Extract derived from the booklet prepared by the Special Committee of the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Association for Health, Physical and Recreation on co-operation with the Fitness and Amateur Sport Directorate, Department of National Health and Welfare.

 

Before starting an exercise program -- seek qualified medical advice on your needs and limitations.

The standards height-weight tables were derived from the measurements of a great number of people. The weights of people of similar heights were averaged and tabulated. You can use these tables of average weight as a guide to determine how much you vary in weight from the average man or woman of your age and height. However, what you actually weigh is not very important. What you really want to know is whether you are too fat. The height-weight tables cannot answer this question for you.

Your gross weight includes the non-fat part of your body such as, your bones, muscles, organs and fluids and that portion which is fat. The non-fat part will not change very much after you have fully grown, but the amount of fat you have at any one time can change a great deal. Since you cannot alter the weight of the fat-free part of your body the question is to decide how much fat you should have to look and feel your best, to provide the needed storage of energy and to insulate your body.

The amount of fat you have can be measured with special calipers designed for this purpose. The thickness of the pinch folds of path around the abdomen can tell whether you have too much fat. A quick and easy measurement that you can make yourself is to take a double  pinch fold of skin and fat between your thumb and fore-finger at your navel. If the thickness is over an inch, you are too fat.

A simple yet effective guide to what you did weigh in your early twenties. Changes in your weight today from your ‘best’ weight at that time, more than likely is an accumulation of fat. You should weigh what you did then, as nearly as possible.