an appropriate weight..?

[Amandaaa]

...what is an appropriate weight for a 22-year-old girl who's 5'8"...?



i've never been sure of what's normal and what's not, and who's right and who's wrong.
and i've never been a big fan of traditional medical doctors... mostly because they've always told me that a "healthy" weight for my height would be between 125 and 140.


(they always try to make me gain weight.)







what do you guys think?


i know that it all depends on the individual and his or her body frame, but am i the only one who thinks that the "normal" weight range in this country is ridiculous...?!

[Kura Ookami]

Well, do you have to weigh your friends to know if they're overweight or Olympic athletes to see if they're in good physical condition? Use your common sense. It's not your scales that tell you if you're overweight or underweight. They just confirm what you already know. Going with feelings if you're at an unhelthy weight you'll probably feel lethargic and unhealthy.

Your ideal weight is when you can, clad only in underwear stare at yourself in the mirror and admire what you see.

I'm thinking that you might have encountered Jante's law. Have you ever heard of it?

If i had to sum it up in one sentence it would be something like this: Anonymity and mediocrity are the safest choice. If you opt for them you'll never face any major problems in life, but if you're different.....

I can explain this further if you'd like?

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Kura Ookami

Your ideal weight is when you can, clad only in underwear stare at yourself in the mirror and admire what you see.

and feel fit, healthy and well in your body.

[Uplift]

Combine the last two posts and I reckon you are on the right track. Take this into account. Professional bodybuilders, on the day of competition, when they think they look awesome, are on the verge of dying, and some do. So dont ignore how you feel.

[Amandaaa]

well, i feel better (mentally & physically) at a lower weight.. that's why i find it annoying to constantly be told that i "need" to gain weight.
doctors always act like i'm wrong, and they're right, because they went to med school, and i didn't.

and feel fit, healthy and well in your body.

yeah, that's definitely true.

Anonymity and mediocrity are the safest choice. If you opt for them you'll never face any major problems in life, but if you're different.....

wait... are you saying that the "safest" route is the best?

hopefully you don't apply that advice to every area of life

[Angela]

5'8" and less than 125 pounds is very thin no matter how small your frame is. At 22, though, if you feel strong, supple, and well, and you're getting enough nutrients from you food, I wouldn't worry about it; but I would start training with weights if you're not already. The weight you gain will be lean muscle and will help you feel good as you get older.

But if you are straining to stay tiny by going on extreme diets or mechanical means of limiting your calories, then please listen to the people who are recommending you gain weight. Set yourself up NOW with healthy eating and exercise habits and a grateful, loving body image.

[NotesMaeve]

Hmmm. I'm your height and am a low weight, between 105-110 lbs.

The BIG questions:

1) Are you still getting your period? If you don't have enough fat on you to ovulate, BAD.

2) How are your sleeping patterns? Sleeping too little? Too much?

3) How are your energy levels? If you're exhausted or hyper all the time, it could be a result of low body weight.

If that's all fine, get your blood work done anyway. Get some fat in every meal you eat. I love an apple and almond butter sandwich. (And I want one right now. Damn work for being so far away from slices of french bread and crunchy almond butter and smooth, chilled apple butter, tangy, crunchy, sticky... Ugh.)

Anyway, yes, the BMI is generally pretty on key. A woman who is 5' 8" shouldn't weigh under 122 lbs.

And now for the part that makes everyone go, "Aw damn, won't the mods shut her up?"

At what point did it become "best" to be at the smallest size? At what point does it make you MORE attractive to be a 4 instead of a 6? What's a 22 inch waist really say about a person that makes them better than someone with a 26 inch waist? You will not feel bad physically at a normal weight. I felt wonderful at 140 and a size 6-8, physically. I looked nice and got a lot of attention. I do now at a size 0! I can tell you that being thinner has NO IMPACT on things. If you're afraid of gaining because you think you'll be less attractive, I am telling you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that is not so.

I know I will gain weight in the future, because it's unlikely I'm going to run and cycle 5-6 days a week at the intensity I do now as my life grows and changes: Children, marriage, etc. I will always exercise so long as my body is capable of taking me there, but priorities will shift.

