The FastDay Forum

When I first started dieting last summer I weighed in at 15 stone 6lb. At 5'4" I was a size 18-20.
I am now down to 12stone 3lb. This is still 2stone from a healthy BMI. I am now wearing size UK 12 clothes, including in jeans. I have an ample bosom, 32H/HH and my husband reckons I need to allow some extra weight for them!
I just don't know where all of this extra weight is supposed to go from!
I got down to 10stone 2lb for my sisters wedding and I didn't look too great. I looked older and a bit bony.
When I started this, last year, I'd set a target of 13 stone, now my target is 11.5 stone. My BMI will be 27.6, so still , very much, in the overweight category. Is this ok? Or should I be aiming for 25 BMI?
Sorry I've rambled!
Kx

I set my goal for 12 St because I truly believe I will be happy at that weight, I could move the goalposts but like you I don't want to look I'll and gaunt on the face
Think Caroline advised someone yesterday to aim at the higher end of healthy bmi don't know where that puts you or me for that matter but if the bmi charts have a little tweeking room then maybe I will get close but no I don't believe I'll ever make it to the bmi meant for my age etc.
Have a good look around to see if you can find the post Sue

[janeg]

Karen, I'm fairly sure that Caroline mentioned in a post that the BMI for overweight was changed from 27 to 25 on a whim. So maybe see what weight you would be at BMI 27 and see how you would feel with that?

Plus if you're bigger boned and yes, there is a test(!) then you can add 10%. Google it for the actual wrist measurements.

I'm at 12 stone something and a size 14 in trousers now. I'm not going to get anywhere near 25 on the BMI scale. My target is somewhere in the 70-75 kg range.

Quote from Caroline:-
Also, you might be encouraged by this paper in which the researchers looked at BMI from the perspective of whether BMI was stable, increasing or decreasing and compared this with risk of death in people aged 51-71. They found that overweight people with a stable BMI had the lowest risk of death, while the highest risk was, unsurprisingly, obese people with increasing BMI.

Of course, it is an observational study with a host of limitations (e.g., normal weight with downward BMI was high risk...presumably because this represents people with some illness who are not losing weight because they're dieting, but this study is not equipped to determine whether the presumption is correct). Still, encouraging for those of us who are still in the overweight category...as long as we can prevent our previous upward trend, we are likely in pretty good shape!
This after she said BMI was arbitrarily dropped from 27 to 25.

[carorees]

Hi there, here I am!

The most important target is to get a healthy waist measurement and not worry about BMI. If your waist is less than half your height, you have a healthy fat distribution. After that it's down to what you feel looks right for your build and shape.

There are numerous scientific papers showing that waist size is the best predictor of heart disease risk.

I believe that these days a size 14UK is the same as a 12 from yesteryear. Certainly, judging from how one of my old belts fits, that I used to wear when I was a size 14, I need to be well into the 12s for it to fit like it used to.

My guess is that about 11st5 would be just fine for you.

That's true. I have some size 16s from 1997 and they're tighter than the 14 I just bought.

Thank you. I think I'll head for 11s 5lb and check out how I'm looking when I get there!
I do also have to take into account the fact I've already had one hip surgery. Once this is healed properly, the other one will be done. So for the next six months my mobility will be a bit limited.
I am doing this to lengthen the time until I need hip replacements. Current estimate is 5-10 years. I am determined to increase this by at least 5 years.
I need to be as fit and healthy as I possibly can be, so that I can properly care for my youngest.
I have eaten rubbish today, but know its a one off and I'll be back to normal again tomorrow. That's the fantastic thing about my new WOL

There was a post on here ages ago about adjusting weight for your age . I'm the same height as you and aiming for a weight in between 11 and 11 1/2 stone. If I were to get to a BMW of 25 or less (apart form it being a small miracle!!) I think I would look very wrinkly and scraggy. I think assessing how you look and feel at certain weights is a wise way to go and to not get fixated on numbers on the scales. Good luck with your recovery.

Blood tests are also really good indicators of health. I think triglycerides have been shown to be more important than cholesterol as an indicator for heart health. If you can routinely get blood tests done for nothing or for a low-cost I would recommend that. I'm lucky-- in Japan this is done annually for free.

Karenm you need to be your best guide I think and go with what Caroline says re waist and also as BBT053 says by how your face looks. I only have this opinion as I have dropped down by 12kg and frustratingly I am just stuck but thought I would be by now at goal the higher end of healthy BMI range for me. Even my GP said the other day to keep going which would mean another 4-5 kgs. Already I am on the edge at my face starting to look more wrinkly for my comfort and while I am not moving eg plateaued I just wonder is my body telling me something. I may just be where I need to be

I potter on but you raise a good point some of us have reason to consider.

I think listening to our bodies is a step in the right direction.
I am 40, not 20!
I have large boobs (but a small back)
I have given birth to three children, one by c-section.
I have had abdominal hysterectomy (I believe these latter two account for my little belly pouch!)
My joints are dodgy, and I feel old!
BUT I'm not particularly wrinkley, I am pretty smiley and I now want to lose weight to improve my health (surgeon has scared me off bilateral hip replacements just yet!) I have always wanted to lose weight to wear smaller clothes, I already am! But I don't want to look older
I am about to embark on training for a new career. I am leaving accountancy behind and training to be a nail technician! A bit random, but I am actually excited about it all!
Btw I love this forum, everyone is really nice and helpful x

Karen well done on your loss so far- that's wonderful. You must be so happy to be in size 12 clothes and I definitely think you can allow more pounds for your large bosom., @Carorees In regards waist measurement- I am 170 cm tall so I would have to get my waist to 85 cm or less according to " waist half if your height "recommendation. In Australia, the doctors recommend women have a waist less than 80 cm. which do you think is correct?
Thanks, julianna

[carorees]

The 80cm rule only makes sense if you're average height! There are different ways of assessing whether your waist is too big...waist:hip and waist:height ratios are most used in the scientific literature. Waist:height makes the most sense to me because it accounts for your height (obviously) but also because my waist:hip ratio was always less than 0.8 even when I was obese, so that seems nonsensical!

Years ago when I hit size 20 I actually never weighed so cannot be accurate. However I dreamed of wearing a size 14 and thought I would be really happy there. I am now size 14 even in straight style shift dresses!! But now I am fixated on numbers..BMI and the waist being half my height? I am now 11st 5lb and really happy...but still overweight so will continue to get those numbers where they should be!!