How do you choose your ideal weight?

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Simi_Papa replied on Thu, Dec 18 2008 5:31 PM

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IMHO, anything that doesn't take into account muscle mass and bone structure doesn't really give you a true picture of what your ideal weight should be.  There really is such a thing as bone structure (small, medium or large).  During my last bone density scan the technician commented that my hip/thigh structure barely fit into the frame and that was very unusual.  Since my inseam is only 31" (and I am 6'2" tall with a 36.5" sleeve length), you would think my hip/thigh structure would be smaller than normal.

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nora@joslin replied on Fri, Dec 19 2008 11:51 AM

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Dear Simi_Papa:

It is true that bone structure and muscle mass do play a role in determining your ideal weight.  Most weight charts do give a range for exactly this reason.  For example someone who is female and is 5 feet could weight between 90 and 110 lbs.

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shortie replied on Sun, Dec 21 2008 6:29 AM

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I have to schedule a bone density sometime....my new gyn gave me a slip to call for an appt for one.  I have not done it yet cause of all the snowstorms we are getting slammed with here in my state.  I am 57 and never ever had one and Simi-Papa you are stating you have had more than one?  I thought you only had just one ---to find out the state of your bones?

shortie

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Ron AKA replied on Sun, Dec 21 2008 9:44 AM

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I recall a report which claimed that the lowest risk of all cause death was associated with a BMI of about 20, with risk increasing as you go lower or higher. There was some suspicion that the results of lower than 20 may be skewed by serious disease such as cancer or aids. In other words there may be underlying causes causing the low BMI, unrelated to the risk of low BMI alone.

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Nancy replied on Tue, Dec 30 2008 8:53 PM

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Wouldn't they do more than 1 scan if you have osteoporosis ? I need to get rid of about 35 pounds according to most of the site. Boy I am struggling this time of year. Not sure what to do ,will need to think about what I am doing.Nancy

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Dee replied on Tue, Dec 30 2008 11:06 PM

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Shortie, I had my first routine density scan in 2005.  My doctor wanted a follow-up this year, and they found that I had significant bone loss!  I am to take calcium (1500) along with vitamin D (600) daily, plus adding more calcium with dietary methods.  She also talked to me about the importance of exercise, but I have a painful hip bursitis issue when exercising.  The pain from that was so bad that I quit my job this year, after trying everything doctors suggested to live with it.  Exercise will be hard, but I will try my best, bone thinning is nothing to laugh at my age (59).  So...you do need more than one scan, mine will be repeated in 2010.  I take it you have not ever had one?  Good Luck!  Dee

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shortie replied on Wed, Dec 31 2008 8:29 AM

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Dee no I have never had a bone density test and I am 57.  I had asked my doctor for the need for one and he never said to have one.....but at my new gyn appt this winter the gyn said I needed one because of my age. That shows that it is beneficial to have a 'team' of doctors on your side each checking the actions of the others....... I still have not called for the appt.  Weather issues perhaps I wait till we return from our island in March.

shortie

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lebrecht replied on Wed, Dec 31 2008 11:24 AM

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I know I am over 60 pounds overweight. I really do not need a test or someone to tell me the exact weight I should  be.

What I need is the willpower to eat right and to lose this excess. BOY! I sure wish there was a miracle pill or some help for this.

Anne

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Simi_Papa replied on Wed, Dec 31 2008 1:30 PM

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As a result of my treatments for prostate cancer I have chronically low testosterone levels and hormone replacement therapy is not an option because testosterone feed prostate cancer.  One of the side effects of low testosterone is bone density loss.  Because of that, I get a bone density scan every 5 years to see if I have a problem.

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Madman replied on Fri, Jan 2 2009 9:37 AM

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I don't go by tables and charts.  I go by Lean Body Mass and % of Body Fat.  Ideally, I would have a % of BF between 8 and 15%.  Since I have a LBM of approximately 145 lbs, that means my ideal weight would be 145/(1-.08) = 157 lbs, 145/(1-.15)=171 lbs.  So ideally, I would like to weigh between 157 and 171 lbs.

BF% is measured using a scale with electrical impedence.  The model I have is made by Tanika.

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Spirit replied on Fri, Jan 2 2009 7:13 PM

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I had my first bone density scan when I was 49.  It came about because my doctor did a test (?) and determined that I was fully past menpause by age 48.   He brought up the subject of HRT (this was before hormonal replacement therapy hit the news as a big problem).  Since I had an easy menopause (I didn't even truly realize that it was concluded!),  I was leary of taking anything to "fix" something that wasn't broken.  But we both discussed the possibility of loss of bone following menopause.  So I had the first bone scan.  It showed ostoepena (not osteoporsis, but still a concern).  I agreed to take Fosamx.  In the meantime, my doctor retired and I went though a couple of physicians before having a staedy family doctor.  I requested from my newest (and current) doctor another bone density test since I was taking some potent medication and I wanted to know if it was working.  That bone density test showed a lot of improvement, but not clearly in the normal range.  My third bone density test was just recently (at age 58).  It came back completely normal and my doctor recommended that I discontinue the Fosamax. 

But to get back to the original question...after the bone density tests (which showed that I had a relatively small skeletal structure) I noticed that the target weight for me dropped to below the mid point for the range of my height.  This showed up on the compueter-generated graphs that I get whenever I vist my doctor.  All lab test and measures (weight, pulse,  and blood pressure) are plotted. 

So I can only conclude that my small frame impacted my target weight.