How did you decide your goal weight?

I wouldn't give much weight to what friends or strangers think about your size. When people are used to seeing you one way, any big shift can surprise them and they often react negatively at first. Sometimes the comments are just unhelpful or even meant to hold you back. At 5'4 the range from 100 to 145 is considered fine according to the CDC tool. Body composition matters too. A higher number can still look and feel good if you're lifting regularly, while the same number might not if you're inactive. The only views that count are your own and your doctor's.

BMI is just a formula and doesn't fit every body type. Shorter or taller people especially can land outside the standard ranges while still being healthy, or sit inside them while carrying too much internal fat. My doctor used the Oxford New BMI calculator and gave me a target 20 pounds higher than the CDC number because of my height.

Zip-line operators usually have a 250-pound cutoff. I've bent the truth on that one more than once.

I began peptide use at 282 and am now at 240. My planned goal is 200 with an aim around 185-190. At 6'1" or 6'2" that would put me inside normal BMI on a tall day. I weighed 225 as a college freshman after regular PT, so I've lost muscle since then. The goal number is what I actually intend to hit; the target is the looser range I'm aiming toward. At that point I expect visible abs based on the body-fat level I project.

I aimed to drop 65 pounds to return to my wedding weight and succeeded. The difference is that now, decades later, I still look like a lumpy ball of dough, so I'm going for another 10. Muscle at 67 isn't the same as it was at 30.

I don't really have a set goal weight. Started at 270 wearing size 38 pants and I'm now 200 in size 32s. What I want is under 12 percent body fat; I'm guessing I'm around 15-17 now. At 5'9" I carry a decent amount of muscle, so the real aim is keeping that muscle while staying lean. This used to come easier in my 20s and 30s. At almost 51 it's actual work.

I don't have a goal weight. I have a goal physique.

Ultimately you need to land somewhere that feels comfortable in terms of appearance, how your body feels, or health markers. Past the normal or near-normal BMI range, cardiovascular fitness probably matters more for long-term health than the exact scale number. The target also has to be sustainable. There's no point chasing a BMI of 21 if it means constant hunger. If obesity was long-standing, staying on the medication long-term is usually the practical choice.

The last time I lost a lot I reached 162 and felt decent but started looking too thin. This round I'm aiming for 165. I'm 5'9" and have a larger frame. I used to wish I weighed 125 when I was younger, but that would look unhealthy on me now.

The BMI charts were built on data from white men only. As a woman with a larger bust and hips, even at my thinnest I was labeled overweight. The single time after puberty that the chart called me a healthy weight, I was working full time, taking a full college load, renovating a house, and babysitting on weekends. I looked gaunt and felt exhausted. At 5'4" I had reached 145 then. My healthiest and happiest point was 160-170. Right now I'd just be glad to get under 200.

I have no memory of ever being at a healthy weight, so I don't have a clear picture of what I'd look like at different goal points. On BMI I'd aim for the top of the overweight category, though I know it doesn't account for muscle or bone. On the scale I'd like to reach at least 140-160 and then reassess; 120 sounds appealing but again I have no reference. I haven't been under 200 since high school. For body fat I'd like 16-24 percent from my current level above 50. Visible abs aren't a priority. Non-scale goals matter too, like being able to pull myself and someone else out of a pool or just not feeling tired all the time.

First, congrats on reaching 142. Try not to let other people's negative remarks change your direction. Your weight and health are between you and your doctor. I also agree with the points about BMI limitations. You're doing well.

The first time I lost weight I targeted the top end of the normal BMI range. I was afraid of that number. It felt great, but that was about 17 years ago and I haven't been back there in over 14 years. People around you notice the change and sometimes their comments come from fear of that change. With more than 70 percent of Americans overweight or obese, a healthy weight can look skinny by comparison. Body-fat percentage is a better measure than BMI, though people tend to overestimate their own muscle. Impedance scales give directional information even if the exact number isn't precise, as long as you check at the same time of day and hydration level. Pick one metric and go after it.

