Ideal Weight....
Discussion
I'm a mid-20s female, 5'5", reasonable body shape, wear size 8 - 10 clothes. I eat 2,000 calories a day consisting of cereal for breakfast, omelette (or similar) for lunch and large-ish balanced dinner (always cooked from fresh ingredients, no ready meals, fish twice a week). I snack most evenings (crackers, cheese, houmous, olives, pate etc), eat chocolate twice a week and have a brisk 1 hour walk every day.
In the last year or so, my hip to waist ratio has suffered (not massively, but 'on the turn') and I'm aware that I will have to start doing some proper exercise at some point to tone up and be healthier. However, whenever I mention this to people they say "oooh, there's nothing of you" and "you're too skinny as it is", and imply that I suffer from anorexia or similar.
Getting annoyed I used a BMI calculator to make sure that I wasn't going mental and I have found that although at 8 stone 10 pounds my BMI is 20 (in the 'ideal weight' category), to be in the Ideal Weight Longest Life Expectancy category, I need to weigh between 9 stone 10 pounds and 10 stone 11 pounds - to add between 1 and 2 stone to my current frame.
TBH, I think that to add this kind of weight would make me into a bit of a heffer. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom on this for me? Am I too skinny?
In the last year or so, my hip to waist ratio has suffered (not massively, but 'on the turn') and I'm aware that I will have to start doing some proper exercise at some point to tone up and be healthier. However, whenever I mention this to people they say "oooh, there's nothing of you" and "you're too skinny as it is", and imply that I suffer from anorexia or similar.
Getting annoyed I used a BMI calculator to make sure that I wasn't going mental and I have found that although at 8 stone 10 pounds my BMI is 20 (in the 'ideal weight' category), to be in the Ideal Weight Longest Life Expectancy category, I need to weigh between 9 stone 10 pounds and 10 stone 11 pounds - to add between 1 and 2 stone to my current frame.
TBH, I think that to add this kind of weight would make me into a bit of a heffer. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom on this for me? Am I too skinny?
From the information you have supplied, I would say you were just about at the ideal weight now, taking into account your balanced diet and reasonable amount of exercise. That BMI measurement sounds like a load of rubbish to me. If you are that concerned about a bit of excess around your waist, all you have to do is increase the amount of aerobics you do, other than that you sound perfectly healthy to me.
Put on some tracksuit trousers and a t-shirt, roll up the t-shirt to your rib cage and elastic of trousers below navel, take a photo and post up the photo of your mid-riff area? That's the easiest way of telling. It's hard to tell from a description because fat sits differently on different people (hence pear shape, apple shape, hourglass shape) as you know.
Eating marginally less can help reduce weight but it depends what you cut down on.
Idea: you could increase your weight healthily by doing light weight exercises and toning exercises such as pilates which will build your core.
Eating marginally less can help reduce weight but it depends what you cut down on.
Idea: you could increase your weight healthily by doing light weight exercises and toning exercises such as pilates which will build your core.
Edited by RemainAllHoof on Sunday 13th February 12:54
RemainAllHoof said:
Put on some tracksuit trousers and a t-shirt, roll up the t-shirt to your rib cage and elastic of trousers below navel, take a photo and post up the photo of your mid-riff area? That's the easiest way of telling. It's hard to tell from a description because fat sits differently on different people (hence pear shape, apple shape, hourglass shape) as you know.
Best effort I've seen in a while. No area of PH is safe anymore! 
scirocco265 said:
TBH, I think that to add this kind of weight would make me into a bit of a heffer. Does anyone have any pearls of wisdom on this for me? Am I too skinny?
BMI calculators are a rough guide for a completely average person.Essentially it boils down to how you think you look and feel (although this is very subjective and can often be skewed by your own self-perception).
Gaining 1 stone of muscle may tone you up nicely and raise your weight without becoming a heffer if that's what you want.
Which BMI calculator are you using? I'd be interested to see the 'longest life expectancy' weight for me.
Those BMI things make me laugh. According to them I am the ideal weight. According to everyone else I am a lanky streak of piss and must eat like a sparrow. Or 'is it raining up there'
As long as you feel comfortable why worry? Or do you feel that food intake is taking control of your life?
My niece IS anorexic and believe me you do NOT want to go there. 5 hours from death at one point as her heart had almost gave up. Her weight dropped to 4.5 stone! That did jolt her back to some normality.
If you are that worried have you had a word with a (doctors surgery) practice nurse?
As long as you feel comfortable why worry? Or do you feel that food intake is taking control of your life?
My niece IS anorexic and believe me you do NOT want to go there. 5 hours from death at one point as her heart had almost gave up. Her weight dropped to 4.5 stone! That did jolt her back to some normality.
If you are that worried have you had a word with a (doctors surgery) practice nurse?
It sounds like you simply lack any sort of muscle. I imagine that when you discuss losing weight or losing fat with these other people, they're picturing you getting skinnier, and while we can't judge this properly or advise you accurately without pictures, I would imagine their pictures would be close to the result if you were to just lose weight in general.
Doing some weight lifting (doesn't need to be heavy, but there's no harm in being stronger) would add a bit of muscle, and you'd not only gain weight (to match the BMI figures and make you happy), but the fat would disappear, improving your appearance.
Doing some weight lifting (doesn't need to be heavy, but there's no harm in being stronger) would add a bit of muscle, and you'd not only gain weight (to match the BMI figures and make you happy), but the fat would disappear, improving your appearance.
