Your ideal weight might make you look ill ?

13

Replies

  • SouthernSweetie74
    SouthernSweetie74 Posts: 844
    For me, it's more about being healthy than being "ideal," and I have more of a goal body fat % than I do a goal weight. Sure, I have weight goals. Short term and long term. But I also go to a clinic where they measure body fat %, fat free mass, inches, etc. So, my goal is more than an ideal weight. However, my long term goal is at the high end of ideal for my height.

    Personally, I like men with some meat on their bones, and, yes some muscle. That's what LOOKS better in my opinion. I think you look great now. But you have to decide where it is you want to be. Are you healthy? If a person is healthy at a weight above the "ideal", then whose ideal is it?
  • cdprouty
    cdprouty Posts: 140 Member
    I might have a mental disorder but I like it when someone asks me if I'm ill because of my weight loss...
  • alex88carolina
    alex88carolina Posts: 108
    Mine is 180-200. When I played football back in HS I was a lineman. I have a big built body structure I would look near dead to weigh that.lol. Plus my lean body weight is more than that.lol.
  • dfborders
    dfborders Posts: 474 Member
    I would keep open communication with my doctor about what my doctor thinks is a healthy weight for me. As my doctor once told me - most "ideal charts" are not person/body specific they are an ideal "norm" that should be taken with a grain of salt and, if within reach, talked to with your doctor as they are ever changing based on new scientific data, muscle ratio, etc.
  • marie_cressman
    marie_cressman Posts: 980 Member
    I'm a little more concerned about my body fat percentage than I am about the BMI charts. I have chosen 160lbs as my "goal" weight. The BMI charts say I should be between 124 and 155 (I am 5'6"), but even now at 183lbs, I am within the healthy range for my body fat percentage already and I am still about 30lbs over weight. I do, however, plan on seeing how I feel and what I look like when i get to 160lbs and I will go from there. :)
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
    *SIGH*

    Where on earth are you getting this ideal weight from? If it's from the BMI scale that's the 'ideal' weight range for a sedentary adult. If you move at all and have muscle definition, then those weights would be higher. If you exercise allot, you can even dip below that range and still maintain a healthy amount of calories (>2000 for a female adult).

    Those mentioning an ED and how unhealthy they looked, that probably has more to do with the ED then the weight. For those mentioning that their ideal weight is the lowest possible value on the bmi...well...you're not using the range, why did you pick the lowest? For those mentioning they were heavy and looked slim, you probably had a fair bit of muscle....you shouldn't be going by BMI in those cases.

    Speaking of BMI, have fun with this little thing that shows you where should you live and how much the earth would way if everyone was you:

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-18770328
  • tashjs21
    tashjs21 Posts: 4,584 Member
    My ideal weight (according to BMI charts) is 120, I can tell ya, the only time in my adult life I weighed that is when I had an eating disorder and did look very ill. The healthiest I have ever looked was when I was at 140 and muscular and toned. That is still in the healthy range for me but on the higher end. :huh:
  • SouthernSweetie74
    SouthernSweetie74 Posts: 844
    Mine is 180-200. When I played football back in HS I was a lineman. I have a big built body structure I would look near dead to weigh that.lol. Plus my lean body weight is more than that.lol.

    Thank you! I was wondering about that! I have a 14 yr old son who plays football and is a lineman. He weighs 195, but he also works out five times a week... He' s not the biggest guy on his team, but he's definitely not the smallest either.
  • allywood90
    allywood90 Posts: 6 Member
    I am 5'7, and my "ideal weight" is said to be between 121 and 160 lbs. At 130 lbs now, I feel pretty good about the way that I look. I have been under 121 lbs before, and I would agree that I looked very ill. However, when I was closer to 140 lbs, I felt very uncomfortable with the extra 8-10 lbs. It is definitely different for every individual. I think your ideal weight should be the weight at which you feel the most comfortable, and have the most energy.
  • kgprice11
    kgprice11 Posts: 749 Member
    There charts seem to be slightly skewed
  • Shannota
    Shannota Posts: 308 Member
    I am 5'4" and my lowest adult weight was 178. At that weight, everyone (including my doctors) was surprised that I wasn't about 145. And I even saw a weightloss doctor then because I was "stuck" at 178 and needed to get into a "healthy" range. He did the tests and told me that I was at my ideal weight...some people are supposed to be heavier than others. I am built like a linebacker...mom's side of the family all have broad shoulders, put on muscle quickly, etc. My husband tells me that I am not allowed to get into the "healthy range" because I would look sick. He is probably correct. According to BMI, I should be 144 at the heaviest to be in the healthy range. I do have to say, though, that I carry a lot of muscle for a girl...even without trying. Currently have lean body mass of 125-127 pounds.
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
    Happy you posted this topic. I'm 5'3". My doctor would like me to get to a max of 141 (176 now) - but I think I look best around 150. I have thick hips, butt & legs - and I honestly really would like to keep it that way. The lowest weight I have ever been was 134 and I looked so sick (my family and friends told me - and I thought so too). I'll see how I feel when I get near MY goal weight.... but I want to look and feel healthy... not sick.
  • SPBROOKS68
    SPBROOKS68 Posts: 561 Member
    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?

