Loosing too much weight

[greyhoundtom]

After weighing around the 95 kg for the past 4 or 5 years and kind of felt I should be around the 90 kg for a healthy BMI for my 188 cm in height.

Unfortunately I gained more weight and went to just over 99 kg just after X mass and so decided that losing a few kg's was in order.
So simply by reducing the amount of food consumed at each meal I managed to get down to 88 kg about three weeks ago and was pretty happy with the result as I also went down one size in pants.

However at my birthday (turned 70 Easter Sunday) my family took several photos of me and to be quite honest looking at these photos scared the hell out of me as at 88 kg I looked like I had just been let out of hospital and badly needed to go back in.

While still sun tanned I had an extremely thin sickly looking face that I had not noticed looking in the mirror each day, and after a good hard look at myself in the mirror I decided there were too many ribs showing.

After getting back into the tucker again I'm now back to a tick over 91 kg and certainly look a lot better, and while this is probably due to my imagination actually feel a lot better and stronger.

Weight loss can be good if it is really needed to improve your health and life span but as I found out it can be taken a fraction too far.

[lobstermash]

At 70, you're probably best having a bit of 'reserve'.

[moosterbounce]

I knew a 55 yr old woman who fell and broke her hip. Her surgeon said she wouldn't have broken it if she had a bit more fat on her. She was - I think - too thin. Of course, the refusal to eat dairy or most calcium filled foods contributed to the break in that her bone density was at around 50%. She now does some weight training.

[Nobody]

Of course, the refusal to eat dairy or most calcium filled foods contributed to the break in that her bone density was at around 50%. She now does some weight training.

It is difficult to eat too little calcium in any diet. It is however quite easy to get osteoporosis by eating too much of an acidic diet from too much protein. This raises blood acidity which pulls calcium out of the bones.
http://www.makingpages.org/health/calci ... rosis.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[greyhoundtom]

In relation to calcium losses from the body due to a high meat protein diet this is unlikely to affect me personally as in our household we consume very little meat.

I have also recently undergone a full body bone density scan that showed my bone structure in a good condition in relation to my age.

Having said that, I have a higher than normal calcium content in the blood due to one of the Para Thyroid glands developing a tumour, and this causes an increase in PTH which results in more calcium being leached from the bone structure.

This is also the cause of the kidney stones I have been having problems with over the last few years, and this also unfortunately causes other parts of the body to calcify such as the bladder and in some instances the blood vessels.

I’m currently on a waiting list to have this surgically corrected, but I have been told it is a rather long list.

Also in relation to maintaining a reasonably sound bone structure, particularly as one gets over 50 years of age, I believe a daily vitamin D supplement to be far more important and beneficial than taking a calcium supplement.

Due to a very effective campaign to keep Australians out of the sun to reduce the incidence of skin cancer many aussies suffer from low vitamin D blood levels.

[Nobody]

Also in relation to maintaining a reasonably sound bone structure, particularly as one gets over 50 years of age, I believe a daily vitamin D supplement to be far more important and beneficial than taking a calcium supplement.

I've heard/read that the latest research says sun is still far better than vitamin D supplements.

[Dr_Mutley]

After weighing around the 95 kg for the past 4 or 5 years and kind of felt I should be around the 90 kg for a healthy BMI for my 188 cm in height.

Unfortunately I gained more weight and went to just over 99 kg just after X mass and so decided that losing a few kg's was in order.
So simply by reducing the amount of food consumed at each meal I managed to get down to 88 kg about three weeks ago and was pretty happy with the result as I also went down one size in pants.

However at my birthday (turned 70 Easter Sunday) my family took several photos of me and to be quite honest looking at these photos scared the hell out of me as at 88 kg I looked like I had just been let out of hospital and badly needed to go back in.

While still sun tanned I had an extremely thin sickly looking face that I had not noticed looking in the mirror each day, and after a good hard look at myself in the mirror I decided there were too many ribs showing.

After getting back into the tucker again I'm now back to a tick over 91 kg and certainly look a lot better, and while this is probably due to my imagination actually feel a lot better and stronger.

Weight loss can be good if it is really needed to improve your health and life span but as I found out it can be taken a fraction too far.

Sounds like u lost weight off your face instead of elsewhere, as you wouldn't think at 88kg u would look emaciated or terrible?

