[caribbeangirl02]

Ok, so here I am, overall pretty satisfied wiht my weight loss journey so far. It has taken me almost a year to loose 35lbs, and I did it the right way: diet & exercise, not pills, crash diets or any sort of extreme diet plan, I haven't even paid for a gym membership!!!
I am now 5lbs away from my original goal of reaching 115lbs and the lower my weight the harder it gets to keep loosing gets. I am struggling with the decision to lower my goal another 5lbs to 110lbs or just stick with the original number. 110lbs would still be within a normal weight range for my height (I am 5'2), althought in the lower end of the spectrum.

So my question to you dear Featherweights is, how to decide when to stop loosing weight? Do you ask for advice from family and friends? Do you listen to what the experts on the diet field have to say? Or you simply look at yourself in the mirror and take your own decision?
My concern is to fall in a trap and find myself never truly satisfied with my body and what I've been able to accomplish .
I can see how easy it would be not to find the right moment to recognize that I have arrived at my destination....
Thx in advance for your advice. I wish you a pleasant and blessed week!!

Caribbean Girl

P.S. My dear husband feedback is that he is completely happy with my body as it looks right now.

[DoraUK]

Yea I am debating this now. I am a pound away from my goal and am now entertaining thoughts of going lower.
But like you I don't want to be eternally dissatisfied with my body, also you get really used to dieting.
Anyway so my plan is to maintain for a month at my goal and if after that I am still unhappy than I will try to lose another 4 pounds.
But it will be so exciting to be maintaining!

Good luck with the final 5 xx

[thesame7lbs]

Hi ladies,

I am in the same boat. When I set my goal, I wasn't really convinced I could get here. I haven't been below 130 since I left for college 20 years ago.

I feel great at my goal weight and I think I look pretty good. Lots of people have noticed my weight loss and complimented me. I suspect if I lose much more people will "start talking" (I live in an everybody-knows-everybody neighborhood).

I don't think I would ask friends for advice because they would have told me not to lose weight in the first place. i looked "fine" before, I was in the normal BMI range, and I got a lot of, "You look great for having three kids." I don't expect anyone to give me honest opinions on whether or not I should lose 3 more pounds. Only you guys "get" how important 3 pounds can be!

And my husband? I think he's more interested in whether or not I'm going to get my boobs done.

One thing I've noticed: I'm a pear shape, and no matter how much weight I lose, that's not going anywhere. It's not horrible, but I am definitely bigger down below -- like a 33-27-37. By the time I get "skinny thighs," you'll be able to count my ribs. So I think part of figuring out my goal weight is accepting that while I may be lean and fit, I am not perfect. But heck, who is?

Thanks for starting this thread... writing this has helped me think it through. That said, I think I'm going to aim for 124 (BMI 20) and then try to maintain between 124 and 127.

[caribbeangirl02]

Thanks for excellent feedback ladies!! I guess of all the problems attached to weight loss, deciding to go another 5 pounds is relatively small, right?
DoraUK, I agree that maintaining is an exciting proposition after dieting for almost a year!!
Thesame7lbs, I laughed so hard with the boobs comment!!! I guess my hubby wouldn't mind that idea either!!

I think that I'll follow DoraUK's plan and test how I feel once I hit my original goal. I'm sure that it's going to take a while to get there anyway.

Enjoy your Summer ladies!!!


Caribbean Girl

[Dianne042425]

Thesame7lbs,

How did you lose your weight?! I am so interested to hear how you did it..