how did you create a goal weight?

[KimA-GA 540]

How did you decide on goal weights? I have been arbitrary with them for short term but am trying to figure out long term goals ….

My first goal was sub 400 - just simply a milestone.

My second one was that I wanted to hit 378 (which was about 5% of total) before surgery.

Now I am working with trying to get to 360 before surgery (which is arbitrary but seemed doable).

I would love to see 100 lbs lost by the end of the year (340 lbs or less) and secretly would love to see 199 once in my adult life (most calculators etc seem to bring me down only into the 220s for “likely” end weight

I want to have a balance between small achievable goals and not setting my sights too low.

How did you decide or even did you have a goal?

[SuziDavis 546]

I went back to when I felt the fittest in my life and added a bit. I know I will not be working out the way I was in my 20"s , so it is not realistic to assume I could get back to that. But I hope to get close.

[ShoppGirl 4,813]

I set a goal of a weight that I achieved through diet but of course couldn’t maintain for even a short time. I surpassed it a little but then gained back to right around that weight which seems to be where my body is happy. Your body is ultimately going to decide for you what your set point is. You can exercise more and eat less to maintain a slightly lower weight but you will struggle daily to lose more than your body wants. Your are smart to set mini goals though and you should Celebrate every single one of them as you go. Congratulations on your loss so far.

[blackcatsandbaddecisions 851]

Yeah I picked a weight that I had been once-briefly- and was within a healthy weight range for me. I figured a stretch goal was fine. I ended up reaching the goal and am actually hovering about 8 lbs below it right now.

All the calculators said there was basically no chance of me seeing a weight below 200 as well, and I am in the 150s. Forget the calculators and pick the weight you want to see.

[KimA-GA 540]

i love hearing how everyone does things!!!

small, achievable goals have worked so far and maybe that’s what I need to continue. as @shoppgirl said, the body will ultimately do what it wants

health and the ability to say yes to life are my true goals… but so much is pushed for more concrete measurable goals.

[The Greater Fool 2,034]

I can't say I ever had a real "goal" weight.

Like you, my early goals were what I called odometer weights... 500, 450, 400, 350, 300. 300 was my most important of the odometers because that was where I pegged being able to do actual exercise where I wouldn't hurt myself. I didn't have odometer weights after 300 because that was already beyond anything for which I hoped.

Eventually I was just waiting for my weight to stabilize for the plastics I needed. So not so much looking for a particular number, just waiting on the same number to show up for a few months in a row. The number I ended up at was not even on my "wildest dream" list.

There is no rule that says you need to create a goal weight.

Good luck,

Tek

Edited September 30, 2022 by The Greater Fool

[NovaLuna 710]

I chose my goal weight because I thought back to when I was last happy about my size. That was when I was 12 or 13 and was a size 16. I was in the 180 pounds range at the time so that became my goal weight. The funny thing is... I reached that weight and wear a size 12 in jeans and medium in tops (still do, even with some weight gained back) so despite being the same height and weight as I was back then... I'm smaller. It was a happy surprise. And also, I guess I was right on the money to choose the goal that I did because as soon as I hit 175, my body was like 'okay, maintenance now' and I didn't lose a single pound more. I have gained some weight back though due to meds and I suppose partially due to my being almost 3 years post op, but I'm working on trying to lose at LEAST another 5 pounds of what I gained back (I'm 188 pounds according to when I weighed myself about two hours ago).

[Arabesque 7,298]

The stats are averages & based on your weight after three years. With sleeve or bypass the average weight loss at that point is around 60/65% of the weight you had to lose to put you in a healthy weight range. It reflects factors such as bounce back weight gain, lifestyle changes, complacency, health changes etc. It’s not necessarily the lowest weight you’ll reach, or even where you’ll settle. It’s just gives you a bit of an idea. Some exceed it others don’t reach it. And as @ShoppGirl said your new set point will most inform of where you settle.

Personally, I chose my goal as this was the weight I always dropped to before gaining again. It also put me in a healthy weight range (if you use BMI as a guide). Most choose a weight that was where they once were or think they’d like to be. No scientific reasoning at all.

