Goal Weight

21katykat01 · October 2011

Hey!

Let me give you a little background. I'm currently 146lbs (10st 6lbs), down from my all-time high of 165lbs (11st 11lbs). I'm down 1-2 dress sizes (depending on where I shop) and have gone from a 34FF to a 30D. In the last three months, I've lost 13", giving me a total inch loss of close to 20" since I started losing weight.

Currently, my goal weight is 133lbs (9st 7lbs for those of you in metric) but in the last two months I've found it a lot harder to see a loss on the scale, despite continuing to eat healthily and upping my exercise. Often, I stay the same a couple of weeks in a row. I'm also feeling really happy in my body - I really like it! I still want to tone my tummy a bit, but I love my newly skinny legs and slimmed down face.

I'm wondering if maybe a more realistic goal might be 140lbs (10st). I picked 9st 7lbs because my lowest weight ever was119lbs (8st 7lbs), but that was when I was 16 and I figured that wasn't realistic for a grown woman. But maybe 9st 7lbs was ambitious too - I've got a curvy figure (hips and boobs!) and I'm ok with that.

What do you think? I have this voice in the back of my head saying I'm just being lazy. Feedback would be much appreciated!

xo

Jeff92se · October 2011

You need to get your bodyfat tested. If you're already in the teens, you're going to have a real hard time losing weight. In fact, if you're that low, you probably wouldn't want to.

lizsmith1976 · October 2011

Need height and body fat % to answer your question

Sounds like we are in the exact same boat though!

SexSeaCow · October 2011

The more weight we lose, the harder it gets to lose more. When I plateau I try to look at what I'm doing as far as exercise. If you do the same routine every day and are now just doing it more often/longer, maybe try switching up your routine. Sometimes that's all it takes to see results. Your body adapts pretty quickly to the same exercises, so changing it up can make a big difference.
Also, when toning your tummy - try exercises that target your obliques and lower abs instead of standard crunches/situps. Obliques wrap around your midsection like a natural corset and toning them really brings in your waistline.
Good luck!

DonM46 · October 2011

I'm just a couple of pounds away from my goal, and the losses have been slight to none for the last 2-3 months.
I figure I'm probably close to what my body wants to be, so the losses would naturally come slower as I approach that weight.
My plans are to go a pound or two below my goal, just to give me some wiggle room as I try to establish a maintenance level of calorie intake.
Keep the faith!
You'll get there sometime.
Probably not as soon as you'd like, but soon.

thebeadinggoddess · October 2011

WOW first let me say congratulations! I was skinny most of my life but there was a time before now when I was large and dropped the weight and then I gained it back years later and then some after I had my son. Any how, when i was losing weight before I did the same thing. I just couldnt drop the weight. I realized that even though I excersised longer and still continued to eat healthy that it wasnt changing anything. What I did was completely change my workout routine. this gave my body a shock because it was so use to the same old thing. after changing it up I started dropping more weight and then there was another stall. I switched back to my old routine and just did it longer and viola! more weight loss.

Some people can drop weight fast, but others like you and I seem to have to push the limitations of our body once we reach a certain milestone!

I hope this has helped! Good luck and I wish you more success!!!

21katykat01 · October 2011

Thanks everyone. To answer some of your questions:

I don't know my body fat % but my BMI is 23.6 (in healthy range, but at the top end of it).
My exercise is a mix of power walking, taekwondo and strength training. I'm hoping to join the gym at the end of the month to add in more cardio classes and better strength training facilities.

The reason I'm asking about shifting my goal is because I'm happy with how my body looks, but I want to shift fat to muscle. So is weight really a relevant measure for that? Should I shift my goal, or keep it lower?

xo

ms78 · October 2011

Hi! I am guessing you are a tall girl because I am 5ft 4 136lbs and my bmi is the same as yours. If you are happy the way you are and it's a healthy weight then you should raise your goal weight. You could keep exercising and get yourself toned but up your calorie intake.
I am wary of setting a goal weight because I don't know where the weight will come off- I like having a decent chest but hate my bum and thighs - so if the weight comes off there I will be happy with my body. My personal goal is to fit into size 10 trousers- I am already happy enough with my top half but would like a more toned stomach.

21katykat01 · October 2011

That's really helpful, thanks ms78. I'm 5'6" so not really tall, but quite well balanced I suppose. I genuinely do find myself looking in the mirror and liking what I see, other than a little flab that I think I can tone up with some hard work.

I started out this journey being obsessed with the scale, but after a lot of soul searching etc., I realised it's much more important whether I like my reflection and I think looking to toning now rather than loss is where I need to go. If I eat as though maintaining, I reckon the toning would take off those last 6lbs.

Still thinking, but all of your input has been really helpful - thanks!

xo

ajl2 · October 2011

At this point I think you would be better off paying attention to inches lost rather than poundage. Muscle is heavier than fat, but it is also more compact than fat. If you can tell you are getting leaner and losing inches, I wouldn't worry so much about the scale not budging.

21katykat01 · October 2011

You're right - in the first 18 months, I only lost 7" overall. In the last three I've lost 13", and it's only since that I've started feeling a lot better!

xo

Goal Weight

Replies

Categories