What should my ideal weight be?

Question:

Short Answer:

A goal or ideal weight is simply relative to the individual. Many charts you find online are incredibly general and don't tell the whole story. Consider using your Body-Fat Percentage or measurements as a better indicator of progress.

Longer Answer:

Within our FF30X program, the majority of our members are looking to lose weight/body-fat, and change their body composition along the way. However, we are often asked what a person's ideal weight should be though you may be surprised that there isn't one clear-cut answer.

Body Mass Index (BMI) used to be the easy standard in terms of determining ones "healthy" weight. However, it has become outdated as it does not take into consideration various body sizes and frames. BMI simply uses a calculation of your height and weight to determine if you are underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese. However, with only using your height/weight, body-builders would be considered obese and we obviously know that's not true! That is because they have such a high weight (in the form of muscle) for their height.

A better way to measure your body is by body-fat percentage. No calculation can fudge their way through measuring your body-fat. Unfortunately, a lot of tools to measure body-fat from home are not so reliable (i.e. bio-impedance hand-held or digital scales) as your hydration and caffeine levels can play a role in determining your number. They are good to track your overall trend, but not necessarily to pinpoint and exact number. Your best is using a DEXA scan, that will determine your body-fat, lean mass, bone density, and various other information points about your body. You can schedule a scan at a local health clinic or university as they are usually sold in packs of 3 (great for checking progress over time). Based on your body-fat number, you can check out your Jackson-Pollock range of body-fat, to determine a more "ideal" body composition.

But just remember, measuring your weight or body-fat is just one small part to this journey. Yes, it does give a tangible number and goal to strive for but there are so many other Non-Scale Victories (NSVs) that you should celebrate as well: more energy, looser clothes, sleeping better, increased libido, etc.

Yours in Health & Friendship,

- The Fit Father Project
Customer Success Team

*DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. This FAQ content is for informational purposes only. See our full terms and disclaimer here. Always talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have.