Weight loss accountability/support 2024 edition

Looking around, I couldn’t see much alternative to BMI although various caution about it’s application for everyone.

On a personal level, I’m not convinced by it as if I take it at face value I’ve been overweight if not obese since I was about 12. And, not for reasons of vanity or perceived henchness, that’s not feeling accurate as in early 20s I was definitely skinny and running 5k in under 17 minutes and a marathon in a shade over 3 hours (hunblebrag although not intended to be).

In more practical terms, looking at the BMI range is very non-motivating for me as, even if going slightly over the top end, it feels unrealistic. I guess I just need to find a target that I’m comfortable with and praise myself on being an outlier that the BMI can’t cope with.

Are you happy with how you fit in your clothes and what you look like when out of them? If yes- stay as you are.

A metric I can both understand and lean into!

You seem aware enough of your size and weight, and how it related to your fitness/health to seem like you don’t need a measurement system to guide you. Like, if you know BMI doesn’t fit your build, and where your weight has been in the past etc, what’s stopping you from calculating your own target weight?

What exactly are you after?
For example, at 5’9 “ Healthy weight range for your height:
56.7kg - 76.6kg” according to BMI, which seems mad to me considering that I’m 80-81kg in this photo and I don’t appear to be 5kg overweight.
Now I could beat myself down to 76.6, or I could accept that 81kg is probably reasonable and there isn’t really an equation to get that figure.

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I’ve had a middle ear infection so been taking ibuprofen every day and weights going up, anyone else experience weight gain when taking it?

1/1/23 69.9kg
8/1/23 70.5kg
15/1/23 70.9kg

Still ticking up. Shite weather and work schedule has been screwing with my ability to go and exercise outdoors. I’ve been doing more strength training as a result, but I think sitting in front of a screen for most of the day is contributing more to weight gain than increasing muscle mass

Thanks, that all makes complete sense

My weight has crept up, but trouser band measurement has decreased.

01/01: 88.9kg
08/01: 87.9kg
15/01: 87.7kg

Got a bit carried away the last couple of days, but things are generally going well. Need to make more of an effort to commute/do something active on the days I'm stuck home.

BMI is an attempt to give ranges that make sense for the population as a whole, and people as hench as you are in this photo are unusual enough that the ranges don't work properly. But you don't become this hench by accident, so clearly you were doing enough exercise to be able to make your own judgements about your health and fitness. But most people of your height and weight probably are carrying a little chub.

No I completely get it, and I’d argue that BMI does work, it’s just using it properly understanding the parameters and limitations.

What I’m really curious about is the adverse health effects that are still relevant even if you take into account things like bf% and muscle mass. Does being heavier, even if it’s “healthy” weight, put me at greater risk for certain problems? Is there a situation where decreasing my weight, even at the expense of muscle mass, would be advisable etc.

Either way, I’ve got a belly right now so I don’t really need a degree to figure out that I could probably shift a kg or 2!

Also weighed 84.6kg today, which is 2kg up from my last weigh in and .6kg up from my starting weight, lol.
I have just been for a 15km run, so hopefully just a ghost in the scales/my belly.

1/1/23 - 77.5kg
8/1/23 - 76.5kg
15/1/23 - 75.8kg

No I completely get it, I just saw the opportunity to post a pic of how damned sexeh I am

Haha, I’m Not ready to post my January 4th picture until I’ve got a much less fat one to post beside it.

BMI is the best population wide measure you can get using things that are measurable in a typical home (e.g. height and weight).

It doesn't work for everyone, but then a population wide measure isn't supposed to.

BVI (Body Volume Index) is a far far better measure, but almost no-one has a simple and reliable way of measuring their body volume at home.

03/01 85.7
09/01 84.7
16/01 84.2

Ear infection has meant very little exercise this week and loads of ibuprofen which added some water weight so pleased it’s going in right direction.

Week 1: trend = -0.1kg, measured = -0.1kg
Week 2: trend = -0.9kg, measured = -1.7kg

Trend is calculated in-app with the last 7 weigh ins I think, not sure of the exact formula

2/1/23 - 103kg
9/1/23 - 102.1kg
16/1/23 - 101.1kg

Heading in the right direction!

01/01/23 - 85kg
16/01/23 - 84kg

0.5kg per week loss, will be happy if I can keep that going

measuring their body volume at home

A bath and, uh, a measuring jug? And maybe a sharpie. Sounds laborious though. And wet.

Week 2 Check In

(27 Dec - 93.0 post Christmas bloat)
2 Jan - 91.6
9 Jan - 89.5
16 Jan - 89.4

Target 80

Ate too much over the weekend, putting and end to a string of sub-90kg days, but otherwise still on track.

Avoiding the binges on junk, and appropriate portion sizes, isn't proving to be too taxing, thankfully.

3/1/23 - 84kg
8/1/23 - 83kg
13/1/23 - 82.6kg
15/1/23 - 84.6kg (!)
16/1/23 - 83.2kg
17/1/23 - 83.9kg lol.

3/1/23 - 73.1kg
9/1/23 - 71.6kg
16/01/23 - 71.0kg

Exercise levels have gone up, eating hasn't been particularly clean though.
Weekdays have largely been fine, weekends not so much.

81.1kg > 79.1kg > 78.9kg

Shit week. Poorly kid - and poorly me - meant I have had disrupted sleep for days, and tiredness & illness always leads to eating for me. Still, I managed to not put on any weight, so I’ll count that as a minor victory.

1/1/23 - 72.2 kg
15/1/23 - 71 kg

Not calorie counting. Just watching my food intake and cutting out the mid-morning snacking as much as possible.
Also stopped eating meat (not fish though) - and baking cakes. :D
Gym once or twice a week, plus some walks to get the step count up.