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Calculate Your Happy Weight  (From ‘SELF’ magazine)

Eighty-seven percent of normal--weight women wish they weighed less. Stop aiming for an unrealistic goal and use this formula to get your ideal digits.

Grab a tape measure and calculator. Multiply your height in inches by itself, then by 0.031. This is your weight at a body-mass index of 22, in the middle of the healthy range, so it’s a good place to start. (Always aim to keep your BMI under 25.) But there are many different factors that can contribute to your happy weight. So keep calculating.   ___________

Multiply the number above by 0.95 if you have a small frame; leave it unchanged if you have a medium frame; multiply by 1.05 if you have a large frame. To measure your frame, wrap a tape measure around your wrist and consult this chart: 

	If you’re under 5’2”			If you’re 5’2” to 5’5”	If you’re over 5’5”
Small frame	Less than 5.5”	Less than 6”			Less than 6.25”
Medium frame	5.5” to 5.75”	6” to 6.25”			6.25” to 6.5”
Large frame	More than 5.75”	More than 6.25”			More than 6.5”

                     

                                               X_______________

      Add 1 pound of a sibling or parent is obese. This makes you two to three times mo   more likely to be overweight.       +_______________

 

Add 2 pounds for each decade you are over age 20.  Although women begin to lose 1/3 to ½  pound of muscle for each year and gain at least that much in body fat as they age, it’s possible to prevent some of this weight gain by exercising and eating right.             +_________________

 

      Add 5 pounds if you’ve had any children. Pregnancy results in a 4- to
        7- pound weight gain, on average, according to a study in THE JOURNAL OF THE AMAMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. +____________

        Subtract 1 pound if you exercise and weight train once a week, wesubtract 2 pounds if you do it three times a week, and subtract 3 pounds if yif you do five or more times a week.  The muscle you build by strength training  incrincreases your metabolic rate, so you’ll burn more calories.  -_____
      

     Add 4 pounds if you smoked at least a pack a day or a year or more and

     have quit. Most quitters gain weight, but the health benefits are well  

          worth it.  +______________

 

        Add 1 pound if you allow yourself a treat now and then.  

      ‘Occasionally indulging can be healthy,” says Shiri Morgan, R.D., a dietician at

          UCLA Diabetes Gonda Centre in Los Angeles. You’ll feel happier if you cut

        yourself some slack.

 

      ADD THE NUMBERS AND YOU’LL HAVE YOUR ‘ HAPPY WEIGHT’  --          ______________

 

       (I did this came up with a ‘happy weight’ of 154. 

       Have yet to reach this weight, but I don’t think I’ll be

        ‘happy’ there. Of course, I’m not a ‘normal’ weight

       person!  Maybe I’ll be ‘happy’ at 140???

egads

122

seems unattainable right now

Hi Peach!

I guess we have to do it 'one day at a time, one pound at a time..."

 

At over 3 years out, even 140 seems unattainable. I'd be delighted to get to 150!  But my body 'hovers' at a weight for quite a while before letting go.  I was at 170 forever, then 165 forever, now I'm hovering between 155 and 160--seemingly FOREVER!  But I can't complain too loudly, as I use my handicap parking all the time to park as close to my destination. 

150 is my happy weight and is also my personal goal  :)  I blew past the surgeon's goal  :)

Thanks Sue!!

OH!!  wore those gorgeous pink pants last night to work...  I got a ton of compliments!  Thank you sooo much!!  they are so pretty!!

Have a wonderful day!!

 

Yay,  Lori!

I'm glad you have a chance to wear those 'pedal pushers'! I bet the colour is great on you, too!

 

((((HUGS))

**SUE**

 

 

Thanks for posting this Sue - although it taxed my math weak brain.  I came up with 143 - which it is a ways off yet - it is about where i was hoping to be when I was done. 

 

Linda

 

Hi Linda!

Remember that this is a 'fun' guideline. And don't get discouraged.  One pound at a  time...  I'm willing to bet that you lose beyond the 'happy' weight!  

 

I had to do this with my trusty ol' calculator.  Yikes if I get caught in a situation where I need to work with numbers!

I came up with 154 which is less than my goal so maybe I need to be more ambitious :)

Hey Kris--

Will you be 'happy' at the weight?? A lot of us can't connect our brains to our ever-smaller bodies.

 

Good luck..and one day at a time, one  pound at a time...

 

((HUGS))

**SUE**

I came up with 142.  I remember being 140 in the fifth grade. I know it sounds a long ways away, but right now anything in the 100s would be awesome.  Mary