When did you know you were done ?

I'm 61. I had a 32" waist after hiking 2000 miles in 2015. I'm 5' 8.5" Eight months after hiking I herniated a disk while clam digging. I couldn't walk upright for two months. I could not swim for four months. Within six months my weight went from 154 lb. to 169.

I've reached my goal weight of 153--my BMI is ~23. My waist is 33", but I'm going to maintenance goals--Samsung Health and MFP have been great.
When I started about a year ago with Samsung Health, I weighed 17 lb more than now. Eating real foods didn't really work, even though research says it should have.
I'll still use MFP to watch net calories.

The initial goal using a food diary was to bring my electrolyte intake to alleviate the foot cramps I was getting in the lap pool. I've accomplished that and much more.

Best of luck to all!

As insurance discounts and employee health incentive plans often rely on BMI I decided I was going to get into the normal BMI range. Otherwise I probably would have stopped my diet 5 to 10 pounds earlier.

I’m not actually happy with how I look - but don’t want to lose more weight as my caloric allowance is minimal even at the top of my BMI range. I’m hoping recomp will improve how I look and the strength training can only improve my fitness (and maybe allow me a few extra calories ) so that’s all good.

But, I’m an older gal who doesn’t feel the need to worry too much about how I look - being that invisible age. Still I’d be happier looking at myself with a bit less body fat, I think.

DanR_85 wrote: »

Some interesting perspectives here.

Remember, BMI is only a guide, if you have a lot of muscle mass, you may be over 25 BMI but still be a healthy weight.

My original aim was to be ~190lbs, which is BMI of 23 for me, but the closer I get to that target I realise the further I'd like to go. Ideally I'd like to be lean whilst retaining some muscle bulk if possible.

So to answer your original question - it depends on your personality. If you can hit a healthy weight and be happy to stay where you are, then you've done it. For some people though, there will be an everlasting pursuit of improving ones' physique.
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This, especially about BMI.

When I got to a healthy BF% that was easily maintainable in regards to my overall habits and lifestyle.

What I like about the BMI chart is that it is a good solid guide. There is so much illogic when it comes to body image and dieting. We lie to ourselves and have distorted ideas on what is average after being overweight.
I like having a medical based guide on where i should be. Therefore, I set my goal weight right in the middle. I'm at 22.4 right now and will be at 21.5 when i reach my goal weight. i can understand someone who was very overweight wanting to stop, take a break to maintain for a while....but at least getting out of the overweight range should be the goal.

I'm 59 and have maintained 6 years. When I started I had a BMI that had just hit 26. I'm tall so that was 38 pounds over my ideal weight, but 18 over where I figured was good - 187 pounds. I had an aspirational goal of 165 but would have been happy if I hit 170. That was my weight just before I got pregnant the second time and I looked pretty good there. I hit that goal in just a two or three months and it was easy. So I just kept on until I got back to what I knew was my body's natural weight - 150-155 pounds. That's where I was when I graduated college and what I went back to after both kids. Those last 8 pounds took some time. Not hard, but slow. But I hit it at 8 months.

How did I know? Every other goal were ones where I'd settled on a weight where, when I was younger, I'd have thought was high. I hit 152, I think and looked in the mirror and said - yeah, that's what I remember looking like. I went into maintenance. I did wind up losing a bit more, but not on purpose. And I bounced back into the 150-155 weight range and maintained pretty easily for 5 years.

At 54, it looked great on me. My BMI was just under 22. My only regret is not doing it earlier.

P.S. At 5'10", that's a size 10 or 12.

Mari22na wrote: »

Ayup. I embrace it and have learned to enjoy the sux. Consistently having a sense of unfairness and self-pity, they can eat whatever they want and why me.. leads to throwing in the towel. That flies in the face of what we came here for. Maintaining a major weight releasing is the fight of a lifetime but I'm up always up for a rodeo. I think you are, too. Let'er buck.

I say weight releasing rather than weight loss because I have no intention of ever finding it again. I didn't bother with the forum for a couple of years but I've had some fun. I think it's helpful to smooth the rough corners off of one another. It's like sandpaper but still fun. Pleasure to meet you, CarvedTones.

Do you participate in any groups for maintenance encouragement. I noted many of the smaller groups dwindled after 1 or 2 posts. I surmise staying current with the tide is probably more fun. Keeps you on your toes.

No small groups, just this main forum. One thing that helps is that since I have been more fit and active, I have taken up SUP paddling and joined a couple of local groups. The others in those groups only know me as a little guy who is reasonably fit. Somehow that is different from people who have known me a while and seen me go up and down before. It would be more of a failure; not sure if that makes sense.

traleen wrote: »

Im 56 i dont think being size 4 or 6 is going to look anything but too thin. Anyone near my age that can relate ? Thanks

Love what @SummerSkier said about BMI & clothing sizes just being numbers and not needing to make a final decision now.

I lost weight and at 63 was comfortable with my body. Then opiates (knee replacement) killed my appetite till I was too thin. There was zero fat on me. What used to be curves became drapes. Going without food for an hour made me dizzy.

If you don't know you're too small, then you probably aren't. If you're still losing and want to, just don't buy a new wardrobe yet. But if you're comfortable where you're at, then sweet! Be kind to yourself.

traleen wrote: »

Im 56 i dont think being size 4 or 6 is going to look anything but too thin. Anyone near my age that can relate ? to, just don't buy a new wardrobe yet. But if you're comfortable where you're at, then sweet! Be kind to yourself.

Don't forget that size 4-6 is what was 12-14 years ago. Clothing size shouldn't play any factor into if you feel done. Once you are in the healthy BMI range, It should be where you FEEL and look the best, not shooting for a specific size or number.

Vanity sizing is out of control, so just because someone is a "size 4" doesn't mean they are too thin. 00 now is the same as a size 8 in the 1980s. I found that really eye opening when I read a few of those articles on it and the psychological aspect it plays into making people feel thinner than they are.

4 years of weight loss was enough for me.