Unreasonably high goal weights... why?
a goal is a goal. if they get down to 200, thats adding years to their life if they started out at lets say 300. Weight loss is a very long hard process and even the smallest goals are important. Don't worry too much about other peoples goals and worry about yours. Maybe after they hit 200 they will be motivated to get down to 175, or 150, or even closer to their "healthy" weight.
Original Post by gnomeygnome:
I've noticed that some people have REALLY high goal weights. There's people who are 5'0" saying their goal is 200 lbs and they'll "look sickly" or "too slim" if they're any smaller than that. Ummm... OK? Why do people set goals that are still in the morbidly obese range.? I really don't understand this. They say they're "big boned" or "big framed". There's NO WAY a 5 foot tall woman has big enough bones to be 200 lbs and not be obese!
I mean, I'm all for setting goals in stages (Ie: first goal 200, 2nd 150, final goal 120, etc). But some people (lets use the 5'0" person example again) have their FINAL GOAL at like 200 lbs.
What do you guys think about this?
And there are even more people with extremely low goals!!! Why not complain about that too???
Not everyone has to have low goals. As long as people feel happy with themselves that's all that counts for me.
Misguided??? Who are you to tell someone that they're goal is not right?
i'm sure that the example you gave is a mini goal that someone would set.
Wow this post really made me angry!
Maybe i'll rethink my goal to be around 80 lbs since i'm only 5'1"...
~H~
Original Post by gnomeygnome:
Sorry, whatever...
Next time think before you post!!! Will save you the embarrassment!
Why am I embarrassed?
You erased your post didn't you???
oh, come on. give gnomey a break. we've all seen those posts and thought exactly the same thing: you're 5'1" and think you'd look emaciated at 150? yeah, right.
yes, some people set moderate, reasonable, attainable, interim goals, and that's smart. but a few people seem truly deluded about their size. did it require comment? probably not. but gnomey maybe hasn't caught onto the unwritten rule: say anything negative about fatties and get your knuckles rapped.
Even though I need to loose about 60#, I'm only interested in 5# right now. If I can loose that 5, then I'll start on the next five. I'm 204 now, so my goal weight, if you want to be technical about it is 199. Will I still be fat? Oh yeah. But if I stay focused on the 60# I need to loose overall, I get frustrated and start feeling like it's never going to happen. If it's not going to happen, WTH not go to Whataburger and get the double bacon cheese burger, fries, shake, and pie?
So I'll stick to my 5# thanks. And I think that's why a lot of people set such high weights. It helps them to maintain their focus and motivation. Plus a lot of them have been overweight so long they've probably forgotten how they look at 150#. It *seems* slim to them when compared with where a lot of them of are now. I think the better question would be how many people with an unreasonbly high goal get there and then decide to loose some more weight.
All you can do is sort of nudge them into considering a more appropriate goal. But you have to leave it at nudging. Someone once said you can lead a horse to water but you can't make them drink. It totally applies to this situation, although I think I'd rephrase it. You can lead a horse to hay but can't make him eat it.
But it's a similar thing at work for some people who who pick unreasonably low goals. In some cases, I think they set themselves up for failure. Well, I can't be 105# so I may as well be 205# or something similar. Other times, it's an ED at work. Still others haven't been anywhere close to 105# since they reached adulthood and they don't know how it looks or feels to be that size. They have a friend, who may not have the same body (height, build, etc.) type, but who looks great at that weight, so that's what they want.
I say well done either way better 200lbs than 300?
Original Post by chelseagirl:
probably just becasue to imagine lossing 200lbs and changing from the obses person you know to a slim person is incomprehensible. Im sure for people whoever spent years gaining weight, the idea of being able to lose it all is over whelming and therefore break it into manageable chucks to keep motivated.
I say well done either way better 200lbs than 300?
This is exactly why progress towards any goal, even if it's still higher than what it should be should be encouraged. Once the person hits that goal they'll probably gain confidence and reach for a more reasonable weight with more success.
My current goal weight (199lbs) is there for a reason. I know I want to go lower than that, but I don't even remember what I really looked like at less than 200lbs. I can't even tell you I remember what I looked like at 150--I haven't been that low in weight since I was 11. I have always, and I mean always been big. I have another goal after the 199, but I haven't designated a time frame to reach it in. The 199 was something I wanted to obtain before my husband comes home from Iraq--he hasn't seen me weigh less than 200lbs since our junior year of high school. He met me at the lowest weight I had been at for my adult height--175.
