Huh?! BMI - healthy weight range / target weight query.

Hi All

Just been playing with (fantasising with really!) the NHS BMI calculator.

The healthy weight for my height is between 8st 3 and 11st 1. This means I am allegedly within 6 lbs of "healthy weight". Really????

This 3 stones range, seems enormous. I certainly know from historic events (!), that at 11 stone I won't consider myself a healthy weight. I've set 10 1/2 stone as my realistic goal, but was 10 1/4 stone when I was in my 20s, and even then was a size 14 then (I think that's probably a 12 now - I realise vanity sizing complicates the picture!).

I'm just a bit surprised by this 3 stone window of "healthy weight".

I know the slimming industry tends to give you a specific target weight - eg I think Slimming Magazine club wanted me to be 9st 8lb (which I achieved for just one week back in 1998.......!)

Are there any nutritionist / dietician types out there with an opinion about "healthy weight" ranges or target weights? How do I work out what I "should" weigh?

[LessToLose 4lbs]

I think if you are on the short side, very muscled, or very tall, BMI is not very accurate. Have you ever seen The BMI Project on Flickr? Scroll through the pictures and read what it says underneath each one - it is really an eye opener and illustrates clearly how BMI is not very helpful.

flickr.com/photos/77367764@...

[Hidden in reply to LessToLose]

Thanks for the link to the happy smiley photos! Really interesting, I'm not particularly tall / short and certainly not very muscled (!) - so perhaps the mid range of the 3 stone window is about right. Unfortunately this is 9 1/2 stone and this didn't go very well the last time round...!

I thought I'd aim for 10 1/2 stone and see how I'm feeling about things then. I don't want to over stretch / end up starving myself and then eating everything in sight!

[Hidden]

I had a similar query about ideal weight and BMI using the calculator. I got some good advice to use it only as a guide and to use waist and hip measurements also.

What started me off on dieting was the poor choice of clothes they made for people of my size and for men in particular. While looking for clothes on the internet, I came across a number of sites that done bespoke. I put my height and weight in and it provided me with a number of suggested measurements such as "rise". I looked at the measurements and realised how out of shape I was. Hey presto! I went on a diet.

I have just done a quick search and found a site that does women's clothing. It may well be worth looking at the site and others like them, to see how you stack up to the average shape for your height and weight. sumissura.com/en-uk/checkou...

I'm not suggesting that you buy the bespoke clothes, only that you use the site to get a feel for how someone of your weight and height shapes up. I typed in my suggested weight and to be honest, it looked a little too thin for me.

I hope this is of interest

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Tewson - it sure is. I'll take a look when I get back from the dog walk.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I think the BMI calculation is intended as a guide and the weight range is where you can sit and not be at risk from any dreaded diseases due to being too heavy, or too light. Other than that, it's just common sense and where you feel comfortable. I know that at 11 stone, I shan't be as slim as I have been in the past, but at my age, to go any slimmer would make me look scrawny, which is not a look I'm aiming for, but I will just be within my healthy range

[Spader]

I think it varies massively depending on a number of factors. I'm 3lbs off a healthy BMI, but I think that's about right for me. Only in the last few pounds or so have I thought, yeah, I'm definitely looking much leaner and healthier. But could I stand to lose more weight? Definitely, particularly as I have some of that stubborn belly fat hanging around. But equally, a lot of it will just be aesthetics now and I could be perfectly healthy at the upper end of the range if I wanted. I'm 5'7 and my weight is distributed evenly. I'm shooting for a BMI of 23 and then see how I feel when I'm there. Definitely do what feels right for you.

[Hidden]

Hi runningsoon I'm in a similar position. I'm now within a 3 lbs of my 'healthy' BMI, but would still consider that I have quite a bit of excess fat in areas where it shouldn't be there - so am surprised to be called 'healthy' ! My aim is to probably get to a stone below my healthy top range, and see how I feel. There is such a wide window that there must be a certain amount of leeway depending on each individual person.

[Hidden]

My BMI is now 'healthy' but there's still a lot of fat to shift. I wonder if age is taken into consideration? Perhaps a wider range is advised the older you get?

[Penel]

Perhaps it might be more useful to use measurements? Hip to waist ratio, or waist no more than half your height?

If you're losing weight for the sake of your health, it seems that where your fat is stored can determines how healthy you are. (Visceral fat).

Being just a little overweight when you are older may be a good idea, in case of illness and weight loss.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Penel]

OMG, I'm about 6ft too short!!