Not "fat" I guess rather than a weight. I put 160ish as my goal but actually I have no idea. I've been reading about bikinis and getting into tiny sizes and I'm not planning on doing that.

I was thinking a size 12ish, not so small that I have skin wading in puddles around my ankles and big enough that I don't have to subsist on a lettuce leaf, a boiled egg and diet soda to keep the weight down. Low enough though that my A1C stays in the lower range and that maybe I can reduce or even go off some meds and so people don't automatically see a fat person, they see me.

Is anyone else doing something like this or has done this? How did it work for you?

Inquiring minds with ketonic insomnia want to know...

Yes!!

I just want to be able to sit in one of those teeny tiny connected desk-chairs in my college comfortably...and on BOTH butt cheeks!!

But seriously, I do have an idea of a goal weight in mind, but my ultimate goal is to simply be "not fat."

Just wanted to comment on this. It's possible that you'll be able to maintain a lower weight without undue deprivation. I was ambitious in my goal this time, aiming for slim rather than not fat, and find I can maintain my current weight on 2,000 cals per day with moderate exercise -- and I'm 56. Everyone is different, of course, but there's a good chance you'll be able to eat more than you think.

Freelance

Yep, the weight I've lost I've not done by starving. I can eat a normal amount of food and not gain. Now, I mean NORMAL, not what most of us overweight folks consider normal...real normal. So it's far from impossible to lose weight and still get to eat and not be hungry.

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Freelancemomma, MauiKai, and Sontaikle--You three have really reassured me by the fact that you are all eating normal amounts of food and maintaining. I'm still figuring this maintenance thing out--how NOT to be another statistic who regains the weight.

MovingForward - It's totally doable. It is like learning any new skill, playing an instrument, learning a new sport etc...learning to eat normally/cook healthy etc is a skill that you MUST put the effort in to. Once you get it, you see its not as hard as you feared.

I wish this were so for me. I eat normally and cook extremely healthy food. But I still find maintenance a challenge. One that I will continue to meet, certainly, but a challenge none the less.

As for the OP: my goal was never thin, but to regain my health and strength. I had a bunch of old 12s in my closet that I hoped to wear again, but that was it for size goals. I've gone past them now, into size 10s, but ever-shrinking-smaller isn't a goal for me. Maintaining what I've worked so hard for is my ongoing goal. And yeah, maybe losing a pound or two more in the process.

Honestly my goal is to be not fat, but I put an arbitrary number on it. We'll see what happens...

I am going for not fat and healthy, not skinny or the need to wear a bikini.

I also love clothes and I want to be able to look better and be able to wear more styles.

"Not fat" in terms of BMI was a major mini-goal for me. But to be honest, there are days I still psychologically feel fat, even after meeting and surpassing that goal. Mentally I know that I am at a normal, healthy size now, but I'm not completely comfortable and confident in my body yet. Weight loss is helping, but ultimately the struggle is mostly in my head.

"Not fat" is my goal, too. I think I have 150 as my "goal" (at 5'3") just to have something in mind, but really, I just want to keep going until I feel healthier, can get pregnant and don't have to spend 18 billion dollars per pair of jeans lol.

Honestly, the only reason I have a number goal instead of just getting into the normal BMI range is because I think it would be awesome to weigh as much as I've lost. What a surreal thought, I can hardly imagine it but I know I want to experience it!

I had a goal weight of 135 pounds. Now I don't know. I'm at 174 at the moment and my focus is more on fitness than on weight loss. I'm working on toning and strength training as well as getting back to being able to run a 5K.

I don't want to be skinny. I want to be fit and healthy. I have no desire to be a "fat skinny" person! LOL!!

Actually, I'd be quite happy with "barely obese." I don't have any "set in stone" goals. I'm focused only on "less than I weigh now."

If I ever decide to stop making new improvements to my lifestyle, that will be where my weight loss stops, whether I choose to stop because I reached a healthy weight or because I couldn't tolerate more change. Either way, I'll choose to be happy with the decision (but will also realize that no decision has to be permanent).