We have the same stats: 44, female, 5'4", currently 143. When I was over 200 I thought reaching the top of the normal BMI range would be my goal. Now that I'm here I still feel fat and realize I need to focus on building muscle. I do very little exercise and have become skinny-fat, which is better than before but not ideal. A new small goal is 139 just because it seems surprising I could weigh that little, but the bigger aim is more muscle and better endurance.

I pulled out jeans from 15 years ago and used those as my marker. It happened to line up with what the BMI chart suggested for me.

I like the question. I was combining two medications and the weight kept coming off, so I changed my goal weight four times. In the end my body settled where it wanted to. I've lost 112 pounds and feel great. Blood work and blood pressure are both excellent. Last Friday the elevator was out and I climbed four flights without getting winded. Everyone is different. My advice is to listen to your own body.

I started in obesity class 3 and only hoped to lose 40 pounds at first. Once I saw results the goal became getting under 200, which seemed huge. Then I wanted to move from obese to merely overweight on the BMI scale. Now my final target is the highest weight the US military accepts for my height of 5'7", which is 166. I think you should pick something meaningful to you that is also generally viewed as healthy. I looked good at 140 in my early 20s but I love food, work in the food industry, and am 51 now. 166 will be fine and will fulfill a 25-year dream.

A close friend who I trust to have my best interests at heart told me I was getting too thin at 5'7" and 195, which is still technically obese for my height. I've lost 85 pounds so the change is obvious, but the comment still felt off. Don't let comments like that pull you off your health goals.

My goal is whatever weight is listed on my driver's license since I haven't updated it in years. That seemed like an easy target for this year. Started at 288 in November 2025, currently 247 in April 2026, aiming for 210 for now. Longer term I'd like to be around 170-180 sometime next year. I'm currently on 7.5 mg of tirzepatide plus another compound.

My choice of BMI came from having three female relatives on my side with serious issues around food. I figure I won't ever spot the right stopping point myself. Friends aren't an option either, since most can't tell what a proper weight is, and a few got concerned I was dropping pounds even when I was still heavy. They all said I looked fine and should quit, but they did it kindly without pushing. I care about them and get where they're coming from, none would be mean about it. Still, their views didn't factor into picking my target. I picked the center of the bottom part of the normal BMI zone, which came out to 125 pounds. A while after, I noticed I must have been off when figuring that number, since it should have been 121. I keep the 125 in mind anyway, as the other feels bleak.

I have always fallen outside typical body measurements so choosing an end point for my weight felt uncertain at the start. A scan gave me a clearer picture of my present muscle total and I set my target using those numbers. Even so I see that target as open to change rather than fixed forever. Progress might lead me to raise or lower it later. As a result the number I settled on sits forty pounds above the figure standard charts would have suggested. Having the scan made the whole picture easier to understand.

I like old airplanes even though I don't fly. Maybe someday. The FAA pilot weight example is 5'10" and 175 pounds. I can't change my height, but I can change my weight. When I get back to that number I'll buy a plane.

Are you single? Asking for a friend...

I started noting my weight history from old medical records. In September 1990 I was at 135 pounds upon enlisting. It rose to 155 by October 1991, then 160 in July 1992, 168 in July 1995, and 172 in January 1998 while pregnant early on. By August 1998 after the birth it hit 210 and stayed there in January 1999. It fell to 180 in January 2000 at ETS time but climbed to 260 by June 2000. Facing the changes in my body from that depressed period felt overwhelming. Records later list 180 in June 2001, 200 in June 2004, 220 in June 2009 and again in June 2013, then 200 in June 2015, 230 in June 2018, and still 230 in January 2022 when I began Oz. The numbers eased down slowly to my current 168 in April 2026 toward a target of 150. Some loose skin and hair loss appeared but I handle each concern separately, one after another. That mental, emotional, and physical spot was tough to occupy.

My goal weight is the number I reached and maintained for a while after losing 18 kg thirty years ago. By chance it lines up with a BMI of 24.9, right at the top of normal. I'm only a few pounds away now.

I asked an AI for a suggestion based on my age, ethnicity, height, and bone structure. For a 61-year-old white male at 6'0" it suggested 165-170. I'm at 170 with 11 percent body fat, so there's muscle there. Friends say I'm too skinny, but I'm in the best health I've had in 30 years. A lot of it is just lack of knowledge. I offer to compare blood work and they decline.

