I came across an interesting article: “New way to calculate maximum weight limit”. Using the BMI (body mass index), it is a simple way to calculate the top weight for your height that is within the healthy weight range.
I have mixed feelings about this. I think it is a useful tool, and one I can see using – but I want to emphasize that habits are ultimately more important than weight. More on this later.
The formula gives a baseline height and maximum weight for males and females, which you adjust for your height. The baseline is:
Males: 5 feet 9 inches – 175#
Females: 5 feet – 125#
Men add or subtract 5# for every inch taller or shorter than 5’9”
Women add or subtract 4.5 # for every inch taller or shorter than 5’
Example: I’m 5’2” – so my maximum healthy weight is 134# (an additional 4.5# for each of the two inches I am over the baseline of 5 feet = total of 9 additional pounds added to the baseline of 125#).
Another example: a man who is 5’6” would have a maximum healthy weight of 160# (subtracting 5# for each of the three inches below 5’9”: 175-15=160).
What does it mean if you weight more than that? Using the BMI (or body mass index) as a standard, it means that you weight more than is considered healthy.
There are online calculators that will calculate your BMI, and give you the range of what is considered normal weight, overweight (BMI of 25+) or obese (BMI of 30+) – but they don’t translate easily into actual weights.
How helpful is this new formula? It depends. I think it is a good and easy tool to see where your weight fits into the healthy range. It can also be helpful for setting a realistic weight loss target.
If you are not going to be happy until you reach the weight you were in your early 20s – you could be setting yourself up for disappointment. Setting realistic weight goals can help you feel successful.
My hesitation is for those of you who have been on and off diets – don’t let this push you into yet another round of dieting. Going on and off diets that you can’t live with can be worse for your health than a few extra stable pounds.
Ultimately the most important thing is to develop a healthy way of eating that you can live with – making good nutrition part of a healthy lifestyle that includes exercise, rest and joy. My newsletter and other blog posts give suggestions.
Note: it seems obvious, but maybe should be said that if you can, it is ideal to weight less than the maximum healthy weight. People already at healthy weight might find the BMI more useful.
Find more nutrition information and my monthly newsletter on my website: http://healthyhabitscoach.com . Eat Sustainably!
Whoa! Unless I read this incorrectly, the “ideal weight” for a woman who is 5′3″ would be about 138.5 lbs. I would be a blimp. I am about 112 lbs and 58 years old. I do, however, know women about my height that do weigh about 140 that seem to be able to carry it just fine. I think that to generalize these standards gets tricky. Some might think that I am too thin but I also think that our culture’s standards for tolerating what is overweight has become a bit loose, if for no other reason than that we are becoming used to seeing our population with extra pounds. I do not advocate the “Twiggy” look for that is just as unhealthy. I agree with the last paragraph. Health is obtained through the consumption of nutrient rich foods, physical exercise in fresh air, and a joyous emotional life. Unfortunately, the vast majoriy of Americans haven’t got a clue as to what a healthy diet consists of. We certainly will not find the answer from commercial TV.
The guidelines I use are: how well can I move? how much sustained energy do I have? how well can I think? what are the best diverse sources of the nutrients my body needs that are the least processed? how is my mood? Is my immune system strong? What my body needs may be slightly different than what your body needs or a lot different. Get to know your body; listen to it, pay attention.
Hi Martha,
Your guidelines are good ones. It is a tricky concept, and I struggled with how to write it. I’m not saying that this is the “ideal” weight. It is the highest weight that is considered “healthy”. You could reasonably argue how healthy that weight is – but given that so many people are beyond it, I think it gives a good target to get down to.
Kathy