Yes, having a body you like is important, but there are coconut tortes drizzled with caramel and dark chocolate to be shared with lovers and creamy pastas and soups to be enjoyed with family and friends, and things that make life more colorful and delicious and beautiful, in the same way that riding your bike on a Saturday fall morning or eating a delicious spinach, tomato, and olive salad or seeing how great your ass looks in a pair of Saint Lauren jeans just makes you feel so alive. Beauty out of life should come on every facet, all five senses, and if you deprive yourself of many types of beauty and joy and happiness just to attain your view of one type, you will pay out the nose, and dearly.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Wow, I am 5' 8 1/2" and I weigh about 160. I would say I have a medium frame. In high school, I was already this tall and weighed about 120. I felt like I was too skinny. I think my best weight is around 150. It's when I feel best and I look the way I want to.

I find it odd that you see the normal ranges to be absurd in that you think they should be lower. Most people I know think they are restrictive. I am at the upper limit of normal weight according to the BMI calculator (BMI of 24.3 by weight and height). Sure, I know I could stand to lose a few and tone up, but I am not fat by any means.

If you are small framed, naturally thin (like I was throughout my younger years - I could eat anything and not gain an ounce) and have a good deal of lean muscle I could see being under 125 (Notes probably fits this). But if doctor's are constantly telling you to gain and everyone is worried about how skinny you are, maybe it's time to look deeper? Or maybe not.

[Domenic]

From what I've seen of this thread, you're trying to find some kind of validation for being unhealthy. Don't.

You should have a minimum body weight, because apparently you've already set a maximum for yourself. Say, 130 lbs minimum. You seem to have set a 140 maximum for yourself (to me, a 5'8" girl at 140 pounds looks great. My ex-girlfriend's 150 and about that height; she's still quite hot).

The most important advice I can give, I think, is this: don't try to regulate your weight, until you hit your maximum. Regulating downward will be unhealthy. Eat as comes naturally, exercise in a healthy way if you can, but don't regulate your weight actively unless it gets above your (rather low) comfortable maximum.

[Amandaaa]

If you're afraid of gaining because you think you'll be less attractive, I am telling you, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that is not so.

nooo no no no no no.
it has nothing to do with "beauty" or being attractive... it's more about feeling good and eating healthy.

you're trying to find some kind of validation for being unhealthy. Don't.

no...i think i was actually looking for reassurance that i am healthy.
it seems like there are quite a few people on this board who are vegan/vegetarian, or open to alternative health... so i think i was expecting most people to agree with me. because most of the people in real life who tell me that i'm "too skinny" aren't into the whole mind/body/spirit connection thing. they don't really see things from my perspective, so i don't know...

or seeing how great your ass looks in a pair of Saint Lauren jeans just makes you feel so alive.

ha
i don't own any Yves Saint Laurent, but now i know what i'm asking for for Christmas...

if you feel strong, supple, and well, and you're getting enough nutrients from you food, I wouldn't worry about it

Eat as comes naturally, exercise in a healthy way if you can, but don't regulate your weight actively unless it gets above your (rather low) comfortable maximum.

thank you. good advice.

[Minsc]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

no...i think i was actually looking for reassurance that i am healthy.

What's your body fat percentage? Don't use BMI to make conclusions about your weight since it's inaccurate...
You could use a tape measure to measure your bodyfat easily, and it'd be decently accurate(there's also water displacement, ect):
Home Body Fat Test
Body Fat Estimator

And here's a page with some ranges for body fat: Understanding Your Body Fat Percentage

I'm not sure how accurate the "essential fat" is since someone weighing 300 pounds with 6% body fat has as much fat as a 150-pound guy with 12%... (and the 300 pound guy would have a greater "muscle-to-guts" ratio than the smaller guy. I'd bet that your guts would need more fat to operate than muscle, and muscle can be broken down into protein, and then simple carbs, in case you're starving)

Anyway, your health depends on a lot more than your fat and muscle composition...

[bdp]

Weight is completely irrelevant.

Only a truly clueless person would tell anybody else to gain weight. Muscle maybe, but not weight. And how would you gain the weight anyway; eat more? That would just make you gain fat, which is obviously a stupid thing to do.

Most people have messed up perceptions of weight and health. For example, I'm 6 foot 4, 26 yrs old, and I weigh 150 lbs. I am lean, fit, and strong, and people tell me I look good. However, as soon as someone finds out I'm 150 lbs, he or she tells me I'm too skinny and that I need to gain weight.

The last time somebody told me I needed to gain weight, I asked why. The person stuttered and stammered and finally came up with "you need fat to keep you warm." That is the best people can do; they just don't know what they are talking about.

