Friday, March 21, 2008

Seriously

I need some feedback from everyone. I weighed in today at 250.2. It was early in the morning and I was totally naked, on an empty stomach, thinking thin thoughts. Do I need to lose weight? I know I look fat, but is it that bad? What should I weigh? Please let me know. Really.

3 comments:

Nicholas said...

It's hard to say without knowing much more than just your weight. I wasn't exactly sure of how tall you are Frank, so I guessed 6'1". That height and a weight of 50 pounds put you at a BMI of about 33, which is clinically obese. Don't feel too bad--25% of Americans are. The good news is you are only in Class I obesity, which is pretty mild. All things considered (body fat, muscle amount, etc.), you are probably more just overweight, teetering on the edge of obesity. There are additional risk factors too that should be considered--are you hypertensive, do you have high cholesterol, do you have a family history of heart disease? Those would also play a role in determining just how "bad" your weight is.

The bad news is that even being overweight puts you at an increased risk for disease such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, and some forms of cancer.

The best thing you could do RIGHT NOW would be to start an exercise plan if you aren't already on one. Next, set a goal weight and give yourself time to achieve that goal. You should shoot for 1/2 to 1 pound per week lost. Losing more than that can be dangerous, and it also will make it tougher to keep the weight off. Look at what you are eating. Try to maintain a diet of less than 1500 calories.

Keep in mind that the BMI index is not intended to be the end-all be-all for whether one is "fat" or not. At 6'1", the BMI index says "normal" is less than 179 pounds. I am weighing in around 200 pounds these days and am still considered "overweight". It is important to get to a weight at which you feel comfortable, healthy, and good about yourself. Maintain that weight, exercise consistently, and keep the calories down. Good luck.

Jimmy Rex said...

I diet and work out because you feel better as a person when you do it. You really don't look too bad, I have to see your mug everyday, but if you don't feel the way you want to or could than I would say to lose some weight? Fatty

Hoya Hatch said...

Frank, I think that Nick did a quality job of summing up the situation from a medical standpoint. From a personal level, you should try to find a level of "fit" that makes you happy, excited, motivated, and in general who you want to be and how you want to feel. I agree with Nick that you can't go straight with the BMI and say that you are obese, because your body composition is different than the average person.

I would work on getting some daily exercise, eating healthy, and sleeping well. If you do those things, I believe that your weight will automatically go to what is right for you and not just a number. Hope this helps. Good luck