Did anything in particular lead you to choose 20% body fat as where you want to be? That number seems great for your age and with knowing 18% is supposedly the place to stop for health. I'm trying to figure out where in the range to be, likely 22% based on age and reality for me.

Honestly, 20% is pretty lean, it's on the cusp of Athlete and Fitness level. But I have read here about having a 5lb allowance which should get me at a final 21-22%, so perhaps I should be more clear about that.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/4363941-post19.html

Classification | Women (% fat) | Men (% fat)
Essential Fat | 10-12% | 2-4%
Athletes | 14-20% | 6-13%
Fitness | 21-24% | 14-17%
Acceptable | 25-31% | 18-25%
Obese | 32%+ | 25%+

I have been reading about body fat %. As well as talking with a friend who is a detician. For most women 30% is actually very healthy. Unless as you say you are in the elite athlete category. If you have access to a Tenita scale this is a great tool to help look beyond just the weight.

You are doing awesome. Soooo close!

Good for you to take that step to a mommy makeover. Big decision - but such a nice motivator and reward. I am going for a couple consults over the next few months and shooting for a breast lift and tummy tuck in Januaryish. I would be interested to see what types of prices you are quoted in B.C. Maybe we can even share these on the Canada Thread. Good luck.

Thank you! I am getting really excited about it!! I'm trying not to dream about food too much. lol

Thank you and absolutely, I would love to share information with you! I have my initial consult at the end of July and the surgery is set for the middle of October... tummy tuck, breast augmentation and possible lift. I'm so nervous but more excited then anything!

Some folks have mentioned the skin snapping back. I think as we age, our skin loses elasticity and the ability to snap back. At age 65 I think I am stuck with flabby arms and thighs! I wish I had begun this process at a younger age, but I don't plan on wearing a bikini, so I am happy with what I have achieved so far!

I read on here after 2 years your skin 'snaps back' to it's "final resting state", it may be a little for some or a lot for others - depending on age & total weight lost. I'm starting to add some knox unflavored gelatin to my puddings for the collagen to give my skin any little 'boost' I can! Honestly, we still want to have another baby, so I'll probably be looking into a mommy makeover ~2-3 years after our last little one!

Ah, so you are kind of "playing it by ear" too!

I look at the chart you quoted every week at weigh in.

According to the IP device, my body fat is at 25.74% (I started out at 44.50%). Now if you saw me in the gym, you would be laughing hysterically at how weak that lean mass is; it must be all blood vessels and organs and no muscle at all! I am really close to where it is time to stop, and it is exciting.

I researched stuff for my age and height and found ranges.
Normal body fat for women ages 40-59 is 23% to 33.9%. I don't know if normal means average or if normal means healthy. From Zartas comment on 30%, I suspect it is the healthy range.

I also found that the ideal waist to height ratio is between 43% to 48.9%, which is 26.88 inches to 31.296 inches for someone at 64 inches tall (5'4). (Waist in this case means the narrowest part.)

Ideal BMI (and we know BMI has its limitations) is 21.0 to 22.9 at 5'4 which is about 120-135 lbs.

So, I'm definitely "in the zone" by all the measures. It's about where in the zone to end up.

As for the loose skin, it changes every day. That might be the only advantage to losing so slowly in that I am 7.5 months in, and I do notice it goes thru changes from unacceptable to OK and back again, probably as hydration shifts throughout the day and as the gravitational pull of the earth increases each year . So that 2 years sounds like the right time frame and I want to use it as the maintenance motivator.

Great discussion. Thanks.