[linJber]

I am pretty new to the forum and have been winding my way through different topics and sort of settled in here in the 100 pound club. I'm curious as to how others in here chose their goal weight. And I wonder if anyone has faced some of the same questions I have.

I want to lose enough weight to get into the "normal" range for 5'7", which is somewhere between 120 and 160. Well, 120 will never happen, and I did a bit of research on frame size and decided I am at the top of the range for Medium frame and figured anywhere under 160 was good enough for me! My boss (he's a runner and cycler and very fit) decided it would be way cool if I could say I lost 100 pounds, so that's part of why I choose to say my goal weight is 152. I also know it's a good number because I've been there before. I think it's maintainable if I really do learn something about healthy eating from this endeavor.

I had a friend tell me I'd look old if I lost that much weight. I'm 60 and have been at over 250 for 20 years. I expect some bagging, but so far haven't seen it. Maybe I'll get lucky. She made me think a little too much about this process and I wonder if I'll decide to slow down and change my final goal if I do actually start to look older. Thanks to good genes on both sides of my family where no one looks their age, most people think I'm younger than I am. I might hate it if they are no longer surprised when I admit my real age. What have some of you decided to do about that? I have lost over 60 pounds and don't see an older version of myself yet. The last 40 pounds could really do me in, though. Any thoughts?

When I started to lose, it was the middle of winter. I gave away all my winter clothes when they no longer fit. Size 22 and 24 pants, size 2X shirts. Well, my summer clothes were also too big, so I gave them away, too. Now I have 1 pair of jeans (size 16 - yippee!) and a few pairs of cotton shorts and some nice tee shirts. Fortunately, that's how I dress for work! I don't have to get dressed up very often and bought a cute dress at Kohl's to wear to a family wedding in August. I was told by a different well-meaning friend that I'd regret giving all my clothes away because I might need them again. I might keep one size bigger than what I am at goal, but I NEVER want to be in a 24 pants again! Do you all think it's a good idea to keep bigger sizes "just in case" or do you get rid of them?

Lin

PS - I just want to say I have gotten tons of encouragement reading posts in here from all of you who are succeeding on this journey. Thanks for the support - whether you know you're giving it or not!

[triptriptrip]

My goal weight is just a few pounds less than what my lowest weight in high school was.

[kaplods]

I haven't exactly decided on my goal weight, yet. And I'm not sure I will ever again see it as a set-in-stone number. After all, if I don't like my goal weight when I get there, I can always change it (and I can change it any time and as many times as I want to).

[Jen516]

I set my goal weight at the top of the BMI range for my height... but I'm reserving the right to reassess when I get closer and NOT feel like I failed if I pick a (slightly) higher number. Or I might want a lower number... I just can't say yet! Good to have a goal, but it's not set in stone. I worry about looking older too -- always been told I look younger than I am and I don't want to lose that. Just have to wait and see what the trade off is when I get closer. You could always do what an acquaintance of mine does... He's 35, but he says he's 45! That way people always say he looks good! Yeah, he's a bit eccentric...

Also, I'm dumping ALL my big clothes... gone, gone, gone. I refuse to go back! Having a backup set of bigger clothes might make it too easy to slip back... I'm going to make it darn difficult on myself to ever gain that weight back! I refuse to plan for failure!!

And way to go on your loss so far -- I bet you feel terrific!

[kurisitaru]

I just chose the higher level for my BMI. Something I know I can achieve and hopefully maintain. =)

[DCHound]

Everyone is different. In late 2009 I got to 209 lbs, all my friends were yelling at me to stop losing weight, I could wear some 12s and mostly 14s, but I still felt fat and without clothes on I definitely still needed to lose weight - can you say, jiggle! Right now I'm between 240-245 and some 16s fit, some don't.

Ideally I would love to wear a size 8/10. I'm very, very heavy for my size because I have a lot of muscle under all this flab and very large-boned - I wear a size 12/13 shoe. So I don't know what my goal weight will be. Maybe 180, maybe less. I just don't want to be fat anymore. I reserve the right to adjust upward or downward anytime.

[April Snow]

I asked the same question a few weeks ago, lots of good info here

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/100-...al-weight.html

[Nola Celeste]

I picked mine at random.

Mainly, I chose a number that seemed attainable. From 232 pounds, I couldn't look at losing half my body weight and going to 116; it felt impossible. I've never weighed so little in my life. And truly, I'm not sure I'd want to--but I no longer think that such a feat would be impossible if I did want it.

I'll see what happens when I get to 150. I have a feeling I'm going to want to go for 135 at that point because that was a felicitous weight for me at one point. On the other hand, I'm a fair bit older now and might actually prefer how I look at 150 to dropping another 15 pounds and losing facial tone.

It really depends on where you're comfortable.

As for the bigger clothes, I got rid of almost all of mine. I kept two skirts for illustrative purposes, but I never expect them to fit me again.

[BeachBreeze2010]

I picked mine because, like you, it was an even 100 down. 125 is in the middle to high side for my height. It's also about what I weighed in high school. I have weighed less at times in my life, so maybe it will change. If I get to 135 and love myself and want to stop, then I will. My body is older now than the last time it weighed 135, so I don't know what I'll think. I am expecting that 135 will be the most I would weigh and consider myself at "goal."

I guess the answer is that I picked 125 for the evenness of 100lbs, but that my ultimate goal weight will be flexible.

[MablesGirl]

When I signed up last March, I weighed 242.2, so I picked 140 because it was 100 pounds lost, because that sounded cool and I felt I belonged in the 100 pound section that way. Really, I'm not sure if that is sustainable for me. My little secret that I've not written here yet, is I just want to get back to 199 and stay there forever. I never ever ever want to be over 200 again. I realistically think I could get to about 180 and maintain that. I'll have to see when I get there. Maybe I'll just zoom right on down