How Do You Size Yourself Up?
What should I weigh? Is my waist too big? Isn’t my BMI what matters? How about body fat? Isn’t increasing muscle what really counts?
Sound familiar? I’m asked these questions all the time, and the answers are not black and white – they all matter, and they’re all related. Throw in family history for weight and health issues, and you’ve got a large, health-promoting jigsaw puzzle with interconnecting pieces.
Watch the segment from TODAY
So, how can we size ourselves up? It’s not just how you look. The methods I’m describing below are based on large-scale scientific studies. But, you can’t always translate population statistics for your personal evaluation. It makes sense to use at least two of these tools, while also taking your family history into consideration.
Are your familiar with these methods? I’d love to hear how you size yourself up!
Sound familiar? I’m asked these questions all the time, and the answers are not black and white – they all matter, and they’re all related. Throw in family history for weight and health issues, and you’ve got a large, health-promoting jigsaw puzzle with interconnecting pieces.
Are your familiar with these methods? I’d love to hear how you size yourself up!
- Body Mass Index
- Percent Body Fat
- Lean Body Mass (Muscle)
- Waist Circumference
Body Mass Index (BMI). This is the best way to start sizing yourself up. BMI takes into account your height and weight, for a single number representing weight categories. It’s the same for men and women. You can find out your BMI by consulting this BMI chart. You can also calculate this with pen and paper:
Bottom line: This is an important starting point. Pick a part of your range that is manageable for you to maintain. No matter where you are on the BMI chart, it’s important to at least NOT GAIN – and avoid weight creep with age.
Waist Circumference. All you need is a tape measure, going around your waist at “belly button” level. A healthy waistline is one that is half your height (in inches), or less. If it’s higher, no matter what your BMI, that indicates extra abdominal fat (also known as “belly fat”). Extra abdominal fat is a known health risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Bottom Line: It’s not just your BMI, but also your waist that matters – a reflection of where the fat is. You don’t have to look especially heavy, and can be in a stable overweight category, but if your waist is larger, you’re at a greater risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high insulin).
Lean Body Mass (LBM): Muscle, bone, and body fluids make up the term “lean body mass”. Much of this is represented by your muscle mass. Muscle is more dense than fat, and weighs more, so the scale can be higher with higher muscle mass. Higher muscle mass also reflects a lower body fat percentage. Importantly, muscle has twice the metabolic activity of fat. This is important for aging - to keep metabolism up, and fight the natural decline in metabolism with age. A person with a higher lean body mass and low body fat could have a BMI that is "overweight" - but without health risk, and is in great metabolic shape because of the muscle. No need to measure more than a couple of times a year (note: muscle and fat measures are done at the same time – see below).
Bottom line: Muscle weighs more than fat. Raising your muscle mass is a goal for life – to offset the decline in metabolism that occurs every decade from age 30 on. That’s why people wonder why it’s harder to lose weight at 45 than 25. So, even if you have a BMI that is “overweight”, if you have a high LBM (reflected as a lower body fat as well) – it’s your muscle that provides the extra “weight” – in this case, a very good thing.
Percent Body Fat: Body fat is a key measure for overall health. It’s everything that is NOT lean body mass. Body fat percentage helps predict future health risk (for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and others), and also metabolic efficiency. High body fat reflects more fat cushioning your organs, which is a problem. Also, for women, in particular, the slowing of metabolic rate by 5% a decade, promotes weight gain. Higher body fat means slower metabolism, which only makes this worse. Many people can have a "normal" BMI - and be "overfat" or also “underfat” – both which can be a problem for normal hormonal function. A fit woman has a body fat of around 21-24%; a fit man has a body fat of around 14 – 17%. While a low body fat percentage is a real health promoter, there IS a need for some body fat for good health; for women, don’t drop below 12% and for men, don’t drop below 4%.
While home scales can give you an approximate body fat percent, there’s a lot of variability, and these are best to measure the changes you have over time, either up or down. The best information is obtained at a gym, or medical setting by experienced people using professional equipment.
Bottom Line: Body fat is important to pay attention to, to keep your metabolism revved up throughout life. Too much or too little fat is a problem – independent of weight.
So what do you think? How do you "size up"? Leave a comment below!
Related from Madelyn Fernstrom:
- Multiply your weight in pounds by 703
- Divide this number by your height in inches
- Divide this again by your height in inches.
