"healthy weight" versus "ideal weight" ranges

Kara_xxx

Has anyone ever looked at the difference between the scores for "healthy weight" versus "ideal weight"?

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/body_weight/healthy_weight/chart.htm

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/logout/news_features/idealweight.htm
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/idealw.htm

As you can see the range for "ideal" is much narrower than for "healthy".

At 5'6" my "healthy" range is between 122 pounds and 155 pounds, but the "ideal" weight range is between 116 pounds and 147 pounds.

So I weighed this morning, happy to have lost another 2.4 pounds (now 16lb down) and at 156lb just a pound away from being in the "normal" range again... or so I thought... until I saw the ideal range which suggests I am overweight until I get to 147 pounds?

What do you go by? Healthy or ideal?!

HannahsReturnToFitness

I was looking at the difference only yesterday.

I personally go for healthy. I'm 5"6, 145.5 lb and have a BMI of 23.38 at the minute.

Ideal weight varies from website to website. On some I am under my "ideal" weight but on others they recommend an ideal weight of around 133lbs.

I think we have to listen to our bodies and what we see in the mirror. For me personally, I believe anything less than 140lb would not be right for me. At 133lb I would be all bone and not much else!

Healthy weight is the way to go!!

Kara_xxx

I was a little taken aback by the suggestion if 116 pounds at the low end of "ideal". My lowest racing weight was around 125 pounds and I was starting to look a bit gaunt. God knows what I'd look like at 116 pounds at my height. :noway:

MonkeyBars

body type does mess with the numbers, you need to address your skeletal muscle vs your frame. The scaffolding makes a difference with how much meat you can pack on it

I think some body builders can look fantastic, others look ridiculous. You need to see what looks right for you

Composition makes a difference, but I too suffer from gaunt mode if I go below 80kgs (187cm). My face loses too much!

Experiment, use the mirror, take photos (we look different in photos compared to the mirror)!

Try a weight for 4-6 weeks, see how it feels, is it strong, comfy, sporty?

ms_walker

Just had a look at that first ideal weight chart and have to say its a bit ridiculous. At my lowest weight of 65kg (172cm) my doctor told me not to lose anymore and my pelvic bones stuck out and hurt if a bag bounched against them. According to that chart even at that weight I'm above my "ideal weight". BMI isn't great, but it way better than whatever calculation or resource they've used.

TinaDay1114

I was a little taken aback by the suggestion if 116 pounds at the low end of "ideal". My lowest racing weight was around 125 pounds and I was starting to look a bit gaunt. God knows what I'd look like at 116 pounds at my height. :noway:

I agree -- on these charts, I'm ALWAYS listed as "overweight" or above normal, even now, at my low end (136 lbs. ) I don't think I've been below 135 since I hit puberty, so I can't imagine getting down to the "low" end of these charts -- 112!?!?! I think I'd look like a prison camp survivor. :noway:

vypeters

I think you and I are the same height, since I have those same ranges.

I'm large framed and look a little boney at 143. I'd actually like to get back closer to 150 except for the part about gaining back some of the weight I've lost being scary at this point. But if I do it slowly as I'm building muscle I think it'll be fine.

So I think it depends on your frame, your muscle mass and within the range of healthy I'd say some of it is preference.

jcpmoore

I don't even look at the lower end of those ranges anymore. I remember when 116 lbs was considered the low-end of normal for MY weight of 5'3". I was that weight and I looked scary. What on earth are they basing this on anyway? They used to base all the tables on men-I presume they've changed THAT at least by now. But really-check with your doctor for what's healthy for YOU. Not your weight- YOU.

beccarockslife

I was a little taken aback by the suggestion if 116 pounds at the low end of "ideal". My lowest racing weight was around 125 pounds and I was starting to look a bit gaunt. God knows what I'd look like at 116 pounds at my height. :noway:

Hahahaha I'm 5'6 and my lean body mass currently is 119 lbs

I guess you'd have to have a very small frame for 5'6 and 116bs.

blonde71

I used to be 113 lbs. at 5'6" and started looking sick almost. Now I'm at a healthier weight of 123 lbs. - still a bit light on paper but I feel much better and people tell me I look healthy again. I am small-framed so I can't imagine being on the high side of what's considered healthy for people at my height. I say, everyone's different - whatever works for you.

lauren3382

I don't really follow those things. I'm 119 at 5'6" and if you look at my pictures I don't look unhealthy (at least in my opinion). I guess I just have a pretty small frame. I'm working on muscle building and lifting heavy, so the scale has actually gone up a bit over the past couple months.

ninakir88

I'm 5'4 and 120 right now.
When I was 110, I looked unhealthy. 150-160 was too much.

marie_cressman

I am going by body fat percentage. I am already in the "normal" for my body fat percentage, but I am 30lbs over weight almost (I'm 183lbs). I am the same height you are and my ultimate goal weight is 160lbs. Now, that can change at any time, but as I get closer I'll decide if that is ok for me.

ninakir88

I don't really follow those things. I'm 119 at 5'6" and if you look at my pictures I don't look unhealthy (at least in my opinion). I guess I just have a pretty small frame. I'm working on muscle building and lifting heavy, so the scale has actually gone up a bit over the past couple months.

Nope, you look really healthy to me.

MSimm62385

Hmm looks like for men it shaves off the bottom half of "healthy" for the "ideal" chart. So the weight I've been shooting for meets both goals!

tas3980

I don't use either of these, except take a guide every now and then to see if my BMI is decreasing... while is good to use these as a "guide", everyone is different... different bone density/size, different shape etc etc so personally, I think it is dependent on how you feel at the weight you are, not the numbers dictated in a generic chart.

