| Is there a simple way to accurately calculate your | | | | If you are a woman and 5 feet tall, you weight |
| ideal body weight? | | | | should be 100 lbs. For each additional inch, add 5 lbs. |
| Without having to look at charts and graphs, and | | | | So if you are 5'4", you should weigh 100 lbs + (4 |
| taking your calculator out, you can quickly see | | | | inches x 5 lbs), which is 120 lbs. This gives you a BMI |
| whether you are the ideal weight or not by using this | | | | of 20.6, which is well within the healthy range of 18.5 |
| simple formula. | | | | - 24.9. |
| Why not use weight charts? | | | | For a man, it is the same basic principle. At 5 feet tall, |
| The trouble with weight charts is that the weight | | | | your weight should be 100 lbs. For each additional |
| difference for a certain height varies very widely. | | | | inch, add 6 lbs. So if you are a man at 5'10", your |
| According to some health care websites, a woman | | | | ideal weight will be 100 lbs + (10 inches x 6 lbs) = 160 |
| could be between 117 lbs to 155 lbs at a height of | | | | lbs. This gives you a BMI of 23.0. Again within the |
| 5'5"; another 'medical recommendation' puts the | | | | healthy range. |
| weight range at 115 lbs to 150 lbs. That is more than | | | | You could go 5 lbs either way if you really want to |
| a thirty pound difference, and it is a HUGE difference | | | | make some allowances for body frame or bone |
| regardless of what bone structure you have. | | | | structure, but that would be the limit. Stop letting |
| At 155 lbs and 5'5" tall, you are looking at a BMI | | | | these weight charts lure you into thinking it is fine to |
| (body mass index) of 25.8. This is classified as | | | | be on the upper end of their 'recommended' weight |
| overweight (over 25) which surely cannot be right? | | | | range. It is not. |
| This formula that I came across some years ago has | | | | Take this simple formula and apply it to yourself |
| served me well since then. It gives a rough but good | | | | today, even if you are a teenager. Then ask yourself: |
| idea of what your ideal weight really should be. | | | | "Am I the ideal weight? |