I'm now as you can see very close to my target weight.

When I set the target I hade no didea what to shoot for, so I picked the top of the healthy weight range for my height.

Now I'm almost there it's pretty clear that I still have a bit of a gut and I need a new target. On the other hand I don't want to go over the top.

How have others picked their target weights?

Hey there my fellow Aussie

Firstly Congrats on your weight loss thats wonderful

Secondly, I picked my target weight through Atkins's book in the height/weight chart ... logically I am thinking that might be a bit beyond what my body might like to stay at (I was that weight in yr 12 at High School) but I set it as goal cause I know I was happy and felt and looked good at that weight.....

Fiona

Some people pick target weights that they may or may not achieve. One problem with picking "what I used to weigh back then" is that the body has aged and changed and that target may not be reasonable any more.

The good thing about a goal weight is that you can change the number as you see how you look at a particular weight.

Quite often, it may be that you need toning or stretching exercises or weight work to change a particular area. Since the last few pounds typically come off very slowly, the exercise (especially weight training) is great here.

One great thing about losing through LC is that a person may look good at a higher weight than they expect. that is because LC loses mostly fat, and keeps the lean, sleek muscle (which weighs more but takes up less space than the fat.)

The most important point: it's ONLY a number and not very important.

Hope this helps.

I know my original goal weight was 125 pounds, but after a while I tried to think back at when I had ever weighed 125 pounds.

I cannot remember such a time, though I had to pass that by at one point in my life...so I decided to shoot for 145 since I can remember that and I know I looked nice at that weight. I figure that I can always set another goal after achieving the current one.

So without going "over the top", maybe set mini goals, say 5-10 pounds and re-assess when you achieve them?

Congratulations on your success thus far

Congratulations on being near your first target weight.

When I chose my goal weight I did it from when I knew I was an acceptable size when I was 21. I then took off 6 pounds as I know my scales weigh light.

I was very interested to look at this issue yesterday on the internet. Various sights gave me a very varied figure from my ideal weight. Any where from 70 pounds to 120 pounds. The problem for me is I'm so small I'm under the 4 ' 10" norm for women and I think the information below that point is unreliable.

In the end you need to go with what feels right for you and as has already been suggested tweek the numbers up or down when you get near to your target to reflect reality.

Yes, target weight can be tricky. You've already been given some great insight by others, but I would like to add that this thread: Using BF% as goal was helpful to me in determining goal weight. I realized my original goal of 125 would have been dependent on a loss of lean body mass. Knowing what your lean body mass is will give you a good idea of the range you would want to fall in. Knowing your body fat percentage would let you tone up and feel good without worrying about the actual numbers on the scale.

Hope that helps.

My goal weight is simple, to wear a loose 36 inch pants I wish I knew what weight that would put me at, but honestly I don't remember ever wearing that size pants. Oh well I will worry about that when I get there.

It took me awhile to determine my goal weight. I didn't really have one before I signed up on this board. I just wanted to be slimmer and healthy. Looking back, I know know that at 115 in high school, I wa too thin (and I thought I was fat back then, go figure ). But at that time I was also playing soccer, on the swim team, and in marching band. I remember being comfortble at 140 when I was in college and having a regular amount of exercising (walking to and from classes, and parties ). I decided on 150 because I figure I could probably go less than that, but I want to build muscle tone. I figure I will reevalute when I get closer to goal. I would like my body fat % to be lower, but I'm not sure what they are at now. Figure I'll get them checked when I'm closer to where I want to be.

I picked two goal weights. The first one being my pre-pregnancy weight of 169, and the second goal being what my average weight has been my adult life, 145 (I started gaining weight before I got pregnant). I reached my first goal this morning when I weighed in at 168.

Jzruns

I picked 200 because it was a nice round number and because, since every other diet I've tried has failed, I had little hope for this one.

Imagine my shock as this diet is actually working!

My real goal is 170, but I keep 200 as that will be a real watershed for me - I haven't weighed that little since 1982.

My target is the weight on my driver's license. Seriously. It's been the same on my license every time I've went to renew it for I guess about 15 years (no clerk has ever dragged out a set of scales and said "Prove it!") so I've stuck with it. Too stubborn to up it.

I vaguely remember being at that weight, but not toned like I will be. I think any less, at my tendency toward muscularity, would look pathetic.

I remember my mom talking about the weight she had listed on her fishing license (also a bit of an understatement) and someone telling her that was illegal. She said "If the lake patrol wants to get out one of those portable fish weighing scales and hang me up like a fish to weigh me (hooking her finger into her mouth and pulling upward on the inside of her cheek as illustration) then they can have at it!!!!!"

Sharon

Since LCing changes your body differently then any other "diet" (sorry I said the dredded d word) I have found that I wear clothes that I would think I had to weigh less wearing.

So my priority has shifted. I know longer care what the scale says... I care about losing inches.

Smaller not lighter and a firm size 8 will be fine by me!!!