I started Atkins in June 2005 and set my goal weight at 145. I am now at 158 and feel happy with the size I am. I don't know why, but I feel that if I change my goal weight to 150 that I am being a failure. I can see where 8 more lbs. could come off, but not much more than that. I can feel my shoulder blades, clavicles are sticking out, hip bones are very prominent as well as every single rib is now palpable. I could use to have more inches off my waist and hope that this will happen soon. I am having a very hard time taking any more weight off, only 3 or 4 lbs. a month. Sometimes I feel like my body is telling me that it's had enough. Has anyone else increased their goal because they felt like they were now where they wanted to be? It does make me feel guilty. I had thought about trying maintenance at 150 and maybe slowly lose the other 5 lbs. (if need be) over the next year. Any help with this would be appreciated.

if you're happy then ABSOLUTELY stay there!!! This isn't about a finish line, a PERFECT weight or meeting everyone elses' expectations. It's about you, how you feel and living a healthy life. So sit back and soak it in girl, you've reached your goal!!!!



Lacey

hey, I just noticed that you're a fellow Okie!! Awesome!!!

Thanks for your input. I really do feel happy being in the 150's. I never intended to be skinny, just healthy. My husband keeps saying that I don't need to lose any more weight, and I feel like I look better than I have in years. He is not at all jealous and is actually enjoying all the attention I get when we go somewhere. My BMI is now 25 and my doctor says this is very healthy for me. Nice to see someone else from OK on here.

I don't know how tall you are, but I looked at your before and afters, and I see that you are now a size 6/7, which I would KILL to be. I am 5'3", and my goal is 140. All of the "charts" say I should have a smaller goal, but I know that this is the weight at which I am comfortable. You have already lost a staggering amount of weight, so if you lose the last few or if you don't, be proud of yourself! I would! That number has kept you on track for a goal, so it has already served it's purpose by getting you to a healthy weight. Don't let it bring you down now....

I had a goal of 130 for years. I decided 160 was more possible. I'm still a long way from that goal and I may stop before I get there even. There is certainly no shame in changing your mind. Just make sure you can maintain. Personally I believe if we are doing Atkins we should lose about 5 pounds more than the weight we really want to try and maintain, because every time I've gone off Atkins I nearly always immediately gain 5 pounds.

I think maintenance would be easier if you kept that idea in your head that if you want 155, lose to 150. Then any time you gain more than 5 pounds you can start over. Start cutting back.

Lilly, how tall ARE you?? That'd be so fun to be in such a tiny size!! You've done awesome!!

I am a 5'7 and have just bought new pants and capris , size 4. I still wear a size 12 in shirts, but have DD breasts and some roundness to my tummy. I started today on nothing but eggs for 2 days to see if this would help me to start losing again. I know that part of my frustration has been just kept re-losing the same 2 lbs. I am going to stick with a goal of 150 for now and maybe eventually I will get a little below this. I'm not afraid to see a pic or mirror now, so this is an improvement. I don't want to feel like I'm giving up.I'm not ready to be considered in maintenance quite yet. I do have an abdominal hernia that is going to be fixed next week and I am curious to see if this will make a difference in how my stomach looks (the only area I am not satisfied with). It is about cantalope sized. Yuck.

All I can say is WOW, You're my Hero! I'm 5'7' too and a size 4 is incredible. Excellent job.
I hope the surgery helps your tummy to look better. You have done so much already, I really hope it helps.

Wow! A size 4 pants, I've never been in that even in elementary school. Congratulations on all of your hard work! I think it is difficult to set an exact goal weight until you get closer to the end, like you are now. For me, it's been so many years since I've seen Onederland that I can't remember what I looked like at certain weights. I don't have any particular advice, I just wanted to tell you congrats.

man, I didn't even know that a size 4 was possible!! you must be one tiny boned little thing!! I'm 5'9 and weigh 7 lbs. more of you and am in a 10/12.

If you are that tall and wearing a size 4, do you really want to get too much smaller? If you drop to a 2 and then a 0, what happens next? Do you disappear?

I would say forget about the number on the scale - if you are happy with yourself, then that's all that matters.

Technically, I dont have an actual goal weight, I will know when I am there. I do use the tracker though to keep me in check with my progress.. the way I look at it is this, Whenever I am talking to a man and his Woman is compelled to walk up and kiss him to show me he is hers, and when I am called a whore or a slut,, THAT will be a que that I have lost enough..LOL

Thanks everyone. I had been over 200 lbs. for 13 yrs. and didn't know what size to expect as I got closer to my goal. I truly have very small hips and legs now, but would like tummy to be flatter. Don't wish to lose any more on bottom half as butt is now gone too. I would have prefered a JLO butt and a flat tummy, but that just didn't happen. The last time I was in 150's , I wore a size 7-8 but I worked out at gym 5 x a week and had very firm thighs and rounder butt. My figure was better then than it is now, but due to health problems I haven't been able to work tummy much. I have walked a lot since starting Atkins and it just all came off on lower half. I don't want to be a size 2, couldn't believe it when I bought the 4's. Hopefully surgery will hellp my tummy and I will feel OK with my figure.Good Luck to everyone else.