Hi everyone! I'm having a bit of an internal dilemma and would like some feedback from y'all. I'm at a crossroads right now with my weight. My initial goal for myself was 130, but then I decided to make 120 my "pipe dream" goal. Right now, I'm wavering between 125 and 130. I've really been trying to do my diet perfectly lately, but for some reason I have been absolutely ravenous. I've been inhaling water to try and suppress my hunger--I drink at least 80 ounces a day. With all this, I can't shake the hunger and I end up cheating. Do you think this is my body telling me that this is the weight I'm meant to be at? This kind of hunger is something I've never experienced before while being on my diet, which I started in October.

If it helps, I'm 5 foot 3 and fitting into extra small, small, or medium sizes, or about a size 4-6. I even fit into a 2 today. I'm pretty happy with the way I look now, and I think with some toning I'll get the tight, flat stomach i want. I'm not really even sure why I picked 120-- it just sounded good to me and I was that weight at like 13 years old.

But I also feel like I'm giving up by not making it to the vanity goal I set. It feels a bit cop-outish to me.

On a side note, a saleslady was helping me find a dress in my size and she goes, "What are you, like, a 2?" Maybe she was just trying to make a sale, but I nearly fainted when she asked me that. A TWO? I'm flattered that someone would even suggest it.

Sorry for rambling, but I would love to hear your opinions!

I don't think 120 is undoable for your height. We're about the same height, and I know that's right smack in the middle of our healthy range.
Sometimes, when I really start obsessing about the number, the scale doesn't budge and all I can focus on is food. That's when I get really hungry.
How much exercise are you doing right now? Maybe you should eat slightly more, and add some strength training and light cardio. You might find that the exercise will melt those last pounds away while allowing you to eat a little more.
All that being said, if you decided to stay at 125, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. You did a great job getting to where you're at, and if you are happy being there, I say stay there. What's most important is your feeling good about where you are.

I agree with the above that it's more important to be happy where you are. I just got to 138 and my goal was 140, so now I am just going to keep on working out and watching what I eat and if I continue to lose that is great, but as long as I tone up I will be happy where I am. I guess now that I hit that goal I could see myself getting to 130, but I think we will always find things we want to improve so it is really just getting to that point where you are happy with yourself overall.

It sounds to me that 120 is a "magic number." you're honestly not going to look significantly different than you do now at 125. I think you're hungry because you might be needing more calories. How many are you eating right now? How much do you work out and how often? And what are you eating and how often? If you're bingeing it might be because you aren't eating often enough too.

This statement is very telling to me. I think there is a huge disconnect in what people choose as thier goal weights and what is actually maintainable and reasonable once you actually get there.

I had 125-130 as my goal weight. It just sounded good to me. In reality, it ended up being very taxing on my body to do this. My body settled at around 140. I had no way of knowing that until I actually go there though. Some people find that 10lbs higher then their "goal" is their happy place while others suprise themselves by going a bit lower.

As far as getting your phsyique where you want it, losing more weight may not be the answer. I was at my most fit and toned at 140lbs and actually looked smaller than when I was 132. Over time your skin may tighten up and you will build more muscle and might actually be pleasantly surprised.

Also, you are setting a goal weight because of a weight you were at when you were 13. You are probably taller and also a woman! 13 year old bodies are much different.

I don't think 120lbs is inappropriate or anything, but your body seems to have found a happy place. If you are finding that you are struggling with hunger more trying to get to 120, I definitely think your body is trying to tell you something. I do know that when I was 127 (my all time low), I felt like I was constantly working against myself and that letting my body settle at 140 meant that I had a MUCH better chance at maintaining and not losing my mind. Good luck in whatever you decide!

For your height it's not an unreasonable weight and your body will be a little different 5 pounds lighter but it won't be anything dramatic. I understand when you're losing weight it's easy to get stuck on a number that will magically mean you're thin enough now. If you're maintaining your current weight though and dipping below that is proving difficult think how difficult it might be to maintain that weight!

As I've gotten smaller it's AMAZING to me when salespeople try to help me find my size at a store and guess a small or a size 6 and I'm like "you're crazy" but then it fits! My mind has not caught up to my body at all.