After I met with my surgeon, we set 190 as a good goal weight for me. There are several factors, I'm 5' 71/2", have a large frame and have been overweight pretty much my entire life. Unlike a lot of posters here, I didn't put on my weight after having children. I was normal size until I got sick the entire summer between first and second grade (measles, mumps and bronchitis) so I was just lying in bed being fed anything I could keep down. After that I was always chubby. I got down to around 190 when I was 20 and felt really good. At 22 I was married, pregnant and packed on 60 pounds. After that, I yoyo'd back and forth but never got below 200 pounds again.

My goal of 190 puts me in the overweight category (but not obese!) If I look at the ideal height/weight charts, I should be no heavier than 165. I can't even fathom being that weight.

So for those like me who have always been overweight, how did you arrive at your goal weight? Did you achieve it? Am I being realistic with my goal or am I limiting my possibilities by "settling"?

I'd really appreciate your thoughts on this.

I am not to goal yet, but I have been overweight most of my life since about age 9. My surgeon says losing 3/4 of your excess weight is the goal. I think the chart said my ideal weight was 135 at 5'5''. So with a starting weight of 284 that puts me 149 lb overweight. 149 times .75 is 112 lb to lose. I rounded down a couple pounds to an even 170 goal. I think your goal is very realistic and doable. Getting your body healthier is the true goal, so don't get hung up too much on the what the scale says. You are going to feel much better at 190 even though the chart says overweight still. I would love to pass my goal some day, but I will be happy if I make it to 170 and maintain!

I think you are underestimating the power of your new tool. I would aim for the top end of the healthy weight category. When you make it that far and want to go a little further, you have room. 190 is still large for 5 foot 7. I think your brain is having issues realizing you don't have to be heavy. However, if you are comfortable at 190 set that as one of your goals. It will swing around faster than you think. Set other goals that don't revolve around the scale. As you hit those goals you will see 190 come and go! I set my goal way past what I ever achieved before. However, I have other things that I am working for. For example, I would like to be able to run a 5k without dying. I have a feeling that by the time I get there I will easily reach that goal I have set. If I keep focusing on that instead of lbs I make a healthy lifestyle change. Isn't that what we are all aiming for? In the end, it is all about what feels right to you. You are making a great choice either way! Keep us updated on your journey!

I think the 190 is a good goal. Don't forget to set other, small goals as you go.

When you are in Onderland (and I know you will be!) then you can look at your goal and ask yourself if you need to re-adjust). By then this whole "thing" will be easier, and you will see how your body is progressing. You might even find your goal is not a weight, but a condition, or a point of being able to do all those things from when you were 20 - the rest just may be gravy, lol.

I was always big - born 24in long, almost 10 months from the day my Mom missed her first period (tells you how late I was). I weighed almost 10 lbs and never looked back. I fought to keep it under control (fight is the literal word - I went through hell - imagine beign hungry for years, just - hungry - for years).

Best of our new world to you! Go get it, no matter what size you decide to be.

Thanks for the input! I'm definitely setting non-weight goals as well. I keep adding to the list: ride a horse, zip line, etc. I know I'm also going to need to do a lot of head work during this process. I don't want to settle for being fat instead of obese. I just needed to hear how others like me worked through it. You guys are great!

Do I want Jillian Michael's body? Hell yeah! Will I get it? I don't know, but I'd like to get to the place where I think it's possible. I'm really learning that the physical act of losing weight is such a small piece of the puzzle.

Thanks for the input! I'm definitely setting non-weight goals as well. I keep adding to the list: ride a horse, zip line, etc. I know I'm also going to need to do a lot of head work during this process. I don't want to settle for being fat instead of obese. I just needed to hear how others like me worked through it. You guys are great!

Do I want Jillian Michael's body? Hell yeah! Will I get it? I don't know, but I'd like to get to the place where I think it's possible. I'm really learning that the physical act of losing weight is such a small piece of the puzzle.

With insight and an attitude like that, you are bound to succeed!

My goal was to get below a BMI of 25, which for me was 150 lbs. I had gotten down to 168 pre-surgery at some point and felt that I still had a good 20 lbs to go from there, so it worked well. I also had the non-numerical goal of getting thin enough so my thighs didn't rub together, lol! I met and surpassed both goals. Incidentally, the thigh rub vanished right around 145-150, so pretty much as soon as I got down to the normal BMI range.