How Low Should I Go????
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luluinca
Posts: 2,899 Member
I have a question that is potentially off the wall for most of you, primarily because I'm probably the oldest person actively commenting here. 
I'll be 65 in April, and for my age I'm relatively strong and fairly muscular. I spent the better part of about 7 years dealing with a serious back injury and then a deadly intestinal disease in 2012-2113 and my weight basically was a roller coaster of extremes.
In the Fall of 2013 I finally received a clean bill of health and began this adventure to become healthy and fit. I've lost about 60 of the 70 lbs I wanted to lose and am eating around 1750-1800 calories and lifting weights/calisthenics or walking/swimming pretty much 7 days a week and losing about .5 lbs per week right now.
My goal weight has always been 160, about 10-11 lbs away, but my trainer and my Dr think I should shoot for 165 and even be happy where I am right now. Is there any truth to the idea that as we age, we should have a higher BMI than when we're younger do you think, if you know, or have an opinion?
I don't have a super recent pic but the one in my profile is about 3-4 lbs heavier than I am now. I guess the reason I'm asking is because I'm having a lot of fun lifting weights and I'm wondering if I'm done with the weight loss for the most part and should just focus on gaining strength. How do you know when to quit?
Thanks, Lulu
I'll be 65 in April, and for my age I'm relatively strong and fairly muscular. I spent the better part of about 7 years dealing with a serious back injury and then a deadly intestinal disease in 2012-2113 and my weight basically was a roller coaster of extremes.
In the Fall of 2013 I finally received a clean bill of health and began this adventure to become healthy and fit. I've lost about 60 of the 70 lbs I wanted to lose and am eating around 1750-1800 calories and lifting weights/calisthenics or walking/swimming pretty much 7 days a week and losing about .5 lbs per week right now.
My goal weight has always been 160, about 10-11 lbs away, but my trainer and my Dr think I should shoot for 165 and even be happy where I am right now. Is there any truth to the idea that as we age, we should have a higher BMI than when we're younger do you think, if you know, or have an opinion?
I don't have a super recent pic but the one in my profile is about 3-4 lbs heavier than I am now. I guess the reason I'm asking is because I'm having a lot of fun lifting weights and I'm wondering if I'm done with the weight loss for the most part and should just focus on gaining strength. How do you know when to quit?
Thanks, Lulu
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From what I've read that advice is based on what just happens as people get older anyway per stats. So it's not that it's better, it's that it happens usually, so figured why not.
It's like they say your metabolism lowers as you get older.
Well, know, not until end of life really as the main metabolic organs start slowing and shutting down.
Prior to that the issue is lack of muscle as more sedentary and less active cause metabolism to lower. Age has nothing to do with it, as many younger ones can reach that state too very easily. Just more prominent with older ones.
But also doesn't have to happen.
I've never seen a health benefit to carrying around more fat when older that would make a higher weight healthier.
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Thanks Heybales, interestingly enough another over 60 woman linked this from Livestrong and it seems to justify what both my doctor and trainer told me. BMI wise they both said 26-26.5, which is where I am now and is still slightly overweight by the BMI chart.
I think I'll keep going though and I won't be one of those frail older women anyway because of the exercise I'm doing. It would be interesting though to start maintenance now. At 160 (my goal) I'll be just under a BMI of 25. Of course, that's only one indication of health and not necessarily a great one at that. I really need to have my BF% properly analyzed I suppose.
10 more pounds, hopefully about 5 months. I'm looking forward to maintenance because I've really realized how much better I feel and how much stronger I am when I eat more.
Edited to add the link...............duh
http://www.livestrong.com/article/305703-the-ideal-weight-for-older-people/0 -
Having a bf% goal is a good idea. The BMI chart....ug...I have a large frame and a lot of muscle; in my 20s I was in the "healthy" bmi at 5'3" and 125 but was so thin I couldn't fit a size zero pants....not healthy! Now that I care less about scale weight being 5'3 and 145 I'm overweight on the bmi but I've never felt more fit!
You look great and have made amazing progress don't let a chart decide your goals!0 -
I'm surprised the age BMI charts aren't being used, I thought they were. They have been out for several years. I thought you were referring to going higher than that type of chart.
Shoot, a study sponsored by Polar involved that aspect of healthy BMI range shifting with age.
They used it to equate that to likely fitness level, or VO2max to use.
So yes i guess to standard non-age BMI charts being used, age should cause the ranges to shift higher slightly.
But this made me go view the Fitbit one, and indeed not age related, hence me dipping under the healthy range when I was at goal weight. Which was still 10 lbs over racing weight 20 years ago.0 -
Thanks Punky. I feel good too and more fit than even in my 40's. I perform better, sleep better, and am happier when I eat a little more...........who knew?
I think I'll continue on as I am and just inch my way up to maintenance calories and see what happens. I'm taking a four day gym and diet break beginning tomorrow and I'll re-evalute things a little after that.
Maybe I can talk my doctor into a DEXA scan this year. By calipers I'm still at about 32% BF which is in the healthy range for my age, but I don't know how accurate that is. 170 lbs still seems like a lot to me sometimes. There's a mental block in there I think. I weighed in the 140's most of my adult life until mid 50's.
Thanks for the input, both of you.0 -
Wow you are an inspiration. Never quit. Just focus on being healthy inside and out.I have a question that is potentially off the wall for most of you, primarily because I'm probably the oldest person actively commenting here.
I'll be 65 in April, and for my age I'm relatively strong and fairly muscular. I spent the better part of about 7 years dealing with a serious back injury and then a deadly intestinal disease in 2012-2113 and my weight basically was a roller coaster of extremes.
In the Fall of 2013 I finally received a clean bill of health and began this adventure to become healthy and fit. I've lost about 60 of the 70 lbs I wanted to lose and am eating around 1750-1800 calories and lifting weights/calisthenics or walking/swimming pretty much 7 days a week and losing about .5 lbs per week right now.
My goal weight has always been 160, about 10-11 lbs away, but my trainer and my Dr think I should shoot for 165 and even be happy where I am right now. Is there any truth to the idea that as we age, we should have a higher BMI than when we're younger do you think, if you know, or have an opinion?
I don't have a super recent pic but the one in my profile is about 3-4 lbs heavier than I am now. I guess the reason I'm asking is because I'm having a lot of fun lifting weights and I'm wondering if I'm done with the weight loss for the most part and should just focus on gaining strength. How do you know when to quit?
Thanks, Lulu
Once you are where you want to be then comes the maintenance your body is used to exercises. And sounds like you have fun too...keep going
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You are inspirational. Go with your gut. If you feel good and know for your body that 160 will be optimal, go for it.0
