healthy weight ranges

Does anyone know where I can find an accurate chart of healthy weight ranges for heights?

According to Weight Watchers I should be between 117-141. However, looking online, I've seen as low as 108 for my height (5'4"). Most of the charts online were 110-145.

I'm 118 now and I dont look at all like I'm close to being a pound underweight so I'm wondering how accurate WW's healthy weight ranges are. I'm wondering how they come up with these ranges in the first place.

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I always have trouble with this too because every site or book or magazine I read is different. I have found that weight watchers ranges are much higher than the healthy ranges I have seen in other places. For instance, their goal weight for me was 115. I am 5 ft tall. With my nutritionist's help I was down at 95 which was (according to him) near the low end of my healthy weight range. I am not comfortable at 115 for my height and build at all even if that is what WW would recommend for me, ya know?

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I always used this as a guide:

100 + 4-6 pounds for every inch over 5 feet.

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I'm curious to know how they come up with those numbers as well. Maybe you can ask someone? That range seems a little bit high. A woman standing 5'4" tall with a small frame/small bones can weigh 110lbs easily without looking or being unhealthy. That same person can weigh up to 150 if they are a power lifter. Both people would be completely healthy. The numbers you found online are much more accurate.

A healthy weight also has a lot to do with age and activity level, base metabolism rate, genetics, etc. Maybe WW bases their ranges on the average age & activity level of their client, and maybe you are younger and more active than that.

Those health/fitness professional that stay current don't even use body weight anymore - who cares how much gravity is pulling you towards the earth. Everything is done in body fat % now. WW is old school, so maybe their numbers are too.

Sorry if this is long - I deal with this everyday at work, lol.

Message edited 4/18/2011 8:49:16 PM.

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108 pounds is the weight where your BMI is equal to 18.5 which is considered to be the lowest weight in your healthy weight range. Remember that BMI does not take into consideration your frame size so if you have a small frame 108lbs is going to look a bit different then if you have a medium frame size. It looks like the weight watchers guidelines give a BMI of 20 as the low end of their "healthy weight" range. This seems like just part of their program. There are a few different methods to determine healthy weight range each method is going to give you a similar ranges plus or minus a few pounds. Here is a link to some of the equations used for nutrition assessments:
http://udel.edu/~rucinski/NTDT240/Assessment.html

I know you posted in the past that you have to stay with in the WW healthy weight guidelines to keep your position working for them so it sounds like right or wrong you have to maintain their guidelines.

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Those of you who posted calculations...are you saying that the "100 lbs for 5 ft plus whatver" is for the lower end of the range?

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The range is to factor in different builds. Some people at 5'2" would look great at 115 others would look strung out. It all depends on your body type. I am 5'3" and for me I know I will look my best at about 135. I have a bigger frame and I'm muscular. I am also big chested so if I drop below the 135 I would start losing some of my boobs and I'm not willing to do that.

To me it really should be about how you feel at a weight, not really what the number itself is. If you feel as if you look underweight then add on a couple of pounds, you'll still be well within your healthy weight range.

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I've seen mine range from 130-160. I'm 5'7" and ranged in between for years. There are model that are my height and 115-120.

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i just went on healthstatus.com and for your height, it says that you should weight between 116- 145.

but idk how they come up with these ranges.

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Thanks for all the feedback. One of the reason I was actually thinking it seemed off was because even at the lowest weight in my range, my BMI still wouldn't even underweight (nor would it be if I lost a couple more pounds).

I just feel like their ranges aren't taking everything into account. And yes, Samantha- you're right, I have to maintain within the range. I am very active and I worry about staying over 117. I wonder if I can get a note from my doctor allowing me to go under (its so funny when I first started WW I never thought I'd have to worry about losing too MUCH weight! Goes to show that an entire lifestyle change really is possible!)

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Message edited 4/19/2011 8:05:37 AM.

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Posted by missfabulous

Posted by TnDM10

If you get a note from your doctor to be a lower weight, you can continue to be a lifetime member of WW, but they might not allow you to be an employee because you are not within the healthy weight ranges that they outline.

For members that cannot get down to the highest of the range for their height they can get a note from their doctor for what they feel will be a healthy weight range for them, but because of the doctors note is giving them a weight higher than the healthy weight range for their height they cannot become an employee.

To become an employee you need to be a lifetime member within goal, if your not within the healthy weight ranges what kind of message is that sending to members

That makes sense- I didn't think about it like that.

It probably sounds like I'm not happy with my weight but I defintely am. I just worry that with me being so active I'll lose too much. (Need to eat more protein and build up that muscle!) I was just researching healthy weight ranges and trying to figure out where WW came up with their's to see if I really was that close to being underweight.

Teri, I need you to start yelling at me again lol. Brian even said its stupid for me to lose a job because I don't weigh enough!!!

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I started adding the 6 points. Its hard for me to get up to it, but I've been coming close at least. I try to add in more snacks throughout the day to help me get there. I've been hitting around 32 points a day, so its better than 29!

I don't think my problem right now is about being happy, because I am. I think its just coming off that way because its fear of gaining all the weight back. I loook back at pictures of myself from 3 years ago and don't want to look like that again. I brought it up in my meeting last week and got some good advice. So its defintely something I'm working on.

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I am also 5'4" and weighed 110 in HS (but was very thin), 119 on my wedding day (which was a little on the thin side of ideal for me) and am now ~140 at 22 weeks pregnant. (I was 131 when I got my BFP which is a bit high for my frame).

For *me* my ideal weight is probably a toned 122-125, and I have a smallish non-curvy frame with some boobs.

I find that because body types vary so much there really does need to be a large range for "healthy weight" generally associated with a particular height, but it doesn't mean that anything in that range is healthy for every person who is that height, if that makes sense. 108 is too skinny for me and 140 is too heavy for me. Also, muscle weighs more than fat and at my lightest days I had little to no muscle

congrats on your weight loss!

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Posted by Cheeks24

I've seen mine range from 130-160. I'm 5'7" and ranged in between for years. There are model that are my height and 115-120.

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