Hi there!

I've got a ways to go until lifetime (as in, 80-100 pounds!), but I'm closing in on my 10% and am debating what to select as my goal.

The problem is, I have a "realistic" goal, and a "theoretical" goal - I know what I "should" choose as a reasonable goal that I can maintain long-term (no lower than 150, probably 155) - I've been on a slow climb since I was 17 and took off for college, and I was 160 at that point... I feel I can be active and healthy at around/just below that weight. At the same time, there's a part of me that wants to see 135 - partially because it's a hundred-pound loss and partially because I don't want to sell myself short... I've always said there's no chance I could weigh that little since I'm "inherently" big and my family are all obese and all the odds are against me. I'm now more open to what I might find as I lose weight - throw all the labels and expectations out, and see what my body's capable of when I let it be healthy. It may settle at 155, it may be healthy and safe to reach 135. I can't be sure until I get there.

So, back to my question - I know that the WW rules state that lifetime is achieved once you maintain for 6 weeks and then continue at no more than 2 pounds above goal. However, I've also seen/heard comments that you're not allowed to fall more than 2 pounds below your goal, either - that the reasoning is to prevent people from setting a high goal to reach lifetime earlier/stop paying, and also to encourage true maintenance rather than constant loss/gain cycling (if you had a 10-pound range, for example).

So, my questions - do any of you know the official WW stance on the 2 pound below limit? Is it an official rule or just a "encourage you not to" in order to encourage proper maintenance? Also, have any of you been in my shoes - set an "official" goal but with thoughts of modifying it?

I don't want to set myself up for failure by setting a goal that's unreasonably low. At the same time, I don't want to sell myself short by setting one that's too high. Realistically, I'm aiming first for the general area of 150-155 (well, I'm first aiming to get back below 200!), but I may find I want to lose more when I get there. But outside of my personal thoughts, where should I set my WW goal? Can I modify my goal once I'm closer to that point?

Really? No one has any knowledge of the rules for falling below goal weight?

I only know that when my sister (she does WW) told me what you just said, it didn't make sense to me either (I don't do WW).

Sorry! We lifetimers tend to stick to our weekly thread. Honestly since those are usually the only threads in this forum, we sometimes miss hte others that might pop up!

As far as I know, there are no rules for going below your goal. In fact, my goal was 164 and I had gotten down as far as 152 and no penalties. If you do go more than 2 pounds over your goal however, you have to pay for that meeting that you go to.

No, this is not correct.
My WW goal is 150 and my "healthy weight range" is 120-150. I weighed in at my WW meeting yesterday at 125.8. I cannot go more than 2 pounds above or below the healthy weight range (so below 118 or above 152). I work for WW so I know that this is accurate. Many of us set higher goals (initially to be free and also in case "life" throws us a curve ball) but go much lower than that initial goal.

Hi Rock Chalk Chick,
Being a past WW Leader, I hopefully can give some understanding to the rules.

A member chooses a goal weight, it must be within the weight range for your height and age (115 to 140), if for some reason you might wish it outside of that, you must get a doctors prescription or note stating what he/she feels is a health goal weight for you. I suggest that you do not goal for the upper weight of your range... been there done that. I wished to lose more and never did because I did not have to. On the other hand do not choose a ridiculous goal that might be acheivable but not maintainable.

Once you reach your goal weight, you have six weeks of maintanence. During that time, I strongly advise that you try very hard to learn to maintain and not to concentrate on continuing to lose. This is soooo important. You are allowed to go below your goal weight (and you probably will) but if you go above your goal weight by more than two pounds they often will extend the maintanence phase until you reach the allowable two pounds above or goal.

When a lifetime member, you are allowed two pounds above and anywhere below but it stops at the minimum of your range. If you fall below the minimum of your range the employees are allowed to refuse to weigh you for you will be at an unhealthy weight. A doctors note is necessary to change that part of the range as well.

You pay if you are two pounds over, miss a month or more. You do not have to pay any rejoining fee. It will always be the Lifetime members price to come back to WW.
Hope this helps... Jean

The weight range I stated was an example. With that example in mind, if you would want to go below 115 then a doctors note is required.

You are allowed to modify your goal once at any time, even when you are Lifetime as long as you are within the range for height and age.
Jean

Ah yes, going below the healthy weight range is a different thing entirely! But if I go 2 pounds above my set goal weight, I do get charged - whether I am still in the healthy range or above.