What is your Optimum Weight?

It is hard to imagine a time in human history when we as a species were so obsessed with our weight. For starters, scales were not around in the caveman time. Also, in many cultures, weight was (and is) a status symbol. A heavy weight represented wealth, abundance, and power. Think of the images of the Polynesian chiefs. To be skinny would not have been acceptable. But in our Western culture, we want our weight to be less than it is, most of the time. So what is the optimum weight for you?

Weight by Body Size

For starters, it is important to look at your body, including your height and bone structure. The taller you are, the more weight you could carry. Also, if you have strong, heavy bones, and muscles, your weight on a scale might be higher but you will look and feel quite okay. There are many charts available that match body size to weight in order to give you a sense of your optimum weight. It is important to remember that as you age, often you tend to get shorter, especially women. So the weight you carried when you were 30 will look quite differently on you at 60.

Weight by Body Fat

In addition to the number on the scale, it is important to know how much of your weight is muscle and how much is fat. Using the measurements of your body, it is possible to calculate your BMI – body mass index. This number will help you determine the optimum weight for your build.

Weight by Clothing Fit

A great way to determine the optimum weight for you is to know if your clothes still fit. When you can no longer wear the clothes you normally do, or you shop for a size larger, that is a warning sign that you may be moving out of your optimum weight. Your clothes should fit comfortably without pinching you at the waist. If you cannot sit after dinner with all your buttons buttoned, you may need to lose weight.

Weight by Feeling

How you feel, both emotionally and energetically, are good indicators of whether you are at your optimum weight. Do you find it hard to keep up with people on a walk? Are you tired and sluggish often? When you look in the mirror and see yourself, do you feel sad at the image? Check in with how you are feeling and you may discover whether you are in need of a weight tune-up.

Weight by Default

Finally, there is a weight that your body settles at. If after all the diets and effort, you continually come back to the same weight all the time, perhaps that is the body’s way of telling you “this is your optimum weight.” You may not love how it looks, but there is wisdom in the body. If you are eating in a healthy manner, and not overdoing anything that is terribly fattening, learn to accept your weight, and love yourself, just as you are.

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