Is 140 pounds an ideal weight for my height?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am 18 years old, and my weight is 140 pounds. Am I overweight? I work six hours a day for five days a week. I am always walking and moving around at work. I have tried exercising and only drinking water for a while, and nothing has changed. I have gained more weight. Kindly advise.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

The best way to know if you are overweight is to find your height in square meters (150 centimeters = 1.5 meters ). Divide your weight by your height in square meters. If the value falls between 18.5 and 24.9, you are fine and not overweight. Only if it is above 25, you are overweight. So you can try doing it. This value is your BMI (body mass index) and is the best determinant.

If your BMI is above 25, I will advise you to start walking every day, around one or two miles in 45 minutes. Brisk walking is the best form of exercise. You can also incorporate some running into your workout. It reduces fat and also burns calories at a faster pace. Some people have a slow metabolism and must be strict in their diet. Limit your sugar intake in beverages.

If possible, give up sugar. Limit junk food (snacking in between meals gives you a lot of useless calories). Try to have three meals a day at a particular time and two snacks in between (snacks should involve fruits or soups and not junk food). With some minor adjustments, your weight will come down soon.

I hope that helps

Kindly revert in case of further queries.

Thank you.