What is your ideal body weight?
What is your ideal body weight? How many more pounds do you need to gain or lose to reach your ideal body weight? Perhaps you are at your ideal body weight now, and your next goal is to have a flatter belly, more toned arms, slimmer hips, or a perkier butt. Statistics show that most women are not satisfied with their body weight. One study showed that only about 12 percent of women aged 50 or older are satisfied with how they look. So, why are we so obsessed with our body weight? Is there really anything like the ideal body weight? And are there any health-related reasons to pursue your ideal body weight?
Our obsession with our body weight
Recently, my friends and I came across some old pictures from 20 to 30 years ago. And I noticed that most of our comments were about who had gained weight or looked slimmer. Often, we ignore everything else and focus only on the weight! The media is a major force behind the ideal body weight. Everywhere you look, on TV, online, and social media, you are inundated with images of the ideal woman. Unfortunately, the power of marketing makes us believe this is real. However, only 5% of women have the genes for the ideal woman image. In fact, often, most people we think have the ideal body weight or image are not happy with their own body weight. Comparing yourself to these models is a road to disaster as it can lead to eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem.
Should we disregard our body weight?
The answer is no! We should maintain a healthy body weight for many other reasons than our image. A healthy body weight helps prevent chronic diseases like high blood pressure and high blood sugar. A healthy body weight is also essential for your mental health and improves your quality of life.
However, your body weight alone does not determine your overall health. So many other things contribute to our overall health, such as our genetics, environment, and lifestyle choices. Practicing a healthy lifestyle can help you overcome the odds against you and improve your overall health. Exercising, in particular, can improve your weight, health, and quality of life.
Is the ideal weight a myth?
There is no doubt that the ideal weight is an elusive concept. There is no single ideal weight for everyone because we all have different body frames, body fat distribution, and height. Therefore, we need to change the question from “what is your ideal “weight?” to “what is your healthy weight?”
At what weight do you feel healthy and functional? Being functional means being able to do every physical activity you desire with little to no effort or stress. At what weight are your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol well-controlled? Are you physically active at your current weight? Do you sleep well, eat healthy, and enjoy your life? Do you feel strong, energized, and confident at your current body weight? You are at your healthy body weight when you can answer yes to these questions. So, think of positive ways to live a healthy lifestyle rather than focusing on your ideal body weight. Small changes, like walking, eliminating junk food, and eating healthier, can make a big difference in your overall health.
Exercising, including weightlifting, can help you achieve a healthy weight. For more, check out “Exercise: A Path to Better Health for Women over Forty and “12 Reasons Every Woman over 4O Should Strength Train.”
How to calculate your ideal body weight
There are several methods to assess your health and determine your ideal body weight. They include the body mass index (BMI), blood tests, waist circumference, body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio. These tools can give us objective numbers as we strive to maintain a healthy weight. However, each tool should not be used on its own but combined with others to provide a total picture.
Using your BMI to estimate your ideal body weight
The BMI is the most common tool to estimate the ideal body weight. It uses your height and weight to classify you into a health category. A high BMI puts you at a higher risk of diseases such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. You can calculate your BMI using the BMI calculator. This is what your BMI score means:
The BMI, though useful, has its shortcomings. It does not differentiate between weight from muscle and weight from fat. So you may have very little fat and lots of muscle and still be classified as obese. Also, you may have a healthy BMI but have excess fat around your midsection, which is unhealthy too. The BMI also does not account for your age, sex, bone mass, body frame, or ethnicity. However, there are still some health benefits to keeping your BMI in the normal range.
Using your waist circumference to estimate your ideal body weight
Another way to check if you are at a healthy body weight is to measure your waist circumference. Excessive fat around your midsection increases your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes. Below is how to interpret your waist circumference:
Again, your waist circumference is simply a screening tool, and a higher number does not automatically mean you are unhealthy. Our health is a lot more than the measurement of our waist circumference. However, our goal should be to lower our waist circumference to reduce our risk of chronic health diseases.
What is your ideal body weight?
The table below gives you an idea of your ideal body weight for your height. Now that you understand the concept of the ideal body weight and the healthy body weight, this table is more meaningful to you.
Use this table to determine your healthy weight and work towards attaining and maintaining that weight so you can live a healthy life.
Final thoughts
Start looking at your weight as a health measurement, like your blood sugar or blood pressure. You wouldn’t judge someone based on their blood pressure measurement. Likewise, try not to judge people based on their weight.
When friends and acquaintances talk about our weight negatively, it produces a negative effect. Making inappropriate weight comments can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders. It is okay to celebrate weight loss when you know the person has been working hard to achieve this. Other than that, let’s avoid commenting about people’s weight.
If you have to say something, look for something positive to say. Remember, most women are struggling to attain their ideal body weight and stay healthy. Let’s help one another by making only uplifting comments to make the struggle more bearable.
Finally, your ideal body image may be an elusive one. Unfortunately, we cannot win the battle againt aging. We can age gracefully, but age will always win in the end. I guarantee someone else out there will give everything to look just as good as you. So, stop fretting about your weight. Instead, do all you can to stay healthy and feel blessed for your body and your health!
Please feel free to share your comments below and also share this article.
Yours in fitness and health,
Doctor Abi