I've honestly never looked at BMI because it was always far too high and I just avoided the number. For a goal weight I think dropping 50-60 pounds into the 205-210 range is realistic, but I'm not sure I want to lose muscle. I've been going to the gym 3-5 times a week since October 2024 and was already going about 3 times a week for the ten years before that.

For longest life expectancy, waist should be less than half your height. For non-athletic people that often corresponds to a BMI of 20-22. There's an article on how waist-to-height ratio predicts years of life lost better than BMI.

I'm not completely fixed on a goal weight of 130. I'm 5'7" and female. I got down to 165 from 230 a few years ago with keto and knew then I probably wanted to lose another 30 based on how I felt. I'd like to see 130 on the scale, but I'd also be happy to reach 165 again and reassess. My life has changed since then with a more active job that involves heavy lifting and walking, plus getting a dog. I'm not claiming I've added 20 pounds of muscle, but I can fit into most of the same clothes at 185 that I wore at 165, and my arms have more definition now. So 165 might look different this time, but I still want to reach the normal BMI range with some room to spare.

As a guy and former athlete now returning to a different kind of athleticism later in life, I picked a goal weight I never expected to see again based on early college at 250. I hit it and the result wasn't what I pictured, so I lowered the target to 225, my high-school weight. I hit that too. I'm getting closer to the physique I think is possible. I'm done thinking in numbers for now and am chasing a look instead. As summer approaches I need to focus on performance nutrition. It would be interesting to see how I'd look without the skin changes from once being near 400 pounds. I've lost over 100 pounds twice in the last decade so I'm still skeptical, but the lockdown period was a unique situation.

I combined BMI with a twice-yearly DEXA scan. My first goal was simply to get BMI close to the normal range. Then the scan showed my body-fat percentage and I set an aggressive target of 10-12 percent. Body composition matters more than the scale. I'm happy to report I hit the goal with a total loss of 71 pounds and reached 12 percent body fat. BMI is now 23. The medication works well together with strength training and exercise.

I'm glad others also don't treat BMI ranges as the final target. At 6'4" with a size-8 hat and size-14 shoes, the healthy range listed is 152-205. I can't picture weighing anywhere near that with my frame. So I set other milestones. First target was 350, next is 300. I weighed 280 when I got married. Finally 250 sounds unrealistic so I'm aiming for 245 to make it feel more concrete. Who knows if I'll adjust once I get there. I peaked at 376 and am now at 333 after losing 18 before starting the medication, so I'm already past the first target and well on the way to the second.

I understand my own comfort zones and the points where my appearance and overall sensations feel optimal. Several target figures for my weight sit in my thoughts right now. The first of those is nearly within reach. Once there, I'll check how everything feels and appears at that stage.

I've decided on goal number one and goal number two. Goal one is the lower end of the obese BMI range. Goal two will be decided once I reach the first and will probably involve a DEXA scan.

I've never used a BMI chart unless I wanted to feel bad for no reason. I've always been muscular and therefore labeled overweight on every chart. I played three sports a year from first grade through high school. My mom is very slender and regularly pointed out that I could or should lose weight when I was a teenager, which created mental-health issues. I was a college athlete and lifted regularly until about a year before the photos were taken, then I got a desk job and became inactive. I'm less toned in these pictures than at my strongest, when I weighed 165 with abs and could rep 35-pound dumbbells for curls, do dozens of push-ups, and hundreds of sit-ups easily. The photos are from five and twelve weeks pregnant with my first child. I'm 5'7" and 160-plus in the pictures. Do I look overweight? I thought so then. Now I'd love to be that weight again. Body-image issues were real. So my ideal aesthetic weight will probably be like...

I haven't seen my abs since my late twenties, back when I weighed around 190 pounds and felt awful from having too little fat on me. My peak comfort came at 200 to 205 pounds. Even now, after 16 years, that same range seems like the right target for me. At six foot two, I'm built solidly rather than thin.

I chose an image rather than some calculated target mass. The aim was matching that photo as closely as I could. On the left you see February, and on the right it's halfway through April. This remains an unfinished project... Sadly even lots of GHK won't get me that attractive look 🙁