July 22nd, 2011

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is “how much should I weigh?”   There is no one formula, graph or chart to answer this question.  Instead a number of factors are used to determine a healthy weight range for every individual.  Listed below are some of these factors:

• No symptoms of malnutrition or being underweight.  Some of the main symptoms of being underweight include fatigue, inability to concentrate, insomnia, constipation, cold intolerance and irritability.  Consequences that should be addressed by a physician include cessation of menstruation, anemia, osteopenia or osteoporosis, low pulse, low blood pressure and heart problems.
• Normal body composition.  Bodies require a minimum of body fat in order to maintain life and reproduction.  Research shows that a minimum of 16% body fat is necessary for menarche.  Most authorities agree that lean women have body fat percentages of 18 to 24% and average weight women have 25 to 31% body fat.  Lean men have body fat percentages of 6 to 17% and average weight men have 18 to 24% body fat. Body composition is a vital measurement for determining healthy weight.  This is because a person can weigh what is considered a healthy weight but have too little body fat to begin menstruation and  protect bone health. 
• Body Mass Index (BMI).  BMI is a measurement of weight in relation to height. A BMI of less than 18.5 is underweight and indicative of under nutrition. A BMI between 19 to 24 is considered healthy.   BMI, however, does not take into account muscle mass and since muscles are heavier than fat, BMI is not an accurate indicator of healthfulness for athletes and fit individuals.   
• Maintained with “normal” eating.  A healthy weight is a weight that a person can maintain with normal eating. In brief normal eating is having regular meals and snacks, eating adequate amounts of food and having a wide variety of foods.  A normal eater trusts their internal hunger and fullness signals and is able to be flexible with variety and scheduling. A normal eater has a peaceful relationship with food. 
• Consideration of weight history and ethnicity. Just as skin color, hair color and height vary among ethnicity weight also varies. For example American Indians tend to have bigger frames than Asians. Thus a lean American Indian would probably weigh more than a lean Asian person. Additionally if a person has struggled with obesity in the past, she is more likely to have a higher healthy weight range than someone who has never gained excessive weight.
• Maintained without excessive or compulsive exercise. Sedentary people tend to maintain higher than recommended body weights and people who engage in excessive or compulsive exercise typically maintain artificially low body weights.    
• Increases with age. As height increases so does weight. Each inch in height is equivalent to 3-6 pounds of increased bone mass, blood volume, and organs. Even after peak height is reached bodies continue to physically mature thus a person may continue to gain and /or redistribute weight. Ideally, from at least the mid 20’s to mid 40’s weight is maintained within 5 to10 pounds. Perimenopause and menopause is also a time where weight gain and redistribution may occur due to lower estrogen levels. The average weight gain during menopause is 5 to 10 pounds.
• Weight range rather than a single number. Weight fluctuates within the day and from day to day due to fluid fluctuation, hormones, elimination, sodium intake and a number of other factors.  At least 3 pounds during the day and even more from day to day can be attributed to normal fluctuation which is why a range instead of a single number, is imperative. 

In summary just as no two dogs, even within the same breed, are likely to weigh and look the same, no two people are likely to weigh and look alike. We each have our own unique features which are mostly determined by factors that we cannot control. People become dissatisfied and unhappy trying to achieve and maintain a weight that is unnatural for them.