Leaning toward not choosing a "goal" weight

I am almost 5 weeks out and a long way from getting close to any kind of "goal" weight, but I think I'm leaning on the side of not choosing a specific number and letting how I feel/look/fit in clothes let me know when I get there.  I do have a number in mind (175) based upon my lowest weight as an adult and how bomb-ass awesome I know I look at that weight, if you'll pardon my French. However, I know I also look and feel good at 185, and 204, and 210, and I was also very happy with my wedding pictures, when I weighed 225.  I kind of have a big range, and I have no use for BMI and its outdated calculation methods once I'm beyond the morbidly obese category, so I definitely wouldn't base any kind of goal on that.  I know myself, and if my "goal" is 175 and I get stuck on 190 I'll drive myself crazy and feel like I'm failing, when the reality is the idea of getting to 190 right now seems surreal and amazing.  Why couldn't I just be happy there and say I'm done? 

So, that's my mindset.  My surgeon's office hasn't brought up a goal weight, so either that's not something they do or maybe they talk about it down the line.  Either way, I think I'm going to "know it when I see it." 

If it's healthy for you to not have a specific weight goal, go for it!  There are all sorts of other great goals - health ones, clothes ones, being able to do certain activities, etc. 

The only downside I could see is that you might stop before you actually should just because you think "but I'm great now compared to where I was" when you'd be even more great if you kept losing - if you know what I mean. But that's a bridge that's easy to cross when you get there. 

Thanks!  I definitely have a long list of those types of goals.  And I'm totally with you on stopping too soon.  I definitely do want to get below 200lbs, for a number of reasons, and my aim is absolutely going to be to lose weight until I'm the picture of health.  I can always reassess my approach as it gets closer...I have a ways to go! 

That's what I keep saying.  I have an "ultimate dream goal" but I have no idea if it's realistic at all, and I won't really know until I'm way closer than I am now!  :D

(One of my goals is to run a 5k.  I signed up for one that happens in October and I'm currently able to do 5k in an hour, which is the time limit for the race.  So I have 74 days to get faster!)

I'm all with you on this!

I choose a goal -- just out of the blue.  Really so that I could put something on my ticker.  Go with how you feel and your doctors recommendations when you get there :)

I think you are wise to be flexible.  When I chose my goal weight, I never thought I'd come close to it.  Once I reached it, I still wanted to lose a little more weight, but I decided not to change my goal fearing I'd be discouraged to have more pounds to lose.  So I am losing without a goal now, and it feels just fine. 

My surgeon's goal was a BMI less than "obese."

best of luck,

Carol