Weight Loss Goal - How to Decide

[BecomingMyself]

I'm sure this has been asked before and I just didn't see it, but I'd like to ask this wonderful supportive community for your feedback.

I've been overweight or obese my entire life - I don't have a baseline I want to get back to, but I want to set a reasonable goal for myself that makes sense.  My current "goal" is 155 - that's just 36 pounds away and would give me a buffer of 9 pounds below the "overweight" line.  I definitely know I'm not yet where I need to be, but I'm also not sure if 155 if that place.

So, while I'd love to set a "goal", I realize that might not be the best place for me to stay (maybe I should lose more, or not go that low).  If anyone else has had this challenge - how did you pick your "goal" weight?  Also, how did you know when you were at your ideal weight?  Was it body fat percentage - and if so, what should I be striving for there?  Was it just how clothes fit (or the size you were)?  

Sorry for the essay, but I know this is a topic that can be debated on, and I just want to hear from others on how they determined they were in a good place for them.  I'm already getting people telling me I'm good now, but I know I'm not where I want to be, I'm just not exactly sure where I'm going (or how I'll know when I get there).

[Dominique]

Welcome to the community, @BecomingMyself !

What you didn’t mention in your "essay" is you already lost 60 pounds (this is from your profile). Very impressive, btw. When / how fast did the 60 lbs drop take place? You said you wanted to set a reasonable goal for your ultimate "ideal" weight. I’m sure the goal of 155 you tentatively set is just fine, but what should be reasonable IMO is the time frame to get there. Which is why I asked about the 60 lbs you already lost.

If I got it right, your BMI would be 25 at 155 + 9 = 164, which would make you 5’8 tall. Your current weight would be 155 + 36 =  191 (BMI 29.0) and your ultimate starting weight was 191 + 60 = 251 (BMI 38.2). That’s an amazing change already. Take your time with the further loss, to improve chances the new, lower weight will stick.

My own "ideal" weight has evolved over time (= during my 7 years of fitbitting). I started at 75 kg pre-Fitbit in early 2013, lost about 10 kg during the first 3-4 months and kept the fluctuation range between 65 and 70 kg for the next three years (2014-2016). Starting in 2017, I lowered the fluctuation range to 60-65 kg. In terms of BMI, the new range is 19.8-21.5. I just feel I perform better at a lighter weight.

[BecomingMyself]

I've lost the weight since August - I started at 255, and I'm now at 191.  I'm on the first plan that works for me, and I'm not looking to get off of it until I get within a healthy weight range, but I guess I just don't know what I should be targeting.

I do appreciate your feedback, and obviously, since I'm looking at losing around 100 pounds, I'll probably have some excess skin (which may create excess pounds as well), so I know this will have to be accounted for.  

[Dominique]

64 lbs in 6 months is an average of about 2.5 lbs per week, which is a lot. This shows you have clearly found an approach that works for you and you have stronger than average willpower. I understand you want to keep the momentum and continue all the way to your ultimate goal of 155. However, I still think it wouldn’t be the optimal way to do it, for the reasons mentioned in the Losing All Your Weight At Once video, my favorite resource for all things weight loss.

Excess skin is a minor issue IMO, and the health benefits of a lower weight are way more important.

[Dominique]

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@BecomingMyself wrote:

I've lost the weight since August - I started at 255, and I'm now at 191.  I'm on the first plan that works for me  

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Based on the amazing results you were able to achieve, I’m sure quite a few people would be interested in hearing about the plan you have been following. Would you mind telling us about it?

[BecomingMyself]

Wow - what a great video!  I actually just took a month off and maintained my weight loss, and now I'm back to losing.  I agree excess skin isn't a big deal, but of course there is some mass there, which is why I mentioned it.

I've been using a program called Optavia - I know it isn't for everyone, but I've found that my energy levels are amazing, and I'm able to eat food I like without a ton of prep.  I intend to continue using some of their products in maintenance, and some other easy to grab options that are also healthy for me.

