Weight a Minute
Weight a Minute
Fitness experts concur that your body-mass index and other factors we’ve discussed and will cover in more detail in this chapter) are better indications of fitness than just your body weight, but most of us can’t resist stepping on the scale. If you use a scale,you might as well do it right. Take your clothes off, step on the scale, look at the number, and record it in your notebook. It’s as simple as that. Your height will remain constant, and your
height-to-body-weight ratio is a basic measure of your starting point and your progress. You know what you weigh now, and it’s a small matter to reweigh yourself, preferably at the same time every time. Experts suggest weighing in no more than once a week, but many people compulsively do it daily or every few days anyway.
Weight itself should not become a fixation, but having said that, body weight is one significant factor in health. Insurance actuaries and government health officials have calculated healthy body weight/height ratios for adults with small, medium, and large frames. These tables do not take into account body-mass index or other variables, but they are another useful starting point to use as benchmarks if you are trying to lose weight.
The following data is extracted from the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s height and weight tables (www.metlife.com) for adults aged 25 to 59 with the lowest mortality. Consider these to be normal weight ranges. To see where you fit in, compare your body weight to a recommended range for the same height and build. The weights are given in pounds and include three pounds of indoor clothing and shoes. If you weigh yourself unclothed, subtract about four pounds to match up with the tables that follow. Male Body Weight Chart
Height Small Frame Medium Frame Large Frame
5′2″ 128-134 131-143 138-150
5′3″ 130-136 133-143 140-153
5′4″ 132-138 135-145 142-156
5′5″ 134-140 137-148 144-160
5′6″ 136-142 139-151 146-164
5′7″ 138-145 142-154 149-164
5′8″ 140-148 145-157 152-172
5′9″ 142-151 151-163 155-176
5′10″ 144-154 151-163 158-180
5′11″ 146-157 154-166 161-184
6′0″ 149-160 157-170 164-188
6′1″ 152-164 160-174 168-192
6′2″ 155-168 165-178 172-197
6′3″ 158-172 167-182 176-202
6′4″ 162-176 171-187 181-207
Female Body Weight Chart
Height Small Frame Medium Frame Large Frame
4′10″ 102-111 109-121 118-131
4′11″ 103-113 111-123 120-134
5′0″ 104-115 113-126 120-134
5′1″ 106-118 115-129 125-140
5′2″ 108-121 118-132 128-143
5′3″ 111-124 121-135 131-147
5′4″ 114-127 124-138 134-151
5′5″ 117-130 127-141 137-155
5′6″ 120-133 130-144 140-159
5′7″ 123-136 133-147 143-163
5′8″ 126-139 136-150 146-167
5′9″ 129-142 139-153 149-170
5′10″ 132-145 142-156 152-173
5′11″ 135-148 145-159 155-176
6′0″ 138-151 148-162 158-179