Anyone else whose goal is still not a "healthy weight"?

Don't know if this has been posted before but maybe of interest to the BMI people, a supposed error in the formula and corrected calculator : http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9816596/Interactive-calculator-do-you-win-or-lose-with-the-new-BMI.html

Personally, it works out about right for me but i use it in conjunction with body fat percentage. The last 16lbs are proving stuborn to shift.

I am a physician and I can tell you, BMI is unreliable at best. It was originally designed in the 18th century in Europe as a demographic tool and has no medical or scientific origin. It has been used as a category in medical studies, and for most "normal" build people is a fairly good indicator of ideal weight. Unfortunately, it cannot take into account people whose build falls outside that range. I am a very stocky, broad-shouldered person myself. The best shape I was ever in (high school and college) I was about 215. I am 5'8". I had defined abs, was a runner, and played multiple sports. I will never be able to get to my 'ideal' weight of 155-175 unless I have terminal cancer and am severely malnourished. The thing to keep in mind is that if you're making healthier choices, feeling better, and losing clearly excessive weight then you are on the right track. Don't be a slave to BMI or 'ideal' weight charts.

Finally, a voice of reason....people that hang their hats on a chart and a number are doing an injustice to themselves. Consult with your Physician, they are the ones that know you, that know your medical issues etc. THEY are the best judge of what is healthy for you, not someone on this website. If I was to weigh what the "BMI chart" says I would look anorexic, I'm pushing 60, take thyroid meds for hypothyroidism and steroids for a severe asthma condition. My Doctor laughs when she hears anything about a BMI chart and my desire to weigh within my "range". Her exact statement was "you'll never get there, it's just not possible for you. Eat healthy, go light on the meat, make it lean protein, exercise and your body will drop what it can. Your health, your blood work and I will let you know when your "there". " Sounds good to me....don't "diet" to a number, change your eating habits to better health.

My goal is to fit comfortable in a size 9/10. I'm not concerned with what the scale says at that point because my body will be the only thing that matters

I started at 260 (5'10") and have lost 35-40 lbs. My target weight is in the 198-203 range, still well above my "healthy" BMI number. OP, you and I are very much in the same place.

Bottom line is BMI isn't really that important.

My ideal weight is supposedly 138 lbs. But when I had gotten down to 175 lbs I was perfectly happy with my body. I wanted to lose another 10 lbs just to rid of the last little bit of fat on my tummy but I felt like a million bucks and would be happy to be there. My goal now is 150 lbs, and I might try and go down to 140 lbs so I can have a little bit of a safety net if fun times roll around and I eat like a mad woman.

I started out at 485 pounds, and am down to 445 (I have lost more and gained back and then lost and gained and lost and gained). My initial goal was set by my spinal specialist, who said I couldn't really consider surgical options for my spinal condition until I lost 200 lbs. It's been a really hard road and I struggle a lot, and it's a really lofty goal, but I'm working at it. Even still, after 200lbs from my heaviest, I would need to lose another 100 before I was considered "healthy weight"

I decided to gauge my weight and goals by when I was at my fittest and healthiest at this height. That means that my final goal is around 215 pounds. For a woman of about 6'1", this is still considered heavy, but after discussions with my physicians and a critical look at my life and body, we have decided that the goal of 175-185 was just a little too low.

Personally, I say, always defer to your doctor and your intuition. Setting modest goals that can be met can be really helpful for the motivation, and I don't think there's any harm in starting with 40lbs. Who knows, you might get there and decide another 40 is the way to go. You won't know until you start to see some results.