What's the deal with the "ideal weight" charts?

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  • bomftdrum
    bomftdrum Posts: 270 Member
    yarwell wrote: »
    http://www.bcbst.com/MPManual/HW.htm tables do have ranges and include 1" heels and indoor clothing.

    Even at those ranges, it is too low for my body type. I am a male, but my shoulders are wide and I have a fairly muscular build. I am 5ft 8 and anything under 190, I look like I need to eat a sandwich. I actually look sickly. These are good for a guide, but far from universal for people.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited June 2017
    yarwell wrote: »
    http://www.bcbst.com/MPManual/HW.htm tables do have ranges and include 1" heels and indoor clothing.

    I never realized about heels. I've seen that one (it would have been common when I was in school, but I know I remember a different one without the ranges that was 100+5 lb/inch, because I spent years, even in college, thinking I should be 115 or less so not to be "fat" at 5'3 (I was around 120-125). Anyway, it is sensible to my eye, and not much different from the BMI (it actually goes into what would be overweight by BMI for the large frame, at least for my height).

    It's certainly not what OP was referring to, as she said ideal weight for 5'4 was 112 in whatever that source was, and this one has the lowest weight for 5'4 as 114.
  • MOJayhawker
    MOJayhawker Posts: 8 Member
    I hear what you all are saying. I'm 5'7" and weigh 271. According to the "chart" I should weigh between 121 and 158. For the record I haven't weighed that since HS, over 35 years ago. Babies, bad eating habits and genetics caught up with me.
    I think the real measure of whether you are overweight is BMI. If you have a low BMI and weigh more, you should be okay as far as I can tell. (opinion here, I'm not a health professional) Don't rely on the charts or the calculators for that. Get it measured by a professional for an accurate reading.
    I'm 55 and I have issues with carbs, sugar and cholesterol. I got them under control, I'm eating eating better, exercise regularly, and I will tell the chart makers to kiss my a** because I'm healthy.
    Eat well, keep moving and loads of luck and well wishes to all!
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    MOJayhawker wrote: »
    I hear what you all are saying. I'm 5'7" and weigh 271. According to the "chart" I should weigh between 121 and 158. For the record I haven't weighed that since HS, over 35 years ago. Babies, bad eating habits and genetics caught up with me.
    I think the real measure of whether you are overweight is BMI. If you have a low BMI and weigh more, you should be okay as far as I can tell. (opinion here, I'm not a health professional) Don't rely on the charts or the calculators for that. Get it measured by a professional for an accurate reading.
    I'm 55 and I have issues with carbs, sugar and cholesterol. I got them under control, I'm eating eating better, exercise regularly, and I will tell the chart makers to kiss my a** because I'm healthy.
    Eat well, keep moving and loads of luck and well wishes to all!

    BMI is simply a calculation involving your weight and height, a doctor does not "measure" BMI. Following is a calculator:

    https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm

    Glad you are healthy now, but as I'm sure your doctor has told you being 100 pounds over your ideal body weight and/or a BMI over 40 is not good for long term health.

    Best of luck with your efforts.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Are you trying to figure out what goal to set?
    Starting at 183lbs I suggest setting an initial goal of losing 30-40 lbs and the seeing how you feel when you get there. Charts can give you an idea of where to aim but personal experience is better at choosing what is right for you.

    I am 5'4" and have weighed 100-180 lbs as an adult. I have a medium frame size. I am not athletic. Below 120 lbs was too thin for me. I felt and looked my best around 125 lbs (middle of the healthy weight range) and okay at the higher end of the healthy weight range. I am aiming for 125-145 lbs for my ideal weight.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2017
    TashaFat2Fit wrote: »
    Read that in your best Seinfeld voice..

    Here's my question, I'm 5' 4" currently weigh 183 pounds and the ideal weight charts online say I should weigh 112!!! Wha?? That's a 70 pound weight loss! How much stock have you put into those charts, and for those 5'4" ladies - What's a realistic "ideal weight"?

    No such thing as a universal ideal weight for a height. Muscle to fat ratio and bone structure play a huge roll in how you will look at certain weights.

    I'm 5'4.5"
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  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    edited June 2017
    MOJayhawker wrote: »
    I hear what you all are saying. I'm 5'7" and weigh 271. According to the "chart" I should weigh between 121 and 158. For the record I haven't weighed that since HS, over 35 years ago. Babies, bad eating habits and genetics caught up with me.
    I think the real measure of whether you are overweight is BMI. If you have a low BMI and weigh more, you should be okay as far as I can tell. (opinion here, I'm not a health professional) Don't rely on the charts or the calculators for that. Get it measured by a professional for an accurate reading.
    I'm 55 and I have issues with carbs, sugar and cholesterol. I got them under control, I'm eating eating better, exercise regularly, and I will tell the chart makers to kiss my a** because I'm healthy.
    Eat well, keep moving and loads of luck and well wishes to all!

    You're confusing BMI (Body Mass Index) with body fat percentage. Two completely different and unrelated things. BMI is a simple calculation derived from your height and weight, while body fat percentage is measured by various devices (DEXA scan, BodPod, hydrostatic weighing, skinfold calipers, etc.) which tells you what percentage of your body weight is fat. BMI is not related to actual body composition.

    Your BMI at 5'7" and 271 lbs. is 42.4, which classifies you (by BMI standards) as "Obese Class III", or "morbidly obese". But that doesn't tell anything about your actual body fat percentage.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    I'm half an inch shorter than you and my goal is 135 plus or minus five pounds. 112 isn't realistic for me at all but I have no interest in being super skinny I just want to be a healthy bmi.

    It comes down to your frame and happiness level.
  • dubstepvideobody
    dubstepvideobody Posts: 141 Member
    Dont look the charts, just lose the excess weight.You will know when it is enough. Also if you live in America and not in Europe(or even east Europe) chances are you will find the charts too low. In east Europe women are VERY thin compared to Americans, so the charts are sometimes high for young women :D speaking from experience. I come from a place where big sexy *kitten* are not very appreciated.
  • Lives2Travel
    Lives2Travel Posts: 682 Member
    At 5' 8", the "ideal" weight charts show a range of 138-164.4 lbs for a woman. That's a 26.4 lb swing. My goal has been 160, but maybe I need to adjust that lower. How depressing. :(
  • dubstepvideobody
    dubstepvideobody Posts: 141 Member
    Lives2Travel wrote: »
    At 5' 8", the "ideal" weight charts show a range of 138-164.4 lbs for a woman. That's a 26.4 lb swing. My goal has been 160, but maybe I need to adjust that lower. How depressing.

    The charts are not that wrong. I thing the ideal weight is in the lower part of the middle of a chart.

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