How do you set your weight goals?

Do you make short term goals as you go or do you have a final magic number?

I found that making short term goals was easiest for me because it allowed me to be less stressed about how or if I'm gonna make it to that magic number. For each month I had a weight goal that I wanted to achieve. Sometimes I made it, sometimes I didn't....I just adjusted my goals as needed.

I never did set a goal. Kind of just did the best I coul and didnt stress

My surgeon had a goal for me which I hit the first year (so yes, a good interim goal). But I set a "real" goal for myself and he actually agreed it was a good one for which to strive. I used my mother's weight since she was small-boned as am I, and the same height. I added 10 pounds to that since I've been big and she never was. So I am looking to hit 125, and will likely do it this year, now that I've figured out the whole 3rd year thing, and just how low my calories and carbs have to be in lose weight at this point! Good luck...just remember we are going for health more than anything! :)

My surgeon set my goal at 136. That is 24 BMI for me at 5'2". For each appointment after surgery, there was a target weight to be met.

I had goals along the way in my head for each month but tried to make them reasonable and therefore exceeded them each month (so felt very motivated). My surgeon set goal at 141, which is the top of the normal range. I used that until I exceeded it then set it at 125, which was the lowest adult weight I ever achieved. I ultimately ended up at around 115 and now use a "target range" of 115-118.

I don't have an end goal yet. I started at 378 ( actually it was higher, but I dieted for a couple of weeks before I even brought myself to stepping on the scale), so setting a final goal of something in a normal bmi range was too abstract and seemed to impossible. My clinic's goal for me was 230. I didn't like that either.

so I've set an initial goal of 200. But in between I broke it down into a lot of milestone goals. Like losing 10% of body weight. Weight when I got married, weight when I met my now husband. 100 pounds down, Lowest adult weight etc.

small goals are important for keeping me on track. For instance, eating off plan one or two days in a month might not have a big effect on an overall goal to lose 100 pounds. But if you are looking at losing 5 pounds to make your next milestone, it can have a huge impact.

This is SO similar to me that it's scary.

My Dr. never gave me a goal. I started at 250 and he said because I was a revision patient and older that I would probably get to just under 200. I almost didn't have surgery because I thought I was ridiculous to do all this for 50lbs. I set lots of little goals along the way but knew I really wanted to loose 100lbs so my first big goal for myself was 150. I'm 5'3" and the generic normal bmi weight for me is 141. I am at 143 and I set my goal here for 140 and I'm considering changing it lower again. I think the little miles stones are important but don't take your eye off the prize because I've surprised myself with how well I've done and I'm glad I didn't underestimate what I could do. At 8.5 months out I figure I still have the ability to keep losing and I will so that I can be prepared if I have any gain back as so many speak of.

For those of you whose surgeons set a goal for you.... kudos! I think the physician assistant set a goal for me once and told me that I needed to be in the 110-120 range, but that was all the support I received. I basically updated them on my progress and told them my own personal goals. I don't think I want to get down to 110.... too small! Maybe 115 .