In my ticker (and in my mind) I have 159 as my goal weight because that would put my BMI in the "normal" range. But I just started thinking about that number. I've been a very unsustainable 140 a couple times (I'm 5'7"), looked pretty decent in high school at 170 (I used to be a big athlete), could take a spinning class without feeling like a horrendously fat chick at 200 (a very in shape 200 though). So I'm not sure what I want. With the band could I conceivable get to 150 and stay there without suffering? Would that be a bad thing for 43 year old skin that's also dealt with having twins? Do I even care about being an actual fully thin person? That's so not ME. Obviously I can assess how I feel at every step along the way, so I'm really just ruminating a bit. But I'm curious...

How did others come to this decision?

For me it''s because from 120-130 I look really great.

At first I reasoned that I at least wanted to get to 170; I would still be "fat" but not obese. Then I decided on 160 with the input of my doctor; that later changed to 150 as I was progressing. I'm now one pound away from that, and I am extremely confident that I can get lower and feel comfortable in what I eat and my energy level. At least down to 140, maybe 130? I don't know yet--overall I want to be healthy, but if I can be thin, be a healthy weight, and at a good BMI, I'll go lower.

I decided on 265 because it was lighter than when I remember being happy. I was happy at 285. But that still made me in the obese category.

My long term goal is 220 after speaking with my surgeon. He said I would be in the overweight category but it would still be a great benefit for me. If I get there or below that is great.

I just want to be at whatever weight lets me sit in a coach airplane seat and ride as many roller coasters as I want.

I knew that at 5ft 10 and about 170lb for a lot of my mid teens, I was always the big fat chick in any group of people - I certainly didnt catch the eye of the boys. At about 16, I made a concerted effort and slipped down to about 154 - better but still far from the petite girl I longed to be.

I knew however that 154 is a good, healthy, sustainable weight for me, so that was my initial goal.I also knew I'd want to go a bit further, which I have. But what surprises me is that 154 at my adult weight is WAY thinner than it was when I was a teen - partly perception becuase everyone around me is fully grown now, but also becuase I guess now although I was sporty as a teen, I'm now at a much higher level of fitness and I'm probably more muscle, less fat.

As it turns out, I have a fairly slender body type and could easily get down to 140 without getting scary skinny, but I havent managed it and am not sure I could sustain it. 150ish suits me pretty well. I maintain it absolutely effortlessly, my weight never wavers and I'm also almost 43. For me, its a BMI of about 22, for you it will be a point or two higher, and really, what's unrealistic of maintaining a healthy BMI of 24ish? Its not really thin, its just healthy.

I am 5'11.5", and I have a very large frame (broad shoulders, big ribcage, huge hands & feet). I chose 185 as my target because it is at the upper end of a normal BMI for me. But when I was 19, I got down to 220, and I looked and felt healthy. I'll just play it by ear. Whatever weight is sustainable with a healthy diet and an active, physically fit lifestyle is the weight for me. I don't want to be caught up with a specific number.

I chose a weight toward the bottom of the healthy range for my height. I didn't have surgery to simply achieve a lower-risk, but still fat, weight. (I am short; for me, fat kicks in at a pretty low weight.)

My surgeon will be happy when I hit the "normal" range. Actually, at my first consult--the one where they divulge that the average one-year loss is 52 pounds---he told me that even if that is all I ever lost, my health risks would be far less than they were. (And having lost nearly that much---in 4 months!-this has proven correct.)

But "good enough" and "lowered risks" aren't enough for me. While lowered risks were a huge motivator, so was getting to a weight where I am comfortable in my body. Having been thin (though the memory fades with each passing year), I have a good idea where comfortable lies. And that is what I'm aiming for.

I may find, along the way, that it's appropriate to stop a bit sooner than I anticipate; the number I chose is based on a low I've achieved in the past, but I know that if I hit about 9 pounds more, I will be at a weight where I long maintained (and looked and felt good). If I get there and feel that it's the right spot, I will work to maintain at that weight.

For what it's worth, I'm much more active now than I was then---but I'm also lots older, with a far crankier metabolism!

As for extra skin---well, pregnancies, nursing, and gaining and losing weight have wrought havoc with my skin. But having it plumped full of fat doesn't really make it any less horrifying! My skin is a concern--but not enough of a concern to hold me back in terms of losing. That's what plastic surgeons are for. (I'm pleased to see that some parts of my body are rebounding far better than I expected. Others are terrifying at this point--but when I get down to a low BMI, things will be very different....and then is when I will make the decision.)

I'm 5'1" with a large frame. I set my goal at the highest weight in the "normal" BMI category, which is 132. In three months I've lost 25 or the 62 pounds I should lose. I'd be satisfied at 140# though. I can live with being a little overweight, but not obese. It's been fun to be able to say to myself "goodbye 190's, goodbye 180's, goodbye 170's." Can't wait to kiss 60's and 50's goodbye!

At the beginning I was scared of being disappointed so I set my goal at 150, BMI 25. But once I saw that this was going to work I decided that since underweight started at 119, I could add 11 pounds to be fit so I went with 130, BMI 21.6. That should be enough for a grown woman not to look like a teen, however, I would like to state that if I never lost another pound and stayed here at 144, BMI 24 I would still be thrilled to death.