When i started IP the first time, i wanted to get down to 155. I'm shooting for the same goal, but i'm not sure if it's appropriate for my height and frame. I'm 5'6'' and have a larger frame and bust. The first time on IP i got down to 172, which is my lowest adult weight ever. That was 17 lbs away from my goal and i still felt i had a substantial amount of weight to lose. My coach always thought i should aim lower, but i don't know if that was a way to keep me on IP longer. Should i just play it by ear? Adjust my goal?

I go by the official height/weight chart so I may not be much help. Some people go by how they feel others determine it in different ways. Im 5'9'" and my goal is 155. I think my dr wants me to aim lower but this is in my range and I will prolly have extra skin weight when I finish

I have taken a different approach when it comes to this problem. I've decided to stay on IP until the end of this school year. I work in the schools, so June always seems like an "ending" point to me. At that time, I want to re-evaluate and decide to keep on or to go on toward Phases 2, 3 and 4. So I'm focusing on time, not on numbers. I would like to lose down to 150, which is the high end for my height, but I'm not trying to be a supermodel here--just want to be more "normal". :-) But if June rolls around and I'm not 150, I may decide I've done Phase 1 for as long as I want to, or I may decide I can do it for a little while longer. This is a personal decision, and everyone is different--this is just my personal way of looking at it. I made this decision a couple of months ago, and immediately felt relief, so I knew it was the right one for me.

My goal weight is also on the high side for my height, but it is kind of just a guess right now. My ultimate goal is actually a size. I would like to be able to walk into the normal women's department of any store and comfortably wear a size 14 even if it is considered a "small" 14 I want the weight I pick to be something maintainable for life, which is also why I'm OK with it being on the higher end, I know the yo-yo dieting is bad for me...as is weighing 300 pounds...so I figure a maintainable goal that stills leaves me a little extra fluff is what will work for me

We have similar stats. Without knowing you personally, I would say your goal is realistic. I think it's best not to get fixated on a number. Set the goal, try to achieve it, but be prepared to adjust it as you get closer. For myself, I'm still losing, feeling good and see no reason why I can't reach my goal. Maybe this will change 10 pounds from now!

I picked 169 of the start of IP as the top end of the BMI charts within the normal range. I'm a large build type person so I thought this would be appropriate. As I started to lose weight my doctor told me not to go below 200lbs. As I got closer to that mark then he changed to say 180 based on how / where I was losing the weight and where I sit had fat stores. Now I'm 0.9 away from that weight but still comfortably losing and have obvious fatty stores in a spots. So I have decided to continue down to my original goal of 169. I'll see what happens when I get close to there as to if I'll stay or if I go a few more to have a cushion for phase 3 and maintenance.

If you are early on in your journey, I wouldn't worry too much about your end goal. There will be lots of time when you are closer to your initial guess goal to consider where you should end up. In the meantime, focus on why you are where you are and what you need to change about your lifestyle and habits to lose weight and in future to keep it off.

I think i'm just going to go with the flow and as i get closer to where i feel comfortable, i'll progress to phase four. I would like to be in a "typical" size and be able to walk into any adult store and know that SOMETHING in there will fit. I don't want to feel ashamed walking out of a store because i was "too big" for anything they had in there. That and i want to be a healthy mom someday, and i want to be able to keep up with my future kids. I'm tired of having my knees hurt and being exhausted with little exertion. So i guess that's my goal. Thanks everyone!

I am in the same boat - when I first started I chose a goal weight that was just a little higher than a weight I maintained for several years before having kids again (I thought I was being smart by taking into account my age and having had 2 kids!). well that goal weight was 5 pounds ago. I am also a medium framed, busty girl who has always had hips and big thighs, even at my most fit.

I adjusted down 10lbs when I realized my body was still losing at a good rate and I wasn't struggling at all. Now I'm within sight of that 2nd goal, and I'm actually tossing around dropping my goal weight down another 5lbs. I am just paying attention to how I feel physically and emotionally about still being on phase 1. I want to be able to maintain comfortably without having to go crazy with insane amounts of exercise or continued superstrict dieting - just healthy eating and moderate exercise. Yeah, I want to be thin, but I would much rather be happy

I'm going with how I look, how I feel and my ability to maintain that weight.

Shanco, I think our stats are somewhat similar. I started a bit lower but I am 5'11" and 209lbs now and fit into a size 14 easily. (i was in a size 18/20 when i started this) I think you will find your goal weight puts you below a size 14 - awesome isn't it??!!