Goal Weight - How to Choose?

[tattooedsuess]

I know that there are some folks here who are already at goal weight, and then there are those of us who still have a long ways to go to goal.

I've been banded for 2 years and it seems that my goal keeps changing. I originally thought that 175 seemed like a good goal. Then I thought, well, 160 sounds even better.

According to an old family doctor I had, anywhere between 140 and 160 would be perfect for me because my bone structure is so large. Then, according to typical BMI calculators/charts (that don't take bone structure into consideration) those numbers are still too high for me.

I know that I don't want to end up any smaller than 150. For a person of my bone structure I honestly think I'd look anorexic at anything under that.

Did some of you just let your body go with the flow and let "it" decide when to stop? Did it automatically know when to stop?

Or even if you're like me and are not anywhere near being at goal......how did you decide on a goal weight and be content on settling with that?

I've been overweight since the age of 4, so I honestly have no idea what I will look like or what is even a good size for me. I'm so excited to find out though!

[Mrs Sabre]

I wasn't always MO. My average adult weight was fairly constant up until 12 years ago when my thyroid went whack. That's how I "chose" my goal weight. I don't know if I'll ever actually see my goal weight, but I'm already healthier and happier than pre-band. If I don't lose another pound, it was worth it! When I stop losing, I stop losing, but that too won't be because I'm not working my band to the best and fullest of my ability.

Sorry so long winded, I hope this helps?

[JoyceGA]

Kelly, choose mini goals. If you pick the "big" goal, you may become frustrated since you will not reach it overnight.

My dream goal would be 125 (my college weight), but my realistic goal is 165. HOWEVER, I don't even think about the number 165. I concentrate on the next mini goal.

I would like to be 340 at the end of 2006. I have 24 lbs to go.

[Kathy]

I have gone round and round. According to the charts, my range is 125-140 for my height. Yah, right. 125 my fat a$$. I have pics of me at that weight in my mid-20s and I didn't look good. In my face, anyway. I'll never have that bod again, so no biggie. I'm over 40 and smart enough to know better. :)

So, that leaves me with 140, but according to the BMI charts, 145 gives me a 24 BMI. Normal. So, 145 it is.

But, I go to my gyno a few months back and he says lose another 15 and you are done. That puts me at 165 and ready for a TT. But I can do better than 165, so I'm keeping 145.

Thing is, I'll know when I get there. Maybe it's 150, maybe 160? All I know is that now, I'm between 175 and 180 (:eek:) and it isn't worth it yet. I'm not to the place where if I never gained anything back, but never lost another pound, I'd be happy. I'm just not done. Close, but not done.

At least now I'm just overweight. Buh-bye Morbid Obesity, Severe Obesity, and Obese. Yay me.

[Jachut]

Interestingly enough my body appears to have "stopped" at a weight I was always coming to throughout my teenage and adult years - 84kg. I've weighed 84kg for looooooong periods of time and its pretty effortless to maintain. Its no where near obese but it certainly isnt fashionably thin either, lol.

I want to be around 70kg. I have a fairly long thin frame, I dont need a lot of weight on me, I'm not even thin at 70, even though its at the bottom of my healthy weight range for my age. I'd really like to be 67, but I've never weighed that, dont want to be unrealistic. I'd be really happy to settle for 75 though.

As I havent been obese or even overweight all my adult life, I know well what I look like and feel like at various weights so its not hard to know what I want to get back to.

[tattooedsuess]

The mini goals have worked really well for me thus far as well. I started out my journey (at my heaviest) at 335 pounds. I was 316 when banded. So my first goal was 299. Once I hit that, I wanted to make it to 275. When I hit that I was overjoyed. Now I find myself pregnant, but only 7 pounds away from my next goal of 250.

Once I hit that (may be a long time coming, but I'm ok with that) it'll be 225, 200, 175, and then we'll see from there. The 25 pound increments seem to work well for me, as they are not so unatainable to achieve.

I guess my body will just know when it's time to quit, and that is just fine by me. :)

[Alicia521]

I have actually been wondering this lot lately. Just about everyone will post the main goal in the signature and I wonder why that number. My goal is 140. Initially it was 130. I am 5’6 and have a medium-ish frame. In high school I got as low as 120ish and looking back I was skinny but I thought I was fat. If I had only knew back then…..anyway, my healthy BMI range is 117-154, which gives me a 37 lb range to be “healthy”. If I were to completely stop losing at this point, I could live with myself but would not be happy. (I’m 188 right now). I know I at least want to be in the healthy category. I can remember being in the 150’s and still feeling a little chubby in the tummy and legs so I don’t think I want to stop at 150. I chose 140 because it just seemed reasonable. I am almost 30 and I’ve had one child, so being high school tiny is not as important. I may end up adjusting that to 135ish. I think it will just depend on how I feel once I get to the desired weight. I just know I’m not there yet! J

Good question - by the way

[HeatherGurl]

The question we all have... :) Good to bring this up.
I started out with the mini increments goals in my head. Get under 300, get to 275, get to 250 and so on.
I NEVER thought I would get under 200. I wanted to weigh 175 because that is what I weighed in the 5th grade and how cool would it be to weigh what I did then.
BUT, the charts tell me that I need to be smaller than that, and I think the charts can kiss my bottom. I am a big girl, large frame. I like having curves...
I want to get far enough from the 200's so I won't ever get back there, but everyone keeps telling me that I look good now, so I have no clue.
Notice the ticker no longer has a goal weight.
Hey, my 12 Levis are getting loose, and I can find clothes in a normal store, so I am not going to complain if I don't lose another pound.
It is such a game, this goal weight thing!
:)

[Telly]

I'm not sure when to stop or what weight would I be comfortable at.

I weighed 115 in highschool, then 120's. I looked really gaudy. I had a big head and skinny body. Ok so 120's may not be soo cool now but I think maybe my perception of me will change. I thought of 110 but that is right at my BMI - underweight range. I don't ever want to be underweight. I love my curves and thighs too. However, I know that I looked fine at 135lbs. 150's...meh. I'm a shorty, 5ft 3inches and I think I'm shrinking. I was taller in highschool. (Thinks of taking calcium pills again).

I based my goal weight on what I remember I looked like. Though I never was ever satisfied with my weight at any stage of my life, looking back now I think I was insane to think that way. You never know what you've got till it's gone.

Ok so for me, I'd say 125, 130 - 135 tops. I'd like to be around 7 - 10% body fat. At 240lbs I had 38% body fat. Goodness!