How do you decide when to stop?

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Replies

  • EliseTK1
    EliseTK1 Posts: 483 Member
    I had a number in mind when I started losing weight, lost about 19 lbs then began strength training. My body shape has changed dramatically, and scale numbers no longer mean much to me. I decided to maintain when all my "thin" clothes fit me nicely again, but I have continued to do slow body recomp by lifting. I intend to continue improving my lifts/working on my fitness without too much focus on my weight. This way I can still eat enough to keep me happy while also staying healthy. Also curves are sexy- I'm not trying to lose them.
  • OkieFitness
    OkieFitness Posts: 43 Member
    I remember when I was in my mid 20s and weighed 160. I felt and looked awesome! Now 56, my initial goal is 170 to see how I feel at that point. Why? Something changed after my long term illness. I was not the skinny soccer player I used to be. I began to bulk up - which was a actually a good thing. I found muscle I didn’t have before. But then the mid age belly flab and laziness hit - both in exercise and eating habits. No more! About 11 pounds down since April. 17 to go. I figure if I hit 170 and think I need to lose 5-10 more? That’s gravy after losing 30. There’s also a pile of 32 waist shorts in my closet calling my name and lower blood pressure and cholesterol too. All great reasons to press on!
  • Jezreel12
    Jezreel12 Posts: 246 Member
    I had gone low twice to 156 lbs and I looked like a crack or meth addict ! I went up to a higher weight into the 210 lbs and had to reassess how I lose weight and what weight is realistic for me ( my body). So now although I never stopped working out at the gym, I’m now losing weight gradually and my wife helping me to see what weight level is good for me and my look. I tended to look at weight charts for my age and body type and I have to say that although helpful it has to be use as one of many tools for what weight I should maintain constantly. Lessons learned for me. It’s no good for me to be to slender or skinny and then looking older or sickly for the benefit of weight loss. I now am losing weight with how I’m feeling and how I look and youthful I look. So I have taken now all this into consideration. I might not have a six pack like before but I’m not looking too skinny like before. Now I look full but young and healthy and still lean enough to keep a balance for good help.
  • bear2303
    bear2303 Posts: 251 Member
    tecat810 wrote: »
    I am completely following this thread and am interested in others journey. I lost 40 pounds j a year and a half and am at the the top of healthy bmi and weight for my height. I am 5 foot 3, 140 pounds, and stronger and more fit than I have ever been! I look good, I am in a clothing size I am happy with.

    I still have body fat in my middle due to three children and my nutrition choices previously. I'd love to firm that up. I've been trying to focus on meeting my macro and calorie goals and hoping my intensity. So I think recomp essentially.

    Thanks for posting and for the discussion on this topic.

    We have VERY similar stats. I'm 5' 3" and currently weighing 137-140 lbs. I am also feeling good at this weight but have the same issues of weight in my midsection due to my two kids and honestly that's just where i carry weight. I'm also asian and therefore the "asian BMI" should have me sitting more at 126ish to be in a healthy BMI but I feel like that would be hard for me to maintain. I also lost 40 lbs! I was sitting right at 180 when i started!
  • dhiammarath
    dhiammarath Posts: 834 Member
    I took a dart and shot it at the middle of my BMI and then figured out a range. I have the "I want to be around this most days of the year." And then the "my gluttonous birthday/holiday cap" levels were set. My intention is to settle in this range, but bodies are weird and I might not like myself in the middle of the BMI. I might have to go lower (bones? where? not yet for me!) or I might stay or I might go up a little, I don't know. I figure, I'd start there and then see. I have small bones (or at least I'm narrow around based on bra/jean size) and there's still quite a bit of flesh that I want to lean out from (I'm staring at you calves and thighs).

    The quick answer is... I don't have a number I've got my heart set on. Instead, I'm set on losing my inner rubber duckie floatie settled around my hips (it's almost gone, yippeee yay!) and on slimming down the fat on my legs. Since I can't spot reduce, I'm working it until I feel comfortable and happy. Rough-guess, I've got 20lbs left. I do have a lot of muscle (yay lifting), so we'll see when I get there.

    Go with your gut on how you feel and on what's sustainable. Sustainability >> feeling >> mirror/clothes store (for me).
  • JenniferM1234
    JenniferM1234 Posts: 173 Member
    I am 5'3" too!! I decided I'm in maintenance recently, even though technically I'm around 4 pounds over my "goal weight" which was what I weighed/what I looked like when I got married. I got married in my 20s though and that was two now teenager-kids ago -- my body just isn't gonna do that without a lack of any enjoyment. I don't look like I'm in my 20s anymore, nor should I, that's just how it goes. SO, I'm settled into a "settled into" body and just hoping that my 4x/week treadmill walking is enough to keep my heart and lungs healthy.

