Your ideal weight might make you look ill ?

Prahasaurus

But is 'overweight' a medical descriptor or a perspective-descriptor? The other thing that is rarely acknowledged by proponents of BMI is that those charts have been adjusted downwards several times as the World Health Organisation extended its' reach to populations with typically-smaller frames, often of Asian or Continental Indian ethnicity. Inevitably, that pushes more Caucasians and other typically-larger framed populations into the 'overweight' category... Seems to me there's little point in measuring 'say a Malaysian and a Norwegian against the same scale - the two typically have genetically very different frames and body-compositions, and the averages within those two populations as a whole are likely to reflect that.

You can easily adjust BMI numbers to better reflect demographics (European versus Asian, for example). Also agree, as someone noted, that "healthy" is more important than actual weight. It's just that thin people are typically (but not always) more healthy. On average, they certainly live longer...

--P

AnvilHead

According to BMI measurements, the target weight range for my height (6'6") is 160-216 lbs. At 170-175 lbs. in high school, I looked emaciated - visible ribs and arms like toothpicks. I've gone as low as 212 lbs. as an adult and had several friends ask me if I was sick, comment that I looked too thin, etc. - but I was not lifting weights during that time period, so lost a lot of LBM and was skinnyfat. I'm aiming for 215 this time, but have incorporated weight lifting and adequate protein intake to optimize fat loss and preservation of LBM, shooting for somewhere around 15-16% BF (currently 233 lbs. at ~23-24% BF). My goal weight will put me at a BMI of 24.8 - *barely* into the "Healthy" BMI range. The scale and BMI are not my ultimate measuring stick - I'm relying more on the mirror and BF measurements, so my goal weight may change according to how things shape up along the way. I certainly don't consider "ideal weight" as any kind of accurate indicator - I'd look vastly different at 215 lbs. and 15% BF than I would at 215 lbs. and 30% BF. Weight alone doesn't tell the story.

meeka472

I think those scales are just a guideline. According to the BMI chart I am at the top end of of ideal weight range. I'd initially set my goal weight for the middle of my ideal weight range but seeing how I look at my current weight I think I'll try for a couple pounds lower than where I am and call it good. I think at my age it is best that I not try to lose too much more weight or I will look sick.

TinaS88

I am 5'5 1/2" My ideal weight is 125. I wouldn't mind adding a few more lbs. for muscle.

HeatherNicoleMomOf4

I found this website -- and I think I agree with the medical recommendation - but the higher end of the medical recommendation.

http://www.halls.md/ideal-weight/body.htm

Seriously though, if muscle weighs more than fat, shouldn't we all (including the government regulations that will come into play now) be more concerned with the fat ratio instead?

this was cool

gjulie

Hi Ive given this a lot of thought recently Im 5 ft 2 ins so Im supposed to be about 110 lbs for heavens sake I lost alot of weight years ago and reached 9 stone or 126 lbs I looked miserable it just didnt work for me at this stage Im 145 lbs and would love to reach 136 and I would be happy out with that,Im not too worried right now how fast or slow it comes off Ill keep working at it but If I reached my so called ideal weight I think Id be half dead.

fay_pigu

BMI is such a wide range but think I'll be in there some place in the middle. I seem to be uniquely average here :happy:

I am using BMI as a guide for targets but won't use it as an end goal, that'll be where I think I'm okay size and fitness wise.

AwesomePossum82

I'm 5'6". They say my ideal weight is 117 Not for me!!!! I am muscular, so I will weigh more than that. I'm shooting for 130-135lbs. I may feel AWESOME at a slightly higher or lower weight. It all depends. I'm definitely not striving for 117 though. I also lift....I know I will end up looking great at more than 117.

