What should I weigh? Smart Weight Management

This week, let's look at healthy weight ranges. Many dieters don't actually know what they should weigh and this often creates a great deal of self-imposed stress and pressure. It is important to know what is healthy for your height and to understand the risks and benefits of each weight category in order to make educated decisions about your health. So let's make it a habit to refer to science when setting our goals. Bookmark this hub and visit back any time to keep track of your weight category.

The following information is based on BMI, or Body Mass Index. What is BMI? BMI is a method of calculating how much mass you have per inch that you are tall. This is probably the most common way of estimating a person's ideal weight, although there are others. For example, body fat percentage may possibly be the most accurate way to predict certain health risks. The traditional charts, that we all probably learned in health class, also take factors such as age, gender, and frame size into account. Whichever method is used, the guidelines are fairly similar.

The risks of being underweight include nutrient deficiency that can lead to conditions such as osteoporosis and anemia. Improper nutrition can also lead to a suppressed immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to viral and bacterial infections. Insufficient calories, a unit of energy, leaves you feeling drained and weak. Your hormone levels also change when underweight and may lead to pregnancy and fertility complications in women. Underweight is defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 17-18.5 and is not the same as anorexia- a serious condition where an individual's BMI is below 17.

An ideal body weight is a weight range at which there are no related health risks and numerous health and quality of life benefits. Being within this range has a positive impact on mood and self confidence. This is because of more than just an attractive body- the exercise required to maintain ideal weight releases endorphins that lift your spirits and relieve stress. Your energy levels, endurance and stamina are also better within this range. America has an obesity epidemic, and also has the greatest market for energy supplements. Not a coincidence.

Being overweight increases your risk for many health conditions. Being obese is a much greater risk than overweight, and morbid obesity means that it is likely you will die from related health problems. Health conditions associated with high Body Mass Index include heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, high cholesterol, stroke, liver and gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, osteoarthritis and gynecological disorders. Overweight is defined as a BMI between 25-30, Obesity is a BMI between 30-40, and Morbid Obesity is a BMI over 40. However, there is a small grey area in defining 'overweight'. If you have a healthy body fat percentage and waist-hip ratio, you may be healthy with a BMI up to 27. This is not uncommon in well trained athletes.

If you are obese or morbidly obese and are looking at your 'ideal weight'... you should probably stop for now. Even losing 5-10% of your body weight can improve your health. After you tackle 5-10%, just look at climbing down to the next classification. You didn't gain the weight over night and you aren't going to lose it overnight either.

These Good Habits are baby steps towards living healthier. Folding one small good behavior into our daily lives at a time makes it easy to change the way we look at having a healthy lifestyle. Try to follow along every week or jump in when you can- any good change is always better than none! And if you feel you're already an expert in this week's Good Habit, share your knowledge and skill with your friends, family and coworkers! What good is a gift in your pocket when you can give it to others?

As always- discussion is open and I will answer your questions in comments below!