Bottom line: This is an important starting point. Pick a part of your range that is manageable for you to maintain. No matter where you are on the BMI chart, it’s important to at least NOT GAIN – and avoid weight creep with age.
Waist Circumference. All you need is a tape measure, going around your waist at “belly button” level. A healthy waistline is one that is half your height (in inches), or less. If it’s higher, no matter what your BMI, that indicates extra abdominal fat (also known as “belly fat”). Extra abdominal fat is a known health risk for metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
Bottom Line: It’s not just your BMI, but also your waist that matters – a reflection of where the fat is. You don’t have to look especially heavy, and can be in a stable overweight category, but if your waist is larger, you’re at a greater risk for diabetes and metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, high insulin).
Lean Body Mass (LBM): Muscle, bone, and body fluids make up the term “lean body mass”. Much of this is represented by your muscle mass. Muscle is more dense than fat, and weighs more, so the scale can be higher with higher muscle mass. Higher muscle mass also reflects a lower body fat percentage. Importantly, muscle has twice the metabolic activity of fat. This is important for aging - to keep metabolism up, and fight the natural decline in metabolism with age. A person with a higher lean body mass and low body fat could have a BMI that is "overweight" - but without health risk, and is in great metabolic shape because of the muscle. No need to measure more than a couple of times a year (note: muscle and fat measures are done at the same time – see below).
Bottom line: Muscle weighs more than fat. Raising your muscle mass is a goal for life – to offset the decline in metabolism that occurs every decade from age 30 on. That’s why people wonder why it’s harder to lose weight at 45 than 25. So, even if you have a BMI that is “overweight”, if you have a high LBM (reflected as a lower body fat as well) – it’s your muscle that provides the extra “weight” – in this case, a very good thing.
Percent Body Fat: Body fat is a key measure for overall health. It’s everything that is NOT lean body mass. Body fat percentage helps predict future health risk (for diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and others), and also metabolic efficiency. High body fat reflects more fat cushioning your organs, which is a problem. Also, for women, in particular, the slowing of metabolic rate by 5% a decade, promotes weight gain. Higher body fat means slower metabolism, which only makes this worse. Many people can have a "normal" BMI - and be "overfat" or also “underfat” – both which can be a problem for normal hormonal function. A fit woman has a body fat of around 21-24%; a fit man has a body fat of around 14 – 17%. While a low body fat percentage is a real health promoter, there IS a need for some body fat for good health; for women, don’t drop below 12% and for men, don’t drop below 4%.
While home scales can give you an approximate body fat percent, there’s a lot of variability, and these are best to measure the changes you have over time, either up or down. The best information is obtained at a gym, or medical setting by experienced people using professional equipment.
Bottom Line: Body fat is important to pay attention to, to keep your metabolism revved up throughout life. Too much or too little fat is a problem – independent of weight.
So what do you think? How do you "size up"? Leave a comment below!
Related from Madelyn Fernstrom:
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This is all well and good, but what about happiness. So what if your so lean and trim, but if your a bundle of nerves or so angry at the world, what good are you. Be happy, live in moderation.
You are focusing on slowing of metabolism at age 45. What about those of us women who are nearing 80. Our metabolism is about zero. All well and good to need to lose those extra inches around the waist as well as the extra pounds, but I can't afford to go to a gym but I do have an exercise bike and a treadmill at home.
I've always thought a healthy BMI 18.5 to 24.9.
I know tons of women like me...40-50ish, 10-20 pounds overweight, 1-2 inches too much around belly, BMIs a tad high, super busy lifestyles with kids, jobs, etc. and trying to eat, cook, exercise as best we can...and can't make much (any) progress on weight, inches...it is such a stubborn problem. I really want to shed 15 lbs and 2 inches...what are my best bets?
I've lost more than 100 pounds over the last three years and after 18 years on medications for diabetes and high blood pressure, I'm happy to say that I'm OFF all medications. I'm reading labels and not eating after 7 pm (a BIG CHANGE). My exercise routine is walking one hour a day. I'm 58 years olf and feel great. I'm often asked what size I want to be. Now that I'm finally the average American woman, I'm not focused on a number on a clothing label but I AM focused on the numbers on the blood glucose monitor and the blood pressure cuff.
