How did you come up with you're GOAL weight?

For me, deciding on a target weight has been an ongoing process driven largely by my bike-racing ambitions.

Initially, I assumed that as a guy with small bones and a fairly light build, I would want to aim for 135 or less. I'm 5'8", so 135 would actually be pretty lean (for a non-cyclist), but still in a 'healthy' range (BMI 20.5).

I later adjusted my goal upwards a bit, to 145, because my fiance was concerned that I was pursuing too aggressive a goal. Over time, as I found myself struggling with fatigue and constant colds, I revisited my goal weight again and decided to set it at around 160. This meant I could up my daily calorie intake, which I did, to great effect. I have felt a thousand times better eating 1600ish calories on non-riding days than I did eating 1300ish on non-riding days (at this point, though, most days are riding days).

The idea is to see how I'm feeling and racing when I hit 160, then decide whether to actively pursue further weight loss (I make the 'actively pursue' stipulation because riding the bike enough tends to generate weight loss regardless of intention).

Right now, I'm not losing much in terms of *weight,* but I am losing inches like crazy. The shorts I bought last month -- which fit perfectly then -- are now too big; I've 'out-shrunk' most of my pants. I suspect it's a question of building muscle while losing fat. I find it difficult to use the fit of my clothing as a gauge, but even I have been able to see the difference of late. That tells me I may actually not need to lose as much as I thought.

So now it's a question of balancing health with performance. I've left my goal weight at 157, but I'm much more concerned with how I feel both on the bike and off than with the numbers at this point -- especially since the fat is coming off steadily.

I've set a 'danger zone' for weight loss, at any rate -- I know I cannot afford to let my weight fall below about 125, which is close to the bare minimum in terms of BMI for someone of my height. For that matter, below about 135, I'd probably just be stripping off muscle, which might disrupt my personal distribution of the weight-to-power ratio that pretty much makes or breaks bike racers.

I suppose once I'm below 160, I will set that as my 'danger zone' for weight gain -- I really think that above 160, I'm just stripping the polish from the area of cycling in which I really have potential to shine: getting the bike up big hills, fast. I don't have the upper-body strength to be much of a sprinter, but I really climb quite well.

The other consideration, for me, is time. I have realized that, while I made it from 220 to 170 reasonably fast, it may take me a year or more to get down to 145ish without overtaxing my body. The goal is to be as fit as possible going into this fall's cyclocross and gravel-racing season, then to really sharpen that fitness up for the 2013 road racing season.

Interesting reading...

I started with a goal to lose 20 pounds (10 kg) - I managed 15 pounds (about 7.5 kg) then have stalled through a series of massive life changes (emigrated so new flat, new job, no friends... lots of hard work!). I am pleased that I've managed to maintain through all the upheaval for the past few months.

At some point when I've got the emotional energy, I'll do another push and get those next 5 pounds off. I'd still be slightly 'overweight' according to my BMI by then, but I'm less interested in that than in how I look and clothing size. My real goal is to be a slightly toned size 12 UK (US 10, I think) regardless of what that means I weigh. Then to maintain that weight with healthy eating and regular exercise for the rest of my life!

I'm in some 12s/ medium clothes now but I've probably got another 5-10 pounds (2.5- 5kg) to fit most 12s not just the stretchy ones!

I know that BMI isn't very accurate, but I chose roughly the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height. I've only ever been at the high end of the range, and I wasn't happy with my weight at the time. At the same time though, I have a relatively broad build, so I think I would look ridiculous at the low end of my BMI range. So I'm shooting for the middle for now, and I might alter that by 5-ish pounds in either direction depending on how I look at that point.

this is the weight I know when I fit the clothes size I aim for. The cahrts tell me to be a stone less but I look ill if I go down that far

I aimed for simply getting out of the "overweight" BMI category at first, and making absolutely sure it was a sustainable habit for life. That was the major win. I don't put much stock in "goal weight" -- I care about size, shape, proportion. The weight I wind up is a side-effect of other things, not a goal.

By why stop? We can change our goals. Recently got a bodyfat measurement at 20%, and I'd like to whittle that down a few more points to 17 or so.

I used this chart:
http://www.weightwatchers.com/health/asm/calc_healthyweight.aspx#

At 5'2", my healthy weight range is 109-137. I want to be strong, not skinny so decided to aim for the middle-123. I made my goal and am now focusing on maintence and muscle

To be honest - I don't have a "set" Goal weight, I'm just trying to get rid of as much as possible (and stay within a healthy range) until I feel comfortable with the way i am - I try and set a target weight each month, be it 4-5lbs lower than I am at the time and just work to that and keep changing it

My goal weight is between 140 - 160 and that would make my between bmi 22 and 26.
So anything in that range I'd be pretty satisfied, considering my size now.

I promised myself I would get back to the same weight as when I got married - in time for my 35th Anniversary in Hawaii! I've done that, and I'm in better shape physically now than I was then!

i picked 144 because it is the highest end of the "healthy" range for my height on the BMI chart...

BUT my goal is to eventually maintain between 150-140 for the rest of my life....BUT when i get between 160-150 i'll see how i feel and reevaluate then....

i weighed between 180-200 for my late teens and early 20s and then 200-250 from mid 20s to mid 30s so being in the 170s right now pushing for the 160s is like a dream come true...wearing size 10s and 12s pants and Medium shirts blows my mind....i still have my tummy from when i weighed my highest plus carrying 2 children, but the rest of me is shrinking and i am beginning to love what i see (minus my tummy of course)....

i'll get there eventually and who knows maybe my "GOAL" weight isnt really necessary....at this point in my journey, almost 4 1/2 yrs in, i really just want to have a body i'm proud of....in the end i dont care what i weigh as long as i feel good about how i look as well as am strong and living this amazing fit life i have created for me and my family.....

denise

My healthy weight range for my height (5'11) is 135-179. I picked 155 because it was right in the middle. I gave up at 156. I like what I look like, don't need to be thinner and I'm now just working to make what I have better with exercise.

At 5'5", a goal weight of 120 just seemed right to me in so many ways. I knew I wanted to lose about 30 pounds. When I was bellydancing and doing burlesque I was in the high 120s-low 130s and at that point I looked and felt good but wanted to lose about 10 more pounds. I also considered BMI, as I've generally hung out at the higher healthy range of my BMI. 120 is roughly 10 pounds higher than the lowest BMI for my height, still putting me within the healthy range, albeit on the lower end. I'm also shooting for 18-20% body fat. I will see how I look and feel in whatever size clothes my goal weight and goal bf% puts me in and reassess up or down if necessary.

for me i will start off with 20 lbs then work my way down

My goal weight is 140. I had been 140 from high school up until I got pregnant with my first son. I was 155 when I got pregnant with my second son. Now I want to get back down to 140 because that was a comfortable weight for me, that was easily maintained for many years. I am 5'7" and 140 would be in the healthy range for me

I'm 5'8" and a pear shape, meaning it is really difficult for me to lose pounds or inches in my hips and thighs. My goal is 155, and I chose it because it is realistic for my height, within a healthy BMI, and 5lbs less than I've ever gotten down to before. I seem to hit 160 and either bounch back up or plateau (I've been hovering around 160 for about a month now). I also have a 25% BF goal, so if I hit that but am not 155 yet, I'll still consider it a good accomplishment and keep working.