the middle of it.

I like this weight (rather than any lower) because I am big-framed. Hubby commented the other night that he could feel my ribs when he stroked my back - made me feel so unsexy!! Right now, when I lay on my back the bottom of my ribs and my pelvic bones stick up. My collar-bones are also now visible. To my mind, further loss from this would make me look too bony.

I'm also an hourglass shape and have lost pretty much all I can off my waist. Further loss would probably come from my boobs and butt and I like those.

At this weight I like the way I look. There's still bits I don't like (chunky thighs) but they're just part of my bodyshape. I feel confident in fitted, figure-showing-off clothes. For me, that's the main thing.

I would always aim for a healthy BMI, even top-of-the-range. My mum is doing amazingly right now slimming from obese and she's less than a stone off goal. Her goal is right at the top end of the healthy BMI for her height and she's happy with that and feels like she doesn't want to lose more than that. So long as someone's healthy, I'm happy.

I would suggest you maintain for a few months and just see how you feel. It takes a while to adjust. I didn't feel any slimmer as I only lost about 18lbs, but I knew I had to be because I had clothes that were way too big. When I see myself in photos, I think the camera must have been flattering because in my head I'm not as slim as I look in the photos. It's starting to sink in that I do look that way but it's taken some time.

You're far, far healthier than you were when you started. Maybe some time taking stock, adjusting to it, and then seeing if you have any urge to lose more is the way to go?

A range works for maintenance - I'm at 9 stone 10lbs but fluctuate between 9 stone 9 and 9 stone 12.

I have a vague weight target in my head, which puts me at the top of a normal BMI/bottom of overweight. I was in that general area for a long time and that, to me, was ideal. Mostly though my target is just the next 10lb loss - when I get there I think, how do I feel about my body right now? How do my clothes fit? How do I think I will feel after another 10lb? Who's to say that I won't decide I am satisfied before I hit my vague goal, or get there and decide to continue.
I feel better about myself when I am active and strong, and my clothes fit well. For me that is far more important than being a specific weight or BMI.

Ultimately how you feel is more important than what the scales say, and I feel it's good to regularly take stock and reassess your goals.

I went with Dr Yoni Freedhoff's definition: "Your best weight is whatever weight you reach when you’re living the healthiest life you actually enjoy."

How you chose your first goal weight?
Initially, I looked at the designated normal BMI range for my height & chose the weight in the middle of that range just as a starting point.

Did you stop when you got there?
Nope. When I was transitioning to maintenance, I carried on with what I was doing because I was very comfortable with my caloric intake and it was easy to maintain. I also believe that eventually the body will stop losing when it 'finds' a weight it's comfortable functioning efficiently.

What made you finally want to stop losing?
I didn't. My body just leveled off organically.

When did you stop focussing on the number and stop trying to beat your previous goal?
The minute I reached my original goal I began to shift my focus from the scale to other things. ie. muscle definition. There were a period where I weighed in maybe once a month just to spot check. I have been able to easily maintain the weight my body decided that's right for me for two years now with zero regain.

My suggestion to you is really listen to what your body is telling you. If you are starting to feel fatigue or sluggish, then perhaps a lower than the goal is not where your body can function comfortably. However, if you are not suffering any ill side effects, personally I wouldn't worry about it.

Best of luck!

ilovesweeties wrote: »

Hi,

I am happy with my shape, fitness and strength, for now. I still identify as a curvy girl and I don't want to lose that.

That's exactly how I decided. There are still some parts of my body I wish were different, but losing another 5 pounds won't change them, and will likely mess up my current proportions, which I actually think are pretty decent considering my shape & genetics.

I think you know the answer to your own question - and if/when you have the inclination to recomp a bit, go for it! If that never happens, that's OK too. As long as you look in the mirror and accept what you see; when you look at your life and feel like you've found a good balance. That's when you know you've hit your goal.