Diary of a Loser: How much should you weigh?

Monday, January 23, 2012

How much should you weigh?

One of the easiest ways to estimate how much you should weigh is the ratio of your weight to height. In general you want your waist to be at or less than half your height. Measure your waist 1 inch above your navel.

Here are some values of Weight to Height Ratios that I have come across:

Body Shapes	WHtR
Barbie Doll	25.0%
Ken Doll	36.0%
Female College Swimmers	42.4%
Male College Swimmers	42.8%
Willoughby Ideal	45.8%
WHO Increased Risk Females	49.2%
General Healthy Cutoff	50.0% Target
NHANES Risk Equivalent to BMI of 25	51.0%
WHO Increased Risk Males	53.6%
WHO Substantially Increased Risk Females	54.1%
NHANES Risk Equivalent to BMI of 30	57.0%
Willoughby Obese	57.7%
WHO Substantially Increased Risk Males	58.2%

WHO - World Health Organization
NHANES - National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
Willoughby - David Willoughby, Physiologist (Extensive study on body symmetry and its relevance to fitness.)

These are guidelines based on studies.

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Some Basics (changes in review)

There is no such thing as a quick loss diet with lasting results. Forget about the fads if you want to lose weight and keep off the fat in a healthy way. There are a few inescapable facts concerning weight loss.

First of all, a pound of fat contains 3500 calories. If you want to lose a pound of fat, you must burn 3500 more calories than you consume. Here's the equation : Fat lost or gained = (Calories consumed - Calories burned) / 3500. If you want to lose a pound fat a week, you must on average burn 500 calories a day more than you consume.

Second, you must consume enough calories each day to keep your body from thinking it may starve. If you don't get enough calories your metabolism will slow down thereby burning less calories and you'll just feel tired and hungry. Also, if the deficit is too large and last more than a few days, your body will start consuming muscle, the organ that burns the calories. The accepted wisdom seems to be 1200 calories for females and 1800 for males. One to three pounds a week is a healthy rate of fat loss.

Third, muscles burn the calories (your brain burns some also but for some people its negligible :) ), therefore exercise is a important part of any weight loss effort. It does not have to be strenuous. Walking is wonderful, it will burn extra calories and build muscles in your legs. Try to work up to at least 2 miles a day. If you walk 2 miles in 34 minutes (3.5 mph), you'll burn approximately your weight in extra calories. Use the calculator below. I strongly suggest you lift weights at least twice a weak. Try to increase or maintain all your muscles.

Exercise Calculator (click in box to select Pace)

Calories Burned Calculator
Estimate calories you burn walking:
Pace:
Weight:
Time:

BMI =	(weight in pounds * 703 )
	————————————
	height in inches²