My BMI is now on the low side of healthy

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

Although I started this process to improve my health and longevity, I am really enjoying my new thinness. I have never been this thin before, not even in high school or college. This is a novelty that I admit to getting a real kick out of. But, even though I think I am still fine, I'm aware that my BMI is approaching the "underweight" level. Although I love fitting into size 4's, improving my health is still my goal. Being underweight at my age is not advantageous.

What I really want is to maintain at my current weight, or maybe a pound or two higher. I really don't want to get on the regain express. My sister listened to all of the critics who said she was too thin after her RNY, and ended up gaining 30 unwanted pounds on top of the few that she intended. Now she struggles to lose and then regains again, never reaching the healthy BMI level again. Her weight is less than it was pre-surgery, but she is overweight again and her previous health problems are returning. This is what I want to avoid.

I have already added calories and fruit carbs into my diet. But I feel it is important to continue to implement the way of eating that I used to lose weight, with modifications to stop the weight loss. It's not that I cannot ever enjoy ice cream for dessert. It's that I have to remain judicious in my indulgences. No matter how thin I am now, if I go back to my old habits, I will definitely go back to my old weight and comorbidities.

So I'm not listening to people to who tell me to gain weight. They won't have to deal with the repercussions if I gain back too much. Losing more than 130 pounds was not easy, even with the VSG. I'm in no hurry to gain weight and have to try to do it again.

[gowalking 10,790]

I hear ya sister! I just divided up some chicken, meatloaf, and fish and increased to about 3.3 oz. per serving instead of being at exactly 3 oz. as If done for weight loss. I figure if I up my Protein a bit, I won't look to up anything I shouldn't like carbs or even treats.

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Just out of curiosity, why did your weight go down to 110 ? I see your goal was 135, when you got there did you still feel like you were still too heavy ?

Not trying to be nosy, im just wondering as Im the same height as you, medium boned , building some muscle back, age 57. Im at ( drum roll please !) 155 lbs , the lowest Ive been in 20 years (wheee !!!!) but would like to get to a healthier 140 lbs. Where do you think your healthy weight is ? And how does one regain it in a good way without returning to poor eating habits ? Your opinion ? Thanks !!

[B-52 7,113]

What % of your total weight is comprised of fat??? Body Fat % is the only true way to judge if your weight is good, healthy, or not.

BMI's mean next to nothing.

Two people can be the same height and weight...one can be 100% healthy, and the other is not. Can even be at high risk, yet the BMI says it's good.

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

The goal of 135 lbs. was set by my surgeon as a weight that I could definitely achieve. It was not my personal goal. I remembered that I was a bit chubby at 135. My original goal was 125. That was what I weighed when I was taking tons of dance classes in college. But when I hit 125, I still had back fat and love handles, so I understood that I must have a lot less muscle now than I did when I was dancing, and should either weigh less or build up more muscle.

But now at 110, most of my remaining fat is concentrated in my abdomen and arms. I have a LOT of loose skin in both places, accompanied by residual fat. I don't know my body fat percentage. My guess is that it is not too low. Although my legs look toned and my ribs show, the rest of me is still pretty soft.