Backing up my claims that I feel much healthier at 185 (BMI 29) than I did trying desperately to get to 130 (BMI 22) in 2010-2011…
The study, by Katherine M. Flegal and her associates at the C.D.C. and the National Institutes of Health, found that all adults categorized as overweight and most of those categorized as obese have a lower mortality risk than so-called normal-weight individuals. If the government were to redefine normal weight as one that doesn’t increase the risk of death, then about 130 million of the 165 million American adults currently categorized as overweight and obese would be re-categorized as normal weight instead.
Legend of Velda 
Oh Velda I don’t think you are overveight!
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My scale surely does, at least by US standards. If I gain 6 more pounds, I’m officially obese.
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Meh. Supposedly I was within “normal” weight requirements (barely) even though I was waaay too skinny due to my body not being able to absorb nutrients.
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Yeah — I think people who are “normal” weight don’t get as much flack from society. The implication is that if we’re not within these weight standards, we’re lazy, we pig out, we lack self control… etc.
I almost wonder if the more overweight people are healthier because they’re eating healthier / exercising more in an attempt to make up for socially disagreeable genetics?
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You know, when I was in high school I used to be naturally very thin (even though I ate a lot). I am talking about weighing around 51 kg to 1.73 m. Then unhealthy eating habits (lots of pasta and ice cream as a student) made me gain 12 kg or so (at some point I was 66 kg), and now I am back down to somewhere between 57-60 kg (more on the 60 kg side). This odious girl thing we do about obsessing with weight and wanting to be thin (that is for sure enhanced by the images and messages the media bombards us with) had me obsessing for a while to get my weight down to 55 kg (which I have never been able to, I also don’t diet, or go extreme, and I think I am in a healthy place right now, though yes I could eat less cookies, cakes and sugar filled stuff).
Anyhow, I wrote a post on the subject (here: http://poppiesandicecream.blogspot.nl/2011/10/girls-are-meant-to-be-curvy.html ) but what struck me the most while reading a book on nutrition and pre-pregnancy is this:
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“As a result of extensive research, fertility expert and Harvard professor Rose Frisch maintains that only 10 percent of women are fertile with a body mass index of 18. She says: ‘Many women who maintain body shape made popular on the catwalks throughout the world are completely infertile ‘. Even if you are underweight and still have periods, your diet can affect your fertility. This is because your body needs a sufficient intake of fat (albeit the right kind) to produce the hormones required for ovulation”.
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Do you realize? That means that 90 % of girls with a BMI of 18, which is supposed to be healthy (the low limit, but yes, healthy), who are having regular periods could be sub-fertile. Wow. Yay for the “happy weight”.
I think it is like always about balance, and *your* particular weight, where eating healthy , minimizing processed food, and where your body feels good is what we should be aiming for.
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Ahhh, I replied on your site Amanda, but it didn’t come through. You have always been naturally thin as far as I’m concerned and I hope you always will be! I’m almost sure now that “dieting” is what stops people’s bodies from being what they naturally should in any given circumstance. Just eat healthy things every day and be happy 🙂 And re: pre-pregnancy prep… 😀 😀 😀 I’m happy for you!
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Oh blogger, it keeps doing weird things :(. And yeah, you are so right, eat healthy and be happy. That’s key.
We’re hoping for a baby soon, wehave been at this for 2 years now with no luck so far, so we are currently getting some medical help and praying. Thanks !
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I’ll be praying for you too, then!
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