[Dominique]

Thanks for the info about Optavia. I wasn’t familiar with the company / their products. Do you use / have you used their coaching services? If so, is it online, and with what frequency? How much of their own foods (vs. food you purchase / prepare yourself) do you eat? Do you count the calories you’re eating, or do you just size portions as per their guidelines? I’m just flaggerbasted by the implied deficit for an average weekly loss of 2.5 lbs, especially sustained for several months on end. 

[BecomingMyself]

I do use the coaching - I actually met a coach by chance while at a tourist site (the top of a lighthouse - I'm just the kind of person that talks to total strangers).  It's a weekly phone call and it's great - she is happy to provide support at any time, and there is no pressure.  You eat 5 "fuelings" a day (I mostly do bars, but they have shakes, baked items, soups - all sorts of things) and 1 meal that is a "lean & green".  You don't need to count your calories - but I do.  I'm usually around 850-950 a day - but I swear I'm not at all hungry, so it works for me!

[Glenda]

Excess skin can be much more than a minor issue.  Have the 2 of you ever seen the programs about people with lots of it.  Very depressing & stressful unless you can stand the expense and pain of having it removed.  I've seen TV shows about it but maybe you can see some on YouTube or somewhere.  Horrible, but not as life threatening as excess weight I guess.   Why not take the weight off just a little bit slower?  Maybe 2.5 pounds a week is slow enough.  My husband lost 100 pounds in a year and didn't have any loose skin at age 65

[BecomingMyself]

Hi Glenda - thanks for your feedback.  The main reason I'm not worried about the excess skin is that I can have it surgically removed if necessary.  That's not to say that's an ideal situation - I'm taking collagen to try to combat it as much as possible - but just to say that I wouldn't be unable to take care of it if I needed to (I understand this is a real problem for those that don't have the means).

[Dominique]

One more question, @BecomingMyself : did you have diabetes and/or high blood pressure? If so, have you seen any improvement (for instance, in terms of medication for these conditions) since last Summer?

[BecomingMyself]

I've never had diabetes, so nothing to report there.  I do, however, have high blood pressure.  I have seen some minor improvements, but nothing substantial there (which is surprising - just given the amount of weight I've dropped).

[Dominique]

Yes, I’m also surprised you didn’t see a major change in BP after losing more than 60 pounds. Maybe it will come with a delay? I’ve been monitoring my BP on a daily basis for three years now and it has been fluctuating up and down (though all the time within the normal range) without me seeing a clear pattern:

It kept rising at the end of 2019, to the point of getting close to the "elevated" range (> 120) and starting to worry me, but it has come down a bit since.

[SunsetRunner]

I know exactly how you feel. 

Years ago, when I was in my early 20's, I was underweight.  Not by a lot, but still... at 5'9" tall and a weight of 122, my BMI was 18.

After many years and the births of many children, stress and becoming addicted to food, my weight got up to a high of 320 and a BMI of over 47.

Through changing my diet and activity, I have been able to lose 170 pounds.  I now weigh ~150 (give or take a pound or two) and have a BMI of 22.1.

The problem is, I don't know when to stop... or even how to stop.  For me, I'm either going to be losing or gaining, there is no maintain.  It's been five years since I lost that weight and I still feel as though I need to get lower...get lower... five more pounds, etc.   

My original goal was 165.  Then 160, then 155... then 150.  Now it's 145.

I also don't know what my goal should be, or if I should even have one.  What is a goal anyway?  What happens when you reach it?  Why set one?  I don't know... I'm struggling too. 

[Dominique]

Wow, 120-320, quite some rollercoaster! I also find maintaining (i.e. keeping things static) more difficult than gaining or losing (dynamic), which is why I have set a range within which my weight is allowed to fluctuate. As I said, it has been 60-65 kg for the past two years, and I intend to keep it that way for the foreseeable future:

When my weight is on the rise, I don’t panic. I let it rise until I get close to the upper limit, then I start an active weight loss phase (usually 3 months) to get back to the lower limit. Once there, I try my best to stay there for a while, but I usually start to gain at some point, so it’s rinse and repeat. The 5 kg range is wide enough to provide flexibility, but narrow enough so things don’t go entirely out of control. I find this approach works quite well for me.

[Movinggal]

I recently started Optavia.  Are you still using their porducts?  did you reach your goal...just looking for your update on your success. 

thanks