Height Question

llbrixon
llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My height originally is 5'6"....with age, I have lost 3 inches, so now I am 5'3"

Do I look at 5'6" or 5'3" for recommendations for weight suggestions? Just curious....Not that it matters, just really curious.

Replies

  • amyk0202
    amyk0202 Posts: 666 Member
    5'3", Since that is your current height.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited April 2016
    I would go by 5'3.
    Make sure your multivitamin has 50% of calcium. Also contains magnesium, boron, and vitamin D.
    I track my calcium, you can look at my open diary.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • chulipa
    chulipa Posts: 650 Member
    Ask your doctor what hight she would use when shes calculaing your bmi
  • kalm3
    kalm3 Posts: 67 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    You're still 5'6", sort of. Gravity just compresses the vertebra over time. Unless you lost your feet, I'd go by your original height.

    :D
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    Noel_57 wrote: »
    You're still 5'6", sort of. Gravity just compresses the vertebra over time. Unless you lost your feet, I'd go by your original height.

    True. Your overall structutre is the same, just your spine is shorter. Also the calculator already acounts for age. But I'm not sure which to use still. It's kind of confusing.

  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    My height originally is 5'6"....with age, I have lost 3 inches, so now I am 5'3"

    Do I look at 5'6" or 5'3" for recommendations for weight suggestions? Just curious....Not that it matters, just really curious.

    I'm 65 and haven't started losing height (5' 7 1/2 since age 13) Do you have a health issue? I don't consider age a health issue, but have started boosting both my calcium and Vitamin D recently. I only ask because 3" sounds like a lot at only 61!
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    No health issues. My back is achy by the end of the day and the loss of 3 inches I bet is the main reason my back aches at the end of the day.With my physical the other day, I had my doctor check my height. Bone density test this Friday.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    No health issues. My back is achy by the end of the day and the loss of 3 inches I bet is the main reason my back aches at the end of the day.With my physical the other day, I had my doctor check my height. Bone density test this Friday.

    Typical height loss 1 cm (about 1/2 in) for each 10 years after age forty. The height loss could just be bad posture, which if you could fix that, perhaps with the help of PT, may very well take care of some of your back issues. Might be worth discussing with your doctor.

    Best of luck.

  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I would use your current height measurement.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    I don't know about the height question--I like the suggestion to ask doc. I want to encourage you to begin light strength & core training if you're not already doing so. My back pain disappeared a few months after starting workouts & core strength training at age 59.
  • minniestar55
    minniestar55 Posts: 350 Member
    I used to be 67", now I'm 66.4", so I use the lower number.
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    I am standing as tall as I can especially when they took the height measurement. I really need to be doing some stretching exercises. I feel like my body as compressed on itself when I try to stand tall. Family has noticed for a few years, they thought I was shrinking. As for light weight strength and core training.. can you recommend anything for home use?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,225 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    I am standing as tall as I can especially when they took the height measurement. I really need to be doing some stretching exercises. I feel like my body as compressed on itself when I try to stand tall. Family has noticed for a few years, they thought I was shrinking. As for light weight strength and core training.. can you recommend anything for home use?

    For one, if you're having back pain & have lost that much height, I'd recommend asking your doctor for a physical therapy referral. Those folks will look at you and your specific musculo-skeletal issues, and recommend specific exercises to address your particular problems.

    I'm not discounting the value of general exercise (cardio, core, strength, stretching/yoga, etc.). It's great, and I'd recommend it to anyone (who's healthy enough for it).

    But since you have an unusual (rather extreme) situation, I think some targeted attention to that could be beneficial.

    To (sort of) answer your original question: I'm osteopenic, probably from a drug I was on as part of cancer treatment. I use my current height, not my original height . . . but mine is only 1" less, not 3". I like the "ask your doc how s/he'd calculate your BMI" idea.
  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    No health issues. My back is achy by the end of the day and the loss of 3 inches I bet is the main reason my back aches at the end of the day.With my physical the other day, I had my doctor check my height. Bone density test this Friday.

    Good!
  • jwcanfield
    jwcanfield Posts: 192 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    My height originally is 5'6"....with age, I have lost 3 inches, so now I am 5'3"

    Do I look at 5'6" or 5'3" for recommendations for weight suggestions? Just curious....Not that it matters, just really curious.

    Okay, this is a conundrum to be sure! I think maybe you could set your weight goal based on the shorter of the two and just not fret about the bmi. Or, maybe split the difference? Use a middle height - 5' 4 1/2" - as your planning height. All the charts, whether weight or bmi, have a range. So start evaluating your appearance as you get closer and determine where you feel the most healthy.

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