Ideal textbook weight suggestions as "Normal"

[Daven]

So, I have realized how many people wonder what is "normal" weight to be at.

My mother is a certified nutritionist and 3 members of my family are physicians. So I have on good authority that the textbook  suggested weights for healthy are:

At 5 feet tall everyone should weight 100 lbs.

for each inch over 5', women add 5 lbs. per inch.  so my wife is 5'1" and should weight 105 lbs.

For each inch over 5' men  add 10 lbs. per inch, so I am 5'8" so I should weight 180.

that is "Healthy" BUt since muscle weighs more than fat, if you are built like a brick house, heavier numbers are ok. At that point it's all about body fat%

[Alexander215]

Doesn't take into account broad shoulders/thin shoulders, large muscled calves/chicken legs etc.

[TheSlyBear]

According to the charts, I'm "morbidly obese".

Here's a picture of me when I was 20 lbs heavier than I am now.

I ain't buying it.



I've always thought that the charts were BS ever since my military days. When I wasn't busy blowing up tanks, I always managed to get assigned a bunch of other duties. For a time, I was the "weight control NCO". I can't tell you how many good men, in great physical shape, got drummed out because they didn't fit into the almighty chart.

[Razor X]

The government also revised their "ideal weight" charts about 15 years ago and made them more stringent so that people who were at the upper end of the normal range were now in the overweight category and some people who were previously considered overweight were now in the obese category.  I think that partially explains the rise in obesity rates in the US.  Granted, there is no shortage of obese people out there, but I do think that the redefining of the categories has made the problem appear to be even worse.

[Mike]

I am about 5'9 and only weigh 150. Way back when I was working at the hardware store and 2 dairies in addition to all my chores here at home and riding my bike everywhere I was about 180 but since then I have been stretched thin and had tons of stuff happen. Before I moved back home I was only about 140 but the good eating has helped even though I think its mostly fat.

[CraftyGuy]

I'm about 5 pounds shy of what those silly height/weight charts consider "obese", and I couldn't be happier!  Having a bit of a "teddy-bear" physique works well for me!

[Slynito]

I also had a guy in my outfit in the service that was a weight lifter...he was training for the Olympics and huge. To huge because the brass didn't like him being 40# over the chart.

[Oracle]

What does a chart know?  Alittle over a year ago, I weighed 193 pounds, the heaviest my 5'10" frame has ever been.  My endocrinologist advised me to lose a minimum of 15 to to 18 pounds to reduce my risk of developing diebetes - a condition he had been monitoring me for for several months due to some unfavorable blood tests.  As a matter of fact, he had wanted to start me on oral medications that day but I begged him to give me six months to lose some weight and to get my A1C number down. 

Six months later I weighed 160 pounds and my A1C was a 5.9!  Good enough to save me from another medication. 

[skinhead002]

I'm 5'8 and have gone from 180 up to 220-230.  Don't mind being a bit heavy anymore and still work out.

[Slynito]

Most folks are a little heavy...why worry about it.

[mrzed]

I'm 5'8 and have gone from 180 up to 220-230.  Don't mind being a bit heavy anymore and still work out.

Likewise, I'm 5'8". When I was in the 220-230 range, pant size got up to 44"! I was winded just walking up stairs. It was too heavy.  Percent body fat said I was obese.

I've changed my eating habits with rare exceptions for special events. I like the results.  Back down to about 180. Don't get winded. 34's fit!  I feel much better.  And get frequent compliments about looking trim.

[TheSlyBear]

I "power" walk 2 miles most evenings, and all my medical numbers are exemplary, so I don't worry too much about the number on the scale as long as my jeans still fit.