What Is My Ideal Body Weight?

Learn how to determine your ideal body weight based on more than your height or someone's looks.

What Is My Ideal Body Weight?

Sadly, the anorexic ideal body, promoted by TV and sold daily by the health-and-fitness industry, has people who don't need to lose weight, trying every diet, vitamin, workout and health food they can get their hands on, just so they can look like so-and-so this Summer. The ideal weight is difficult to pinpoint because people have different families, genetic makeup, eating traditions and illness thresholds. The ideal weight for looks varies widely based on family origins and preferences. The ideal weight for optimum health is a bit more objective, but far more than pounds per inch (or kg per cm). Let's spend a few minutes and try to get a feeling for the ideal weight you should consider your own.

The Anorexic Ideal: From the time we're first aware, we're bombarded with images of women who look like wasps and men who either look like pencil-necked-geeks or Conan The Barbarian, you know, the Governor of Coleeforneea. Funny thing is, these people hardly exist in real life. They're usually the product of a manufacturing process or slick packaging. I'm talking about implants, elevator shoes, face lifts, hair transplants, etc. It's just sick that we choose the most artificially manipulated bodies in the world to use as our ideal for the perfect weight. What are we thinking, trying to be like these people, when they're being shaped and formed every minute they're not in front of a camera. We have neither the time nor money to get their look, and it would not be healthy to try.

It's no accident that these people are chosen. Movies, TV, magazines, newspapers, even commercial websites exist to make a profit by advertising and selling products. There are many billions of dollars in weight loss, nutrition, fitness and related products. If everyone displayed in these media looked average, fewer products would be sold. The mistake we make is when we allow these marketers to decide what it attractive and healthy, instead of using a more systematic approach.

Family History And Weight: A good ideal weight system might take into consideration your family genetics and traditions. Different families have different cultures, including food and exercise, and different builds. Here you are trying to look skinny when everyone in your family looks average. I guess we should get a clue. If your family has mostly small breasts, probably the only way to a large breast is surgery. If your family is mostly has mostly chunky frames, don't expect to look like a twig, no matter how popular it is. Are you torturing yourself fighting your genetic makeup? Your family will have it's say whether you like it or not. To think that people from hunky middle European stock are going to have the anorexic look is to invite a health disaster. Your body can't maintain itself and will fight you every step of the way. You could ruin your health trying to be thin.

Body Weight And Illness: If the ideal body weight is based on health, we have a bit wider range than most people give us. Our ideal body weight could vary as much as 40 pounds and still be healthy. That's because, most people could be 20 pounds underweight or 20 pounds overweight their entire lives, and suffer no weight related illness. So, if health is your objective, relax a bit. The fact is, for health purposes, there is no ideal body weight, because there is no objective standard for evaluating ideal weight.

Ideal Weight Based On More Than Height: The standard used to be height/weight charts. Take your height and plug it into the formula and, drum roll, this is what you should weigh. I'm convinced the guy who developed the Body Mass Index (BMI) calculations suffered from anorexia nervosa. This page includes a Calculator plus instructions to adjust for sex and frame size, getting you much closer to what might be your optimum weight. The results still don't take into account fat/muscle ratio, rapid weight change, age, pregnancy or other variables that may affect what is ideal for you.

My niece told me her employer had a BMI specialist evaluate the employees at her office to determine their health risks and announced she was obese. She is a petite, beautiful 25 year old woman who eats organic foods and exercises regularly. My niece went from obese to normal by making the adjustments on the BMI page I gave you. It's clear that much more than height goes into what you healthy weight should be.

Unfortunately, the health and fitness industry and the pop culture seem to have conspired to make everyone weight conscious except those who really need to be. The morbidly obese seem to go merrily from fast food joint to ice cream parlor, never worried about their health and less about what others might think. All the while, most people who are just fine are putting undue stress on their health trying to squeeze that extra inch off their waist or 10 pounds off their scale. If we're searching for perfection, for the ideal body, maybe it's time we lighten up a bit, and I don't mean weight.

If you're looking for the ideal weight, you probably want a healthy life. You can renew your mind, body and spirit with God's help. He can heal the stuff your diet doesn't control. If you want His help, go to Healing From God.

How do you figure your ideal weight?

What Is My Ideal Body Weight?

It's an honor that you've allowed us to try and help with your health and fitness issues. Thank you very much for visiting. Please return soon.

Love & Hugs,
Glen

Learn how to determine your ideal body weight based on more than your height or someone's looks.