Should I get advice from a doctor on my ideal weight?

This topic contains 6 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by Emma Abigail 10 months, 3 weeks ago.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

AntonioMS

9:36 am
11 Jan 20
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Hi,
I’m 55yo/1.87m(6.15feet)/male and have lost around 27Kg in the last few months. I’m quite happy with my weight loss and fittest than ever. However, I’m struggling to lose the last 4kg and I wonder if I’m going too extreme.

I’ve more or less concluded that my ideal weight is 74.5Kg (basically by pinching my belly and thinking…why not loose this bit of fat here?…how much of this is just loose skin?), the main reason for that goal is that I’m jogging in the mornings and having a lower weight makes my jogs easier (I’m flat feet, so having a low weight helps me avoid ankle soreness etc).

I thought of going to some weight clinic around here in London (Slough) just to ask.

Any ideas?

HappyNow

7:52 pm
11 Jan 20
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My advice? Don’t waste NHS time/ your money privately! Sounds like you’re in the healthy weight range, so this becomes a somewhat cosmetic rather than weight question.

If you think you might be happier weighing a bit less, go for it. But don’t be disappointed if the weight comes off somewhere other than where you want!

I set a goal weight of 63kg (arbitrarily based on it being a weight I’d been in the past). I ended up dropping down below 60, and I’ve been as low as 57. All healthy weights, so it becomes personal preference really – I’m a pear shape, so when I’m thinner I like my thighs and hips better but my chest tends towards a toast rack. It’s a good look 😂

And to be perfectly honest, you’re no spring chicken (I say that as a 50yo woman). Your skin is never going to be firm like it was in your 20s and 30s. You might just have to learn to love your age-appropriate healthy body.

Neilithicman

8:41 pm
11 Jan 20
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The doctors probably won’t be able to tell you what your ideal weight is. My doctor told me to ignore what BMI tells me I should be because it’s not realistic for all body types and for males who tend to carry more muscle mass than women.

You’re best to invest in a good biometrics scales (one that will tell you your body fat percentage) and work on that. A healthy range of fat for men is supposed to be in between 8% – 19%

Cinque

11:42 pm
11 Jan 20
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Science can’t tell you what your ideal weight should be. It has numbers based on population averages, and on data linking weight with different diseases. Even at its best it works with ranges, rather than a specific weight.

On top of that, someone may be in their healthy weight range and be terribly unhealthy because of lifestyle factors, or bad luck.

A doctor will be able to tell you if your BMI is the healthy range, but you can work that out yourself here: https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/your-heart/know-your-risks/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator or if your waist measurement is under the maximum considered healthy, but you can do that on the same link.

The doctor may have some specialist knowledge in weight management, nutrition and exercise that may be helpful to you, or refer you to someone who has. Most GP’s don’t have specialist knowledge.

If you feel happy and fit at your current weight, it might be time to relax and enjoy. Especially if your waist measurement is in the safety zone. Try to damp down self criticism if you think you are extreme (even at 4kg lighter you mightn’t look like Chris Hemsworth, but you are wonderful being who you are).

Congratulations on the changes you have made for your health. Good luck, whatever you decide.

AntonioMS

1:24 am
12 Jan 20
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Thanks for your great advice. It’s for my flat-feet jogging I’d like to be lighter, I’ll see what I do.

HappyNow

7:42 am
12 Jan 20
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Have you thought about going/ been to a specialist running shop? They have treadmills to assess your running gait and will advise on appropriate running shoes for your feet (I overpronate so go for stability running shoes). You could also chat through whether losing a few more kgs would make a significant difference to your feet.

Amazon

8:03 am
12 Jan 20
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I agree with Happy, if you want to lose a bit more weight then go for it.
I also think you’d be better off helping your feet by ensuring you’ve got exactly the right running shoes than spending money anywhere else or on scales that make a calculated guess on body fat percentage.
It might also be worth investigating whether orthotic shoe inserts would help. I have had surgery on both feet and had the small bones under my first toe joint removed which means my feet get sore when walking long distances or working out so I bought some off the shelf sports inserts for my walking shoes/trainers. They made a huge difference.

Lola22

12:24 pm
7 May 20
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First of all: Congrats to your success! That’s already a great accomplishment. How are you doing so far? Were you able to lose those last kg?
I think it is most important that you feel comfortable, so I think that the “ideal weight” can be somewhat subjective. However, I think it’s not wrong to have some reference points. Have you checked out online calculators? They are, in many cases, based on complex formulars and can give you a good indication for where you want to go. Check out this one for example, if you like: https://www.yazio.com/en/ideal-weight-calculator It’s from the app I use for calorie counting and I think it’s quite accurate.

MaeReeves

10:01 am
22 Mar 22
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Hi, I think that if you feel good, you don’t need to go to the doctor, because even if you are thin, but at the same time your body is good, then nothing needs to be changed. You need to rely on your well-being to monitor it. I’m telling you this as an Ultrasound Technician who has done a lot of research and has some experience in medicine. By the way, I who will be interested in what kind of profession it is, you can read about it here — https://www.exploremedicalcareers.com/ultrasound-technician/. I can say that you did well to lose a lot of excess weight, and I wish you success in the future.

Emma Abigail

12:18 am
1 Jun 23
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In my opinion, there is no perfect diet. The best thing I have come across is the NAT analysis of the body, which is conducted by highly skilled specialists. I agree that it is not cheap, but it is worth it to idealize your weight without going to the doctor. Alternatively, you can use the Palm Principle method https://proper-eating.com/palm-principle/ which improves eating habits and has almost no negative aspects.