It's Official: I Really DON'T Need to Lose More Weight!

Mar 12, 2009

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I had my WLS surgeon write a prescription for a dexa scan at the University of Arizona's Physiology Department (self pay - it cost me $100.00) so that I could see what my body composition is and determine whether I need to lose more weight. I presently weigh 20-35 pounds more than I weighed in college, and am 20+ pounds above the upper end of a "normal" BMI, yet I'm much bonier-looking than I was in college and I keep hearing the word "gaunt" applied to my face nowadays. Well, per the results of my body composition analysis, I don't need to lose any more weight, despite the fact that I'm still "overweight" by BMI chart standards.

My bone density is extremely high, literally at the top of the charts. This is due to the constant "strength training" of carrying around the massive weight that I did for years.

My percent body fat is 15. Not at competitive bodybuilding levels, by any means (although my arms are only 7% fat), but the "normal" range for men of my age is 18-25%, so I'm below the bottom of that range (not freakishly low - the senior research specialist who explained the results to me said the 3% margin below the low end of normal is fine, but that I shouldn't try to keep losing more fat; instead, I should work to maintain my muscle mass as I age). My percent of body fat is in the 9th percentile statistically, meaning that 91% of men my age have higher percentages of body fat than I have.

The research specialist says he hates the use of BMI to gauge physical fitness and body composition, since anyone with any significant muscle tissue will be classified as "overweight". According to BMI standards, I need to lose 20 pounds just to be at the very top of "normal" for my height, but the researcher says my extremely dense bones, lean muscle, and loose skin are all not taken into account by the BMI standard. I am NOT overweight. I am lean.

Basically, I'm going to work to maintain my weight of 225 (note: I'm now down two more pounds to 223) and maybe add some more lean muscle as I can, but I'm not going to worry about losing fat or dropping pounds beyond this point - everyone who's been telling me that I look gaunt and don't need to lose more weight has been right!

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