If muscle weighs more than fat...

[itself]

Scales are evil! I never weigh myself! I've been in a size 8/10 forever. When I started lifting weights 20 years ago, I put about 15 pounds on. At 5'5 135lbs, I am quite muscular, and am surprised at 50 that I really have not lost as much as the stats all predict. I guess I have good muscle memory.

Remember, muscle BURNS fat. Weight lifting is of huge benefit to woman as it can ward off osteoporosis. Weight lifting is an impact activity like hiking. This is why I do not exclusively focus on cycling, as it is non-impact.

If you FEEL good, that is all that matters!

[ultraviolet]

Just echoing what others have said about BMI. It really isn't the best measure of how healthy you are or aren't. It's a statistical measure meant to be applied to large populations, not to analyze individuals.

In my case, I recently had a DEXA scan to measure my body composition. From that I learned that, assuming no loss of lean body mass, even getting down to 18% body fat (in the "Athletic" range for women by most measures), I would still be categorized as Obese. I wouldn't get myself out of that category until getting down to 13.5% body fat, dipping close to the Essential Fat level and probably not very sustainable/comfortably livable. Even then, my BMI would still be 29.8...so just barely out of BMI's Obese category.

I'm not suggesting that my situation is the norm (at all). I realize that I'm something of an anomaly--with my big bones, big muscles and average height (just under 5'5"). I'm just pointing out that BMI is not the end-all be-all of body measurement or analysis.