KG, LBS....what the heck!

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  • runlaugheatpie
    runlaugheatpie Posts: 376 Member
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    i live in another country (originally from the US) and had to learn the metric system a long time ago. I think most of the world is on the metric system! I remember learning it in around the 3rd or 4th grade and then we were told that this was the system we were going to use... only to find out in school the next year we'd switched back!
  • mmk137
    mmk137 Posts: 833 Member
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    double it and add 10% to get lbs

    halve it and subtract 10% to get kg's, that's what I do.

    you get use to it
  • princessd3b
    princessd3b Posts: 130 Member
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    I actually see more lbs than kg around here in MFP. ;) I guess a bit of math knowledge is required to do the conversion. Some people prefer using lbs/ kg because the value to them speak volumes. Just depends on what system you are used to. :)
  • nosugarcoating
    nosugarcoating Posts: 194 Member
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    Most of the world uses the metric system. I think it is pretty much only the US and the UK that still use pounds (and the UK have stones too). I am German so the metric system is what I grew up with but I understand pounds perfectly fine.

    I use Google to convert. If you type into Google '5 lbs in kg', Google will do the conversion for you. Even easier than using a conversion site.
    It also converts other stuff, fl.oz. to ml, oz. to gr. Fahrenheit to Celsius, ft to cm, etc.
    Please note that it is impossible to convert cups to anything without specifying what the thing is, we don't use volume for measuring food. Some websites will tell you conversions for common ingredients - but with flour for example, it depends on which type flour you're using as they don't have the same density. (It makes no sense if you ask me because it is really inaccurate for anything but liquids and very finely ground things such as sugar, flour etc.) Just get a kitchen scale, and believe me, you'll never want to go back.

    When my weigh-ins post on MFP, I always make a comment below it where I convert the numbers (weight lost since last weigh-in and total weight lost) into pounds for my American and British buddies.
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Another one who just converts it.

    I usually put both on just for ease. I'm doing the conversion anyways (another site I visit I'm the one of three Aussies. It's just easier for me to convert then to expect them to do it) No skin off my nose!
  • Visser1971
    Visser1971 Posts: 131
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    I must say that when I want to feel good, I convert to LBS! :-) Made it to 30 lbs lost recently, and that just sounds so dull in kilos (about 14), but in pounds it is an awesome feeling!

    :-) Christy
  • LooseWheel
    LooseWheel Posts: 211 Member
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    Being Australian I guess I like being 73 kgs rather than 160 pounds lol ;)
  • shakybabe
    shakybabe Posts: 1,578 Member
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    I've only just mastered the fact that 14lbs = 1 stone! ... don't confuse me with Kg!! :noway:

    In stones you'd only be 11 (@160lbs) .. much smaller number! :wink: (well actually 11 st 6 lbs)
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    Well, being from the UK, but having watched 10 series of the US Biggest Loser and 4 series of the Australian BL, i can convert anything into st and lbs now :D
  • MusicKeepsMeSane
    MusicKeepsMeSane Posts: 309
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    It confuses me too, i can't stand metrics, haha. most of the world uses kg and stuff, the US is like the only place who hasn't switched to metrics yet. so good! but whether someone's lost 1 lb. or 1 kg. it's all the same to them. one lost is one lost. all i notice is that the person has lost weight and that's good enough for me!
  • debs6
    debs6 Posts: 232 Member
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    Converting between imperial and metric is one of the advantages of being 55 here in Australia. As I child - up to the age of 10, we used the imperial system here as well- then in 1966 we made a full conversion to metric. They started teaching metric probably a year or so earlier- so lucky for me I am really comfortable with either imperial or metric. As others have said, it is not complex and once the the concept of the two systems is clear in you head - the conversions are easy. I think other posters are correct in saying that there are not too many places left in the world that use imperial other than the USA and England. The reason that so many people use pounds on this site reflects the large number of members from the USA.

    As many others have said - the conversion is so simple 1K =2.2lbs

    One thing that surprised me in this thread is the use of stones- I would have assumed that like in England, the USA would use stones and ounces etc. One of the posts implied that this isn't the case. Can someone please comment on and clarify this- purely out of curousity
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
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    I'm going to start announcing weight loss in milligrammes in future.

    "X has lost 453,592mg since his last weigh in. He has lost 21,133,210mg so far". (It sounds a lot more than X has lost 1 lb since his last weigh in. He has lost 51 lb's so far) :laugh:
  • nosugarcoating
    nosugarcoating Posts: 194 Member
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    One thing that surprised me in this thread is the use of stones- I would have assumed that like in England, the USA would use stones and ounces etc. One of the posts implied that this isn't the case. Can someone please comment on and clarify this- purely out of curousity

    They use ounces but not stones.
  • Nikki582
    Nikki582 Posts: 561 Member
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    Being Australian I guess I like being 73 kgs rather than 160 pounds lol ;)
    Yes, but I'd rather say I've lost 8lb than 4kg :p
  • nosugarcoating
    nosugarcoating Posts: 194 Member
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    That's a shame because 4kg is more than 8lbs. :p
  • TrillianJones
    TrillianJones Posts: 14 Member
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    Even though I'm in the UK and we tend to use stone (which is nice as it's a good 'about' measurement - not too precise!), I record my weight in kg as I have less of an emotional relationship with it - I'm not yearning to get to such-and-such stone, I just see the numbers go down.

    It's really confusing here in the UK - we're taught everything in school in the metric system, but we still use miles on all our road signs (but learn stopping distances in metres when learning to drive), weigh ourselves in stone and drink beer in pints. Go figure :-\
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,714 Member
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    I honestly wish we were raised on the metric system. It's much easier to convert by powers of 10 then to do all the English conversions. How many ounces in a pound? 16. How many ounces in a cup? 8.
    It's much easier to convert metric.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,714 Member
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    Even though I'm in the UK and we tend to use stone (which is nice as it's a good 'about' measurement - not too precise!), I record my weight in kg as I have less of an emotional relationship with it - I'm not yearning to get to such-and-such stone, I just see the numbers go down.

    It's really confusing here in the UK - we're taught everything in school in the metric system, but we still use miles on all our road signs (but learn stopping distances in metres when learning to drive), weigh ourselves in stone and drink beer in pints. Go figure :-\
    Damn kings back in the day used there body parts as measurements!
  • jfinnivan
    jfinnivan Posts: 360 Member
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    For the extremely lazy, you can use google to search for this: " 5 lbs to kg" and it will give you the number. Don't be afraid of the maths!
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
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    What intrigued me was the mass use of grams for macros by americans. I didn't think you guys knew anything abour them: p

    At least we all use the same for bf% :)

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