Have you ever seen a height – weight chart or BMI calculation that’s recommended a weight for you that you felt was pretty much impossible?
I know when I was at my heaviest (16st 10lbs post Uni) I looked at those numbers and thought they were impossible.
BMI recommends that a man my height should be between 10st 5lbs and 14st 1lbs.
Most height – weight charts are not dissimilar, maybe a touch heavier.
“Absolutely ludicrous” I thought.
No way I could weigh that little.
I hadn’t been that weight since I was 16.
Which is a common thing I hear from people when they see a recommended weight.
They were last that weight around about 16 to 18 or 20 years old.
In my head, because I’d started working out the year before, I’d gained too much muscle to ever be that light.
When I left Uni and started getting in really good shape, I dropped down to 13 stone 4lbs.
For my 40th birthday five years ago I got in the best shape of my life (from an aesthetic / body fat percentage perspective) and actually briefly dropped under 13 stone.
I then maintained around about 13 and a half stone for the next couple of years (I’ll cover on Friday where I’m back to with my weight).
All with roughly the same muscle levels that I’d had in my early twenties.
Because, let’s face it, how much muscle mass do the vast majority of us gain post 18?
Some people will gain a significant amount, sure.
But we’re talking a tiny fraction of a percentage of the population.
I would wager that, in the vast majority of people who are three to five stone heavier than when they were 18 years old……..
No more than half a stone of that is muscle (if that).
I can think of literally dozens of active members now who’ve amazed themselves with how light they’ve gotten
Who told themselves that they could never be as light as BMI and height – weight charts said they should be.
Who had literally said, or probably thought, “I haven’t been this light since I was 18 years old”.
Ultimately, it’s your body, to do with as you please.
I would never dream of telling someone that they ‘should’ be a certain weight or make any other changes to any aspect of anything to do with themselves.
But……..
That doesn’t mean that BMI and height – weight charts aren’t as accurate and feasible as many will tell you.
And that, for the vast majority of people, if they’re outside of those ranges, there will probably be body fat that they could lose to get within them if they wanted to.
Especially if they once were.
Much love,
Jon ‘Long before we both thought the same thing’ Hall
P.S. For proven help getting back to the shape you once were in surprisingly easily, then jump in on our risk free trial at www.myrise.co.uk/apply
