number.  That

done, you

or two

do?  The

their

I would tend to land in the same place as Curt.  I think
that I might more accurately express my weight objectives as
more of a set of milestones rather than a goal, once I reach
one objective I will determine what the next one will need
to be.  I can't attribute the following quote to anybody in
particular (and it is a rough approximation, if anybody
knows who to attribute this to please let me know) but it is
one I have lived by for much of my life.  It is "One seldom
hits that at which one does not aim."

Some will likely say that I am obsessed with numbers.  Well,
gee, I'm an engineer paid to be obsessed with numbers and
details.   The difference between your view of a target of
130'ish and my current target of 183 is nothing but how we
choose to use and see significant digits.

So far as the numbers I have posted.  I've stated this
before but I will reiterate here; I really don't know what I
will end up with as a final weight.  My goal is to end on a
maintainable and healthy weight, with emphasis on both.  For
my height the standard charts all say I should weight 160
something.  For me to reach that weight I would have to take
off muscle mass, which I am not too interested in doing.  In
my early 20's I weighed about 210-220 pounds and, while this
was certainly heavy, I was carrying a lot of muscle in my
upper body and legs...sort of came along with the very
physical work I did for all of youth.  Because I no longer
do that type of physical labor I have, over the years, lost
much of that mass.  How much?  I don't really know exactly
but it appears to be on the order of about 20 pounds.  My
first objective was never to weigh what I did in my
twenties, but I do use my knowledge of my physique then, and
the clothes I still own from then, as an estimate of what
weight I needed to reach to not be over fat.  My first
objective of 195 left me with still too much fat, my next
objective of 185 seems closer to where I need to be and my
current objective of 183 is somewhat arbitrary.  Remember, I
just wanted to state that "I am 2/3's the man I used to be."
Is 183 my goal?  Not really.  If, after I get there, I
determine that 183 is the weight I consider to be optimal
(healthy and maintainable) my real goal will be to maintain
that weight for the rest of my life.  Is 183 the number?  I
don't know and I won't know until I get there.

my original goal weight was 125lbs. i reached that in spt of last yrs. but
since then i have put on a few pounds am currently up just over 130lbs i am
setting a goal for this month to get under 130lbs by the end of the month.
then in april i will aim to get back to my original goal weight. but as for
my final goal weight i am trying to get to 117lbs. but if i get below 120lbs
and stay there than i will be happy. it's always important to set goals that
way u have something to reward urself with when u get to where u want to be.
i awlays set smaller atainable goals along the way to help keep me
encourgaed in going on. it's kind of like a reward for doing something good
for your body.

Angie
weight watchers start weight 152.5 goal 125lbs sept 11 /03
low carb March 17 /04  so far lost 5 lbs current weight 132lbs.
2lbs left to reach first mini goal of the month. and there is two weeks left
in the month.

what's the difference?

i

Five pounds is a big difference when you are at my body fat %.  I don't
think it is obsession to try to get to a certain bodyfat.  I am going to be
doing a 150 mile bike ride in June and will be doing some triathlons this
summer as well.  5 pounds is quite a bit to haul around if you don't need
it.

To each his own.  When I set a goal, I complete it.

Curt

It was tricky for me to figure out a goal weight.  It says in the
Atkins book, to think back to when you were a weight you felt
comfortable and healthy with. For me, I am 5'5, and when I weighed
150, I felt healthy. If I weigh less than that, like 135 I do not feel
healthy, I am pale and anemic feeling.  So when I get to 150, see what
happens then.  My weight too fluctuates from morning to night. So I
just weigh in the morning, go with that.

156.  :o)  I say 130-ish because it might be that as I increase my strength
training, I may put on enough muscle to look just fine at 135.  I'll have
to see when I get there.

So? I think the best goal weight-loss wise is to look good naked...and for
that goal, you have to get there in fuzzy little, hard-to-celebrate, bits.
Worth it still the same.

There have been recent studies that show weight cycling might be good for
you.