Ideal Body Weight

Your ideal body weight and your fat to lean ratio varies considerably depending on age and gender. The minimum percent of body fat that is considered safe for your health is 5 percent for males and 12 percent for females. Most people are not near this minimum requirement. The average adult body fat is closer to 15-18 percent for men and 22-25 percent for women.

Athletes have more lean weight due to their increased muscle mass so they tend to be at the lower end of this scale. While low levels of body fat seem to be related to improved performance, certain sports positions require different levels of body mass. So body composition alone is not a great predictor of sports success. If you are a linebacker, you need to have enough body mass (lean and fat weight) to generate high forces and avoid injury. The body fat of elite athletes vary by sport. There does not seem to be any benefit to the athlete if they get below 8 percent for men or 14 percent body fat for women.

What's wrong with low body fat?

Body fat percentages that are too high are dangerous to our health. Everyone knows that. But it can also be dangerous to have a body fat percentage that is too low. Athletes who lose too much fat risk injury, decreased performance and a variety of health issues.

There are three related health problems that are showing up in women athletes. These are called the female athlete triad. They involve the following problems:

Low energy availability (eating disorders) Menstrual disorders (amenorrhea) Weak bones (increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis).

When an athlete uses extreme measures to decrease their body fat they actually have a decrease in their sport performance. More importantly it can lead to severe health complications. Nutrient deficiencies and fluid/electrolyte imbalance from low food intake can lead to increased risk of fractures, illness, loss of reproductive function and serious medical conditions such as dehydration, and starvation.

The medical complications of this triad involve almost every body function and include the cardiovascular, endocrine, reproductive, skeletal, gastrointestinal, renal, and central nervous systems.

Can too much body fat be harmful?

Having too much body fat is a more prevelant problem in many countries today. Too much body fat is also harmful. For men over 25 percent and women over 32 percent fat there is a direct connection to the occurance of illness and disease.

I can't help it, my parents were heavy?

Some aspects of your body composition are genetic like where your body tends to store fat, but most of your increase in body fat is related to your lifestyle. This is under your control. You can maintain your ideal body weight with knowledge about calories and exercise.

How does one change their body composition?

You can increase or decrease your percent of body fat by creating the right balance between the calories going in and calories burning out. In order to burn fat decrease your daily calories by about 500 and increase your exercise. Aerobic exercise along with strength training is the best combination for this. If you are starting an exercise program for the first time, I would suggest that you first consult your physician. If your body fat is in the dangerously low range, then it is important to put more calories in than you are burning off. It is important for your health that you know your ideal body weight and try to stay in that range.

Find your ideal body weight

Calculate my ideal body weight

....So, how did you do? Are you as healthy as you thought. Are you wondering about BMI. Body mass index can be confusing so let me share an article by Dr. Steven B. Halls

_________________________________________________________________ About the "Medical Recommendation" of Ideal Weight By Steven B. Halls, MD

The medical profession likes simplicity. Researchers have tested if being overweight causes health risks, using a body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2 as the definition of overweight. This is obviously too simple, but it is a common method used in data analysis. Numerous studies have confirmed that having a body mass index over 25 kg/m2 is associated with increased risk of disease (like diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attacks, etc), and risk of a shortened lifespan3.

It is important to point out that this simple definition of "overweight" by medical researchers, is not representative of how people regard each other, nor is it how a doctor would judge an individual patient, nor is it used by most nutritionists.

Furthermore, the BMI of 25 kg/m2 definition of overweight is a "unisex" threshold, that suits neither men or women particularly well. Nevertheless, a BMI of 25 to 29.9 is defined as "overweight" by some important institutions1.

The definition of "underweight" at a BMI below 19 kg/m2 is also arbitrary. It may be somewhat suitable for women, but is quite unsuitable for men.

A better definition of weight categories2 is shown in the table below. It suggests that an "overweight" BMI is actually 27.3 for women, and 27.8 for men.