I passed my goal but I’m an outlier - someone who doesn’t fit the stats. I didn’t work at losing that much it was just where my body settled. My lowest was 48.2 but settled at 49kg. A medication change & a needed dietary change & I’m at 51kg & have been there for about 9 months. (Would prefer to be 49 but … you know life.)

I think setting benchmarks for along the way like you’re doing is a great idea. If you set a final goal make it a ‘it would be nice if I got to that but I accept I may not & that’s okay’ goal.

Congratulations on what you’ve achieved so far.

[BigSue 1,387]

My philosophy is that you don't pick a goal weight -- your goal weight picks you. That probably sounds silly, and it's sort of an exaggeration, but when you're talking about the massive weight loss one gets from weight loss surgery, it's not necessarily practical to target a specific number on the scale. I didn't really have a "goal weight" -- nor did my surgeon -- until I went to my psychological evaluation and the psychiatrist asked me. Even that, I think, was mainly about checking to make sure I had realistic expectations. The number I gave was based on the average/typical weight loss for gastric bypass patients. I think I went with 180 pounds, but I actually ended up around 140.

To me, the number on the scale is pretty meaningless. And I say that as someone with an analytical mind, who loves numbers and spreadsheets and graphs. The non-scale victories are far, far more important to your quality of life. First, and foremost are the health goals -- things like getting off of medications, having a healthy blood pressure and blood glucose, etc. Then there are the physical benefits like being able to walk a mile without sweating or a few flights of stairs without getting winded, and not having constant pain in your feet and knees. And of course the social benefits of literally fitting into the world -- flying without a seatbelt extension, sitting in a booth at a restaurant, not having to worry about weight limits on furniture. Finally, being more confident and satisfied with your body/appearance, having more clothing options, and being more accepted by people and society in general (which is really sad, but true).

I think if you are fixated on a specific number on the scale, you can lose sight of those important non-scale victories. I'm not saying you shouldn't track your weight (I weigh myself probably more than I should, multiple times per day) or that the scale isn't important to your progress, but you don't know what the number will be when you hit the point that you have lost enough weight to improve your life. That's especially true when you start out at a high weight, because your body will not be the same at 220 pounds (after losing 200+ pounds) as someone who has never been higher than 220 pounds, because your body will have more skin and bigger bones even with the same amount of fat and muscle.

[Tomo 1,193]

My goal weights were rather simple: no longer morbidlly obese class 3, no longer obese class 2, no longer obese class 1, no longer overweight and healthy bmi.

I've been kind of in maintenance mode the past few months. Still upping my calories but still losing. Tryng to find that sweet spot that is both sustainable and comfortable for my lifestyle.

[ms.sss 15,651]

I chose 120 lbs…which was the midpoint of the “healthy” BMI range for my height.

In had been 120 lbs in my adult life before (last time was in my late 20’s, i started gaining weight on the road to obesity after my daughter was born) so i knew it was relatively doable.

4 years post-wls now and i was 118.3 lbs this morning, so i figure i guessed right 🤷🏻‍♀️

Of course I realize that i will not be this weight forever, i’ll just go with it for now and make changes if i feel i need (or want) to.

A year or so ago i made efforts to stay close (or under) 115, but decided it was more effort than I wanted to expend (which wasn’t much really, but still) and upped my “acceptable” weight to 120. Its been INFINITELY easier to stay below the higher number, and i like it this way.

[STLoser 1,099]

I weighed 393 at my highest. I always wanted to get under 200. I was there as a teenager and young adult, when I weighed around 160. I had hoped to get down to 160 or 170, but knew I'd be happy to get to 199. I got down to 187 in July, and I'm in maintenance now, 2 years and almost 3 months post op. I have gained a few pounds and I'm at 193 right now. I'm very happy at this weight, even though it's not a "normal" weight for my height. I wear a size 12 or 14, and I'm very happy with that! I've decided to make my threshold 195 before I get concerned. I want to stay under 200.

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