Personal survey - to regain a little or not?

I am too thin for my build. I know many of you love how you look at about 21 BMI, but I have a very large frame and a lot of portruding bones.

My low weight (last week) was 137.8. My current weight is 139.2 and I AM going to get myself back above 140 - that's not up for consideration. Bear in mind that at least 5 lbs of my weight is excess skin.

Here's my puzzlement: I think I looked best at 150-155 lbs (about 23 BMI). While I'm nervous about regaining all the way up to that point, I would like to push past 140 and up to 145 (22 BMI). My goal would be to set 145 as a minimum weight.

The question: If you personally thought you looked too thin, would you carefully regain to a BMI you were more comfortable with? Or would you stick it out too thin to see if you would 'bounce back'? And how long would you wait to see if you bounced back before trying to regain on purpose?

I got "too thin" recently after a long and horrible battle with health (not wls-related).  Granted, I was only down to 142, which sounds huge because I am only 5' tall these days.  But I know I look best at least up to 150; anything less and my upper body and face look scrawny.  (Most of my excess poundage is in my hips now and won't be budged.)  So yes, I set myself to regain back up to 150, and I feel and look much better now.  

And I had done this once before, about two years ago with another health problem, so this is time number two of getting too thin while I was sick and then trying to get back up to 150.

It feels funny to say I was too thin at 142, because in the beginning of this journey I planned to get down to 130, my weight as a young adult before I got fat.  Once I hit 150, over three years ago now, I realized that 130 was never going to happen again now that I am in my late 50s.  I carry too much blubber on my hips, and although I had, years ago, had a tummy tuck and breast reduction, and I've had a brachioplasty since wls, I'm just not up to having anything done to my hips.  And even though my upper body looks scrawny, I wear about a size 16 or large or extra large.  It seems weird to me, because I really am a tiny little ol' gal!

The only caveat for you, Mom, is to make sure you don't get back into any crap food.  The first time I had my health-related weight-nose-dive, I got absolutely emaciated (down to about 122), and the doctor told me to gain the weight back any way I could.  She suggested I "eat lots of Haagen-Dazs."  I took her at her word, ate anything I could choke down, and before I knew it I was re-addicted to sugar and crap food and up to 182.  I couldn't get those pounds off for anything, because I couldn't / wouldn't stop the sugar and crap carbs again.  It took getting sick again, and barely able to eat, to shift those 30+ pounds again.  THIS time, I'm being WAY more careful ... although I am still having a battle with sugar and crap.  I didn't go through what I went through over the past seven months not to get something good out of it, HA!!

Best wishes to you.  I'll look forward to reading how you get on with this :-)

--Dorothy

It's good to hear from you. 

Thanks for the tip. I'm being very careful to avoid junk food. My big concern is just what you talked about - that I'll continue to regain past the point I want to be. I think all of us are afraid of regain, but I don't want to be stuck at a weight I don't think looks good out of fear.

'tis a puzzlement.

I can't answer the question about whether you should wait for a bounce back since I am not in maintenance.

But I don't see why the BMI of 21 v. 22 matters.  If you are more comfortable at 145, then go for it. Both BMI's are healthy.  I trust that you won't do it with cupcakes and beer. At 145, you will still have room (5-7 pounds) for any bounce back that is still within the healthy zone and where you feel good about yourself.

I understand why you are nervous about intentionally putting on weight.  So take it one pound at a time.

A normal BMI for me goes all the way up to 164 lbs, so at 145 I'd still have a 19 lb. cushion. Just the idea of trying to regain weight...scary.

Good morning all:

Still 3 pounds below goal.

I really can't give any voice to 'bounce back' weight concerns as have just reached my goal and am still figuring the whole maintenance thing out.   But I do agree that it is scary.  

I like the 'one pound at a time' comment.  

Have a good day everyone.

I think you'd be okay regaining carefully to weight that works for you. The key, as you point out, is to do it carefully and mindfully, using healthy foods. You can deal with any bounceback, IF it occurs, when it happens. I am about the same height as you (5'8") and tend to hover around 145, and I think up to 150 is a great weight for me as well. I originally lost down to about 139 and "bounced back" about 6 lbs. to my current weight at about 3 years out. I still don't know WHY exactly--whether it was because I became hypothyroid at that point (which I did, but the weight didn't come back off with meds), whether it was because my portions got bigger or I relaxed some on the junk--probably a combination. Anyway,  I like how I look at 145 just fine--it's actually better than when I'm lower because I start to get that skeletal upper chest look at 140. Even so, I keep trying to get back down --which is my own psychological fear of regain kicking in, I guess. If I'm trying (albeit not very hard!) to lose a pound or two, I keep my focus. Whatever works!!

Lizanne

I really admire your thought process regarding your weight situation. It would be so easy to start eating crap food again - believe me I know since I struggle with that on occasion. I have been maintaining fairly easily at my goal weight and struggle more with not gaining and have actually envied you your continued weight loss - though I know it's my own tweeked mind and issues that envies a weight loss that doesn't stop! (yup, we all have those hang ups and issues to sort through! LOL!)

If you want to gain a few pounds, I understand that. It's about what makes us feel "right". I feel best just under my goal weight, but know I shouldn't go much below it. I have trusted friends who tell me this is so and I believe them - even though I can't see it yet. (Working on that.)

I'm not so sure about bounce back. You eat very cleanly and struggle getting in adequate calories to maintain. You are going to have to purposely do something to gain those few pounds back. The advice I got heading into maintenance was to add healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, almonds, etc...) to my diet to start. I have also added another serving of Greek Yogurt to my day.

Clearly you're not happy being this low weight. I say, take it back up to 145 then re-evaluate how you feel. Good luck! I look forward to following your path. Keep us informed!

I'm at the same place as you. I'm 5'6" (apparently I've shrunk a inch somewhere), and 133. I think I look better closer to 140. But I'm afraid of the bounce back too.

Personally I'm going to let things settle for a couple months, see where my body wants to be while trying to get into a maintenance diet, and then decide.

All sorts of mind games with this weight stuff. I gained a pound yesterday which was a good thing, but I instantly got that feeling of panic lol. Wonder if we'll ever trust ourselves or our bodies?

Hmmm. Your post is making me think.  I've never considered getting down below 170 (normal bmi).  I've only considered getting below 200.  I used to just want to be below 220.  I figure if I get to the 190s and then have plastics next summer which should put me in the 180s at the most, I would just be fine.  I know that I have at least 15 pounds of skin. 

Do I dare dream 'smaller'?  Hmmm. Yep, you got me to thinkin'.