However, I'm constantly being told that I don't look like I weigh as much as I do. People underestimate my weight by at least 20lbs. When I weighed 225lb people thought I weighed 190. Now that I'm at around 205 they think I'm closer to 175. I'm starting to finally see a difference from the weight I started this at, and the weight I am now, but even though I'm only 6lbs away from 199, I don't remember what it feels like to have a 1 in front of the number. I want to enjoy that feeling, first. And it seems like I'll reach it a little sooner than I anticipated, too. =) After that, 165 is my next goal. I'll see where I want to go from there.
I think setting small goals makes it feel like a more reasonable task. For me personally, I have to lose like 45 pounds to be considered a healthy weight, however I am focusing on losing 20 first, and then go from there.
And I read recently that for every 1 pound you lose, it takes 4 pounds of pressure of your knees. That is plenty of incentive for me as I have a bad knee!
You shouldn't judge people over their goals like that. Many people on here have been obese for a long time and just moving in the right direction is a new thrill to them. Many are finally taking the first steps to becoming healthy and slimmer. So yes, a woman who is 5 feet tall claiming that her goal weight is 200 is a bit silly, but perhaps this woman used to weigh 250? If so, losing 50 lbs is a HUGE accomplishment. And who knows if that woman may decide to continue with her weight loss once she reaches 200? As with any goal, you need to start small if you want to go all the way, taking it bit by bit. So yes, while what some people say may sound silly, at least they are taking the initiative and taking the first baby steps on a pretty difficult journey. And I have nothing but respect for such people.
gnomeygnome, I don't know who you are, or what your life experience is, but I don't think that you are a very happy person. Anyone who leaves a thread with "whatever" is probably rude, and likes to shame others. I don't think this is a good forum for you. People here are supportive and friendly, and root for another when no one else will. If you need that type of environment, welcome! If not, take it elsewhere.
I guess I am just sick of trying to look the other way when someone openly judges another because of the way they look. Try walking a mile in someone else's mocassins, then comment.
Hello!
Well, not everyone is the same. I have always been an active person and although I gained a lot of weight when I got pregnant with my daughter I lost the weight. Then I got sick and gained a lot of weight. Due to a bad operation I was not able to exercise for more than 18 months so I gained a lot of weight. Now that I am better I am trying again to lose the extra weight. I personally don't think that 200 lbs is a good goal for a person who is less than 5' 10. I am 5' 2" and my goal is 115 to 125. Actually I haven't bother to check what my ideal weight is but I do remember that in my 20's I weighted 107 to 110 and I not only look like if I was from a starving 3rd world country, but I also look sick and pale. But again, I wouldn't settle for anything above 135 for my height. I agree with the poster, 200 is extremely obese for a 5' person, male or female....
I also don't see why everyone was so hard on "gnomeygnome." I mean, it was kind of a stupid post....but clearly 200 pounds is big for any 5' person. I would've personally posted about people whose goals are to be 130 and are 5'! OMG J/Kingggggggggggg!!!
For myself, I set goals in Stages. I started at 260 lbs and looking at the final number was really daunting so I set my Goal weight to 220. When I reach that, I'll lower my goal to 200 and so on.
It IS really overwhelming to think that I was 260 lbs and wide enough for two people, really, and one day I'll be a tiny 120-130 lb person. Like, YIKES!! I'm sure Once I work myself down to say 180 lbs it'll see more reasonable.
Right now anything under 210 pounds would seem like a magical dream!
So far, I've lost 170+lb, I'm not to 200 lb yet, but sure that's a major goal of mine! I don't know if I'll get to my final goal, yet.
Original Post by pgeorgian:
oh, come on. give gnomey a break. we've all seen those posts and thought exactly the same thing: you're 5'1" and think you'd look emaciated at 150? yeah, right.
yes, some people set moderate, reasonable, attainable, interim goals, and that's smart. but a few people seem truly deluded about their size. did it require comment? probably not. but gnomey maybe hasn't caught onto the unwritten rule: say anything negative about fatties and get your knuckles rapped.
Yeah, it's true people always tell people who are looking for a unreasonably LOW goal weight that they are misguided and need to not have such a low goal weight. Yet no one (including myself) would tell someone who has an unreasonably high goal weight that they are being unreasonably high. I see it too, and sure I think it but I don't say it.
Either way, it's their goals and heaven forbid anyone tell them what to do with their body :)
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