How to find your 'happy' weight
There’s so much pressure to be the ‘correct’ weight. But what if it’s making us less healthy? It’s time to embrace a much gentler, simpler approach to weight where you don’t have to look perfect in order to be healthy - or happy.
What is your happy weight?
Your happy weight probably isn’t the same as your goal weight. And it’s unlikely to be the same weight you were during school or on your wedding day. Or when you lost all that weight on that gruelling cabbage diet you were so committed to (but ultimately couldn’t stick to). What a surprise! Your happy weight isn’t about fitting into a smaller size of clothes.
For me, a happy weight is where you and your body functions at its best. It’s the weight where your hormones are balanced, your body is strong and your mood is stable.
Your happy weight is where you fall asleep easily, you have boundless energy and your mind is free to think about things other than macros, calories or reps at the gym. It’s the weight where your body naturally wants to be when you’re doing healthy things and you feel good in yourself.
And of course, your happy weight is where you feel comfortable in your skin.
Finding your happy weight
If you are looking for the answer to “How much should I weigh?”, scrap the BMI.
History lesson alert: The body mass index was invented by a statistician, not a medical professional, Adolphe Quetelet nearly 200 years ago. He developed an equation of height (m)2/weight (kg) to assess population health trends, not individual health. As such, BMI doesn’t take into account muscle mass, age, sex, fitness, race, or any other metric. In other words, it has absolutely no way of measuring your wellbeing.
Then how can we measure health?
Of course, health is different for all of us including those with different abilities. So a good doctor will take into consideration you as a whole person instead of looking at a measure as arbitrary as height and weight. And it’s a really good idea to find a GP who can help you track and care for your health with other metrics.
Some things to consider include how much energy you have, blood test results, your mental wellbeing and simple movement metrics like being able to keep up with your kids.
It's time to scrap the idea of a perfect, healthy weight - and embrace your happy weight instead.
For me? I won’t ever have a perfectly flat stomach or be cellulite free. I have accepted I won’t ever be a supermodel and I’m OK with that. I’m comfortable in my skin and I wake up with energy. Of course, do all the healthy things that make you feel great but forgive your body when it doesn’t ‘look perfect’.
After all, it’s not worth sacrificing 95% of your life to weigh 5% less. Ditch the idea of a ‘perfect weight’ and choose to be healthy enough to live your best life.
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Reviewed by the healthylife Advisory Board May 2022
Lyndi Cohen is one of Australia's most trusted dietitians (APD) and is a member of the healthylife Advisory Board. She's also the creator of Back to Basics, an app to help you be healthy without dieting. It takes the guesswork out of choosing what's for every night and helps you ditch yo-yo dieting. You'll get quick and deliciously simple recipes inside a flexible meal planner to make planning, shopping, and cooking a breeze. Plus, access to enjoyable workouts and expert mindset tips by qualified health experts to help you stay on track. And it's pregnancy and postnatal-friendly. Start your free 7-day trial today.