Weight loss is one of those things that the majority of people consider at some point in their life. Many of those people are not interested in how much weight they should lose, but rather what’s the best way to lose weight so that they look good for bikini season.
However, some of the people who want to lose weight are more interested in exactly where they should set their sights for. While some of those people aim for an ideal weight, some just aim for a healthy weight, and others might not even have a clue to what the difference is between the two. So, that raises the question, what is the difference between ideal weight and healthy weight?
Simple Answer:
The simple way to answer a question like this is to note that a healthy weight is more of a healthy weight range, whereas an ideal weight is a specific, ideal weight for each individual based on general criteria. However, it is important to understand what the exact factors that determine each weight in order to choose which you should aim for.
Ideal Weight:
There are many different formulas that have been created to compute each individual’s ideal body weight, but there’s not necessarily one “best” formula. However, each formula calculates a hypothetical, ideal weight for each person in a similar manner. Each calculator usually generates ideal weight based on each person’s height, gender, and age. There are many ideal weight calculators online.
Healthy Weight:
A healthy weight is a weight that puts you in range of having the right proportion of body fat in relation to overall body mass. This accounts for more particular details for each individual, like their body type. Being a healthy weight allows you to feel energetic, reduces health risks, and prevents premature aging, and usually improves your quality of life.
While a scale only tells you your total weight, it does not distinguish how much of that is from fat, so you don’t know exactly what your weight composition is between the bone, water, other liquids, tissue, fat, and all of the other things that make up what you are, so it does not always tell you whether you are a healthy weight. Rather, you can calculate a healthy weight range more accurately based on things such as your body mass index and your waist circumference.
Calculating Healthy Weight
You can calculate your BMI by 1) Multiplying your height, in inches, by your height again, in inches, then 2) divide your weight, in pounds, by the number you calculated in the first step, and finally 3) multiplying that number by 703. Your BMI is normal if it is between 19 and 24, overweight if it is between 25 and 29, and obese once it is over 30. You can also use an online BMI calculator.
Your waist measurement can also be used to calculate whether you are in a healthy weight range as your waist measurement is associated with many health problems regarding weight issues. For women, your waist should generally be under 35 inches, and for men, your waist should generally be under 40 inches. Anything above those numbers might indicate that you fall within an unhealthy weight range.
At the end of the day, understanding the difference between ideal weight and healthy weight is only a part of the battle. In order to achieve either goal, you must understand how to lose weight effectively. However, the most important weapon you can use to win the battle against weight is dedication and discipline. So if you’re making the effort to understand such things, you’re in a good starting position. Remember, losing weight is not a sprinting race, it is a long-distance marathon!