What's your greatest measurement around your torso? Ie from anywhere from under your ribs to your buttocks?

[greyhoundtom]

The measurement at the waist just above the hips, basically around my stomach, is 91 cm, and around the hips just over the hip bones is 94 cm. While the measurement around the buttocks is 97 cm, and just for interest my chest measurement is 110 cm.

[ZepinAtor]

The measurement at the waist just above the hips, basically around my stomach, is 91 cm, and around the hips just over the hip bones is 94 cm. While the measurement around the buttocks is 97 cm, and just for interest my chest measurement is 110 cm.

mmmmm??? interesting. We have almost the same chest & buttocks measurements, but my waist is 84cm. I'd feel slightly round at 90kg (my height is 186cm) currently 4kg overweight at 85kg. You sound like a big solid lump at 188cm & 90kg, but not too unhealthy for a 70 year old. I'd embrace the gaunt face & ribs showing which is a look I specifically aim for. I find when averaging in the low 80's I'm at my fastest when racing on the MTB in 4-6hr events.

[PapaJohn]

Gaunt? I think just not what you are used to looking at.

Overweight? This is a concept at odds with a world where natural variation is quite normal, including dense or spindly bone architecture or musculature which may be well developed or almost missing entirely. BMI is a flawed concept which includes no consideration of natural variation.

There is some merit in having a little reserve when one gets a little older, not so much that it is a burden to power the circulation to all those tissues which do little other than support the reserve.

Underweight? well you are a little bit closer to the bone over almost everything then aren't you. We are pretty much built to withstand a little hardship and famine. Thinness should not be worn like a badge of courage for demonstrating that we are tough enough to withstand famine, nor as a particular protection against an untimely demise.

It's probably sensible to have a fairly wide oscillation in the "reserve" over one's life without getting extreme either way.

Much better yardstick are about what one can do. What can you do at 40 that you were able to do at 20? What can you do at 60 that you were able to do at 40? etc. Sometimes the results are surprising. One needs to take into account more elements of fitness than simple physical dimensions, which are almost no indication at all.

[casual_cyclist]

The measurement at the waist just above the hips, basically around my stomach, is 91 cm, and around the hips just over the hip bones is 94 cm. While the measurement around the buttocks is 97 cm, and just for interest my chest measurement is 110 cm.

mmmmm??? interesting. We have almost the same chest & buttocks measurements, but my waist is 84cm. I'd feel slightly round at 90kg (my height is 186cm) currently 4kg overweight at 85kg. You sound like a big solid lump at 188cm & 90kg, but not too unhealthy for a 70 year old. I'd embrace the gaunt face & ribs showing which is a look I specifically aim for. I find when averaging in the low 80's I'm at my fastest when racing on the MTB in 4-6hr events.

I'm 187cm and definitely overweight at 92kg. My preferred is around 85kg but I'm not there now due to my overconsumption of ultra-processed foods. For the record, a 65g Kit Kat Chunky (Caramel) and can of V is not an appropriate afternoon snack.

I don't have waist and chest sizes with me but can measure those later and report back.

[ZepinAtor]

I'm 187cm and definitely overweight at 92kg. My preferred is around 85kg but I'm not there now due to my overconsumption of ultra-processed foods.

Well stop bloody well buying them you goose. You & I should both be about 82kg.

[malnar]

I'm 48, 184cm, 71-72kg, 82cm around waist at narrowest point (2cm above belly button). Can see plenty of rib but abs wont reveal themselves. Have discovered that 82 Regular trousers are too short & 82 Long are hard to find. 2 years ago was was about 92kg, 94 around waist. Plan to take it down to 68kg & then maintain about 70kg. Need extra clothes to keep warm this winter.

[timbo]

I know its not very scientific, but I try and eat healthily and excercise on a regular basis and just let the weight and measurements settle where they want to.

"For the record, a 65g Kit Kat Chunky (Caramel) and can of V is not an appropriate afternoon snack."
Try the dark chocolate variety, and red wine instead of V.

[Stefan_A]

186cm and 91kg. 10% bodyfat would see me around 78kg. Have to say theres very few lean mean and hungry looking 70yo in hospitals.

