To think a BMI of 22 isn't 'unrealistic'?

[BellyWibbles]

I know BMI is quite outdated but ive found it a helpful reference to progress.

My current BMI is 23 (down from 40)

Someone has just told me on another thread I need to be realistic about maintaining and I should go back up to BMI25

That makes no sense to me, that is the very cusp of being overweight.

A BMI of 22 is in the middle of the healthy range and nowhere near underweight.

And gives me a little wiggle room for gaining without being medically classed as overweight again.

At 25BMI just 2lbs would have me back in the orange zone!

My stomach is very large (pregnancies and just where the largest amount of fat has settled)
In the last 7lbs I've gone from looking 6 month pregnant to 4 months pregnant, it's FINALLY started to come off my belly.

So I'm hoping the last 7lbs will continue that trend and I won't look so round in the stomach.

It's good to apply a bit of common sense. What's your waist to height ratio? What's your natural build? What are your other health indicators - blood pressure, cholesterol etc.? How do you look and feel? Do you exercise regularly? Eat nutritious food, drink enough water and keep alcohol intake within limits?

BMI is a broad indicator. My "healthy" BMI weight spans from 7 stone to 10 stone. At either end of that scale I would be not in any way be healthy.

It’s a bit more complex than seeing 22.5 as being right in the middle of the healthy BMI zone. For some people that will be a great weight for them. For others it will be too low and for some they could perhaps lose another half a stone. When I exercise regularly but not excessively and eat healthily my weight sits happily at 24.5-25 on the BMI chart. I am a size 10 at that weight and look at my best. I have gone down to 23 on the chart and I look dreadful at that weight - my face looks drawn and my body looks bony. We are all different. You need to find the weight that suits you best.

I’m the exact same ! As soon as my BMI is 21 I am
flabby. I keep it at 19 and I feel healthy, also regular periods etc so it’s not too low

I prefer a bit of flab, I'm forever hurting myself by knocking into things and it hurts when I'm 19!

You have to remember that posters often project their own subconscious self-limiting beliefs on here. You see it all the time when people state as fact that they will never ever be a size 10/12/14 again despite making significant progress in losing weight. Or that a certain weight that would bring them to a normal BMI just isn't possible because they're big boned or heavy boned or whatever.

Of course you need a buffer, I put on around 6lb around the time I come on my period. The last thing you want is for perfectly normal weight fluctuations to feel like a setback and you feel down on yourself.

And suggesting that you should put on weight to get up to the cusp of being overweight is simply ludicrous, even spiteful/jealousy. Just ignore them.

I'm definitely still flabby!

I'm not skinny at all at this weight. I'm still all tum, thighs and bingo wings

Really depends on build, body shape and muscle mass, also ethnicity. I'm an hourglass and do strength training - for me, I really like the way I look and feel when I've been at a BMI of around 27 or 28 and it didn't bother me to be in the orange zone or red zone or whatever it is so long as I was strong and energetic and felt good about the way my clothes fit and had no issues with cholesterol or blood sugar. On my build, a BMI of 25 looked awful and was impossible for me to maintain - when I look at the photos, I looked dreadful though and I remember feeling horrific, unsurprisingly as I'd been on a diet of 700 calories a day to get there which was insane! But for someone else, they might feel that a BMI of 23 or above is too much for their shape and build. BMI is a blunt tool and it's helpful at population level but not nuanced enough for individuals imo.

There was a piece in the Guardian last week about research showing that fat cells 'remember' being obese and fill up more quickly in people who have lost a lot of weight than in people who have never been obese, so it really is harder to maintain and I think you have to find the best way for you to manage that with self-compassion going forwards.

Saying you should deliberately put on weight is ridiculous.
If it was more like 'well don't beat yourself up if you fluctuate a bit just aim to stay at 25 or under' that sounds more realistic. Aiming to stay within a range rather than an exact number - given life happens.

It depends on your ethnicity but a BMI of 22 would be considered too high for some now by the NHS.

So the idea that 22 is "too low" is really a load of jealous old bollocks.

Agreed. I gained weight when I stopped weighing myself every day. I could seriously kick myself.

Mines 19-20 and I dont feel tired or weak etc.

