Your ideal weight might make you look ill ?

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ianlikesholidays
ianlikesholidays Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi
The ideal weight for a male of my height (5'7) is 144 to 159.pounds.
My thoughts are that 20 years ago that weight range would look normal, These days the perception of what is normal is much heavier. (Most people seem to be large to some degree).
So is your final target weight higher, to keep in with what is normal today ??? - or will you risk being asked if you are ill by achieving the ideal weight for your height.
Thanks for your opinion (I'm currently 173 pounds)
Ian.
.
«13456

Replies

  • Aneallen2009
    Aneallen2009 Posts: 16
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    My ideal weight is somewhere in the 120 range for my height. There is no way I want to me that light. I would be happy with about 142 with decently muscular arms and legs for a girl. I don't want to be incredibly thin I would rather have the muscle to help raise my burned calories each day to help keep this day burned off more easily
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    When I started at 255 pounds my goal weight was 200 pounds, I am 5'9. Now I have hit 170-ish, a weight I haven't seen since before the 10th grade. It's pretty amazing how what you think is your goal weight may not be where you settle. Some say I am too skinny but I think their mental image of healthy has gotten fatter over the years. I always thought that the generic BMI calculator on here was retarded and completely in left field on it's healthy range for me. Actually, finally there so maybe my mind didn't have it right either. I don't know what my current weight makes me look like to others but I know I like it and I feel great. Everyone is different, I am sure you have heard that plenty of times. Just slowly lose and find a weight that is easy to maintain, no matter where that falls on your ideal scale.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    I don't pay much attention to those ideal weight charts. I think it's really different for every person. I have my goal weight set a bit above what they say is my 'ideal weight'..... I know that I am living a healthier lifestyle than people that are within their 'ideal weight range' so it doesn't really matter to me. :)
  • Ezwoldo
    Ezwoldo Posts: 369 Member
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    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.
  • gwenmf
    gwenmf Posts: 888 Member
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    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?
  • clarabellesimmo82
    clarabellesimmo82 Posts: 16
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    At 5'7, I can go to 120lb without being underweight, but anything less than 130lb and I start looking, as my friends put it, like a Bratz doll!

    I think it depends on your make up, but I would rather weigh a little more and look healthy, not skinny.
  • dawson55510
    dawson55510 Posts: 197 Member
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    When im around 210LBS less than 10% for my height 5FT 11ins which is still obese going by the bmi chart my family think i look il and dying. Face starts to sink in etc.
  • alleycat88
    alleycat88 Posts: 756 Member
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    My healthy weight range is from 107-144.

    At 107, I look sick, hell even at 115 people have asked if I am "eating enough". For myself personally a good healthy and attractive weight is anywhere from 125-130lbs. I know other people my height that look chubby at that weight.

    It's a very individual thing, but to answer your original question, yes the lower end of the "ideal weight" range makes me look ill, and the higher end makes me feel uncomfortable in my own skin.
  • HelloSixty
    HelloSixty Posts: 20 Member
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    According to MFP the healthy weight for my height can fluctuate from 48kg (106lbs) to 64.8kg (143lbs) which is a huge range!

    I'm in a healthy BMI for my height right now: 162cm (5' 3.5") and 64kg (141lbs) = BMI of 24.7

    But my body fat % is too high and still puts me in the obese range so I need to focus on that.
    I don't look ill and I don't look healthy/fit either!

    I do agree though that our perception of what is normal weight has been changed over recent years. BMI is still a good indicator of health and we need to be more aware of it.
  • HelloSixty
    HelloSixty Posts: 20 Member
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    For myself personally a good healthy and attractive weight is anywhere from 125-130lbs. I know other people my height that look chubby at that weight.

    It's a very individual thing, but to answer your original question, yes the lower end of the "ideal weight" range makes me look ill, and the higher end makes me feel uncomfortable in my own skin.

