Is there such a thing as an ideal weight?

Almost everyone arrives at the clinic with a number in mind. It is usually the weight they had at twenty, or the one that appears in a table online. It is worth reviewing where that number comes from.

BMI is a compass, not a map

Body mass index is useful for populations but very crude for individuals: it does not distinguish muscle from fat, nor take into account where fat accumulates. A very muscular person can come out as «overweight» and someone with a normal BMI can carry a significant excess of fat.

What really matters

Body fat percentage, waist circumference and the evolution of your metabolic markers — glucose, insulin, lipid profile, blood pressure — say far more about your health than the number on the scale.

A realistic and useful goal

In most cases, losing between 5 and 10% of your weight already produces clear improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, joint pain, sleep apnoea and quality of life. That is the first reasonable target; from there we reassess.

Your healthy weight is your own

There is no universal ideal weight. There is a weight at which your body works well, your test results follow and you can sustain your habits without suffering. That is the one we define together in consultation.