Your ideal "weight" is when you are strong enough to do normal things, you have little fat, you look good, and you feel good.

[votoshka]

If you are maintaining your current weight without any effort at all, and you are satisfied with the amount of food you are eating, then your weight is probably quite fine for you!

Everyone is different. My best friend from school is 5'7" and weighed about 100lbs at 18 (she put on weight though after going on anti depressants). She used to eat plenty of food, and hated being so skinny her younger sister was almost exactly the same size as she was.

I have also known people with very large frames and who were quite muscular and who doctors told to lose weight.

If you feel good and have plenty of energy then your weight is fine!

[NotesMaeve]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

nooo no no no no no.
it has nothing to do with "beauty" or being attractive... it's more about feeling good and eating healthy.

Gaining can be about health. Keep a food journal for a few days. If you're eating 1200+ calories, you're fine. (I eat anywhere from 1300 to 2500 a day.)

I probably feel best between 110-120, which technically is a little underweight, but I like that at that weight my thighs don't rub when I run. I LOVE the fact I look great in anything off the rack of a major designer.

But you're telling me at a "normal" BMI you'd feel bad? Come on. I admit, I like the pin thin look on me, but I look very healthy and at this weight I can enjoy all my favorite foods. The question is: Are you denying yourself? Are you getting a healthy diet?

Originally Posted by bdp

Weight is completely irrelevant.

Only a truly clueless person would tell anybody else to gain weight. Muscle maybe, but not weight. And how would you gain the weight anyway; eat more? That would just make you gain fat, which is obviously a stupid thing to do.

Only a truly clueless person would be unaware women need so much body fat (about 12%) to continue having a monthly cycle. Yes, sometimes it is necessary for a woman to gain fat. If a woman doesn't have enough body fat, her body certainly can't support the growth of another human. That's kind of the point of having females within a species.

The last time somebody told me I needed to gain weight, I asked why. The person stuttered and stammered and finally came up with "you need fat to keep you warm." That is the best people can do; they just don't know what they are talking about.

Your ideal "weight" is when you are strong enough to do normal things, you have little fat, you look good, and you feel good.

You actually do need a certain percent of fat to regulate body temperature. (For men, that is very low.) So fat not only keeps you warm, but cool as well.

More reasons we need fat:

Fat is necessary to cushion organs.

It is necessary to absorb some vitamins.

It helps maintain cell membranes.

So yeah. She may need to gain weight, and if someone thinks that, they just not might be the truly clueless ones here.

[Minsc]

So fat not only keeps you warm, but cool as well.

Err.. How'd you come to that conclusion? Brown fat(which regulates body temperature) has more mitocondria than white fat and is able to burn more energy to generate more heat... You need to sweat in order to keep yourself cool. And there are multiple ways for the body to heat itself up in addition to brown fat.

Brown adipose tissue - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It is necessary to absorb some vitamins.

Dietary fat is, not body fat... (dietary fat shouldn't cause an increase in body fat)

It helps maintain cell membranes.

That would be part of the 12%(or 6%) and not as adipose tissue... (except for the fat that supports the structure of the tissue)

Anyway, I did some math and the 125 pounds your doctor said seems right if you have an average lean body mass for your height(meaning you have averageish strength), although it's actually 10% to 12% instead of just 12% according to the American Council on Exercise...

[Kura Ookami]

Originally Posted by Amandaaa

wait... are you saying that the "safest" route is the best?

hopefully you don't apply that advice to every area of life

Well ,the safest route is the best if you want to be mediocre and i don't think mediocre equals healthy. I don't want to be mediocre. I want to make a difference in the world.

Anyway, one thing I've found useful in keeping healthy is to remember who created us. Our creator would know exactly how we worked and what to do to maintain us. Man created cars and computers so we can assume he is the expert on those things. Man did not create humans or any other living thing. Humans were created by Mother Nature and hers is the guide we would do well to follow. If anyone gives you advice that contradicts Natures guide no matter how qualified or eminent that person might be ignore it.

Natures guide is all around you. Wild animals follow it. They don't have the intelligence not to. Humans are the only species that don't follow natures guide and not only do we affect ourselves by not following her guide we affect other animals as well by destroying their habitats and if we don't destroy them we pollute them.