    Muscle does not weigh more than Fat - 1 pound of muscle is the same as 1 pound of fat - Muscle just takes up less space than fat.

    There is a great picture on here that shows muscle vs. fat
  • jimmykirk22
    jimmykirk22 Posts: 2
    first off, congrats on your current weight loss. i often think the same thing. i'm tipping the scales at about 195 right now and the army says i should weigh NO MORE THAN 174 for my height and age. sure i could lose a bit of the belly i have but i do think i would look a bit odd if i was my ideal military weight. the BMI thing on this site says i should weigh even less. i've read some of the other comments from folks on here and agree mostly that your ideal weight is where you feel comfortable and healthy. if you feel good about how you look and your health is good, then i would say don't worry about what other may think.
    keep up the good work
  • ccburn5
    ccburn5 Posts: 473 Member
    I completely agree. My "ideal" weight is 203 and according to some Medical Recommendation, it should be between 152-200. I've drppoed almost 40 pounds already from 260 to roughly 220 and while yes, I do have a belly to lose, I can not imagine weighing in around 160-170, I would be a bean pole. My goal is to be around 205-210. I guess once I get there, I'll cross that bridge and see what happens...
  • Im_NotPerfect
    Im_NotPerfect Posts: 2,181 Member
    My "ideal" weight goes somewhere from 125 - 159 or something ridiculous like that. I'm 5'9"....I've been as low as 159 and I did look very sickly. Bones sticking out, etc. I GOAL weight is 175 because I know I look decent and it's something I can maintain. But more importantly to me is my goal to be a comfortable size 12. I've learned through my whole journey on here that the scale just shows a number. It doesn't really show how healthy I am. I've lost lots of inches without losing lbs and that's more important to me.
  • ianlikesholidays
    ianlikesholidays Posts: 75 Member
    Hi
    Thank you for all your comments. I can see that the perception of normal weight has indeed changed for many of us..
    Being at the ideal weight is now considered skinny and correspondingly being over weight is the new normal in many places.
    I would also suggest that "normal weight" is also different based on where you live i.e. California or the Mid West states. Samoa or Australia ???
    Ian.
  • chellybailey
    chellybailey Posts: 10 Member
    I think normal weight should also account for different body types, naturally curvy, slim etc
  • thinnnnnnner
    thinnnnnnner Posts: 89
    I want to be far below my "healthy weight range". For my height (5'0) says it should be 97-123. Currently 102 and feel obese.

    This is what society has done to me..
  • zasae
    zasae Posts: 30
    I fing that what is considered a normal weight changes from country to country , I live in France/Swiss (border) and girls here are a lot thinner , the 'normal' for me would be 90lbs for 4'8
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
    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
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    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
    meeka472 Posts: 283 Member
    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
    TinaS88 Posts: 817 Member
    I am 5'5 1/2" My ideal weight is 125. I wouldn't mind adding a few more lbs. for muscle.
  • HeatherNicoleMomOf4
    HeatherNicoleMomOf4 Posts: 201
    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
    gjulie Posts: 391
    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
    fay_pigu Posts: 125 Member
    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
    AwesomePossum82 Posts: 93
    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
    MsNewBooty83 Posts: 985 Member
    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
    birdieaz Posts: 448 Member
    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.

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