Desired and ideal weight are far from the same. The ideal weight is the needed weight of your body for optimal function, whereas the desired weight can often be unhealthy.
Namely, this shows the other side of the latest trends which promote excessive weight loss, as it is commonly not the best option for a healthy body.
Undoubtedly, while on one side excessive weight increases the risk of obesity and all the accompanying conditions, including hypertension, diabetes, heart problems etc., on the other hand, excessive weight loss is no less dangerous.
Therefore, the rule of the “golden middle” is always the safest and healthiest option.
There are numerous calculators and charts which will show the ideal weight. However, we will give you a special one, designed by doctors and specialists.
Also, it’s really comprehensive as it includes several parameters, such as your body shape, age and height, to give you the ideal body weight.
Its biggest advantage is that it tells you how much you should weigh according to your specific proportions and age, and it does not support or even promote unhealthy body proportions.
In order to estimate how close you are to your ideal weight, see the chart below:
There are many other ways to determine your ideal weight, and one of them includes the Body Mass Index (BMI). It’s a common tool that people use to determine whether their weight is ideal. The BMI measures your weight in relation to your height.
Here are some guidelines from the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
- BMI of less than 18.5 means you are underweight
- BMI of between 18.5 and 24.5 is considered ideal
- BMI of between 25 and 29.9 suggests that you are overweight
- BMI over 30 means you are obese
- BMI is simple to use, but doesn’t account for the following factors:
— Waist and hip measurements
— Proportion/distribution of fat
— Proportion of muscle mass
These can definitely have a huge impact on your overall health. Athletes are fit with almost no body fat. Their BMI may be high because they have higher mass than you, but they aren’t overweight.
BMI provides a rough measurement of whether your weight is ideal, but it shouldn’t be used as the only measure for your ideal weight.