I am 167 (or just under 5'6") as well but have large bones and an apple shape... being the suggested 50-69 kilos (112 - 151lbs) would make me look gaunt and sickly... around 80kgs (176lbs) is a good look on me (even if I say so myself) Just have 18 kgs to rekindle that happiness.

nancycola

Interesting. I was 110 in my early 20's and my Japanese boss told me I looked too thin. I thought that was a sign.
My mother would just about cry telling me I was wasting away. But she's melodramatic anyway.

I'm shooting for 115 which is just about 5 lbs. away. I've seen that my ideal weight is 110. I'm waiting to see what 115 looks and feels like before going lower.

Damn those last 10 lbs.!

laurasimmons

Wow I am surprised by the differences between the two. I would definitely go with the healthy weight chart.

chickentunashake

I was looking at the difference only yesterday.

I personally go for healthy. I'm 5"6, 145.5 lb and have a BMI of 23.38 at the minute.

Ideal weight varies from website to website. On some I am under my "ideal" weight but on others they recommend an ideal weight of around 133lbs.

I think we have to listen to our bodies and what we see in the mirror. For me personally, I believe anything less than 140lb would not be right for me. At 133lb I would be all bone and not much else!

Healthy weight is the way to go!!

I'm 5'6" and weigh 117 pounds. Am not bony at all, would say very muscular and lean. My pictures would show that to you. I was 136 pounds after my 6th child was born, and I looked overweight, for my standard anyways

chivalryder

I always feel as if the numbers on the scale don't mean a thing. What is MOST important is how much body fat you have, in relation to your overall weight (Body fat percentage, or BF%).

For men, you want to between 5 and 25% BF, women it's 13 and 32%. If you're in that range, you're fine, regardless of how much you weigh. Now, that low number is essential fats. To try to get to that point is EXTREMELY hard, and even elite athletes never strive to go that low. You do need SOME fat in your body, aside from the "essential fat."

I'm aiming for 21% BF right now, and will aim for 10-15%, once I've gotten serious about competing in marathons. At my current weight and BF%, 21% BF will put me at around 178 lbs. That's definitely at the high end of what is considered "healthy," but I have a large frame for my height. I have accepted that I will always be a heavy guy.

postrockandcats

I go by healthy. But, here's my thing- this is based off BMI which provides only a narrow view into healthy body weight. You can be a muscular 175 with 12% body fat, but if you're a certain height than you're overweight or obese. I only say this to point out that there are more factors out there to consider.

kgprice11

I go by healthy weight because the ideal weight it based on a very narrow set of body statistics that are very hard to maintain. I use the healthy weight range to track how my weight is fluctuating and to see whether my workouts are actually "working out" or if I need to step it up a notch.

WendyTerry420

I have a large frame. In high school, I was very fit. I ran about 3-5 miles, 3x a week, on top of soccer in the fall, basketball in the winter, track in the spring, and softball in the summer. I weighed 135 and looked and felt great! The charts had me on the low side of overweight and basically I just laughed because I knew that I was in excellent shape physically.

It is interesting that the first chart shows 135 in the healthy range. That has changed since the 80s. lol

My goal weight now is 150 pounds. If I go lower, that's fine, but I would be happy and comfy at 150, so long as I am physically fit as well. I want my gorgeous legs back. :happy:

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I was a little taken aback by the suggestion if 116 pounds at the low end of "ideal". My lowest racing weight was around 125 pounds and I was starting to look a bit gaunt. God knows what I'd look like at 116 pounds at my height. :noway:

LMAO at 116 lbs. I'm only 5'2 with a medium frame & currently weigh 55.3 kilos or 122 lbs. but I already look thin at this weight. Just a few months ago I weighed 53 or equivalent to 116 lbs. & at that weight I looked like a sickly person.

Sharyn913

116lbs at 5'6" ?? That seems low.

In high school, I had a mild ED, nothing too extreme but I got from 145lbs down to 116lbs and I'm 5'2" looking back at the pictures, that looked very unhealthy for my frame. I guess since we all have different bodies and shapes, different weights will look different on each of us!

sandiegosummer

I think this chart is aimed really low. I will admit I misread it at first and thought the mid range for someone my height (5'8) was 8 stone and I nearly died...but then i realized my eyes were playing tricks haha... but still 9 stone would make me personally look sick and weak... My goal has always been to be under 140lbs, just to be able to be in the 130 range, even if its 139.9lbs would be insane (in a great way!)

But more important than my weight are my measurements. I don't care if I weigh 155 if i can have a flat tummy and rocking legs!

Kara_xxx

Thanks everyone. I take on board what's been said about body frame and bone structure and the importance of measurements over scale.

One lady who said she's 116-117lb at 5'6" was indeed not looking unhealthy and was in awesome shape, probably thanks to the weight training too.

For the time being I'll just go with my original goal of getting back to 130lb and anything from there is a bonus. :drinker:

MuddyEquestrian

My "ideal" is a low of 115 at 5'4 ish. I was 122 previously and looked awful, you could see my ribs and hips easily and I just looked horrible. Now at 150 im "overweight" but am thinner than most people I know at my height and one doctor says im fine and another says I need to lose 20. My goal weight is 135-130. I think their "ideal" is off!

Ivana331

according to my BMI, I am in the healthy range, so I am going by ideal weight. I am 5'2" and weigh 128lbs now, I started at 133, but want to weigh 115, I also have a small frame and in high school weighed between 110-115 and I have looked at pictures and think I looked great! at 133lbs, I was looking quite plump and fat in the middle.