When to stop losing weight- BMI?

[luvdband 0]

Hello Everyone! I am 13 months out of surgery and have lost 87 pounds. I feel great but the BMI chart says I still need to lose 24 more pounds. I am certainly willing and plan to... but my co-workers are absolutley against it. They say I am perfect now.

I look in the mirror and still see fat me...not 87 pounds less me.

Do you guys follow the steadfast BMI chart?

[snowbird 2]

Not necessarily, but don't believe your friends either! I had a friend guess my weight at 120 when it was 150. I don't know if she was serious or just trying to be nice/manipulative. Take photos of yourself if you think you look fat or don't believe your friends. If possible, have a photo taken with other people who you feel are the "right" size, and compare yourself to them.

People are usually so used to looking at us fat that they don't feel we SHOULD look "normal" and therefore tell us we are fine, when we really are not!

[TQUAD64 9]

Well I am way to new to be at this point, but I prefer talking to my doctor about what she thinks is the best healthy weight I should achieve. I just feel better when I talk to the bariatric team, rather than co-workers.

Good luck. And Congrats on all the weight loss. You are an inspiration to me.

[luvdband 0]

Thanks for the quick responses! My doc says that I am overwieght right now and he is okay with it... but If I wanted to go for the rest of the weight I should and could...

So that is the word I am living by right now.

I too think my co-workers are just used to the 'ol fat me.. and the change is a little shocking..and a few have admitted to being threatened by my weight loss. I want to be an inspiration not a threat.

This is the greatest thing I have ever done for myself! My biggest problem is learning to shop thrifty because I know I won't be in my britches long before I am downsizing again! And that is an awesome problem to have!!!

[Apples2 19]

Whisper....first of all I would talk to my doc and ask his advice on what he feels a healthy BMI would be for you. My doc and I discussed this early on in the process and came to an agreement which we were both happy with. You have to be happy with the end result.

I reached goal in Oct and am really getting tired of the "too thin" comments. My BMI is 22 (normal range). I fell wonderful and am happy with where I am at. I think part of it is that a lot of people who are making comments have not seen me since I started this process and are shocked when they see me at the weight I am now. I am by no means too thin. My answer to them is: "I am not too thin, I am finally healthy". It's tough to hear it most of the time. I have worked so hard at this to get to goal. I think "Why can't people just be happy for me and proud of what I have done?" I know most people mean well but then there are those few friends where I think the green eyed monster has taken over and the comments can sting. (It's usually friends that are over weight).

Hang in there. Find a weight where you think you will feel happy and healthy. This is all about you, girl!!!!!!!!!!!!

[luluc 6]

i think you got some great advice, only you can determine where you want to be & make changes along the way.

some are just not use to the loss of weight & may have a skewed view of whats healthy vs "your too thin"/sickly. one of my brothers told me i needed to eat a burger saturday night. i laughed at him; he knows i enjoy food WAY too much to give it up completely. my BMI is 23; i personally don't want to go any further down....but the charts say i can easily lose down to 105lbs to be on the low end of the BMI chart. i like my curves too much to scale that far down.

[Skinny_Jill 36]

Congrats on the weight loss. Please ignore everyone except for your Doctor. Only you know what weight is right for you.

I've lost 72 pounds and would like to lose another 15 pounds. One of the girls asked me how much more I wanted to lose and I said 15 pounds and they all said I didn't need to lose any more. Well, why did they ask how much more I wanted to lose if they thought I really didn't need to lose any more weight. Sadly, it is only human to be jealous of others accomplishments. Many will try to hold people back and keep them from reaching their goals.

You've done a great job. Keep up the good work.

[Jachut 487]

Given that hardly anyone actually has a normal BMI these days its easy for people to think you're too thin. We're so conditioned to fat that someome with a BMI of 28 or 30 actually looks normal to us, afterall normal is all in the definition.

I have a BMI of 22 as well and I am definitely NOT too thin. The natural body shape that's emerged for me is actually one that needs to be quite low - a BMI of 19 or 20 would sit well on me, I just have that tall and thin sort of build. I'm not muscular at all. I definitely would like to lose MORE weight and/or put some muscle on my body and get rid of some more fat. I still have quite a bit of fat below the waist.

That isnt obsessed or unhealthy, I'm not talking about weighing 100lb at 5ft 10, but there is NOTHING unhealthy about weighing 138, 140 lb at this height. Its well within the normal weight range! Low end, but still within it.

Same for you - you stop where you feel you look good. People are just used to seeing you heavier and I'd say that there's often a fair amount of sour grapes in people's comments too - by and large, whilst people dont try to be purposely nasty, they dont like the feeling they get when someone achieves something fantastic, its threatening and they tend to react negatively to it without even realising why they do.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

Thanks for the quick responses! My doc says that I am overwieght right now and he is okay with it... but If I wanted to go for the rest of the weight I should and could...

So that is the word I am living by right now.

I too think my co-workers are just used to the 'ol fat me.. and the change is a little shocking..and a few have admitted to being threatened by my weight loss. I want to be an inspiration not a threat.

This is the greatest thing I have ever done for myself! My biggest problem is learning to shop thrifty because I know I won't be in my britches long before I am downsizing again! And that is an awesome problem to have!!!

Sadly, you can't really be responsible for how others perceive your weight loss albeit a threat or inspiration. You did this for yourself most of all, don't forget that.

If you are still overweight, go the distance and lose the rest. You'll know when you are there.

[erikadawn 0]

I would stop when I felt satisfied with it. I am down to 160 pounds and every one at work is always trying 2 feed me.

[lellow 1,713]

My Dr thinks my initial goal weight of 65kgs (BMI of 24.8) was too low. He thinks for my frame, I should be aiming for a goal of 70kgs (BMI of almost 27). I have tentatively taken his advice, but I reserve the right to change my mind when I get to 70kgs if I think I would look better with a little less weight on.