    ^ This!
  • Leeanne1974
    Leeanne1974 Posts: 207 Member
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    My ideal weight is about 8 stone. When I had anorexia as a teen i was about 7 and a half stone and you could see my ribs, hipbones etc etc. (there are 14lb in a stone for those who aren't aware).
    My perfect for me weight is about 10 stone (140) and that is what I am aiming for...
    Many years ago my Father was told by the doc he should weigh about 12 and a half stone. My father was 6ft4 with big strong shoulders, size 12 (UK) feet and with hands like shovels. He went on a massive diet and got down to his target weight... He was almost hospitalised where he became so ill. He had carbuncles on his legs and was like a walking skeleton.
    Those weight charts used by a lot of doctors are simply incorrect, do not take into account build.
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
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    This becomes more true as we get older. My ideal weight is probably around 120. I am 27 pounds over that. If I were to get down to 120 I am sure that I would look horrible.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,077 Member
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    I am 5'9 and my ideal weight was 160-165.
    I have been stuck on 174-182 and people already tell me i look too skinny/unhealthy and lately i kinda agree with them.
  • mazasmusings
    mazasmusings Posts: 74 Member
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    My ideal weight according to the doctors' chart is around 175. Now, even when I was in high school and a competitive swimmer in great shape, I weighed between 185 and 190. I can't imagine how sickly I'd look if I weighed any less than that. I've set a goal of 215 for now because I'd much rather have an attainable goal to reach first, then try to get below 200, thought I've had people tell me at this point, they're not sure how good I'd look below 200.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
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    According to the BMI chart y ideal weight is under 165 lbs.

    According to my Dr, I should be 195-200 lbs.

    BMI is worthless.
  • zozzabubba
    zozzabubba Posts: 137 Member
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    I'm actually the other way around, I'm righttt at the bottom of my ideal weight range (5'7 and 120ish lbs), but I don't look at all sickly skinny. I've never had anyone tell me I look too skinny. Maybe it's something to do with the fact that I'm a caucasian, with a caucasian build, living in Asia and surrounded by very petite Asian women, so compared to them I am still relatively large. To be honest, I would even prefer to go to a lower weight purely for vanity, but am not because I'm close to the bottom of the healthy weight range
  • nataliexxxx
    nataliexxxx Posts: 262
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    My healthy weight range is 8st 12lb to 11 st 1 lb and my first goal is 10 stone then I will go for 9 stone:)
  • rce884
    rce884 Posts: 47 Member
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    I have been steadily gaining for many many years in fact i dont tell how much i want to lose by weight but by age. and i want to be the weight i was when i was 20 which was 175-185 i could go lower but i think that is my goal wieight.

    that is quite a bit above my "ideal" weight, but it is ideal for me. personally i cant imagine being that skinny. (oh isnt perception a wonderful thing)
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    There is no "ideal weight" for everyone of your height.
  • Koldnomore
    Koldnomore Posts: 1,613 Member
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    In order to look 'healthy' I need to be somewhere around 135 - 140 however I can get to about 180 before I start looking "fat". Most calculations I have seen say I should weigh less but having seen it on me I can give a very hearty "NO". I think it's different for everyone because there aren't many people around who have the same build / bone structure as I do.

    I have a very non-typical bone structure for a woman, I'm a rectangle, my under bust, hips and waist are very close in size and always have been, I have wide shoulders and a large bust. Fat collects on me in a very even manner and disperses kind of like a blanket instead of collecting anywhere in large amounts - of course now that I'm into the 200 range it is accumulating more around the front (almost like a beer belly). I'm shaped more like a man than a woman but at least I'm evenly proportioned!

    In my adult years I have weighed everywhere from about 130 (at my smallest ) to 235 (at my heaviest) so I have a unique perspective in that I have seen a big range of weights on my frame. At 130, I looked like a skeleton, my face was hollowed out and my legs looked like sticks - I didn't realize how sick I looked.

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