Jonesy, I absolutely agree with you that most women are not at their mental and emotional peak between the ages of 16 and 25. I'm also agreeing with you that youth is overrated, and I think I've said that clearly in all my posts on this thread. I often LIKE the look of facial lines and gray hair! I like my own face as much now as I did when I was a line-free 20-year-old! And I feel my best emotionally right at this very moment. However, I still say that we are at our physical peak between the ages of 16 and 25 -- our bones are their strongest, our muscle mass is at its highest, our reproductive systems are at their peak, our brains are at their fullest mass. What we lose in all these departments as we age is more than made up for in terms of wisdom and experience -- we can be awesome at any age. (This is the point you want to make, yes? And I'm with you on that).

We can still maintain very good physical strength through our 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond -- hey, I once had a 58 year old coworker who placed top in her age group in the Ironman! But the reality is, regardless of what our minds are doing, our bodies are at their peak in the age range I stated.

I've never watched my weight--but I observed it over the years. Weight has never been a problem for me. I observed I was 119lbs in my late teens, 132 in my twenties, 137 in early 30s then 145 when I first got pregnant at 33 with probably the most athletic bod I'd had since being a teen. Lost that pregnancy but got back on the horse and got preg ASAP again moving into the most weight I'd ever carried--I made it to withing a hair of 200--I wanted two hundred sooooo bad LoL even with Alex cooking an extra 10 days I didn't make it 200lbs--nether with the two subsequent pregnancies but settled at 174 post pregnancy for a few years, that is when I knew I had a teetering spot--if I went to 175/6 I had, what I called, a pear shaped pad of hardness that formed in my belly that I actually had to crease with my hand if I wanted to bend over and it hurt my gut and ribs-this was the first time weight (other than the muffin top) actually had me think about doing something so I just slowly over time reduces my intake and with the help of a few flus I lost the weight and settled back at 145 now I sit at 134 after two bad flus again this past winter, I watch again to see what happens--I expect that I will naturally return to 145. I loose weight all over so the boobs went with a good portion of the muffin top. All that to say that 175 is not my happy place \=+)

@Elly: are you studying Medical Anthro? Those were some of my favorite uni courses (Nutritional Anthro too) -- I still read a lot in that field. Good luck with your studies.

@Jonesy: I agree. My physical peak so far was when I was 25, but I hope to have another soon. I plan to have my mid to late 40s as the most awesome time of life.

Weight v. wrinkles: ironically, I've noticed a few wrinkles now that I am 60 pounds overweight (pretty sudden weight gain too). My face looks puffier too. I tend not to have too many wrinkles even in my 40s (Mediterranean descent), and b/c I color my greys, I look like I'm in my early 30s. Some people have told me that I will get more wrinkles if I lose the weight, which I still plan to do (including health reasons and feeling good). I'm not looking forward to the wrinkles, but many women I know consume and use (topically) essential fatty acids (EFAs) and that helps reduce the wrinkles they have. Rosehip oil is supposed to be awesome for wrinkles -- I used to buy Kosmea, and I found it help kept my skin youthful. Need to get some more soon.

One more point. If age is so much better than youth (in terms of how physically attractive we look), why do we all buy creams to stave off the wrinkles?

We can push ourselves to a peak of physical fitness at any age. Some gals never even try exercising until they're 40, and they're in the best shape of their lives in their 40s. However, I still maintain that the long slow decline begins at, well, let's say 30, to be absolutely fair. After that, to maintain muscle mass, bone density and endurance, you're fighting nature.

For what it's worth, it's true for men, too.

I do have an ideal weight, and it's not where I'm at now. Or really, more an ideal weight range and size/shape, as my weight fluctuates a lot throughout the month. Basically right now I wear mostly size 10 dresses or pants, and at my ideal weight I wear mostly size 8's, give or take.

My ideal weight means that I am somewhere in the middle of the "healthy" BMI range, still curvy, but a bit leaner & more toned than I am now. It also means that I can maintain that weight with a reasonable exercise schedule and healthy eating habits. I was at my ideal weight when I first started posting on the forum a couple years ago, and I'd like to be at or close to that weight a year from now. Little by little, I'm getting there - I am actually quite a bit lighter in terms of weight than I was on January 1, but it takes a significant weight loss before it is visibly noticeable on my body since I lose or gain pretty evenly.