[casual_cyclist]

I'm 187cm and definitely overweight at 92kg. My preferred is around 85kg but I'm not there now due to my overconsumption of ultra-processed foods.

Well stop bloody well buying them you goose. You & I should both be about 82kg.

I have stopped! It does seem rather the obvious solution, but it is quite correct. I am back on real food again. Bliss!!!

[casual_cyclist]

"For the record, a 65g Kit Kat Chunky (Caramel) and can of V is not an appropriate afternoon snack."
Try the dark chocolate variety, and red wine instead of V.

I prefer to eat a proper lunch and not have an afternoon snack... which is what I have been doing more recently. Snacks are just superfluous calories.

[clackers]

"For the record, a 65g Kit Kat Chunky (Caramel) and can of V is not an appropriate afternoon snack."

You've completely lost me, Timbo.

[wombatK]

You've only got to see how many seriously obese and anorexic people there are to realise that most people have great difficulty in making an objective assessment of how fat or thin they are. Close family members are often equally in denial of reality.

You think you "found out" you went too far, but really, without an objective opinion from a health professional (e.g. your GP or an accredited dietitian), that's a conjecture that shouldn't be relied upon.

Your 88 kg weight was only just on the upper limit of what's considered normal (health) bmi (<25) whereas your opening statement of a 90 kg objective wouldn't have got you within the healthy BMI range. Your current BMI is now in the overweight range, and your 94 cm waist circumference is also just on the limit of where you should be concerned with having too much central adiposity. There's no room for error in that, and it's not very comforting to be right smack on the limit - although you could maintain your comfort by denying the accuracy/validity of these measures.

A bit of fat as you reach older years can be acceptable as a healthy reserve for fighting illness, but not if its in the wrong places. Around your waist is the wrong place because it's strongly associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

While reaching 70 is a great milestone, what you don't know is whether carrying to much weight has reduced your life expectancy from (say) 95 to 85, or 82 to 72 etc.,.

[Stefan_A]

Many physicians consider the carrying of 'extra' fat into old age as bunk.
It's meant as some kind of reserve to get people through 'illness'.

A male with 10-15% bodyfat has ample fat reserves to get them through illness.
Anymore than this imposes unnecessary daily strain on liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular functions.

There's no evidence carrying 'additional' fat into old age offers a survival advantage in those who eat a healthy diet and remain active.

[greyhoundtom]

Bugger ..... sounds like I had better embrace "gaunt".

[toolonglegs]

Bugger ..... sounds like I had better embrace "gaunt".

I get the gaunt thing sometimes ... Usually still have plenty to lose... I think you need to lose weight slowly or it just shows in the face too much!.

[sogood]

However at my birthday (turned 70 Easter Sunday) my family took several photos of me and to be quite honest looking at these photos scared the hell out of me as at 88 kg I looked like I had just been let out of hospital and badly needed to go back in.

While still sun tanned I had an extremely thin sickly looking face that I had not noticed looking in the mirror each day, and after a good hard look at myself in the mirror I decided there were too many ribs showing.

88kg for a 1.88m individual is hardly out of the ordinary at BMI of 24.9. Further, looks in a photo is hardly the definition of a good health assessment. Too much influenced by what you are used to seeing. What's important is how you feel internally and other objective health parameters. In any case, it all sounded as if you are suffering from the acute appearance following a crash diet than any real problem that's related to the lower weight attained. Weight and balance training for bone preservation and motor skill are indeed the key to improved senior health.

[cyclotaur]

I read/heard that you lose weight 'from the top down' .... don't know about that as such, but usually you only notice weight loss around the face in photos. Unless ... er ... you take other sorts of pictures.

I lost about 6-8kg a few years back and everybody told me I looked thinner around the face. And that's all they could see. I could/should lose another 5kg or so and I guarantee no one would notice now.

[casual_cyclist]

Bugger ..... sounds like I had better embrace "gaunt".

I get the gaunt thing sometimes ... Usually still have plenty to lose... I think you need to lose weight slowly or it just shows in the face too much!.

I have been told at work that I am "getting too skinny" when at the upper end of BMI as well. I'm not sure BMI is a very good measure... waist certainly is. But it highlighted to me that obesity has become so normal that a person being a healthy weight for their height is considered "too skinny". It also highlights that a visual inspection of a person is not an indicator of health.