Realistic...

I am a Capricorn...practical and realistic by default. I am realistic when it comes to setting a goal weight.

It has been said that if you cannot remember being a certain weight, you have no right choosing that as a goal weight. 

Take me for instance, while I was bigger than my mother and sister when I was growing up I was also far more muscular than they were. Not to mention we have different bone structure. Someone who has a larger bone frame will weigh more than a person with a small or dainty frame. Years ago when I went to a Bariatric Dr they measure your elbow breadth to determine frame size. I have a large frame, even though I am only 5'5" tall. Which states at high end my ideal weight would be 155#. 

That's fine, but I know my healthiest weight, without looking sickly was 165#, which was after having my kids. For me that's important, because bodies change after having kids. For me to choose a goal weight pre kids or my high school weight would just be plain silly and not at all realistic ...for me.

Too many times people, women especially; imagine their ideal weight to be far lower than it is and overestimate how much they can lose. Which sets them up for frustration and imagined failure.

Measure your elbow breadth and it should help you find a starting point. Alternatively, you can use this site to determine REALISTIC IDEAL WEIGHT. Which again, using myself as a guinea pig; lists my people's choice ideal weight to be 181#. I in fact I have my initial goal weight set for 180, which I would be THRILLED to reach. If by chance I could get down to 170 that would be cool, but I refuse to kill myself to get to a number which may be unrealistic to attain, let alone maintain.