Your ‘best weight’ is the healthiest weight you can achieve and maintain while still enjoying your life.
It’s not about chasing a perfect number, but finding a sustainable, way of living that feels good. This weight reflects a lifestyle that supports your long-term health without being overly restrictive or exhausting.
“After bariatric surgery, I lost weight but regained some despite eating and moving the same. Obesity medications helped me maintain a steady weight and good blood results. I’m at my best weight.”
Weight is shaped by over 100 factors – biological, emotional, environmental and social.
– Your genes and weight history
– Hormones and gut bacteria
– Where you live, work or play
– Food marketing and portion sizes
– Your sleep, stress and emotional wellbeing
– Certain medications or medical conditions
– Life stages like pregnancy or menopause
– Culture, family habits and social norms
– Access to physical activity or nutritious food
– Income and time
You may be able to change some of these factors, but others are out of your control – and that’s okay. These things are part of who you are and your own unique story.
Our bodies are designed to resist weight loss. When you lose weight, your body fights back by:
This is your body trying to protect you. But in today’s world that’s full of processed junk foods and limited opportunities to move more, it can make managing your weight even harder.
When weight begins to affect your health or quality of life, it may be diagnosed as obesity. Obesity is not caused by laziness, poor choices or lack of willpower.
It’s influenced by:
– genetics
– hormones and metabolism
– the brain and nervous system
– environment
– social and economic factors
Obesity requires long-term care and support, just like other long-term (or chronic) health conditions. If you’ve lost and regained weight, you are not alone – this is a natural biological response.
“If people can understand that obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease that has multiple causes, they’ll seek help sooner. My daughter inherited my genes and attends a multi-disciplinary team. I am hoping this will mean she will not go through the stigma, shame and physical barriers that I have had from living with obesity from three years of age.”
Your weight includes fat, muscle, bone and organs. Together, these make up your body composition:
Your weight is just one piece of your health story – not the whole picture. For some, weighing themselves helps track progress. For others, it can feel unhelpful or even harmful. You get to decide what’s right for you.
“I was so focused on the number on the scale that I missed all the ways I was getting healthier.”
If stepping on the scale changes how you feel about yourself, or if it becomes the only way you measure progress, it may be helpful to shift focus to other signs of health and wellbeing – what we often call non-scale victories.
Real success isn’t about reaching a “perfect” weight – it’s about improving your health in ways that matter to you. That could mean you have more energy, better sleep, need to take fewer medications, or you start to feel more like yourself again.
“Having been put on a diet at age 7 to fit my communion dress, this began a lifelong journey of self-criticism which has been difficult to reverse. The psychological impact of excess weight needs to be addressed – the focus should not always be the number on the scales.”
Many ‘diets’ fizzle out quickly because they are too restrictive or unrealistic. Start with small, achievable goals. Even a modest weight loss of 5% over 3-6 months, if relevant and maintained, can benefit your:
But remember – not everyone needs to lose weight. If weight loss isn’t your goal, that’s okay too.
If you’re rethinking what progress means, consider these alternative health goals:
“Better sleep, fewer meds, more energy — that’s success too.”
Rather than chasing a number, ask yourself:
Try jotting down a few goals that excite or motivate you.
When used together, body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement can give a general sense of risk, but they don’t define your health.
BMI is a simple measure of weight relative to height. It doesn’t capture muscle mass, fat distribution or ethnicity-based risk.
Your waist measurement gives insight into visceral fat and heart health risk. For example, risk increases at waist sizes:
Waist measurement has some limitations though. For example, it is not accurate in women who are pregnant, children and people with an enlarged middle due to a medical condition.
Aim to keep your waist measurement to half your height. For example, if you are 170cm tall, aim to keep your waist measurement less than 85cm.
This video explains how to measure your waist and find out if it’s less or more than half your height.
People of Asian, Black African, African-Caribbean and Middle Eastern backgrounds may develop weight-related conditions at lower BMIs. For these groups:
“Many different things make you who you are. Every body is worthy of dignity and respect, regardless of shape or size.”
Many people have a poor understanding of what causes overweight and obesity. This means that people living in bigger bodies can be made to feel shame, guilt or anxiety because of their body size or shape.
Weight stigma is when people are treated unfairly due to their size. Weight stigma is not acceptable, but it still happens – in workplaces, schools, public places, families, the media, healthcare – even in children’s books. This can lead to:
Internalised weight bias (believing negative stereotypes about yourself) can make it harder to live a healthy lifestyle.
“I forced myself to see the Eagles live, even though I was terrified. I realised they wouldn’t sound better if I was thinner. I had stopped living.”
Many people have a poor understanding of what causes overweight and obesity. This means that people living in bigger bodies can be made to feel shame, guilt or anxiety because of their body size or shape.
Weight stigma is when people are treated unfairly due to their size. Weight stigma is not acceptable, but it still happens – in workplaces, schools, public places, families, the media, healthcare – even in children’s books. This can lead to:
Internalised weight bias (believing negative stereotypes about yourself) can make it harder to live a healthy lifestyle.
Learn about weight stigma and challenge common myths.
Don’t assume health, habits or abilities based on weight.
Focus on non-appearance-based compliments and language
Support policies that promote size inclusivity in workplaces, healthcare and public spaces.
Listen, challenge fatphobic comments and stand up against discrimination.
Reflect on and unlearn internalised weight stigma.
For example, ‘person with a bigger body’ instead of ‘obese person’.
“Weight stigma divides us, but kindness and education can unite us.”
Eating disorders and disordered eating are serious health issues that can affect anyone, regardless of body size, age or gender. These conditions often involve using food to cope with difficult emotions or stressful situations, and they can lead to significant mental and physical health risks, including heart disease.
If food feels like a source of distress, know that you’re not alone and support is available. Speak to your GP or visit BodyWhys.ie for trusted information and help.
“I thought I had to fix it alone – but therapy helped me change.”
Disordered eating includes a range of eating behaviours that may not meet the criteria for a diagnosed eating disorder but still impact your wellbeing. This might include:
Some common patterns include:
If you recognise any of these signs in yourself or someone you care about, please reach out. Help is available – you don’t have to face it alone.
2025-06-20