Weighty Issues: Ideal Weight Or Happy Weight?

Have you been struggling to come down to your high school weight or fit into your wedding outfit, but with little to no success? If yes, then this post is a must read for you.
Before we begin, you need to analyse your reasons for wanting to lose weight; especially in light of the fact that you can weigh much more than your ideal weight and still be hale and hearty. And not to forget happy. Experts say that if you are overweight, then losing a mere 10-15% of your weight can lead to a host of health benefits and can prepare you for the long run.
Let us understand the terms 'ideal weight' and 'happy weight' - 'Ideal body weight' also referred to as 'healthy weight' is that which is right for your body type and height measurements. Calculating BMI or measuring the waist circumference gives a fairly accurate indication about the healthy weight status. However, it is important to remember that BMI is just one measure of a person¡¯s health status. It is possible for one to vary slightly from the ideal BMI range i.e. fall in the slightly overweight category even as one eats a nutritious diet and exercises regularly. Quite often, drastic or excessive measures (deprivation and very low calorie diets) are advocated just to make the person fit into the ideal weight category. Such measures should not be resorted to as they are likely to cause unnecessary stress and unhappiness. Happy weight is that weight which may be a little off the ideal weight but is maintained by following healthy eating and exercise practices and is the weight with which one is at ease.
Simply put, your ideal weight can be different from your happy weight and this imperfection does find approval by health pundits.

A Nutritionist¡¯s Point of View

Here's what Neelanjana Singh, Chief of Dietetics and Nutrition Consultant, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi has to say about the differences between ideal weight and happy weight...

Who and what decides how much I should weigh? The best person to decide how much you should weigh is your health care professional who takes your health profile into consideration. General guidelines for losing weight are then fine-tuned as per individual variations based on genetic make-up and eating behaviour. The ideal body weight is a range that is appropriate for most people. However, a factor that needs to be taken into consideration is that the individual variation could be above or below the range that has been prescribed as the general rule. Many factors are taken into account while deciding what is the weight that needs to be shed and how this should be done.
Now, to answer the eternal question - what does one do when the body refuses to get stable at the new weight? This means that one is either going on losing or going on gaining weight. Check for an endocrine problem, such as thyroid or insulin related problems.

Exploring the difference between realistic weight and perfect weight. Realistic weight allows for differences that exist across different people and yet establishes healthy weight. The notion of perfect weight may not necessarily accommodate individual differences that stem from regional, cultural and psychological limitations.

Deprivation and discipline are two key words in maintaining weight. Thus, it is ok if one bounces back a few pounds. It is essential to maintain some amount of discipline when the plan is to lose weight. Frequent fluctuation of weight is not desirable. But deprivation as a part of the weight loss plan is more harmful than it may seem. A deprivation diet is counterproductive and can actually slow down the metabolic rate.
Is it important to have a long term plan of eating intuitively and keeping abreast with the exercising routine. The long term plan for any weight reduction plan is to stay healthy and active. It is okay to have short term goals of losing some prescribed amount of weight but eating healthy has many more advantages.

A Psychologist¡¯s Point of View

Here's Dr. Pulkit Sharma, Clinical Psychologist & Psychoanalytical Therapist, VIMHANS, New Delhi, on how mental factors come into play when one tries to maintain an ideal or happy weight.
When individuals are working on weight loss, they should break their weight loss goals into several small goals and go in phases. That way, the goals are not too difficult to achieve and the small successes you get provide constant encouragement.

In recent times, people have been trying to chase the perfect weight and feeling frustrated if they cannot attain it. It is therefore important to be realistic in your goals and have tolerance for some imperfections. Refrain from unrealistic comparisons with models and actors - their livelihoods depend on how they look, hence the hours and expenses spent on achieving perfect figures.

Certainly it is okay if one bounces back a few pounds. Progress in any human endeavour is never linear, but it happens in a back-and-forth manner. If you bounce back a few pounds, do not feel guilty and give up. Take it easy and continue working. Guilt often makes people depressed and ruins their weight loss plans.

Bottom Line: Accept yourself, imperfections and all. Chase a body weight that is healthy, given any constraints, plateaus and frustrations. Don't let the idea of losing weight overpower all aspects of your life. As long as you eat healthy food, and exercise regularly, your weight should not be the only determining factor regarding your physical and mental health. Discuss your goal weight with a healthcare professional or fitness expert and get informed advice about healthy lifestyle changes that will help you achieve a healthy and happy weight.
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