Thursday had a physical – first doctor visit since 2009.
Doctor said I was on the right track by losing weight, exercising and being careful about what I ate and watching food portions.
Then I jokingly said I would have to be emaciated to match what the BMI (Body Mass Index) stated was average weight for a man my height.
The Doctor told me I would be surprised. Most people were last at the weight in high school so think it’s impossible to weigh that much again. But while it’s takes a lot of work, it’s still possible to weigh what you once did in high school.
That’s when I noticed how thin he was. And when he had first come in, I had noticed he had the energy of a much younger man (he’s one year older than me – 58).
Which lead me to think that maybe he knows what he speaks of.
Of course, I didn’t ask him if he was speaking from experience. I thought that would be too personal a question to ask.
But then he does move like a young man.
So my question is this….what is one’s ideal weight?
Previously I thought my ideal weight would be whatever weight left me feeling and looking healthy.
I was going to continue to lose weight until I got around 200 lbs (currently at 228) then stop and see how I felt. If 200 pounds was still too much, I was sure it would be close to my ideal.
But now this new Doctor is telling me that BMI is a reasonable way of determining a person’s average weight. And BMI is calculated by adding 100 pounds to 7 times every inch over 5 foot which means that at 5’11” my BMI equals 100 + (7 * 11) = 177 pounds.
I use to weigh 185 pounds before I gained all that weight. And even back then I thought I was way too skinny. And, of course, once I was no longer that skinny a few relatives and friends confided I had been too thin.
I forgot to mention I have a stocky built. I’m barrel chested. I’m big boned. I carry my weight much better than most. In fact, usually when I meet someone the same height and weight as I am, that person looks much, much heavier.
And I don’t want to be obsessive about my weight (so maybe I should stick with my original plan.)
But did I say the Doctor bounded with energy, didn't lumber, moved with ease.
I’m curious to hear what others think. Go with my original thought, go with BMI or go with something else?
Regards,
Philip
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2 comments:
From all I've read (and I have read quite a lot on the subjects of fitness and weight loss and nutrition) BMI is generally a good indicator of health, with an "ideal" (as indicated by the formula you gave) based on an average body type.
But a 5'11" bodybuilder with a lot of muscle mass and very little fat could easily weigh 200 lbs and be very fit and healthy (muscle weighs more than fat does). His BMI would indicate that he's "overweight" when that isn't actually the case.
If I were in your situation (and I'm not too far off--about the same height, not as heavy but still with a fair bit to lose) I would aim for the "ideal" (177 lbs) but recognize that body composition matters more than body mass.
In other words, don't worry quite as much about weight, because weight by itself (and BMI is entirely a function of weight) doesn't tell the whole story.
If you can afford it, a scale that measures body fat can be helpful (although they're notoriously inaccurate, most of them are at least consistent and will help you track trends in fat loss or gain). You can also get a set of calipers and find instructions and formulas online for using them to measure body fat percentage.
As I understand it, 10%-15% body fat is considered "normal" and healthy. The buff models you see on the covers of men's fitness magazines are probably around 7%, give or take. (And for reference, my scale tells me I'm at around 25%--which, again, may or may not be entirely accurate).
Good luck as you continue to work toward your fitness goals! (however they are quantified).
Scott,
Thanks. I really appreciate you breaking it down for me. It's now much clearer what I should do.
Regards,
Philip
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