    I've yo-yo'ed up and down the scale since I was a teenager, and maintenance has NEVER stuck (I am okay with dieting but somehow not staying down?? Sucks). This is the reason I'm on MFP now. To see if I can maintain, finally.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    I picked what the calculators list as my "ideal" weight, which is about 107-110 pounds, a bmi of about 21. I might decide to stop before then, but I know from the last time I lost weight, that I wasn't happy with my original goal of 130 pounds, which is a bmi of 25, and wanted to lose more. That's consistent this time as that's about where my weight is now and I do want to lose more, although I'm definitely feeling like I don't need to lose a ton more, so that's good.
  • Tedebearduff
    Tedebearduff Posts: 1,155 Member
    bear2303 wrote: »
    Im just curious as to when people have decided when they have reached a point where they are ready for maintenance? Or I guess how did you even set your original goal weight? Is it when you've hit a certain number on the scale? When you're no longer in an unhealthy BMI? When you're at a weight you've been previously and wanted to get back to?

    For me i set my goal as a number that i thought was reasonable and maintainable for me but now that I'm here im tempted to try and lose another 10 lbs but not sure if pushing myself to that is worth it.

    After my large weight loss (173lbs) I stopped because I was always cold my goal was to lost 175lbs but like didn't care cause I was cold all the time. I stayed in maintence for months and then got tired of ppl telling me I was to skinny, so I went from being called fat to being called skinny. Then a long story goes on about cutting and bulking over the years no one wants to read so I will end it there.

    Don't care about my BMI it makes no sense to me as I have more muscles now so that scale isn't accurate for someone like me. I'm 5"11 270lbs and still wear a large/XL and size 36 jeans so ... just doesn't seem like it accounts for muscle mass.

    instead of aiming for a # on the scale aim for how you look in the mirror and how you feel about yourself, that's the end game IMO not a # on the scale.

  • vivo1972
    vivo1972 Posts: 129 Member
    A dress size Uk 12. I want some fat on me as I think I look better and it's a generally healthy weight - I'm 5 foot 5. I also have cyclist legs so I would never get lower than that over my calves :D
  • sthurman
    sthurman Posts: 23 Member
    I guess for me I’ll know when I feel my most confident.
    I am always happy when I reach a mini goal but then I know I can keep up the hard work to achieve a healthier weight. I set one every 10-15lbs lost and then re-evaluate my situation when I reach those goals.
    I’ve been thinking I’d like to be near 130lbs when all is said and done but for now I’m focusing on 160. If I get to 160 and I’m confident and happy/healthy then maybe I’ll stay there 🤷🏻‍♀️.
  • donnadee1984
    donnadee1984 Posts: 46 Member
    Tedebearduff wrote: »
    bear2303 wrote: »
    Im just curious as to when people have decided when they have reached a point where they are ready for maintenance? Or I guess how did you even set your original goal weight? Is it when you've hit a certain number on the scale? When you're no longer in an unhealthy BMI? When you're at a weight you've been previously and wanted to get back to?

    For me i set my goal as a number that i thought was reasonable and maintainable for me but now that I'm here im tempted to try and lose another 10 lbs but not sure if pushing myself to that is worth it.

    After my large weight loss (173lbs) I stopped because I was always cold my goal was to lost 175lbs but like didn't care cause I was cold all the time. I stayed in maintence for months and then got tired of ppl telling me I was to skinny, so I went from being called fat to being called skinny. Then a long story goes on about cutting and bulking over the years no one wants to read so I will end it there.

    Don't care about my BMI it makes no sense to me as I have more muscles now so that scale isn't accurate for someone like me. I'm 5"11 270lbs and still wear a large/XL and size 36 jeans so ... just doesn't seem like it accounts for muscle mass.

    instead of aiming for a # on the scale aim for how you look in the mirror and how you feel about yourself, that's the end game IMO not a # on the scale.

    Did youre skin cope ok?
  • Copaiba
    Copaiba Posts: 75 Member
    edited December 2019
    5’4” and 140 lbs at 53 years old. I was thrilled with this weight 15 years ago but now I’m not as consistent with the weight training as I was then and oy, my joints often hurt at night 🙄
    My goal was initially to lose weight and I’ve lost 60 lbs this last year but always have the goal to eat a low fat whole food plant based diet WITHOUT FEELING LIKE A VICTIM 🤣😂
    I love junk food 😢
    I think if I can manage to stay away from processed foods and refined oils, I should be able to get to my ideal weight of 125 by spring at least....maybe.
    The danger of MFP, for me, is learning that I can eat some processed foods and still lose weight.
    But those foods leave me feeling just a tiny bit gross/bloated/oily and yet I still think of them as rewards (?)
    I envy people who stick to a vegan no oil diet, don’t count calories or macros, and drop weight without feeling deprived.
  • bear2303
    bear2303 Posts: 251 Member
    Copaiba wrote: »
    5’4” and 140 lbs at 53 years old. I was thrilled with this weight 15 years ago but now I’m not as consistent with the weight training as I was then and oy, my joints often hurt at night 🙄
    My goal was initially to lose weight and I’ve lost 60 lbs this last year but always have the goal to eat a low fat whole food plant based diet WITHOUT FEELING LIKE A VICTIM 🤣😂
    I love junk food 😢
    I think if I can manage to stay away from processed foods and refined oils, I should be able to get to my ideal weight of 125 by spring at least....maybe.
    The danger of MFP, for me, is learning that I can eat some processed foods and still lose weight.
    But those foods leave me feeling just a tiny bit gross/bloated/oily and yet I still think of them as rewards (?)
    I envy people who stick to a vegan no oil diet, don’t count calories or macros, and drop weight without feeling deprived.

