Current goal is a hundred pounds down from my starting weight. End goal is in the weight for the mid range BMI for my height. I don’t particularly like BMI, but its the metric I’ll be graded against at all my doctors appointments so I’ve given in there. I was never at a healthy or feel good weight in my life, so I can’t fall back on that.
I did 2 things (female).
I’m 5’4” so based on this the ideal weight is 120 lbs. However! My bone structure is medium, hence a little heavier.
So I set my 1st goal of losing 10% of my body fat. My starting weight is 180 lbs…10% is 18 lbs, resulting in a goal of 162 lbs…this also reduces HBP risks (genetic).
2nd goal is losing 10% off my 1st goal…another 16 lbs, resulting in being at 146 lbs.
Ideally, I want to have a 5% reduction in that 2nd goal which brings me to approximately 135 lbs, but I’m not going to wig over that number…the 146 lb puts me in a healthy BMI, waist height ratio & gets me back into a size 8.
There are a number of factors & quite frankly, trying to calculate them all is overwhelming.
Keep it simple: Do it in stages of 10% reductions. Figure out a healthy BMI for your gender, age, height and work the numbers.
You got this!
Good question! I guess my goal weight is what I can maintain while still being able to eat enough calories to experience enjoyment in food while adequately fueling my body & mind. And I have an aesthetic I prefer, which is lean/strong like a (female) boxer. So, my stomach is flat but my arms & legs are muscular but not huge.
Today, I look & feel healthy at 5’6”/125#/14% body fat (39F). But this is also the thinnest I’ve been in a decade and it’s because I started intermittent fasting (loose 16:8) in November. Prior to that I was consistently between 127 and 135 pounds & worked out regularly. I was just fleshier, with bigger boobs & a softer tummy. I actually didn’t think I could lose weight, I was just trying to keep it from creeping up as I approached 40!
I would not want to be any thinner than this. I am very careful to eat at maintenance, which is 1800 cal per day, and I spike my calories at least 2x/week to refeed. I’m also okay with staying in a new range of 125-135.
I picked my goal weight based on a weight where I can still eat a good amount of food/calories and maintain, in order for it to be sustainable longterm. A weight where I feel I looked good and my health was still good. I’m 34f 5’6 and my sw was 286, gw 210. When I get there I will reassess to see how my health is doing and whether it will feel restricting to continue to lose.
Similar to others I was once in a condition that I was very happy with in my 20s. 6’1, 200lb, 32W, XL shirt fits tight in shoulders, loose in belly. Was actually trying to get bigger back then like 210, just a slow gainer. Went sedentary in my early 30s, I was up to 270lb (fat) at 56yo. So I tried to get down to 210 goal weight, thought maybe I could stay there then lean out. That has worked well, now maintaining 205-210 and getting leaner/stronger. I actually have some old clothes from my 20s that I kept and they fit great again. Regaining what we had loved and lost is a tremendous feeling.