Adults______Women_____Men

There are MANY websites on the internet that offer a simple "body mass index calculator" function. The vast majority of these websites use the too-simple definition of overweight at 25 kg/m2. You should be wary of these types of websites, not only because of their simplicity, but also because they don't compensate for gender, or for kids, or for different ages of adults. The halls.md Body Mass Index Calculator does all of these things. It is a versatile tool, which also computes the "percentile" statistics of the individual compared to the equivalent population.

Weight Loss and The High School Athlete

Bigger is not always better! If you sustain muscle growth, strength and speed with a gain in weight, then bigger is better, especially in football. For most people this is not the case. Excess body fat restricts speed of movement by adding useless weight that must be moved at high speeds. In order for many to perform at their optimal level, a loss of weight is necessary.

Weight loss is a tricky situation. Many overweight people have developed a lifestyle around eating, and in order to lose weight, there has to be a LIFESTYLE change. The method for weight loss is similar to that for weight gain. First, the amount of calories needed to maintain a specific body weight needs to be calculated. A 500-1000 calorie deficit in daily intake will result in a loss of 1-2 pounds per week. A slow reduction in body fat over an 8-10 week span is the key. Rapid weight loss will result in a loss of muscle tissue, this is counterproductive.

The value of a proper diet and good nutrition has become increasingly important in athletic performance. Food provides us the energy to train and the building blocks to grow. Generally, the food we eat serves three major functions: 1) providing an energy source or fuel; 2) providing raw material for tissue maintenance, growth and development; 3) providing chemical components that regulate all functions in the body such as muscle contraction, nerve conduction, etc.

The hard training, young athlete must be properly fueled if they want to reach their physical potential. Consistent eating patterns and attention to a balanced diet will provide you with all the benefits of good nutrition. There are no magic pills or potions available that will give you more energy, make you run faster, or improve your skills. Having the discipline to eat a balanced diet of normal foods each day is the only “secret formula.” Scientists and the educational community have provided us with an abundance of research and facts in the area of nutrition. This information has been made available for many years. Unfortunately, some athletes and coaches don’t rely upon the facts.

In order to begin a successful weight loss or weight gain program, daily caloric needs must be determined. Daily caloric expenditure is the sum of a person’s Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), average caloric needs of daily workouts (strength training and running), and requirements for normal daily activities (walking, driving, and running errands).

Here is a simple formula you can use to help give you a guideline regarding how many calories you need to begin losing weight:

Multiply your body weight times 15 calories. Than subtract 500 calories. This will give you the approximate number of calories you must consume each day that week to lose one pound of fat.

Let’s assume you weigh 250 pounds. Observe how you would utilize the above formula to calculate how many calories you must consume daily to lose one pound of fat in 7 days.

250 pounds X 15 calories 3750 calories (number needed to maintain 250 lbs.) - 500 calories (deduction per day for 7 days = 1 lb. of fat) ____ 3250 = number of calories to consumed daily for one week

To lose one pound of fat in a seven-day period you can only consume 3250 calories a day. At the end of the seven-day period a one pound loss should be observed. To lose an additional pound the next week, and each succeeding week, you must recalculate the formula based upon your new body weight (249 pounds x 15 calories = 3735 - 500 calories = 3235 calories / day for the next seven day period).

In summary--young athletes need to pay attention to what they put into their bodies. In order to maximize their athletic potential and develop a healthy lifestyle here are some key points to remember:

1. More fraud exists in the area of nutrition than any other segment of the fitness industry. 2. In most cases athletes are not reliable sources for nutrition information. 3. Testimony is an opinion not based upon facts or scientific information. 4. Supplements are not more effective than the food you consume. 5. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy. 6. Vitamins do not provide energy. 7. There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat. 8. The body can eat most foods in moderation…..BALANCE is the key.

REFERENCES -

1) Riley, Dan. “Houston Texans Strength & Conditioning Manual”

2) Gentry, Mike, Ed.D. , CSCS. “A Chance To Win”

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