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First normal BMI!

17 replies15 peopleJul 23, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

what does it feel like to finally hit a normal BMI after long weight loss struggles with stalls and fluctuations

The original poster shares excitement at seeing a normal BMI reading for the first time after years of ups and downs, stalls on medication, and ineffective deficits. Others respond with congratulations while noting BMI limitations and past experiences with it in military or personal goal setting. Several mention similar milestones or ongoing stalls, and the group agrees the achievement feels validating despite BMI's known flaws.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Some participants call BMI outdated and misleading for muscular builds while others still set goals around it and celebrate crossing into the normal range

Still open

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Nothing here is advice.

17 replies · 15 people
CopperSparrow21archiveopening postJul 23

After years of fighting my weight with occasional use of certain compounds my size has gone up and down repeatedly. Getting happy about a lower number on the scale only to check BMI and still land in the overweight zone happened over and over. Plateaus lasting months showed up even with regular doses outside any building phase and tracking calories in large deficits sometimes changed nothing. This morning the number from my scale finally produced a normal BMI result for the first time and that never happened even around age nineteen. BMI has its problems but the result still felt good. Keep going with the plan.

LevelTimber10archiveJul 23

Nice work reaching that point it feels huge when it finally happens. That goal mattered a lot to me too and you should feel really good about it.

CopperSparrow21archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @LevelTimber10

Appreciate it I do feel good about it. I bought new jeans too soon though so now I am dealing with pants that are way too big again until I decide to spend on a full new set of clothes.

AmberCinder18archiveJul 23

Well done that is really great to hear.

WarmCompass44archiveJul 23

Good on hitting the target but BMI numbers have been considered outdated for a long time. Plenty of bodybuilders end up labeled overweight on it. Back in the Navy plenty of fit people got taped because their BMI put them outside the allowed range even though they were in solid shape.

CopperSparrow21archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @WarmCompass44

I still came out ahead of the rules anyway.

RustBramble70archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @CopperSparrow21

That is a pretty good issue to run into.

SteadyTimber49archiveJul 23

That is great I felt the same excitement when I reached average BMI even after complaining earlier that the whole BMI system is pointless.

PatientCinder69archiveJul 23

Well done that is excellent news.

RustBeacon82archiveJul 23

Good job that counts as a real step forward. My own target weight was set using the BMI chart.

AmberSignal47archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @WarmCompass44

How many people here actually lift seriously enough to count as bodybuilders though.

KeenPebble54archiveJul 23

Happy to see it you earned that result through effort and it is a solid achievement.

WarmCompass44archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @AmberSignal47

Did you miss the other point I made it applies more broadly. For instance at five foot eight the chart calls one hundred seventy pounds overweight yet the typical weight for men that height in the country sits around one hundred eighty to one hundred ninety.

ClearAnchor99archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @CopperSparrow21 (opening post)

That is really great to hear congratulations. You must be thrilled with the update. I am looking forward to being able to share something similar in about a year and a half this kind of update gives real motivation to keep going.

BluePebble50archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @CopperSparrow21 (opening post)

Good to read updates like this it helps me right now. I have been stuck for the last few weeks and that starts to affect your head. You can end up overthinking and trying extra changes with doses or cutting intake even more than needed.

PatientPebble79archiveJul 23

Back when I was younger insurance tables set the healthy weight bands by height and gender with examples like one hundred thirty nine to one hundred sixty nine for a five foot eight man. Current BMI puts the healthy zone at one hundred twenty two to one hundred sixty four for anyone that height. A recent thread showed many people choosing goal weights based on BMI and quite a few seemed to land at or below one hundred sixty four. I chose one hundred sixty as my first target for the same reason. It is odd how we often say BMI is not ideal yet still use it to pick targets. Anyway reaching the official healthy range is still a positive step.

IronLantern24archiveJul 24

Well done on the progress.

IronFenwick84archiveJul 24

Congratulations this marks a real achievement.

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