I wanted to get your perspectives on when you cross that line from "fat" to "normal" weight. Is it by BMI, body fat %, waist circumference, clothes size or something else?

What do you use to evaluate if you are obese, overweight or normal. Is overweight "fat"?

I have no idea. I've been fat so long I don't know what normal is anymore.

This BMI calculator has an interesting feature: it tells you your weight percentile, or how your weight compares to that of other people.

At my current weight, I'm overweight but I'm in the 47th percentile, meaning about half the people in the world are heavier than me and the other half are thinner.

Of course, BMI is a highly subjective (and oft debated) form of measurement. And how you look at certain weight depends a lot on your build, shape, fat-to-muscle ratio, etc. That being said, I find the weight percentile thing very interesting.

Personally, I think I'm going to call this weight loss journey DONE when I no longer feel blobbish and lumpish and jiggly. For me, it's more a matter of fitness and muscle-to-fat ratio than a number on a scale or a size tag.

When I was a kid I was told women should weigh 100 pounds at 5 feet and for every inch above that add 5 pounds. This may or may not correspond to ideal weight charts, but for some reason I've never forgotten this "formula".

This is a good website for finding out how your weight compares to other women:

www dot halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm

A good goal would be to be at the 50th percentile or less than other ladies of your age & height.

So, for me I look at ideal weight charts, BMI and percentile rank. All those numbers will vary, but they're in the ballpark.

The day I'm no longer "fat" is the day I can sit down without my stomach making itself known by jutting out! And when my fitness level doesn't interfere with everyday life!

^^^^
This

So true . This is my mindset and I'm oh so close to being there.

Great inputs...really like that calculator. Looking at all the "tools" they conflict each other.

Im focusing on my body fat percentage vs the scale and clothes sizes. Would like to be about 27%. Im curvy and I want my boobs and butt intact

Keep it coming..

What an interesting question! I'm surprised I've never actually considered it at depth!

I am nowhere near "no longer fat", but I wonder if it might become a combination of factors. That is, personally, I can't imagine it being just one thing, but I think this is something that depends upon each individual.

I just want to know that it will be possible for me to not feel fat. I've been fat my entire life, so I suspect it might be quite an interesting experience...

For me "not fat" will be when I look decent in clothes, wear an easily bought misses size size 10-12ish, when I'm fit enough to do the things I'm already doing with ease, when other people see me and not a fat person. That's what I'm aiming at.

It depends on who you ask. For me, yes, I think overweight is fat. Not everyone will agree.

While BMI is somewhat antiquated and not always the most accurate measure, I prefer (in my case, as I am not a huge muscle bound athlete) to go by it.

Novus, that calculator with the percentiles is really interesting - thanks. I'm stuck right at the 50th percentile right now - which means I'm close to "average" for my height. This is good motivation for me, because I like trying to be better than average.

On the other hand, the site notes elsewhere, Scary that you can weigh less than the majority and still be overweight in this country - that definitely does start to blur the lines of "fat" and "not-fat."

I wonder how accurate the percentile data is. For my age, I'm in the 25th percentile for height, which is just jaw dropping to me. As an "older mother" most of the women I know are younger, so I really have no basis for comparison.

Trust me when I say that being overweight according to the BMI is not being "fat".

I am still overweight according to that and am aiming for normal.

But I am no longer fat. I am sh!t skinny.

BMI sucks. But I will conquer it, just for the **** of it.

I wondered the same thing, mine said 14th and I'm very surprised. Maybe because I live in a beach town, but I see many people in really good shape.