MsNewBooty83

im almost at my goal weight of 143lbs. i think im going to shoot for 136 (which would make it 10lbs more to go). i already have people telling me i look 'sick'. BUT im doing this whole thing slowly and as healthfully as i can. im NOT starving, i work out alot, but i enjoy it as a hobby now. i followed a link that was put up by someone on here yesterday and it said i have a lower bmi than 63% of women in my country. im feeling pretty good about that lol. i think that idea of looking sickly does come from the national averages being so damn high nowadays! because im definitly not gross looking, i dont think, lol... and i can afford to safely lose a few more pounds, i will be building more muscle too and improving my overall health. cant argue that!

oh heres the link... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18770328

birdieaz

I was always tiny growing up even into my mid twenties but very athletic and healthy. My ideal weght now is a bit higher but still on the low end of the charts. However my frame is small and im short. Honestly there will always be people who need to add their two cents about your weight so worry only about how you feel and pay no mind to opinion.

cara4fit

Overweight to obese has become the "new normal" in this country, along with the fact that people in general are larger, even if they are not overweight. In such a social climate, someone who merely gets down to what would be a normal(not too skinny, not too fat)weight for their particular body is seen as "skinny", or worse yet, people accuse one of having an eating disorder these days. I've been the recipent of being called "skinny" myself. I'm just under 5'5" at 118 with a very petite bone structure(not Asian)and I don't consider myself "skinny" at all. In fact, I feel best and look great at least 6 pounds(preferably 8) lighter. When I'm down that low, any extra on the tummy is gone, the hallmark of whether one is lean or not. But I know it's different for everyone, factoring in size of bones, general body type, and other things.

Lady_Bane

People say my weight now is too light....I think I look healthy and not frail :P

BeckyLH

The top end of my ideal weight band is 147lbs, I will be happy somewhere between 154 and 161.

krisiepoo

The ideal weight for my height is quite a varied number, I've chosen the higher end because I'm "big boned" and I plan to be muscular by then ;-)

susiebear29

I have in the past got down to an ideal weight and people have said I look ill but I think I look lean and feel alot better, I would like to get there again as I don't really care what they say as it is my body and IF and only IF my doctor says I need to increase my weight then I will, till then ill keep doing what I am.

^^^THIS^^^^ it's my body and it's up to me and only me what weight i feel comfortable at, unless i am damaging my health and then that would be a different story!!

petite_boleyn

I'm 5'1, and according to the height/weight chart, my ideal weight is anywhere between 115-129. Anything lower than 125 though and I start to look kinda gross.

My goal weight for years has always been 102, but I finally came to the conclusion that that is entirely too low, and dangerous for my frame. So I decided on 120-125 for now. Seems a little healthier.

delaney056

I think it depends on your frame and your genes. My mom is 5'1, and when she got down to 115 pounds after gastric bypass surgery (she used to weigh 270), she looked horrible.
I'm 4'11, 122 pounds. My goal, for now, is 120 pounds. All I can say is be in the healthy weight range according to your frame and height, whether it's at the low end or high end. Whatever weight you feel comfortable at, as long as it's healthy, is fine.

Charloo1990

My healthy weight range is 112lbs - 140lbs and im 5ft3. Im currently 144lbs and don't consider myself to look over weight what so ever even though i am technically classed as 4lbs over weight.
My lowest weight was 124lbs and it's funny cause thats slap bang in the middle of my healthy weight range but all my friends and family kept lecturing me saying i looked too thin and need to put weight on ect, my family especially said i look ill, even my sister said i looked anorexic....whattt!!! I know 124lbs for someone of 5ft3 might sound like you wouldnt look too think but i have big boobs to account for, they must weight quite a bit ha,

Molly_Maguire

I know what you mean. According to my height, (5 ft) weight calculators say my ideal height is 106. Well, let me say that the lowest I've ever been since high school was 108, and I looked SKELETAL. No boobs, scrawny arms, protruding hip bones and everything. I weigh 124 right now, and I think if I weighed any less than 115 I would lose all my adult curves and just start looking like an underfed 7th grader. So you should never go 100% off what those things say.

delaney056

I'm 5'1, and according to the height/weight chart, my ideal weight is anywhere between 115-129. Anything lower than 125 though and I start to look kinda gross.

My goal weight for years has always been 102, but I finally came to the conclusion that that is entirely too low, and dangerous for my frame. So I decided on 120-125 for now. Seems a little healthier.

Exact same thing happened to my mom. My ideal weight for my height ranges anywhere from 90-123 pounds. I think I would look horrid if I weighed 90 pounds.