An example. Where does nature say we need to get our calcium from? Which wild animal has the biggest strongest teeth? I think you'll agree that elephants have the strongest and biggest teeth. What do elephants eat? They only eat vegetation. So natures guide says eat vegetation, fruits and vegetables, for calcium. If you want to be strong you need protein? Let's see, which animal is the strongest? Possibly gorillas. What do gorillas eat? If it's available they'll only eat fruit and if it's not available they'll supplement their diet with other vegetation. Gorilla's never eat meat or dairy products..

Sorry I've gone off on a tangent.

You say you want to feel good and healthy. My advice is to follow natures guide and here's a question: How do you know when you feel good and healthy? Do you wait for others to tel you you feel good and healthy? Are others the experts on what you feel? No, you're the expert on how you feel, not the doctors or nutritionists. If you feel good and healthy you're doing something right, so continue doing what you're doing.

[NotesMaeve]

Originally Posted by Minsc

Err.. How'd you come to that conclusion? Brown fat(which regulates body temperature) has more mitocondria than white fat and is able to burn more energy to generate more heat... You need to sweat in order to keep yourself cool. And there are multiple ways for the body to heat itself up in addition to brown fat.

You just sorta made the point for me. Fat generates energy which heats up the body. Do tell me about the other methods though and the percentages these account for in heating the body. I am all ears.

Dietary fat is, not body fat... (dietary fat shouldn't cause an increase in body fat)

If you lack body fat, you cannot absorb certain vitamins. This is why anorectic women tend to have issues like anemia even if they take vitamins.

That would be part of the 12%(or 6%) and not as adipose tissue... (except for the fat that supports the structure of the tissue)

Right. I'm not sure what you mean here. That fat STILL affects your weight.

[Amandaaa]

you're the expert on how you feel, not the doctors or nutritionists. If you feel good and healthy you're doing something right, so continue doing what you're doing.

thank you

i liked your entire post, and i agree with everything you had to say about nature. you seem to have the same attitude that i do.




(and thanks to everyone else for your responses, too )

[Minsc]

Originally Posted by NotesMaeve

You just sorta made the point for me. Fat generates energy which heats up the body. Do tell me about the other methods though and the percentages these account for in heating the body. I am all ears.

Well, according to Wikipedia, your body can contract some muscles under the skin to cause goose bumps(which wouldn't do much since people have little body hair), muscles can start to shiver(which would convert energy into heat like in brown fat), and capillaries near the skin can contract to reduce how much heat they conduct to the skin(the skin would be cold and the internal body parts are kept at a high temperature, blood flows through both).
Thermoregulation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm guessing your body would use all of them... Not sure about which are more effective.

Adults can just put some more clothes on or move away from the cold so they don't need as much brown fat...

If you lack body fat, you cannot absorb certain vitamins. This is why anorectic women tend to have issues like anemia even if they take vitamins.

Do you have a referance somewhere? (I've never heard of anything saying you use your bodyfat to absorb vitamins, the one you posted seems to be talking about dietary macronutrients and seems a little outdated... It doesn't mention that glucose can be derived from protein, anything about ketones, and says that fat will cause you to gain weight)

The fat-soluble vitamins mix with dietary fat(ex. olive oil) in the intestine(I think) and get absorbed there. I'm not sure if there's an enzime involved that helps absorb fat-soluble vitamins... If so, it'd probably need to be made of fat.

After it gets absorbed, it needs to be transported in blood-cholesterol(as far as I know, and I'm not sure how the cholesterol picks up the vitamin)... (Cholesterol is a lipid/fat)

I'm guessing anorexic people have problems with fat-soluble vitamin absorption because they don't eat much fat.

Right. I'm not sure what you mean here. That fat STILL affects your weight.

There's no reason to gain fat if you're above the minimum needed by the body and a little for storage(the 6%/12%)...

Most people would consider those pretty low and might think that you should gain fat if your body-fat is at those levels(the 6% at least).

[Amandaaa]

There's no reason to gain fat if you're above the minimum needed by the body and a little for storage(the 6%/12%)...

i agree with you... but, technically, she is right. (at least about this part:

Only a truly clueless person would be unaware women need so much body fat (about 12%) to continue having a monthly cycle. Yes, sometimes it is necessary for a woman to gain fat.

...if i drop below 108 pounds, my body basically starts shutting down. i was in the 95-105 range for a couple years, and it wasn't exactly ideal.

on a guy, a BMI of 15 might be fine; but, unfortunately, females need more than the bare minimum to stay healthy. (...which is why i gained a little weight)


i'm still a little underweight, but i consider myself healthy.
and i still think that we need less fat than most doctors think.