Older MJ users…what is your BMI goal?

[Witchyandtwitchy]

Just wondering what BMI others are aiming for if you’re aged around 50 plus?
I’m quite tall and in my 20’s was comfortably 10.5st for years.
I’m now mid 50’s and started on MJ in Sept at BMI 33. I’m now 2st lighter and BMI 29. Would like to lose another 2st to put me at BMI 25.

Is this too ambitious? Smart BMI says I should be fine around BMI 27.

If you’re ‘older’ what are you aiming for?

I’m aiming for 23. So 10 stone 7 at 5 foot seven.

I am 57 for another few weeks! I am not tall and have never been a healthy weight as an adult.

I started taking MJ in June with a bmi of 43.2 and am currently sitting at 29.4. I am aiming for a weight which would give me a bmi of 23. I have chosen a nice round number which is 10lbs into the healthy range which should give me a little wriggle room on maintenance 😊

Edited for sense!!

@Gettingslimmer hah! Snap!!

Yes seems a good mid point to me too 😃

I am 56 (5ft 8.5in). If I put in my current weight (BMI 34) and target as the weight required for a BMI of 30 (29lbs to lose) Smart BMI tells me it "is in the right direction but very ambitious".........it tells me I've to stick to a 15lb loss and then maintain it.

My next target, BMI 30, will be a 100lbs loss total. I was already thinking with such a huge loss required at my age it would be sensible to maintain at the high end of overweight for a while. So current idea is hit BMI <30 by early summer and then maintain until end of year then see how I feel. Then perhaps try to reduce to normal BMI < 25 in 2026. May change my mind (again) next week, but for now BMI <30 is the aim!

So you’re both aiming under 25 then…
Definitely want a bit of wriggle room and not to be teetering on overweight!

27 is quite far into the overweight category, for me I want to get into the healthy weight category, I feel it’s key. And doing so eating enough protein and exercising daily to maintain muscle mass. Which is critical as we get older.

smart bmi sounds ludicrous if it’s telling a pp to stay obese.

That seems very sensible and patient of you!

I don’t think the smart BMI means stay obese. But to avoid crash dieting, the advice is to lose some, maintain for a time before losing more.
Losing 3-4 stone is a lot to lose and your body will do its best to try and gain it back!

I'm late 40s, probably aiming around 9st at 5ft 2 - around BMI 26-27. When I was in my 20s I was around 8st 12 to 9 stone 6 and remember being happy around that weight.

I'm not too bothered about BMi really, I like the smart BMI calculator though. I think it's better overall and takes age into account.

I'm looking at preventing things like arthritic in the knee (which my mother has and is short and overweight too) but also I don't want to get too thin as it can be linked with things like osteoporosis and I don't want to lose too much muscle mass either.

Ah ok, I’m still not convinced it applies on weight loss injections. Starting and stoping , starting again, doesn’t seem wise.

Actually I just did it, it said my current weight is optimal for me, this is not correct, I have high blood pressure and on meds for it, it is decreasing with weight loss, but I’m far from moderate blood pressure, so one hundred percent my health would benefit by getting to a healthy weight. It tells me I would not benefit from it.

No I agree when using injections that advise wouldn’t work.
But it does set your healthy weight slightly higher the older you are.
So it saying at 13st I wouldn’t need to lose any more, but that’ll leave me at BMI 27, which as a pp said is still quite a bit overweight on normal BMi calculators.

After being overweight for so long I feel quite slim losing 2st, but in reality I’m only just squeezing into my size 14’s.

I suppose height/waist ratio should also be used to judge how healthy your weight is, including BP etc.

Yes, and muscle mass. Fitness levels. I honestly think for most of us, the standard bmi calculator is a good tool. It has a huge range, 18-25. And the truth is, as my bp decreases with my weight, it is likely when I get in that range it will be fine. It is not at 27.5 bmi.

I started at 188lbs and a BMI of 28.6. I’m now 142lbs and my BMI is 21.6.

I am aiming to lose 9 more pounds, which would make my BMI 20.2.

I am 61 and aiming for BMI around 23.

I’m 61, my target BMI is 24.5. Firstly because I want a realistic weight to attempt to maintain but importantly a low BMI at older age is associated with frailty which is a fast pass to death.

I’m glad I saw this thread as my target weight/weigh suggested by BMI would have me looking stick thin and I can see why so many people say the BMI way of doing things isn’t desirable.

IM 66 and something of a crossfitter but Hyrox is now my preferred approach to keeping fit even as an overweight person - not that I’ll ever enter a Hyrox competition. I just like the functional fitness approach to exercise.

Years ago I saw someone about Bariatric surgery and he told me 85kg woukd be a good weight for me and following having cancer I did go down to 88kg. At 1.73cms it put me into size 14 clothes and I can see that the Dr was spot on with 85kg.

Im currently 95kg having lost 14 since August on Mounjaro and the smart BMI calculator has just told me at 85kg I’d have a BMI of 28 so this is definitely what I’m aiming for. It just makes sense to me. Granted I could probably go down another couple of points but I’m muscular and I’m planning on arm lifts and a tummy tuck following getting to target and that should take care of another couple of kilos in weight.

Many thanks to Weallhavewings for bringing Smart BMI to my attention.

@Orangesandlemons77 I am 5’2” as well and also aiming for 9 stone which seems a perfectly sensible weight but is 23 bmi. Where are you seeing it as 26-27??

I actually think bmi is a load of bollocks! Outdated and created based on men’s bodies. But, it is what we have and we have to work with it. I do reckon 9 stone is a reasonable weight for a (apparently) small framed woman who carries a fair amount of muscle. I have taller friends who are that weight and look a bit gaunt but if I get nearer and don’t like what I see/how I feel, I shall stop at a higher weight.

Interesting question that I've been pondering of late. I'm 65 and have been on mj since May. My BMI is now about 26. At my age that's probably fine for health although I do have high blood pressure so want to give myself a bit more of a margin before I start maintaining.
Also, the distribution of the remaining fat is a bit odd. I've been exercising throughout and will carry on but I'm thinking that another 7 to 10 lbs might improve matters. So probably aiming for between 24 and 25.
I've just ordered from Oushk for the first time as thinking ahead to maintenance. I'm not a fast loser and things are slowing down even more so probably looking at around April for that.

Doctor today told me they recommend BMI 27 as realistic to maintain, and good for all health improvements.

I’m 54 and 5’8

My BMI was 33.6 when I started MJ last May.

I reached my target weight in November and my BMI is now 24.8

I’m now tapering down so might lose a couple more pounds but am very happy where I am!

I think it all depends how you feel OP. You’ll know when it’s time to move onto your maintenance plan.

I am 5,4 and was fit and active hovering around 70/75kg for a long time. BMI says I should be around 60kg and that's at the top end of healthy! Just don't know if it's feasible but am going to try.

I'm 57 and I don't think I've been anywhere near my advised BMI range since I was 18.

Blimey!

So while I'd like to get into the healthy BMI I have no idea what that might look like or feel like.

Though I am now starting to get glimpses of what that might look & feel like.