How did you choose your target weight?

[Didu]

For those who are working to loose weight (with or without injections), how did you identify your target weight? To what extent it was a more emotional/nostalgic decision - e.g. what I weighed on my wedding day, or before pregnancy(ies), or when I last wore that gorgeous dress. Or a more rational/calculated one - say, in the middle of my healthy BMI, or weight at X percentage of body fat?

And a follow-up question for those further down the line - did anyone revise their target weight up or down and if so, based on what considerations?

Obviously healthy BMI range is pretty wide (mine 15kg) and even in my twenties it fluctuated by some 10kg. The same 60kg felt ‘fat’ when I was younger but ok after DC. I am now at 70kg down from 80, feel great even though technically still overweight, would like to lose more but not sure where to stop…

Fasting

I used chat GPT who worked it out because I cba the maths, there are 4 main Drs equations:
I am 5 foot 4 and have a medium frame (hips, wrists etc) so using these:

Devine
120 lb
8 st 8 lb
Hamwi
120 lb
8 st 8 lb
Robinson
124 lb
8 st 12 lb
Miller
123 lb
8 st 11 lb

All are the lower 50% of the BMI I noticed, hope it helps :)

In the middle of a healthy BMI. I've never been there but I'm only a few pounds away, now!

Originally it was 10st as it was the lowest I had been as an adult, pre DC and I remember feeling comfortable and confident at that weight. Although it’s only about 5lb into the healthy weight range for me.

Then I got there and obviously my body shape has changed since DC as I still didn’t feel quite right, so I dropped GW to 9.5st. Then 9. And although I didn’t technically reduce my GW, I wanted to give myself some wiggle room so have dropped to approx 8.5st where I have been maintaining for the last few months. It puts me at a BMI of around 21, and according to my smart scales, is my ideal weight (although doesn’t give me any calculations for this)

I’m happy enough at this weight, although working on getting toned as I still have a bit of a belly!

Middle of BMI. I’m now there and feel I could comfortably lose another kg or so, because I’m between sizes and it’s annoying when clothes shopping.

The weight that means a BMI of 24.9. Still have 10kg to go and I have plateaued for a few months so I’m not sure if I will ever get there.

I haven’t chosen yet but was hoping I’d know when I go there. Mid BMI seems reasonable. I’m convinced that going as small as I used to be, or pre kids would look strange/ make me look old now. And I don’t want excess skin although I’m not losing loads to start with… maybe 25lbs?

edited to say mid BMI would be a loss of 40lbs so actually that’s a lot and possibly unrealistic for my size

I did a TDEE calculator and it listed an ‘ideal weight’ so just used that. I’ve been obese since primary school so have no experience of healthy BMI or weight to tagrget.

lost 5 stone now and about 1.5 lbs away from hitting the ‘ideal weight’ still have a bit of flab on my belly but that is loose skin in part so not really sure exactly what weight I’ll stop. I have shifted my focus away from the scales and more onto exercise for toning, posture and muscle development, still checking in on weight regularly to make sure I don’t put slip into regular gains but going more based on tape measure.

You’re doing absolutely brilliantly!

Originally it was dress size 12 as I was a 12 in my 20s, but then went up to 14 and then 16 last year. I'm now size 12 again but some supermarket clothes I can get into 10, especially with jeans. Then I revised my target to 10st, I'm now 9st 12.5lbs, bmi 24.5, revised now to 9st 7lbs because I have belly fat and was prediabetic and I'm perimenopausal, and at 5ft 3" I can handle a lower weight.
I've lost over 3st started at 13st 1lbs bmi 32.4 in October 24.

I remembered what I weighed in my last year of university, when I felt fit and healthy. Checked that weight against BMI calculator and it was just off the middle of Normal/healthy weight. So I set that as my target weight.

I have lost 3 stones and reached my target weight. I weigh daily, and fluctuate between my target weight and 2kg higher, and it feels like I am at the right weight now :)

I had lots to lose but initially I was trying to lose 2 stone, once I done that I decided to try and lose another and again once I done that tried to lose another, now that I have lost 4 stone I am 7lb off a healthy bmi so now trying to lose 7lb but finding it really difficult to lose now so thinking once I do that I will just be trying to stay at the top of a healthy bmi

I started at 19 stone with a target of 8.7. BMI 18.6. I've been at target for a month. Feels like the right weight for me

Oh interesting! For me, these formulas still give a range of some 5kg and yes, all but one are below the middle of healthy BMI. Interestingly, the earliest of these was developed in mid-60s and gives the lowest ideal weight, and all the subsequent ones revised it upwards.

i used to be 10st before daughter who is now 26 i did weight 16.1lb 2oz ive started the carnivore diet 6 days ago and now weight 15.1.3oz so lost nearly a stone in a week. im determined to get back down to 10st maybe 9st

This is such a good question. I aimed for pre-baby weight which is BMI 23.

Now I’m there, I still have a fair bit of abdominal fat but I don’t think losing more weight will make me look better given I’m in my 50s. Instead I’m focusing on improving my fitness and muscle strength and getting used to my new shape.

I guess I am trying to plan ahead sometimes too much. Say I identify middle of healthy BMI as target. Presumably some of it would be loose skin which would hopefully tighten up with time, so with successful maintenance the weight would go down even further? What if at that weight I still have excess body fat, so if I focus on building muscle the weight would go up? What if I plateau above the target - do I push through or accept that this is what my body feels comfortable at?

I think if you use your mid-healthy BMI as a starting point that all of the other questions will be answered with time.

I would never suggest someone aim to be as skinny as possible, or skinny fat, as both of these don't suggest health at all but just a chaser for a number on the scale.

Before I injured myself last year, I was in the gym 6 times a week, weighed about 14 stone and looked like a formidable gal.

Now, I'm 9 stone.something and feel WEAK because I've been out of the gym for so long.

I will go back to the gym as soon as my VLCD is over and if I gain weight, I know it will be from muscle, which is healthy and correct.

I don’t think excess fat is a problem tbh if you’re a healthy BMI. I agree with FluffyWabbit that being as thin as possible isn’t a positive objective.

At some point we need to accept our imperfect bodies and focus on our health.

My initial target was to be below a BMI of 25, so healthy. I’m now trying to lose a further 5 to 7Lbs because I’d like some wriggle room. I’m 62 so I don’t think I should go too low and I’m also only 5’1” so I don’t want to have to keep my calories super low as my TDEE is not going to be very much. I’m in a size 12 now too which at my age I’m content with.

I'm aiming for 7lb below the maximum healthy weight for my height. I have a large frame (my wrists are 7 3/4") and in my 50s now. Back in my 20s I was right at the bottom of the healthy range but I don't think that's a good idea now.

I have 25lb to lose to get to my goal weight. I'm not on WLI, I am calorie counting with an emphasis on avoiding UPF.

I mix of both. I was 10 stone 10 (150lbs) and a size 10-12 (I’m 5’11’) when I met my DH, though I remember being that weight in my late teens and thinking I needed to lose a stone. But now, two kids later and in my 60s, I’d be happy at 12 stone or so (168-175lbs) and a size 14. I was always overweight other than brief periods of being super strict and working out daily (which I did when I met my future DH). But it was unsustainable and I after kids and the sudden death of my DH I have remained quite overweight, and I put on even more during Covid! 168-75lbs would be a BMI of 123-124, upper end of the ‘healthy’ range, but I’d be totally happy with that. I can’t take weight loss injections as I have type 1 diabetes.