Normal Body Weight: According to Whom?
15 year old Chelsea feels gross and overweight. At 5'4" and 120 pounds (54 kg) she is told that she has a normal weight.
Chelsea replies "but normal isn't normal anymore is it?"
Such an eye-opening statement begs the question: What is a normal weight? If (according to BMI-based official statistics) everyone is getting heavier - then it means "normal" must have changed.
However Chelsea is moving in the opposite direction. She believes that normal means having a lower body weight than current averages.
Perceptions have changed. A recent Canadian poll showed that 9% of parents believe their children are overweight. According to the facts 26% are overweight (see a full investigation of the overweight definition).
Never Enough
We are presented with a strange dichotomy; popular media 'freaks out' at the growing obesity crisis, and yet also condones anorexic witchhunts. If you are too heavy, you are doomed, and if you are too thin you must be anorexic. What is normal is in the eye of the beholder - an arbitrary and subjective measure at best.
Sean Preston
Described as "weeny"
Yes... it touches a raw nerve. Congratulations men, you have finally joined the ranks of thousands of women who must endure cynical scrutiny - where every perceived flaw is cataloged and mocked.
We Are Not the Judges
It's very difficult to determine physical state by looking at a person's size. Those who work with eating disorder sufferers have a trained eye - but for most people it can't be done.
No - she's not dying of obesity
Many years ago I attended a gym with a very strong series of aerobic classes. The most professional and enduring instructor was a woman that was larger than many. The newspapers would have derided her as 'chunky' and overweight. However, she was fitter and more flexible than other instructors.
No - she's not anorexic
A few months ago I watched a regional powerlifting competition. One of the women competing in the 52kg / 115 pound class was very slightly built. She had low body fat, but looked far too lean to do much at all. The magazines would have called her too skinny. Then she squatted down and deadlifted over 3 times her body weight - setting a new regional record. My jaw dropped and I cursed myself for my automatic judgement.
So what is normal?
What you see becomes normal to you. Fill your life with certain TV shows and magazines and you'll get one standard. People-watch at the mall and you'll get another measure. Normal doesn't necessarily mean ideal.
And to people like Chelsea:
Your self-worth is not measured in pounds or kilos.
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The thing is that i really don´t get this BMI thing because everytime I calculate my BMI it says Im severely overweight, - Im 16 years old and 162 cm;s and weight about 68 kg. I dont think I look overweight and Im fitter than most my friends. I excersise a lot, I workout 6 times a week and run atleast 5 km;s 3 times a week and I eat healthy - So I dont understand how you can measure a persons health by calculating BMI?
ReplyNetti!
ReplyI think you will find that your BMI is barely in the overweight category. Maybe 25.7 with 24.9 being the upper 'normal' limit. Keep being active and enjoy you friends!
I can assure you that the easiest way to lose weight is to drink 4 glasses of hot water everyday. I tried and it worked wonders for me
ReplyI am 5'3 and I weigh 119. I no that I am normal weight but normal weight still includes chubby people. Am I chubby or not becuase I cant really tell. When the computer tells me that im normal i always feel differently when my clothes are off.
Replyreading all that is making me go crazy .... am 5'3.5 and a whopping 176 lbs...... and the worst part being i gained 22lbs in three months during my research paper.....till my upper abdomen i'm shaped well....i've a lot of chunk on my thighs and hips......now since 45 days am exercising regularly but have lost 3" from my tummy and 2" from my hips but there isn't a significant weight loss on the scale...........am very confused and would be happy if someone coulkd clear my doubts and tell me about some exercise regimes that would make me loose weight in scale also.............
ReplyI had a good friend who was my height, and 105 lb. She was naturally thin--- We would run together, and she'd it far more than I did. She wanted to gain weight-- it was very frustrating to her when some people would accuse her of being anorexic.
ReplyHey Y'al My girl Friend is 5'4 and 130 pounds and she thinks thats over weight? do you guys agree? it's like the perfect weight for me lol. I think girls need to settle down on there weight and live life, try to be healthy and not worrie soo much about there weight, if they do that then it will all fall into place. And if a someone doesnt like you for who you are then yeah not like you would want to be with that person anyways. I'll i ask for in a girl is that she trys to e healthy, So that she will live past her 50's and 60's thats the most important thing going.
Replymy height is 5"1 and my weight is 60 Kg. What should be my normal weight according to my height.
Replysalam
Replyi am 22year old i want to know about our body weight .my height is 5 something plz send mail about it.
Replythanks.
hai iam ramesh.my age is 21. I want to know what the weight shold have for me.And give the information about the weights for various chatagories of age. I thing that you will reply me. I waiting for your reply.
Reply