What's Your Ideal Body Weight?
There are several ways to determine whether it would be beneficial for you to lose weight (or gain weight). Over the years, I have collected a variety of "tests." Try one or try them all. There is quite a bit of variance in results. Pick the one that seems most appropriate for your body type (body frame).
Before you go any further, don't let any of these formulas or "conclusions" upset you. They're just numbers to guide you in creating a healthy plan. First and foremost, love your body, all of it. Next, follow a balanced, healthful diet and exercise plan to keep your body healthy.
Look at yourself in the mirror and take a visual appraisal. Look good? A little rounder than you'd like? This isn't scientific, but it may be the only assessment you need.
The Pinch Test - Grasp the skin at the side of your waist and measure the fold--if it's more than an inch, it's excess fat.
The Jump Test - This is another "honest" test. Stand in front of a full-length mirror and jump (stop laughing). Anything that shakes (that shouldn't) is fat. This test should make just about anybody laugh!
Women: Count 100 pounds for your first 5 feet of height, then add 5 pounds for each additional inch. (Example: 5' 3" = 115 pounds).
Men: Count 106 pounds for your first 5 feet of height, then add 6 pounds for each additional inch.
Why are the numbers for men higher? Muscle weighs more than fat and men typically have more muscle than women. If you're short, I'm not sure what the correct formula is, so choose one of the other options.
Waist-to-Hip Ratio--to evaluate your risk of developing disease based on your fat distribution.
Measure your waist at the navel, then your hips at the greatest circumference around the buttocks.
Divide the waist measurement by the hip size.
This is your waist-to-hip ratio.
A ratio greater than 1.0 for men and 0.8 for women indicates an increased cardiac risk. Ideally the circumference of a man's waist shouldn't exceed that of his hips; a woman's waist should measure no more than 80 percent of her hips. For example, a woman who has a waist measurement of 28 inches and a hip measurement of 38 inches has a waist-to-hip ratio of 28 divided by 38 or 0.74. Since this is less than 0.8, it is a healthy ratio.
Men, take your height in inches, multiply it by 4 and then subtract 128; women, take your height in inches, multiply it by 3.5 and then subtract 108. (For example: if a man is 5 feet and 8 inches tall, he should multiply 68 by 4, which is 272, and then subtract 128 to get an ideal weight of 144 pounds). This formula allows for 15-19% body fat for men and 18-22% body fat for women. If you have large bones, you should add 10% to your ideal weight.
The Wellness Encyclopedia comments that standard height/weight tables do not take important factors into consideration: family history, race, age. A more recent way to define overweight is to measure the proportion of fat in the body, but this is difficult to do accurately.
The new standard for assessing excess body fat and obesity is called body mass index or BMI.
It's simple to use, applies to both men and women, and correlates better with body fat than weight or weight/height measures. BMI more accurately predicts health risks such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes that are associated with overweight and obesity.
To determine your BMI:
Multiply your weight in pounds by 705.
Multiply your height in inches by itself.
Divide the first number by the second.
Example:
150 lbs x 705 = 105,750
66" (5'6") x 66 = 4,356
105,750 / 4,356 = 24 (healthy weight)
Use your BMI to find your general weight category on the chart below:
BMI
Weight Category
<18.5
Underweight
18.5-24.9
Healthy weight
25-29.9
Overweight
30-34.9
Mildly obese
35-39.9
Moderately obese
40>
Extremely obese
If you determine that you are over fat, consider working with a dietitian or other health professional to design a program that is moderate, supports your nutritional needs, and is possible to stick with.
A healthy eating plan should feel right. It should "make sense." It should be do-able. Exercise is a critical component of any healthy body plan.