    Oh man, i am waiting very impatiently for the day when junk food doesn't feel like a treat to me. I eat less of it now for sure and i do feel so much better when i don't but its SUCH a mental hurdle for me to not feel like i'm depriving myself when i don't eat crap.
  • EliseTK1
    EliseTK1 Posts: 483 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. :/ I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

    I know that feeling. It can be hard to love and accept your own body as is even when it's already healthy and amazing. That perfectionist mentality creeps in. Just know that whatever you end up doing, you are AWESOME and you've accomplished something great!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited December 2019
    This content has been removed.
  • RelCanonical
    RelCanonical Posts: 3,882 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. :/ I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

    I went through that the last time I lost weight. I think I struggled because I hit my goal and didn't give myself another to work toward that was health-related but not necessarily weight-related. Maybe that would help? I think a lot of us feel like if we're not moving forward, we're moving backward, which is why maintenance can be a struggle.
  • jimb2u
    jimb2u Posts: 5 Member
    I’m at 163.2 pounds(at 6’3”) this morning. This is under my original Goal Weight of 199.9 (at 6’3”) which had been my goal weight as long as I can remember. My lowest adult weight has been 207 pounds when I was 20 years old and I was able to wear size 36 jeans. 199.9 also brought me into a “normal” BMI (for whatever that’s worth). I had never gotten close to the 199 mark in my 20’s, 30’s and 40’s with
    My lowest weight hitting 247 in 2007 after seeing a picture of myself at a weight well over 350 pounds (I didn’t weigh myself them). I gained most of it back over the years and last year, my 4X shirts were getting tight and I was having trouble getting out of my car. I decided enough was enough and based on advice from a bodybuilder friend who had being doing Intermittent Fasting for decades, I started on July 1, 2018 at 330.2 pounds and a size 50 waist (with elastic so probably actually 52+). I started at 16/8 (fasting 16 hours and eating in an 8 hour window) and slowly transitioned into longer fasts as my body became adapted to the lifestyle. I also ate at a caloric deficit of at least 1000 calories a day and focused on feeding my body better food. I hit 199.7 pounds on June 12, 2019 and felt great but kept following the way of eating which at that point had become a sustainable lifestyle. At 165 pounds and a size 32-33 waist, I decided to maintain this approximate weight (+- 5 pounds) and focus on continuing to reduce body fat % and build lean muscle. My focus since hitting my original Goal weight has been on maintenance and building lean muscle and continuing the healthy exercise and eating lifestyle that brought me to this point. I have been eating a flexible diet of whole food (not Keto) and was eating at a daily caloric deficit following a 22-24 hour One Meal A Day (OMAD) schedule most days. I fast every day and will throw in a shorter fast if I have family or social needs to eat earlier (or extend to a 36 hour fast if I can). I am now consuming 1800-2200 calories a day with occasional days of higher (and lower) caloric intake. I feel great at that level and never feel deprived and have reduced weight loss to about 1/2-1 pound a month at this point
  • bear2303
    bear2303 Posts: 251 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. :/ I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

    Dude! I get it, I literally JUST reached my Ultimate goal recently too. I originally aimed for 142 and then i hit that and went to 135 now that I'm here I'm like... well maybe i should move that to 123?

    Not sure why i am doing that to myself either...
  • bear2303
    bear2303 Posts: 251 Member
    RelCanonical wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    I just hit my goal and need to maintain for awhile. But my inner self is saying 'just one more lb. maybe 2 or 3'. :/ I'm not sure why? I *should* be ecstatic where I'm at.

    I went through that the last time I lost weight. I think I struggled because I hit my goal and didn't give myself another to work toward that was health-related but not necessarily weight-related. Maybe that would help? I think a lot of us feel like if we're not moving forward, we're moving backward, which is why maintenance can be a struggle.

    That is an interesting perspective. Maintenance is something I've been waiting for for a long time but now it seems like it's not a goal anymore. Maybe need to focus on training for something!
  • imxnianne
    imxnianne Posts: 216 Member
    You never stop. You may stop trying to lose weight, but keeping the healthy lifestyle should be forever. Yes, take breaks by all means but never end it. We started the journey to be better, don’t reverse by stopping whenever you think you should.

    I’ve maintained my goal for about one year until 4 months ago. I ate nonstop again due to stress and gained about 12 lbs. in between I never stopped working out though. I am not going back to where I was!

    I am going to push myself again, not as hard but slowly this time. I will keep my achievement locked!

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