WHY YOUR HEALTHY WEIGHT IS DIFFERENT to EVERYONE ELSE

Healthy weight is different from person to person. But what do you consider as “healthy weight”? People have varied thoughts on what exactly healthy weight is. Some think healthy weight is similar to their top celebrity’s body type. Some are always getting on the scale every now and then to check for the slightest change in their weight and quickly regard it as unhealthy. Where do you belong? Or are you the one who gets bothered by your recent weight gain due to working from home?

To be honest, there is no definite or customized definition of a healthy weight. Healthy weight vary from person to person. People are different and their specific healthy weights are therefore different. The Center for Disease Control and prevention highlights that one’s ideal body weight can be affected by factors such as age, muscle to fat ratio, height, sex, and bone density.

You could be comparing your weight with your friend and feeling overwhelmed at how their weight game seems working. Remember that your friends muscle to fat ration may not be similar to yours. Most importantly, you both have different genetic and cultural traits. You could be the same age but your lifestyles are different. Therefore, your ideal weight is certain to be different to your friends and family regardless of how similar to them you want to become.

You may be wondering how exactly to determine your ideal healthy weight. Centers for disease control and prevention recommends two tools that you can use to get a ballpark idea if your weight is healthy or not: the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference.

Body Mass Index

Body mass index (BMI) is derived from the height and weight of an individual.  To calculate the BMI, the weight in kilograms is divided by the square of height in meters to determine the BMI.

Alternatively, you can convert the weight in pounds to kilograms by multiplying by 703 and then dividing the product by the height in inches. The body mass index is better at predicting the amount of body fat than using weight alone, hence, weighing so much does not necessarily mean you have huge amounts of body fat deposits. However, most people who are overweight or obese seem to have excess body fats, an indicator of obesity.

The BMI measurements can be used to predict whether one is underweight, overweight, or obese. You are considered underweight if your BMI is less than 18.5 and overweight if it is over 25. On the other and, you are considered obese if you have a BMI of over 30.

BMI measurements have limitations in determining an ideal weight. A simple BMI measurement does not account for fat mass and how body fat is distributed. Fat mass and its distribution in the body is used to predict the risk of diseases. For example, a BMI calculation for an athlete and a non-athlete of the same height may inconsistently predict whether the two are underweight, overweight or obese. An athlete is physically active and muscular, hence they will more muscle mass than a non-athlete who is less physically active. In predicting who of the two is overweight, the BMI calculator shall indicate that the athlete is more overweight or even obese compared to a non-athlete. As much as the BMI measurement is inexpensive, other factors should be considered in determining whether one is underweight, overweight or obese, and the risk of developing diseases such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

Waist Circumference

Waist circumference takes into account belly fat, a factor that BMI calculators do not account for. Waist circumference or waist ize is measured using a tape measure. To correctly measure your waist size, the CDC states that you stand and place a tape measure around your middle, just above your hipbones, and measure your waist just after you breathe out. How simple! You can go ahead and get a tape measure and measure your waist size this moment.

There are recommended waist measurement range for women and men in determining one’s risk of developing disease. For example, waist circumferences measurement of more than 35 inches in women and more than 40 inches in men can place one a higher risk of diseases. When your have more fat around the belly than your hips, you are at a risk of developing diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, and metabolic syndrome. A large belly fat also indicates an unproportioned body size that could make you feel dissatisfied with your body.  

3 Key Things to an Ideal Body Weight

Your healthy weight is different to everyone else because you are not everyone else. You are different. Everyone else is different. Here are three things to keep you geared towards being contented with your healthy weight.

Eata healthy diet

Nothing beats a healthy diet in attaining a healthy weight. A healthy diet considers a balance of all the nutrients your body need in the right proportions. Healthy eating also entails eating to fullness and not reckless eating. A healthy diet should include adequate intake of water. Water is important in keeping your body hydrated and in the formation on body fluids. Thus, intentionally pursue a healthy diet and see yourself being satisfied with your ideal weight for a healthy life.

Exercise moderately

Weight and exercise go hand in hand. While lack of exercise does not exclusively indicate weight gain, there have been consistent studies that point out the need of exercising if you want to lose weight. Moderate exercises are useful not only in losing weight but also in maintaining weight loss. Exercises help you stray woke and healthy. Consistent exercises can help you stress out after a long day of work and be focused. It could be that your present weight is different from your supposed ideal weight because you are physically inactive. Make a move, start exercising.

Give your body enough rest

Your body needs rest. Your body is made of flesh and blood, it is not a 24/7 machine. Give your body the rest it deserves. Sleep enough. Establish a healthy sleeping plan, and follow it.

Poor sleep has been linked to high-stress levels. Inadequate sleep can distract you from focusing clearly when you are doing something. Your sleep patterns also affect your weight, however distant that may seem. Start getting enough rest and let your body function optimally for a fulfilling healthy life.

Final Thoughts Stop asking yourself why your healthy weight is different from everyone else. Start focusing on the things to do to ensure you maintain your healthy weight. An ideal healthy weight differs from person to person.

Some factors that contribute to the different healthy weights from person to person are genetics and lifestyle. It is time to appreciate who you are, especially your body size and weight. Do not make comparison to your friends and family. Do not judge your friends and family or even strangers based on their appearance. People are different. You are different. Focus on staying in control of your body weight by eating healthy foods and staying hydrated, being physically active, and getting enough sleep.

source https://healthyw8.co.uk/why-your-healthy-weight-is-different-to-everyone-else/