Rosee-- former anthro student here, trying to decide what I want to do with it (or my other degree) for grad school. I particularly like to use the information on the paleolithic diet (from the experts, not the best seller weirdos) to convince people that red meat isn't evil-- it goes over big at my liberal arts college, LOL.

I definitely have my ideal weight range. I have found that there is a three pound weight range that I seem to be able to maintain by working out and eating reasonably, but not too restrictively. Going below that range requires more hard work (I already work out an hour a day, five days a week, and I don't want to increase that), and when I go above the range I feel like I look much bigger--that one extra pound looks like five on me for some reason.

I'm currently two pounds above the high point of my range, so I'm working on getting back to it. Several years ago I lost 35 pounds through diet, and loved the way I looked at my smallest, but it was just not reasonable to maintain the weight. If I could wave a magic wand I would be that skinner me, but I just can't live the rest of my life eating 1200 calories a day.

I think the quote about having to choose between your face and your butt as you age came from Catherine Deneuve. Apparently there is a study to back that up: http://www.lemondrop.com/2009/.....your-face/

YMMV, but here's a "happy weight" calculator from Self magazine:

http://www.self.com/calculator.....appyweight

Alicat, I just tried that happy weight calculator, and for me it was off by 13 lbs! That's a lot! If I were to put on 13 lbs, I would look awfully heavy for my height and build. It's a neat idea though. I think these sorts of calculators don't work very well because weight and general health/fitness are not all that closely related, especially at the lower end of the scale. So much of your weight depends on the mass of your bones and muscles, and this varies a lot between women of roughly the same height.

Alicat - so interesting! I've just tried my happy weight and it comes out at exactly the weight I was in my early and mid 20s - I never used to weigh myself regularly but whenever I did I was exactly that! I'm now hoping to get back to that weight, little by little. It will be interesting to see if I get there and if it does turn out to be my happy weight after all.

My Self Magazine "happy weight" is exactly the number I was at when my wrinkles were the worst. This would have worked perfectly when I was about 25, probably had more collagen in my skin and didn't show any wrinkles as I gained and lost weight.

I'm not a huge Gabor fan, but Zsa Zsa has at least one quote I like, "As a woman, you have to choose between your fanny or your face. I chose my face."

I'm pretty chubby cheeked, so I'm hoping to be able to have both!

Interesting... the happy weight calculator had me at 10 pounds heavier. I definitely would not be happy!

Interesting results on that happy weight calculator. It gave me a weight that is definitely not happy for me - several pounds too high. In fact, I'm a couple of pounds below that right now and still have a few more pounds to lose.

That calculator puts my happy weight at 20 pounds lighter than I am now. I'd love that, but I do wonder what I would look like.

It puts me at 26.3 lbs heavier--who wants cake??

Lately I have been thinking about it more in terms of body composition rather than weight. My weight has been relatively stable for a little while now, but my body fat percentage continues to drop. This has made me realize that I don't care at this point what the number is, but that I do care how I feel. I have yet to reach what I feel is a happy body fat %, so we'll see if I hit a point where I feel I've achieved it.

As a side note, losing weight has made the ridiculousness of clothing sizes even more obvious. I currently have clothes in my closet that fit me from size 2 to size 10.

I have also really been focused on my capabilities lately. I don't care if my scale says 140, or whatever number, but I do care that I am able to move and live my life and do things like skiing. So for me, maybe my happy number will actually wind up being a happy activity level.

Interesting that everyone's results were so different on the happy weight scale. It was spot on for me! I mean exactly where I want to be....10 pounds less than I am now.

I just tried the "happy weight" calculator, and I'm not sure exactly what I weigh today, but I think I have a ballpark idea. My "happy weight" is about 5-7 lbs lighter than where I think I am now. It's also about 5-7 lbs over where I thought I last looked really good, which was for my wedding 8 years ago.

I'm not terribly concerned with the numbers, just how I feel and how I look in the mirror.