Some people don’t want to see others reach their goals unless they’ve reached there’s first.

BMI works well for governments wanting to monitor the overall health of a population because it is free. And that's about it. Individuals vary: at a BMI of 25, I'm about 7kg overweight, in terms of my relation to my historical size/weight, fit of my clothes, ratio of hip to waist, body fat, subjective 'feel' of fitness, elasticity and energy. I need to be around 21 BMI to feel at my best, which is no more than 59kg.

My mother is a very tiny person, who lays down visceral fat around her organs . If she goes above a BMI of 17/18 or 47kg she becomes diabetic. Some people can carry a fair amount of subcutaneous fat, have a higher BMI and still be healthy. Others can't.

OP, well done on your weight loss. I hope you stay at a good weight for you - you'll know what that is.

My stomach is very large (pregnancies and just where the largest amount of fat has settled)
In the last 7lbs I've gone from looking 6 month pregnant to 4 months pregnant, it's FINALLY started to come off my belly.

If you have a big middle I would focus on the waist to height ratio rather than BMI (now you know you're in a healthy BMI range) if your waist to height ratio still isn't in the healthy range it's a good guide that you can lose some more, if it is, I wouldn't worry too much either way.

It is not only about eating habits though. Do you exercise, as that will help maintain your healthier weight and wellbeing. How much difference is there between 23 and 22?

BMI is range, to allow for differences in frame, musculature and in women breast size.

Being anywhere in the "healthy" range is likely to be OK, and where like to be within it reflects your body type and how you think you look.

I think I should be around 22 (currently a bit above that - some clothes are beginning to dig a bit, so need to reduce a little before Xmas excesses begin!), but when really fully race fit (distance running) it can go down to about 20, which is fantastic for my performance, but I do start to look a bit gaunt

If you're happy at 23 or a little bit lower, there is no earthly reason to set a different target

Well done on your weight loss. I bet you feel great. Of course you are right to try and stick to 22. Much better for your health. Once you get into healthy eating habits it’s good to try to maintain them. And as you say, you have a buffer if a bit goes back on. I would say that a stone is too much to put on before taking action though. Once you see it heading north resolve to have a healthy week or two. Half a stone is the max before action, preferably less.

Smack bang in the middle of a healthy BMI is a good place to be. Its the weight that my bariatric team have recommended for me, not too low in case you happen to lose weight if you have flu for example, but not too high to give you wriggle room if you put on weight after xmas or a holiday for example

I dont consider BMI to be outdated personally, its a fairly good average range for the average person. Muscly rugby players and heavyweight boxers have their own methods of checking their health and weight Im sure. But for bog standard me (and probably 80% if the population) its a useful gauge.

I hear you. I’m slim but tum thighs and bingo wings are always a battle. Re the arms get some small dumbbells and keep them on the kitchen side. Every day do a few exercise while the kettle boils or dinner cooks. It takes a while but they do firm up. But if you stop they flop again. Hence why little and often. Aim for firm arms by next summer.

Not a stone
I'm aiming for 9st9lbs and I said if I hit 10st I will check myself
:)

Oh I see yes that’s perfect. You’ve got this.

I thought it was a bit batshit personally. You know your body, your medical history etc. Have confidence in your judgement. It has got you this far, so you are obviously doing the right things. I'm sure that you will be hyper aware of your weight for the first few weeks and months anyway. As soon as there's any creep, you'll be in a good place to sort it out. You've got this.

I am hoping to be you!

Same hight and age but am 9.5. Am wondering if 9 stone would be tricky to maintain. Any tips?

I'm not the best person to ask really as I don't 'do' anything.

It just seems to be my natural weight, although in the last 5 years I've hit peri menopause and been diagnosed with a very underactive thyroid. Before that I was about 8st 7lb but I've settled very firmly at 9st for the last 3 years.

I think not driving, having 2 very energetic dogs and not having a particularly sweet tooth has always helped though.

No it's a sensible & healthy BMI. The lower end of the healthy range is better than the higher end. The only time it would be a problem is if you struggle to maintain that weight & end up yo-yo dieting to try to achieve it or end up with disordered eating because you are fixated on that number.