| So what is your ideal weight? It's hard know, | | | | Another consideration, one I feel is much more |
| especially if you are overweight like many, but it | | | | accurate, is your body fat percentage. Body fat is |
| certainly can be great to know if you are dieting. | | | | essential, but most of us have too much. Most |
| Certainly your ideal weight depends on several | | | | people diet to lose fat, not weight, after all. For men, |
| factors, and a major one is your height. If you are 5 | | | | a body fat percentage around 12 to 18 percent is |
| foot tall your ideal weight will be less than if you are | | | | ideal, with some ultra athletes having much less. For |
| 7 feet tall for example. | | | | women a higher percentage is healthy, for example |
| People often use the BMI, or body mass index, to | | | | around 20 percent. |
| help determine their ideal weight. It will give you a | | | | There are many ways to measure body fat. One of |
| weight range which is ideal for your given height. | | | | the easiest, but least accurate, is skin fold calipers. |
| Unfortunately, although it gives a range, there are | | | | They are cheap, convenient, and work reasonably |
| many things it doesn't take into consideration such as | | | | well. There are other techniques as well, and your |
| bone structure and body composition. I am quite thin | | | | gym or health club may have the equipment and |
| for example at 200 pounds and 5 foot ten, yet the | | | | training for testing more accurately. |
| BMI says I'm obese. My friend Fred on the other | | | | So how much should you weight for your height? It |
| hand, also 5 foot ten, weights 180 pounds, far less | | | | depends. The BMI is a good guide and both your |
| than I, and is clearly obese.The BMI is a decent thing | | | | body fat percentage, as well as the closely related |
| to look at, but is far from perfect. | | | | how you look, far more important. |