I guess a lot of signs of aging are a result of genetics, but I really do wonder about the "ass or the face" tradeoff. My mom was slender her entire life, and right up to the day she died at age 80, she easily looked a good ten years younger in the face. Even in the hospital, people were asking my sister (who was 53) if our mom was her sister. I'm hoping to age so well!

I just tried the happy weight calculator - I think I'd be a little miserable. And naked, because not a single item in my wardrobe would fit.

Just read Steph's earlier comment stating that the quote came from Catherine Deneuve - I hope so - I like her so much more than Zsa Zsa

My happy weight is about 130lbs -- that was my happy weight for a long time, hopefully again soon. I'm still pretty happy but not about my weight. I wonder if I'll get new wrinkles if I go there again.

With the face or butt question: I think I would compromise and chose a little of both to look good. I think I'd live with a few wrinkles for 130.

The "happy weight" calculator puts me at 13 pounds lighter than I currently am (!); I'm pretty small already, and a while I plan to lose a few more pounds with my current health overhaul I certainly don't want to drop 13! Pretty sure that'd make me look sickly. I'm 500% with those who are willing to forgo being "ideal size" so I can continue to enjoy eating full-fat mayo, bacon, and cheese

That's funny -- the "happy weight" calculator puts me at from 2 to 10 pounds heavier than I am, depending on whether I tell it I have a small or medium frame. Crazy, man.

Lol, the happy weight calculator was spot on for me. It's exactly what I weigh as of last Tuesday. I guess that's about 10 pounds over my "ideal" body weight--makes me think I should just continue to hold the line!

Huh I didn't even think to try the medium frame Mary. Clever! That placed me at 7 pounds lighter than current which is closer to where I'm aiming but still too light imo. Not sure I'm medium in frame though

Wow, that happy weight calculator... I am currently 5 pounds over my happy weight, which turned out to be exactly the goal I've set. At my skinniest (in law school and depressed), I was 18 pounds below it, and I looked terrible. At 5 pounds below happy weight I felt really good and was in great shape.

Mine was based on medium frame. I'm afraid to calculate using the smaller frame option.

My happy weight was 14 pounds heavier than I am now--and that is close to what I have lost this last six months or so. I wasn't happy at that weight--most of it was around my middle. My doctor wouldn't be happy with it either. She gave me a gold store for losing it the last time I saw her.

I put in a small frame too. I have skinny bones.

I am still at least five pounds more than was my natural set point most of my life until I reached age 50. Two times in my life I went on diets to GAIN weight. The first, when I was a senior in high school and thought I was too skinny. I might have gained it anyway, but I did gain 5 lbs. The second was after my kids were born. For some reason I had a hard time gaining weight with pregnancy. I was too thin for a couple of years after my youngest was born, but gained when I was able to get out and exercise regularly. Oh, those were the days--many extra trips to the ice cream parlor and the donut store.

I'm much happier with my lower weight--I feel more like the real me. As for wrinkles, well, I try to always smile at the mirror and the camera and I don't notice them so much. I try never to have a photo taken side view. What I don't notice isn't there, right?

Haha, MsMaven, you're right -- if you don't focus on something, it's not a problem!

I'm a bit like you in that the "happy weight" that calculator gave me was way more than I am, and I swear, I don't diet and only do light exercise. I have small bones and not a lot of muscle mass in my top half. I'm happy and healthy at the weight I am now.

I did notice that after pregnancy (the first time), when I lost the humongous amount of weight I gained, my face did seem to suddenly have more lines. I think part of that was that a lot of the weight was in fact fluid (I was very puffy while carrying my daughter), and once she was out, things gradually deflated. I didn't notice any change at all in my face in the months after having my son, but then, I didn't puff up nearly as much with him. I guess the old wives' tale about a girl making you fat everywhere is sometimes true.

Happy weight calculator was perfect for me. It is within a pound or two of the weight that my body has maintained for the most part since my senior year of high school. If I put in small frame (which IDK, I have very broad shoulders but am otherwise pretty delicate for being as tall as I am) it puts me at my high school weight. I have been down that low since becoming an adult, but it didn't feel good.