Okay, I am in medical school and currently in a weightloss management program. First, muscle and fat weigh the same...I promise, I lost 4 pounds of fat and gained 3 pounds of muscle so on the scale it showed a net loss of 1 pound! (Google "does muscle weigh the same or more than fat?"). Second they are currently trying to change the BMI scale to be a little higher. And keep in mind that you do not have to have a body fat percentage of 24%...that is for a "fit" woman who probably goes to the gym a lot more than the average person can. My philosophy, exercise at least 3-4 hours a week (half cardio, half weights/muscle building exercise); eat more fiber, more protein, less cholesterol, 1/2 the carbs that are daily recommend (so 150), low fat, moderate-low calories (healthy weight loss is 1800 calories, I do 1500 calories)...and yes it is okay to endulge every-so-often (i.e. I love cake, I will go to the grocers and buy a single slice). Exercise and eat right, you will be healthy and happy and see results!
how can the bmi be calculated the same for both men and women?!
Kara is right. According to the BMI table attached, a BMI of 24 is still within normal range. That's what I am, although I'd like to lose a few more #'s before menopause makes it even harder to lose.
Another suggestion: have your thyroid checked! Hypothyroidism can make it hard to lose weight. My doctor diagnosed me with a mild case of it, and I'm treating it with Levothyroxine.
This is very interesting! I am a 5'6" 240lb woman who feels like a 5'6" 165l woman. I am clinically severly obese but you would never tell by how active I am. I do not believer that all these numbers are a good indicator of health condition. Explain the risks of being classified severly obese when your blood pressure is normal, your blood sugar is normal, and your cholestoral levels are good. I feel healthier than I look, and I am healthier than alot of the skinny women out there. Go Figure.
Right, it's extremely important to NOT GAIN at all costs, wherever you are on the BMI chart. I hope any person on the brink of developing an eating disorder doesn't find this article. If anyone would actually care to browse real scientific information, he would discover that weight is not an reliable indicator of a person's health.
Also, to jay - which weighs more, 1000lbs of feathers or 1000lbs of lead? Fat is about .7 g/mL LESS DENSE than muscle, and is also less metabolically active. But of course, if you gain a pound of something and lose a pound of another, your net gain will be zero! Medical school? Really? I'm afraid for the future of health care.
Thank you for this article. People shouldn't be stuck on the number on the scale. I personally weight 152 pounds(5'10"). No one believes me, people think I weight much less. I say;"It's muscle and it just weights more!" So obviously my BMI is normal but on the higher side. But who cares. I am wearing size 4-6. I really think scales should be abolished.
Um, 1000 lbs of feathers would weigh the same as 1000 lbs of lead. The size/density would be different. Weight (as a measure) is a constant. A pound is a pound is a pound.
lol my bmi is 34. thats way over but... they dont take into consideration that ive lifted weights for over twenty yrs so most of mine is muscle. and my waist measures up perfect so.....
One thing to take into account though is that BMI does not contemplate body frames, which is why it should be combined, I like combining it with body fat. On the market you can find reliable scales that give you a pretty accurate number, not that cheap, but hey, I'm talking about my health. I totally agree with the "not gaining" part, and I've heard that if you want to loose pounds you should aim initially in loosing 10 % of your current weight, which is good for your heart. By the way, yes, the normal number of BMI is 18.5 - 24.9, which the chart and this next link helped in clearing it: http://www.midieta.com/article.aspx?id=7220. Thanks, the info is very helpful
I'm 24
I'm 128 lbs and still trying to lose I'm on the perfect range but,what about the scale it lies..It says in the morning 123 and my freakin noon is up WTF..I will just go by my jeans which are size 3/4..stupid scales.
I also weigh myself 3 times a day, In the morning a Im 134. In the afternoon
it says 137 and at night 140. Im 34 and I wear a size 6 and they fit me the same thru out the day. i drink a gollon o water each day, so i know its water weight.If your clothes still fit dont worry.I have gained 60 pounds with each pregnany (3) and i lost all my weight with in 6 months by just lowering my caloreis and exercising, i dont eat the white stuff_ flour, sugar, wheat or salt. Salt can make you bloated, try not using salt for 3 days and youll lose 3 pound!!!good luck everybody! and yes the number on the scale is just a number. how you look and fell is better.
this may sound like an utterly asinine question; but do some people's bones weigh more than others, and if so how is this taken into account?
i know that when i weigh 123 at a height of 5'5 1/2", i'm positively skeletal and every bone in my body is visible. given that the BMI for that is 20.3 and i know girls who weigh less than that yet look relatively normal; my conclusion is that it's got to be my bones that weigh a lot as i am small-framed! (unless i just have small wrists and long fingers)