The Apocalyptic Diet and Safe Weight Loss

Last week I posted an article on how many calories the obese need.  And that got me to thinking about calorie needs for all people.  When we reach the point where we carefully have to monitor consumption of food stores within our families, we really need to know what is acceptable for weight, height, and fat. 

Over the years, many height-weight charts have been published with the aim of providing a quick, easy reference to indicate whether a person is at an ideal weight or needs to gain or lose some pounds.  However, we are all unique individuals, and there just isn’t a chart that can address all our differences and yield anything close to a reasonable guideline for healthy weight.  To complicate matters further, now we’ve even got to deal with categories for people who identify as something other than their biological sex. 

For better or for worse, most Americans have opted to develop their pre-positioned food stores in the form of excess weight.  That food storage program will come into play when it’s time to start the apocalyptic diet.  And most everyone on the apocalyptic diet (move over Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig!) will be anxiously checking the charts for the time when they reach their healthy weight and are then able to consume a few more calories to maintain that weight.

Following are a few different weight charts as well as other factors to be taken into account.  We’re only addressing adults here.  Children should be far less regulated in their calorie consumption.  Once the video games and other technology disappear, they’ll become far more active and will need more calories and nutrients to grow and develop properly.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

BMI is perhaps the most popular metric for measuring a person’s weight relative to height. 

Body Mass Index
Underweight	Less than 18.5
Ideal	18.5-24.9
Overweight	25-29.9
Obese	Over 30

 

The following chart is from the National Institutes of Health.

BMI	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35
Height (inches)	Body Weight (pounds)
58	91	96	100	105	110	115	119	124	129	134	138	143	148	153	158	162	167
59	94	99	104	109	114	119	124	128	133	138	143	148	153	158	163	168	173
60	97	102	107	112	118	123	128	133	138	143	148	153	158	163	168	174	179
61	100	106	111	116	122	127	132	137	143	148	153	158	164	169	174	180	185
62	104	109	115	120	126	131	136	142	147	153	158	164	169	175	180	186	191
63	107	113	118	124	130	135	141	146	152	158	163	169	175	180	186	191	197
64	110	116	122	128	134	140	145	151	157	163	169	174	180	186	192	197	204
65	114	120	126	132	138	144	150	156	162	168	174	180	186	192	198	204	210
66	118	124	130	136	142	148	155	161	167	173	179	186	192	198	204	210	216
67	121	127	134	140	146	153	159	166	172	178	185	191	198	204	211	217	223
68	125	131	138	144	151	158	164	171	177	184	190	197	203	210	216	223	230
69	128	135	142	149	155	162	169	176	182	189	196	203	209	216	223	230	236
70	132	139	146	153	160	167	174	181	188	195	202	209	216	222	229	236	243
71	136	143	150	157	165	172	179	186	193	200	208	215	222	229	236	243	250
72	140	147	154	162	169	177	184	191	199	206	213	221	228	235	242	250	258
73	144	151	159	166	174	182	189	197	204	212	219	227	235	242	250	257	265
74	148	155	163	171	179	186	194	202	210	218	225	233	241	249	256	264	272
75	152	160	168	176	184	192	200	208	216	224	232	240	248	256	264	272	279
76	156	164	172	180	189	197	205	213	221	230	238	246	254	263	271	279	287

 

The BMI chart has some significant limitations.  If you’ll notice, it doesn’t distinguish between men and women.  Men tend to have more body mass and denser bones.  Nor does the chart differentiate by age or race.  All these factors play a role in weight.  Nor is any allowance made for athletes who are extremely fit—muscle weighs more than fat. 

The following chart from Metropolitan Life Insurance uses frame size as part of the height-weight metric. 

Quickly approximate your frame size by wrapping your thumb and index finger around your wrist.  If they overlap, you have a small frame.  Touch—medium frame.  Don’t touch—large frame. 

 

Frame size is more accurately determined using the wrist circumference:

	Women < 5’2” tall	Women 5’2” – 5’5” tall	Women > 5’5” tall	Men > 5’5” tall
Small frame	< 5.5”	<6”	<6.25”	5.5”-6.5”
Medium frame	5.5”-5.75”	6”-6.25”	6.25”-6.5”	6.5”-7.5”
Large frame	>5.75”	>6.25”	>6.5”	>7.5”

 

Keep in mind that most physicians agree that losing 1-2 pounds per week is healthy.  Losing weight more rapidly than that may have a detrimental effect on health.

As we shed pounds on the Joe Biden diet, we might become concerned that we or our family members are losing too much weight.  After all, many of us are not accustomed to being at a healthy weight.  These charts can help us understand what is healthy and help us make better decisions.

 

References:

https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmi_tbl.htm

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323446#body-mass-index-bmi

https://www.livestrong.com/article/328220-the-average-height-and-weight-by-age/

https://www.calculator.net/ideal-weight-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=56&csex=f&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=6&cheightmeter=180&printit=0&x=43&y=22

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[1] https://www.ideal-weight-charts.com/images/metlife-healthy-weight-chart-1942.jpg