Ideal weight? crazy standards

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btmadison
btmadison Posts: 38 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 6'1 male mid 30's and had my goal set at 200 as an arbitrary number I picked out. I started to think I should find a more realistic number of what a healthy weight should be. I was shocked to find that weight charts say a healthy weight for me would be 150 - 180! Wow when I was in great shape in the military the lowest I got down to was I think 187 but I never concentrated on really lowering my weight either at that time.

I think 180 is a realistic goal, but even 200 I would think would be realistic - I wonder about these height weight standards...

Not to sound all conspiratorial, but... - keeping the standards low allows the industry to say more people are overweight, thus fueling the exercise and weight-loss industries...
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Replies

  • Kalee34
    Kalee34 Posts: 674 Member
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    I agree with you completely!
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    Hmm my ideal weight as a 5'8" man is 144lbs, but that's if you're skinny and have no muscle mass. I plan on being around 170 by next summer with 10% body fat.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    i agree totally. The ranges and such they give are SO low. And everyone shoots for lower :/ It's so encouraging to see people with a good healthy goal!
  • mjhuff1121
    mjhuff1121 Posts: 112
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    I think Body Fat Percentage is what people should go by more so than a number on a scale. :S I'm fairly new to exercise, so that's all I can come up with. I know, I know, I'm being extremely helpful, haha!
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    Hmm my ideal weight as a 5'8" man is 144lbs, but that's if you're skinny and have no muscle mass. I plan on being around 170 by next summer with 10% body fat.

    whoa! I met a guy yesterday.... 125 at 5'9, and LOSING?! holy heck.
  • JennLifts
    JennLifts Posts: 1,913 Member
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    I think Body Fat Percentage is what people should go by more so than a number on a scale. :S I'm fairly new to exercise, so that's all I can come up with. I know, I know, I'm being extremely helpful, haha!


    A) your goal is GREAT! AND, you're totally right.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
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    im 6'4 and when I weighed 300lbs I never thought the 190's could be attainable and seemed unrealistic but now that im at 212 im pretty sure its doable
  • ja4bs
    ja4bs Posts: 30
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    I agree with you. Those scales do not take muscle mass into consideration at all! Most professional athletes are your height and taller and definately weigh more than 200 pounds.
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
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    I don't know much about weights for men, but I do know it doesn't really take into account muscle mass or bone structure, etc etc.
    Weight is a good tool for daily tracking and motivation, but body measurements would be more reliable. Body fat percentage is probably best.

    I am underweight and over-fat so I am hearing you from a different area of the "weight" spectrum.
  • fitzie63
    fitzie63 Posts: 508 Member
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    Take a look at how the Mayo Clinic sees it: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bmi-calculator/NU00597
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I am 6'1 male mid 30's and had my goal set at 200 as an arbitrary number I picked out. I started to think I should find a more realistic number of what a healthy weight should be. I was shocked to find that weight charts say a healthy weight for me would be 150 - 180! Wow when I was in great shape in the military the lowest I got down to was I think 187 but I never concentrated on really lowering my weight either at that time.

    I think 180 is a realistic goal, but even 200 I would think would be realistic - I wonder about these height weight standards...

    Not to sound all conspiratorial, but... - keeping the standards low allows the industry to say more people are overweight, thus fueling the exercise and weight-loss industries...

    I always use the guideline that for a man at 5' he should be 106 and add 6 lbs for every inch, so at 6'1 that is 184 (13*6+106) for ideal weight, if you are small framed - 10% or large framed add 10%. So if you are large framed at 6'1" a good weight would be 206.4 (184*1.10). This calculation gives a range of 165.6 to 206.4.

    For a woman the calculation is 100 lbs at 5' and add 5 lbs/inch, and the +/- 10% from that.
  • misadele
    misadele Posts: 16 Member
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    I am with you on that one! I think mine says like 120-135 or something crazy like that. I haven't weighed that since I was in High School some 20 years ago and 4 kids later!. I have put my goal at 170 which I was a few years ago and I felt amazing. Plus I like curves...so it fits me well and I know I will be happy and sexy there. I dont want to be super skinny, just healthier and able to get my butt off the ground without it being an act of congress. I say....set it for what you think is reasonable and how you feel. Good luck!
  • annalaura78
    annalaura78 Posts: 7
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    I just think it's great that you used the word "conspiratorial" properly.
  • yankeefamily05
    yankeefamily05 Posts: 657
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    I have to say I agree!!!! Most people raise an eyebrow when I tell them my goal weight, because most at my height is around 135-150! BUt I know what feels good on me:) And Im going with it! Im in this to be healthy, but fit! Not so much skinnY!
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
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    I"m 5'8, I was hoping by the time I hit 170 my bellyfat and moobs would be completely gone. But nope, they're still there. So looks like I still got plenty more fat to burn which is why I set my goal down to 150.
  • KS_4691
    KS_4691 Posts: 228 Member
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    I would disagree with that, for women at least. I am 5'5" and the healthy weight range for me is 117-155. I spent a lot of my life at the 115-122 range, even with a muscular build, and now that I'm at 130 I think I look very chubby. I've always thought that doctors tend to give women a fairly heavy weight range. This may be different for men though.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
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    I am 6'1 male mid 30's and had my goal set at 200 as an arbitrary number I picked out. I started to think I should find a more realistic number of what a healthy weight should be. I was shocked to find that weight charts say a healthy weight for me would be 150 - 180! Wow when I was in great shape in the military the lowest I got down to was I think 187 but I never concentrated on really lowering my weight either at that time.

    I think 180 is a realistic goal, but even 200 I would think would be realistic - I wonder about these height weight standards...

    Not to sound all conspiratorial, but... - keeping the standards low allows the industry to say more people are overweight, thus fueling the exercise and weight-loss industries...

    Everyone carries a lot more fat on there body than they think.

    A 6.1 male @ 200 lbs and 12% body fat would literally look like a mini body builder. Not many people understand what that body would look like.

    Here's a search I did @ bodybuilding.com for guys who are 6.1 200 lbs.. Look at their photos.

    http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/search.php?searchid=48001342

    Everyone underestimates the amount of fat they have, and everyone overestimates the amount of muscle they have. :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,404 MFP Moderator
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    I am 6'1 male mid 30's and had my goal set at 200 as an arbitrary number I picked out. I started to think I should find a more realistic number of what a healthy weight should be. I was shocked to find that weight charts say a healthy weight for me would be 150 - 180! Wow when I was in great shape in the military the lowest I got down to was I think 187 but I never concentrated on really lowering my weight either at that time.

    I think 180 is a realistic goal, but even 200 I would think would be realistic - I wonder about these height weight standards...

    Not to sound all conspiratorial, but... - keeping the standards low allows the industry to say more people are overweight, thus fueling the exercise and weight-loss industries...

    I am in the same boat as you. I am 5"11 and 29 years old. I believe it's better to look at body fat because the reality of it, those charts are for non athletic people. If you workout, the muscle growth alone will put you over the top.


    Sublog, to let you know, I have 12% body fat and I look nothing like a body builder. I still have a slight gut (showing a small 4 pack). Where I make for my overall body fat is, I have liek 10% or less fat in my legs and my arms. The mid section is more around 18-19%.
  • yankeefamily05
    yankeefamily05 Posts: 657
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    KS: I think it all depends how a woman is shaped. Being at 5'8. Athletic. Larger frame. 180 lbs looked good on me.
  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
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    My boyfriend is 5'11". If he weighed 150lbs, we would not be dating. I think BMI is ok for women, but they need to get a separate BMI calculation for men.

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