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How did you pick your goal weight?

Old 04-05-2011, 05:56 AM
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Default How did you pick your goal weight?

I'm just wondering how you all have chosen your goal weight? Is it just a number that sounds good? Is it a weight you have been at before and know you look good at that weight? Is it from a chart as to what you should weigh?

I'm looking at other people's goal weight and wondering if I am being to soft on myself or just realistic. And perhaps i need to clarify my short term goal, which is what i started with, and now set a long term goal. The original goal was something i could reach by May 21, when i leave for a trip to the Cayman islands to dive. But that weight, while acceptable is not my best or most ripped form. I have been super lean through workouts before 11% body fat. But that was an unrealistic weight to maintain. So I guess i need to find a happy medium.

Please share how you set your goal weight.
Thanks
Kim
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Old 04-05-2011, 06:52 AM
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I chose mine because I have been at 175 before and it was pretty easy for me to maintain as long as I stayed active. My lowest ever weight as an adult was 159 and I looked almost TOO thin. Plus it would be almost impossible for me to maintain for the long term. I was fairly happy at 175 and think I could be again. It may sound high and on charts it may say I'm STILL overweight at that weight, but I know for me and my body structure, that's a good weight for me.
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Old 04-05-2011, 06:59 AM
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I picked mine for a variety of reasons:

1) 110-150 is my "healthy BMI range" so I wanted to pick something that fell in there.

2) 140 is a nice, round 75 lbs. lost from my starting weight. That number just sort of FELT good, you know?

3) Realistically, I know that I'm a curvy person and I felt that picking something more towards the "top" of the range might be more natural for my body shape, and would probably feel good to maintain. I don't know, however, as I haven't been 140 lbs. probably since I was about 15 years old, and I was still growing back then.

In truth, 140 may or may not be realistic for me - I'm certain I'll know more once I get there, and I've still got a ways to go And once I get there, I intend to take it for a "test drive" and see how I feel at that weight. I may decide to lose more or not - I may even decide to put on another 5 lbs., I don't really know. I just know I want to be healthy and happy with my body!

Last edited by taubele; 04-05-2011 at 07:16 AM.
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Old 04-05-2011, 07:10 AM
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Hi Kimbur,

I picked a goal weight that was smack dab in the middle of my healthy range. I had been there once, briefly, and liked it, but did not maintain it.

With the help of FitDay, logging, and the FitDay peeps, I got to that goal, then set a body fat % goal. In working toward that, I very slowly lost another 10 pounds trying to figure out maintenance, reached that body fat %, and then just set fitness challenges for myself (improving running times, signing up for a race, increasing weights).

I learned in the process that being at the lowest weight I could achieve was not really possible to maintain long term, but being 2-3 pounds over that was fine. I try to look at my goal now as to maintain within a 2-3 pound range.
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Old 04-05-2011, 12:22 PM
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I chose mine based on what I had been able to maintain for a long period of time after I had kids, which was 140lbs. I was 117 before I had my children and it was horribly thin! I had absolutely NO curves, and was often confused as a boy, which is insulting lol So, I like 140 because it allows me to have curves, but it's also a healthy range. Once I hit 140 I may decide to drop to 130 to see if I can still look healthy with curves, yet not appear too thin.

It depends on you, and what you like. If you drop to that weight and don't like it or find it's too hard to maintain it, then you can adjust according to your preference. =D
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Old 04-05-2011, 08:15 PM
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I chose my weight goal because that was the size I was before I left for Berlin. I would like to go back to California the same weight that I left it originally. I don't think that's going to happen, but I'm going to try. *grumble can't believe I gained 20 pounds in europe grumble*
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Old 04-05-2011, 11:27 PM
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I haven't really chosen a goal weight. I've NEVER been thin so I wouldn't even know what feels/looks good. I chose my first goal because I think it is challenging, but doable. It would mean losing almost 3lbs a week, but I am starting out at a really high number so I think losing slightly more than 2lbs is realistic...at least I'm hoping it is. I just want to lose as much as I can before my son graduates boot camp in Oct. so that I am able to be more mobile. I am currently recovering from knee surgery so exercise is limited to stationary biking and a little bit of walking...or more like limping.

I guess I will know my ultimate goal weight when I get there but I am guessing anything under 200 would feel pretty darn good to me since I haven't been under 200 since 5th grade.
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Old 04-06-2011, 01:03 AM
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thank to all who replied. It sounds like everyone is picking what is a realistic goal for them. Not some supermodel, unachievable goal. That is nice and refreshing to hear. It also reinforces that I have chosen a good goal for myself. I choose what I thought was doable and realistic, but then started to give in to societies definition of what i should be and you all have reinforced that I am doing the right thing so thank you.
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Old 04-06-2011, 04:14 AM
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My first goal was to go from obese to over weight now just aiming for a weight I can be happy and maintain
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Old 04-06-2011, 06:36 AM
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When I started on this I had some vague notion of a New Year's resolution that involved "lose some weight, get healthy", but not a number associated with it. Although our brand new Wii Fit Plus said I should weigh 119.5, LOL as if... But that sort of got me thinking that maybe I should know what goal to make for myself, so I asked my doc and then later my knee doc and both of them looked me right in the eye and told me that my ideal weight was around 115 !!! I'm short, lightly framed (can't even use "large boned" as an excuse, bummer) and also have bad knees and degenerative disc disease. So I took that advice to heart, added 5 pounds for my rather generous set of jugs and set my goal weight at 120lbs. I'm still not there, but even at my current weight I can see areas that still need improvement (can you say "thunder thighs?), so onward the battle goes. While I don't think society should have any say in your goal weight, I do suggest having a discussion with your doctor before settling on one.

Last edited by almeeker; 04-06-2011 at 06:40 AM.
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