I get really concerned when I see some of the goal weights that are being picked on this site, esp the middle-height girls who want to be only 125 lbs (or less) and very tall girls who want to be 125-140 lbs. Take a look at some of our successful losers and their pictures to get an idea of a more realistic goal weight. Remember, you can always reassess later on.

As I read this thread, my thoughts are confirmed even more. Many goal weights are just being picked out of the air. I find goal-weight charts are way too low; I would add 10-20 lbs to them. Often you can feel and look good within a 20-25 lb range. Plus, you want to pick a weight that is sustainable long-term as well.

I have a hard time with this too. I haven't weighed under 150 since before I was pregnant for the 1st time, which was about 7 years ago. I gained about 25 lbs rather quickly after I got my first "real" job (sitting in an office chair all day, going out to eat for lunch & dinner, etc. led to my weight gain) So, I can't really remember what it felt like at different weights because it wasn't like I gained a little & stayed there for any amount of time. I really just want to fit into size 4 clothing, which I have in the past & I felt like that's where my body looked best. I honestly don't care what the scale says.

My ultimate goal is 120lbs, because that was my average weight pre-marriage and mommyhood. I exercised a moderate amount (3 mile run 2-3 times a week plus walking the dogs) and ate reasonably w/o depriving myself (rarely ate out, but balanced healthy eating w/ indulgences like pizza and cookies). Honestly though, my main interest is reducing my bodyfat from it's current state of over 30% to back in the low 20s (when I was 120lbs and taking better care of myself).

I chose 135lbs as that was what I was when I felt my healthiest. Over the last few weeks though I have been wondering if this is too low. I do far more exercise now than I have ever done, and am building muscle. I revised my goal to 140lbs, and I will review again when I hit 147. I like being "athletic"

I chose 175 for now, because it's five pounds lower than my lowest adult weight, and it made for a nice round 80lbs to try to shift. Everyone says the last few pounds are the hardest; the less fat you have the harder it is to shift a pound. So I figured a goal weight that leaves me with a bit of fat still on should be less likely to suffer from the last pounds being too much of a trial, because too much of a trial means I'm likely to give up.

Of course, I reserve the right to reassess when I get to 175. It's twelve and a half stone, and it would be nice to get below twelve, just to see what it's like down there.

Brid! We're the same height and almost the same weight right now. We should be buddies!!

I chose my goal weight based on a mix of my happiest teen weight (120...but I was much shorter then) and using the bmi chart to find a range I was comfortable with. Also that website where you can see different women at different weights and how they look etc. I get alot of raised eyebrows at my goal weight, so I'm a bit sensitive about it, but I think it's completely healthy and doable. and I'll even be happy 10 pounds more or less than my goal weight. I'm tall, and it seems tall girls get a lot of flack for wanting to be thin.

I chose my first goal weight out of thin air. Anytime I had ever lost weight in the past, that was the magic number too but I never made it to goal. Once I hit 135, I maintained for about 8-9 months and wanted to lose more. I chose to lose another 10 pounds. It was then that I realized my pooch wasn't all just skin because it started going down. Finally I chose 115 for a few reasons- I'm very small framed (less than a 5" wrist, have also measured measured my frame using the elbow method), I'd love a nice round 100 pound loss, and finally, so that I can maintain between 115-120.

I chose my goal weight of 150 because it is almost in the middle of the range for my height, it is a nice even number, and since I started at just over 300 it meant being able to say I lost half my body weight.

It isn't firm however, I haven't been below 200 since I was maybe 13 or 14 so I have no point of reference to how I will look below there. If i get to 160 or something and love how I look or am starting to look too skinny I'll alter the number.

So many girls who are 5'9 in this thread! We need a support group!

I've gained and lost several times now, and I've chosen my goal weight because it is an average weight for me: I think it will be easy to maintain and I'll neither be too big nor too small. It's tentative though: I lift weights and I'm more interested in being compact and strong and looking good in clothes than meeting a particular goal number.

Other 5'9 girls: a few years ago I got down to about 137/138. I was lifting heavy weights a LOT and I was really lean and really strong with body fat in the teens. It was excellent. I had visible abdominal and oblique muscles! I was trying to get down to 135, but I could never pull it off. Two things about this: 1. lifting weights is an excellent trick because you look 'lighter' than you actually are (because muscle is more compact than fat). I got to look like someone who is very slim while eating like a person maintaining a lot of muscle. 2. This time I've decided to be less extreme in my goal weight. I can't maintain that kind of low weight forever, and my experience is that the lower I go, the greater my rebound weight when I fall off the wagon. It was fun to be so small though, even if it was just for a year or so.

Another 5'9" lady. :P

I chose 130, with the intent of staying below or around 135 (a little room to breathe), because I have a small frame and 130 lbs is on the lower end of my BMI.

Now I'm not a huge fan of Katy Perry's music or anything, but I think she has an amazing body at 5'8" and 130 lbs. I aspire to get into shape and have a body that's somewhat like hers. But with what my body has gone through, I don't have my hopes too high, but high enough to try and see how much progress I can make.

Great to see all these 5'9 people! I have such a hard time judging the size of people of different heights, so seeing all these people with 120lb targets worries me and makes me think my target's actually really high. And then I realise 120lbs at, say, 5'2 is probably fine, I just have NO idea.

140 is the lowest weight I've been as an adult and even though I wasn't happy with my body then I know that it's at least an attainable goal. I'm thinking I'll probably want to go to 130 at least. I have no idea what kind of body frame I have underneath all of this lumpy wobbly stuff so I'm wary of picking a number out of thin air.

I am 5'7" and feeling that I have been overweight my whole life... I want to shoot for around 160lbs. I see all these goals lower but I do not want to be extremely thin; I'd love to just be able to shop where I want really.

My first goal weight was 105lbs which was my weight when I left university. However, when I got down to about 115lbs, I realised I could probably go lower comfortable and changed my goal to 100lbs. It's a bit heavier than I was when I met my husband at university and when I didn't have a belly. As I'm small framed (just measured my wrist at 5 inches), I may be able to reassess when I reach it although I think it'll just be adding in exercise for me really.

I don't think there is any harm in picking a number out of a hat when you have a way to go. If you are truly "middle height" (which I assume is 5'4-5'7) then the 120s are well within the "healthy" range for that height. A healthy BMI is 18.5-25 so there is lots and lots of wiggle room in there.

Many people do reassess their goals later on, but I don't see a reason to discourage people from setting challenging goals.