AB said:
RemainAllHoof said:
Put on some tracksuit trousers and a t-shirt, roll up the t-shirt to your rib cage and elastic of trousers below navel, take a photo and post up the photo of your mid-riff area? That's the easiest way of telling. It's hard to tell from a description because fat sits differently on different people (hence pear shape, apple shape, hourglass shape) as you know.
Best effort I've seen in a while. No area of PH is safe anymore! 
I take all of this bmi with a pinch of salt. Everybody is different. Give or take people will have a different natural weight. I've gone from being 8 1/2 stone when i was around 17 to the past few years upto 23 i'm now 13 stone. I'm far from happy still but i feel much better. As in i have energy, rarely get ill *touch wood* and i don't get cold as easy. Get to a weight where you feel comfortable. Apologies for some of this being slightly off topic.
Thanks for all the replies, I feel healthy enough but know I could be healthier. It's when I mentioned that I might start doing a weekly gym class that people felt the need to gasp, even when I explained that I just want to be a bit healthier, a bit more toned. TBH I think pilates or yoga is probably the way to go to create some muscle definition.
It's funny that's its usually people that could do with losing a few pounds that find it easy to comment on other people's weight....
The BMI calculator I used with Longest Life Expectancy was http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bm...
It's funny that's its usually people that could do with losing a few pounds that find it easy to comment on other people's weight....
The BMI calculator I used with Longest Life Expectancy was http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bm...
"It's funny that's its usually people that could do with losing a few pounds that find it easy to comment on other people's weight."
They are also the ones that disapprove of unhealthy diets while they have a fag hanging out the corner of their mouth.
Best thing to do is stop telling people what you plan to do, that way you don't have to hear any negativity.
Assuming you are an adult, you don't need any approval or permission to start exercising and that includes consulting BMI charts compiled by people who have never met you or have any idea what you look like or how you feel.
They are also the ones that disapprove of unhealthy diets while they have a fag hanging out the corner of their mouth.
Best thing to do is stop telling people what you plan to do, that way you don't have to hear any negativity.
Assuming you are an adult, you don't need any approval or permission to start exercising and that includes consulting BMI charts compiled by people who have never met you or have any idea what you look like or how you feel.
scirocco265 said:
The BMI calculator I used with Longest Life Expectancy was http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bm...
I'm at the high end of the healthy range. You saying I'm fat?scirocco265 said:
Thanks for all the replies, I feel healthy enough but know I could be healthier. It's when I mentioned that I might start doing a weekly gym class that people felt the need to gasp, even when I explained that I just want to be a bit healthier, a bit more toned. TBH I think pilates or yoga is probably the way to go to create some muscle definition.
It's funny that's its usually people that could do with losing a few pounds that find it easy to comment on other people's weight....
The BMI calculator I used with Longest Life Expectancy was http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bm...
We often do things like this for 'ourselves', don't listen to other people. I had loads of stick for going to the gym, i still to this day have no idea why. The gym classes are always busy at my gym. I don't know this because i've been to any jsut seen a lot walk out It's funny that's its usually people that could do with losing a few pounds that find it easy to comment on other people's weight....
The BMI calculator I used with Longest Life Expectancy was http://web4health.info/en/answers/ed-dia-weight-bm...
I've always heard that boxercise is a good class. IMO an idea weight for you at 5'5", being a woman, is between 8-5 and 8-12. If you put on two stone you'll be unhealthily overweight. You'll be fat. I actually had a g/f who co-incidentally was 5'5" and dieted from 11 stone to 8-9 and whilst she wasn't exactly super obese at the former weight she was obviously fat and flabby. Even at 8-9 I thought she could lose a few lbs. I hear she's even bigger now so I'm glad I nabbed her at that opportune time... er, anyway...
You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are f
king hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.
You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are f
king hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.carmonk said:
IMO an idea weight for you at 5'5", being a woman, is between 8-5 and 8-12. If you put on two stone you'll be unhealthily overweight. You'll be fat. I actually had a g/f who co-incidentally was 5'5" and dieted from 11 stone to 8-9 and whilst she wasn't exactly super obese at the former weight she was obviously fat and flabby. Even at 8-9 I thought she could lose a few lbs. I hear she's even bigger now so I'm glad I nabbed her at that opportune time... er, anyway...
You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are fking hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.
Ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like but accept your opinion, a random internet stranger? You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are f
king hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.Stevenj214 said:
carmonk said:
IMO an idea weight for you at 5'5", being a woman, is between 8-5 and 8-12. If you put on two stone you'll be unhealthily overweight. You'll be fat. I actually had a g/f who co-incidentally was 5'5" and dieted from 11 stone to 8-9 and whilst she wasn't exactly super obese at the former weight she was obviously fat and flabby. Even at 8-9 I thought she could lose a few lbs. I hear she's even bigger now so I'm glad I nabbed her at that opportune time... er, anyway...
You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are fking hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.
Ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like but accept your opinion, a random internet stranger? You must have a good metabolism to be eating 2000 cals a day and not gaining significant weight, the size you are and with no 'serious' exercise. Don't throw that away.
The reason people tell you you're too skinny is they're jealous. The women because they're not your size and the men because their wives are f
king hippos. It's not PC to call a fat person fat but that's what they are. You keep on doing what you're doing and ignore all this silly talk, and also ignore the nonsense of BMI and the like.
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