So you've reached your goal...how do you REALLY feel?

I think this may depend on a lot of factors such as age and starting weight, but personally I feel fabulous now that I've lost the weight. I'm 50 and only needed to lose 20 lbs to reach my goal (fitting into my skinny jeans). I've lost 27 and I'm trying to decide if I'm happy here or I should change things up to lose more.

I am happy here because I'm healthy here (something you think about more at my age) and I like the way I look. But still ... maybe just a little more??

I think that depends on the person. I also have always had issues since I was overweight for the 26 years. Although I am at a healthy weight, I still feel fat sometimes. I know that I'm not, but what I see and what I feel are different things. It's weird, but I can kind of understand young girls and women with eating disorders not seeing that they are too thin.

I do have days though when I feel good/healthy--and those are the days I can put on my clothes and feel good, or when I've really worked out hard and eaten well. It's more work to keep this up, but at least I know I'm healthy even if I don't always feel it.

I don't struggle to maintain my weight but it makes me feel guilty. My life is far more active and therefore I eat more and feel bad even though I'm not gaining weight. Sometimes I don't mind what I see, other times I still hate myself. I could probably do with dropping half a stone or so but I think at the moment with the way I feel about myself I need to just concentrate on eating well and staying active.

I reached my goal recently, but now that I'm here I think I'd like to go for another ten pounds.

I'm taking a break from calorie deficit for a while and have MFP set to maintenance. I'll keep doing what I'm doing and see how I feel in a month or two.

If I still want to lose more, then I'll go back to losing a half pound a week again.

The last time I weighed this little I was 17 or 18 years old. My 40 year old body looks A LOT different - even though it's the same weight as it was in high school. LOL

i'd reach a goal, then set a new one.

I started at 174. My original goal was to get below 145. Then I made it to get to 135. Then I made it to get to 125. I'm currently 128 and already changed my goals again: now I want to get to 121 or 18% BF, whichever comes first (according to my math, 121 is what i should weight at 18% BF).

But i'm also setting goals now for sculpting. I don't want to be 125 lbs of blah. I want to be 125 lbs of strength. I don't want to starve myself to be skinny and have to sit on the couch because i am not eating enough. I want to have a 6 pack, and be able to do awesome things like circus arts and rock climbing...and if that means I'd weight more than 121, I'm ok with that.

So that's my answer: life is never finished. The journey is the destination. That doesn't mean I'm never happy- I'm not disappointed in myself, I'm just stoked that I can make change and so I decide what changes to make. Its like getting tattooed- I love every tattoo I get and when one is finished, I'm planning the next. My life is my masterpeice, my body is just one of my canvasses.

I feel great. Got lots of baggy skin, will never wear a bikini but I've gone from barely being able to walk to hiking 14+ miles last weekend. I look good (at least in clothes), I feel good, and I know I've achieved a lot.

That said, my goal weight would probably be a starting weight for some of you. For me, it's a dream come true.

I hope I'll feel good.
My desire to lose weight and change my lifestyle was more inspired by being healthier, not skinnier/prettier. I want to be able to run around with my kid without feeling winded, not fit into skinny jeans (though, that will be a nice perk, I'm sure!)

I've always felt right in my body, attractive to those who matter, and I've always been big. I think how you feel about yourself is less about your physical health and more about your mental health. If you don't like you at 180, who is to say you'll suddenly like yourself at 160? It may help with self-esteem but it won't solve any bigger emotional problems you already have.

I'm not at my GW currently, but I can draw on past experiences. I'm 5'4 and in HS I gained a few pounds and ended up being about 140, when I'd always been around 130 before. I started dieting and exercising and got down to 120 (size 2 since I was so toned) the summer before college. It was kind of 50/50 for me. On the one hand, I was elated. I loved the way I looked, knew I was skinny, and was so proud of what I'd done. I felt very comfortable with my body most of the time. However, there always were those moments where I'd think it wasn't quite good enough. I'd want a totally flat stomach even if I was bending over, or I'd think some tight fitting tube top looked great in black but I wasn't thin enough to wear it in red. There was a nagging thought sometimes that I'd look REALLY great if I could get down to 115. Of course I went to college and that all went to hell, haha...which is why I'm on here now! I know that I never went on "maintenance" though like people talk about on here. I counted calories informally and even when I reached 120 I kept the same number and basically maintained, not losing or gaining. I'm positive if I would have increased I would have gained. I gained when I quit counting.

I go back and forth. I love how I look in clothes. I'm less happy with how I look naked (loose skin). But some days I'm even happy with that.

I feel the same way.. Some days are better than others.. Although I've reached my weight loss goal, I'm now focusing on toning up. My BMI % is great but I need to lower my BF %

Very interesting post & responses. Thanks all!

I think that's what a lot of people go through because they wrap their happiness in "events" and "things" but never suss out what would actually make them happy. Like some people will lose weight in the hopes of feeling attractive, but the issue isn't their weight or even their looks but rather an insecurity that no amount of exterior change will correct. It can be hard, maybe even take years (and possibly therapy; it's not just for the crazies, you know :P ), but you've got to figure out what is actually making you unhappy -- not just the "things" that unhappiness has attached itself to -- and work on *that*.

I've struggled for decades with my weight....that's sad.... with my weight, and after my divorce I started going through therapy (PS - super glad someone else doesn't think it's for the crazies) and found that my weight struggles are more of a mental game, than a physical one.

The physical aspect is only a small portion.

I feel fricking amazing. I have 1 lb left to go, and while I see the repercissions of having become obese (stretch marks are going to always be there), I also see the size tag in my new clohes and I feel awesome. I walk taller, I interact with people more confidently, and I love what I have accomplished for my health.

I think Point 5 of the following needs to be taken in to account. yes, losing weight and reaching your body goal may make you happier. But at the end of the day, you need to Choose to Be Happy. If you're not int he habit of doing this, I think any amount of weight loss will not cure your unhappiness.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying

Honestly it depends on the day. Some days I feel energized and looking good and ready to take on the world. Other days it feels like that old fat kid is just staring at me in the mirror when I wake up.

The good days are better than the old good days, but the bad days aren't any worse! So all in all, it feels okay, lol.